Puppy House Training or Housebreaking
You picked out that perfect breed, brought it home, now what? Well this is where the fun begins. Puppy house training is crucial to the development of a well behaved pet and a clean house. Below is a collection of some great free puppy house training advice.
When to start training - House training should begin when you first bring the puppy home to establish guidance and dominance. About 8-12 weeks old is a good time to start. It's ok if the dog is older but they may have already learned some habits from the previous owner or breeder.
Puppy guidelines to remember - Puppies will take time to catch on to your training so planning a training scheduled will help them remember what they need to do. Puppies are small with tiny bladders. Do not expect your dog to hold it in for many hours with out a mess or you will be doing more cleaning than training. Dogs are also creatures of habit so with all training repetition is important.
Equipment needed
Crate - You will need a small crate, one that will fit your size dog with room enough for them to turn around in. Remember dogs are den animals and crates should not be overly large. The dog will feel more comfortable in a smaller sized crate.
Portable dog pen
- Puppies should have an area that is separate from the rest of the room you keep them in. Usually metal to prevent chewing. If you do not have a portable pen you can easily keep the dog in an area that has hard floors that are easy to clean and free from objects the dog may chew. You can also separate a room with a doggy gate.
Toys, lots of toys - Puppies should have things to occupy their minds. Since you may not always have constant contact with the puppy, having a few fun toys that squeak or jingle will keep them busy.
One thing to note - Try to refrain from using indoor toilets for your dog. The idea is to train the dog to do their business outside. By creating a designated area for the dog inside will only reinforce the idea that it is ok to relieve themselves in the house. If you do not have hard surface floors or worried that the few accidents the puppy will have may cause damage, you can purchase a premium pad training tray or indoor dog potty. Place these within the pen away from the food and water bowls. If the puppy goes on the mat you must clean it right away and remove any odor. If the puppy detects the smell of its own feces then they may feel it's safe to go in the same spot again. Do not stay dependant on these indoor dog pottys.
Puppy Housebreaking Training
1 - Designate an area outside for the puppy to relieve themselves. Have an area not too far away as you will be traveling there quite often. If you live with in an area where you do not have a yard, then bring
eco-friendly waste pick-up bags
2 - When inside with your puppy always keep them within the penned area. If you chose not to use a puppy pen then keep them with you and confined to a leash. It may seem silly to leash your dog in the house but you must establish control and not allow the puppy to go anywhere they want. Since puppy bladders are small they can't hold out for long. You will have to take them outside to your designated "puppy bathroom" often. This time ranges based on the size and age of the puppy and trial and error may help you gauge the time. Usually no more than 60 minutes for the first couple days of training. 3 - Once you arrive at your "puppy bathroom" stay near it and walk the dog in circles. Create a cue word to associate with the act of the dog relieving itself. We had used the word "doodle" with our dog. Pick a word that will stand out for the dog to easily recognize. When the puppy hears this same word over and over, it will reinforce an association between the cue word and act of relieving themselves. 4 - If the dog begins to relieve themselves then continue to say the cue word until the dog has finished. As soon as the puppy is done you must praise the dog. Give the dog a nice pat and a tasty organic dog treat as a reward for a job well done. The act of rewarding your puppy for good behavior will go along way and is important for obedience training.
If the dog has not relieved themselves then bring the dog back inside and place them in their pen or crate. Try again within 15-25 minutes.
5 - You may continue to reward your puppy after a successful trip to the "puppy bathroom" by letting them out of the crate or pen and play freely in the house under supervision. This will even further create a link between rewards and good behavior. Plus you do not have to worry about any accidence as the puppy has already gone. 6 - Continue this schedule every 60 minutes or for what time you had established for your dog. Do this for as long as possible. Eventually you will know when the puppy understand the routine as they will learn to hold it for treats and relieve themselves as soon as they approach their "puppy bathrooms" |
Any questions?
Q: What about when i am sleeping?
A: At night time you should make sure the dog is fed far before you go to sleep. Also remove their water dish from their pen or crate area before you go to bed. Remember to place it back in the morning. For awhile you may want to set your alarm a couple times during the night and bring them to their "puppy bathroom". It may seem like a chore at first but once the puppy becomes a little older they will have the capacity to hold it all night while you sleep.
Q: What do i do when i go to work?
A: If you are away from home for the day and you do not have access to a dog sitter
then you may need to look into a premium indoor dog potty. They are inexpensive and will be much cheaper than replacing your rugs. Place the puppy into the pen area or a small sectioned off area of the house. Make sure they have a nice place to sleep such as their crate or bedding, lots of fun toys, water and puppy toilet. As soon as you arrive home remove the indoor toilet and take them to their outdoor "puppy bathroom".
Q: How long will the training last?
A: If you have a doggy door
installed in your home, eventually the dog will understand what it needs to do. Just show them how to use the door and incorporate it in your housebreaking routine. If you do not have a doggy door installed then you must train the dog to "ask" to use the "puppy bathroom". When the dog begins "asking" to go outside or if you do not find any accidence in your house then the housebreaking training is complete. You can continue to always reward the dog for still relieving themselves outside and not on your carpets. If you would like to install a dog door in your home then click here for some easy to install dog door kits from Pet Smart.
Q: What should i do if i catch the puppy in the act?
A: If you catch your dog in the act of relieving themselves inside do not get angry. Say something loud enough for the dog to hear like "NO!" or "Oops!" and give your dog a stern look of disapproval. Quickly grab your puppy and bring them to their "puppy bathroom" and let them finish. If you did not catch him in the act do not get upset with the puppy. Quickly clean the mess and use an
all natural deodorizer.
This will ensure the puppy cannot pick up a scent of their own feces. If they do you run the risk of them relieving themselves at that spot again.
Tricks and Tips to Puppy House Training
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Create a feeding schedule and try to stay with it. Always bring the puppy out to their "puppy bathroom" about 15 minutes after they eat. Puppies that eat on a schedule will need to relieve themselves on a schedule.
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Keep the puppy under close supervision when they are inside. You can leash the pet to you while inside the house. Not only will this intensify the bond between owner and pet but it helps the puppy get use to the leash and will make leash training easier. You can even purchase a hands free leash.
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Take your puppy outside after any exercise, after they wake up and before you go to sleep.
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Do not use walks as time for your dog to relieve themselves. Dogs refer to walks as a fun exciting activity. If you take your dog for a walk and after the dog relieves themselves you turn around and go home, you are creating an association with relieving themselves and ending walks. What will happen is the dog will begin to hold it in longer to lengthen their walk as much as possible. Keep walks as exercise or rewards for your puppy relieving themselves at their "puppy bathroom" spot.
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Always clean with enzymatic cleaners, natural or organic if possible. Regular cleaners may only cover the smell. Your dogs heighten sense of smell can easily smell what we can not.
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If after weeks of the training the dog is still relieving themselves in the house there may be possible medical problems. Check with your veterinarian for assistance.
Training your dog to "ask" to go outside
To train your dog to "ask" to go outside is actually quite easy to do. Many people will use a bell for this to work. Hang the bell near the dog at a height where the dog can reach it. It is also important that the puppy has gone through puppy housebreaking and has understood the routine of going out side to their "puppy bathroom" to relieve themselves.
1 - First we need to train the puppy to use the bell. Ring the bell in front of the puppy. Then allow the puppy to try. When the puppy rings the bell, reward them with a treat. Do this long enough so that when the bell is exposed the puppy will hit it with their nose or paw. If your having trouble and the puppy begins to lose focus, put the bell behind your back for a bit. Bring it into view and repeat the process. Always reward your puppy even if they hit the bell by accident. When some time goes by only reward the puppy for loud rings of the bell. Known as selective reinforcement, this will teach the puppy to ring the bell loud enough for you to hear in the house.
2 - When you feel your puppy needs to go outside to their "puppy bathroom" present the bell near the door. As soon as the puppy rings the bell you can bring them outside. Reward them with a treat for their hard work.
3 - By doing step 2 long enough the puppy will eventually create the link between ringing the bell and going out side to relieve themselves. Now you can permanently hang the bell by the door for your puppy to ring. By now you should have a good idea when the puppy needs to relieve themselves. If you hear the bell ringing and you know the puppy was just outside you must ignore it. Some dogs may ring the bell consistently. These dogs may become harder to teach but stick with it. |
Also when teaching your dog to ring the bell do not use hand gestures or and verbal cues. You will only cause confusion. The puppy will eventually figure out the bell.
