Housebreaking Your Puppy
Housebreaking a new puppy can be one of the most frustrating parts of having a new puppy. If you have never trained a new puppy before you may benefit from these tips:
Tip1) Routine, just like training a child a puppy needs routine.
Puppies are easily confused so you must provide a consistent routine for them to get used to, such as:
Take him out the same door every time he has to "go potty". Always walk him to the same area to go to the bathroom and tell him in one word to “go.” Soon he will begin to connect the word with the action.
Learn when your puppy will most likely need to "go to the bathroom".
· First thing in the morning
· After a nap
· Right after eating or drinking
· During or after play times
· After being confined
· Right before going to bed
Your weekend and weekday routines should be the same for training your puppy, especially for housebreaking purposes. Keep a "housebreaking journal" so that you can get an overall picture of your puppy’s bathroom schedule and regularity of their urination and movements. Everyone in your household needs to follow the exact same routine. If one person says "out" when it's time to go outside, and someone else says "go potty", your puppy will get confused. With puppy training consistence is the key to success. Varying a puppy’s routine will increase the time it takes you to train your new puppy.
Remember to do the same thing at the same time everyday, and he'll quickly learn what is expected of him.
Time To "Go" for a bathroom break
Your puppy will do certain things when he needs to "go". Here's what to watch for:
· Sniffing and circling
· Stops playing or wanders off.
· Whining and wiggling when you're holding him
· Standing at the door
· If you see your puppy doing any of these things, take him outside right away.
Traditional Housebreaking
With traditional housebreaking, your puppy learns to "go" potty outside. Let your puppy sleep in a crate or kennel. It feels secure, like a "den". Puppies have small bladders. So you'll have to get up early in the morning to take him outside if you choose this method or you can get some doggy wee wee pads for an indoor doggy toilet and teach your puppy to use that as a bathroom during the night.
You can't and shouldn't leave your puppy in his kennel all day unless he has a indoor dog restroom of some sort. It is always a good idea to give your puppy some Chux underpads in case of a bathroom emergency.
It is not a good idea to confine your puppy in one room when you can't watch him.
Take your puppy out on a leash to his potty spot. Give your cue for him to ("Go potty!") and wait for him to do something. Praise him, reward him, and wait for him to "go" again. Puppies don't usually empty themselves right away. If you take him inside now, he'll have an accident in the house. When he "goes" again, praise him, reward him, and let him off leash to play. If you're taking a walk, wait until he finishes before you continue your walk.
Be generous with your rewards in the beginning. Offer verbal praise, petting, treats and play time whenever your puppy eliminates in the right place. Don't punish him for accidents he is just a puppy. If he "goes" in the house, clean it up with something containing an odor enzyme remover, such as "Nature's Miracle". I have been using Natures Miracle for years and it works great on all types of carpet. Don't use bleach or harsh chemicals. These can make your puppy very sick.
Other Options
What if you live in an apartment or have no yard? Consider paper training or using an indoor doggy toilet and doggy wee wee pads. The indoor dog toilet will prevent urine from getting on your floor and will be absorbed into the puppy wee wee pad instead. Follow the same housebreaking routine. But train your puppy to "go" on the doggy wee wee pad instead of outside on the grass. Nature's Miracle makes grass scented puppy pads to help with this type of training.
You can also train your puppy to use a litter box if necessary in a pinch, but the doggy wee wee pads are much more effective for dogs. Check out the Pet Patio Potty by Doggy Solutions or go to your local pet store for ideas.
Training your puppy to go on a doggy wee wee pad or in a litter box doesn't mean that he'll never learn to "go" outside. It simply offers you and your puppy another option when traditional housebreaking isn't possible.
Have patience. Be consistent with your training and routine, and your puppy will soon learn where he is allowed to "go" to the bathroom.