Housebreaking Tips

Housebreaking Tips

Ms. Fairy Dogmother

Patience is vital in housebreaking because every pup will pick up the process at its own pace. Dogs aren’t born with the moral reasoning to understand that going to the bathroom inside the house is wrong.  Unless dogs are taught where to eliminate, they look for any convenient and safe spot, often the carpeting.

Your goal with a new puppy is to give them as many opportunities as possible to go potty outside and be rewarded.

Since dogs innately want to keep their personal areas clean, they will venture away from their territory to use the bathroom. However, many owners make the mistake of giving a puppy too much space too soon.

It’s best to use confinement to teach your dog that it has to wait to go to the bathroom outside of the house. You can do this by using a crate so the puppy has just enough space to turn around and lie down. Another alternative is to keep the puppy by your side while clipped to a four- to six-foot leash.

Don’t push your puppy to hold its bladder past the limit for its age or individual ability. If accidents happen at night, you must take your puppy out more often. The more a dog messes in its personal space, the more comfortable it will become with lying in its filth, making housebreaking difficult.

Puppies are most likely to use the bathroom within 15 minutes of

• eating,

• drinking,

• playing,

• exercising,

• or waking up from a nap.

 After any of these activities, your puppy should be allowed to go to the bathroom.

Following a schedule and sticking to your timers will give you the fastest route to successful puppy potty training. Early sacrifices at the beginning of housebreaking a puppy will make a world of difference in the long run.

Set a timer.  When the timer goes off, take your puppy out to go potty. Repeat.

Daytime

1.   A general rule of thumb for how long puppies can hold their bladders is one hour per month of age plus one hour. So, if a puppy is two months old, he can wait up to three hours.

2.   However, this varies from dog to dog, and a puppy should be taken out more often than its maximum hold time.

Nighttime

1.   Take your pup out right before bedtime

2.       Take your pup out every 4-5 hours at night. You can extend your pup to about every 5-7 hours as it ages.

3.   Take your pup out as soon as it wakes up.

Put them on a leash and take them to the same spot every time. The scent will help remind them where to go potty.

Stay outside with your pup while you’re trying to house-train them. While your puppy is doing its business, use words it will associate with going to the bathroom.  For example, you could say, “Potty,” “Go pee,” Do your business,” or something similar.

If your puppy goes to the bathroom within five minutes, praise it and offer treats as soon as it does its business. However, if it does not eliminate outside, calmly place your puppy back in his confinement area, wait 15 minutes, and then try again outdoors.  

When your puppy goes potty, give it lots of attention and show it did a great job. You can give your puppy a treat, a cuddle, or release it to play in the yard. Business first, then play.

Never punish your puppy if it has an accident in the house. This only teaches a dog to fear going to the bathroom when people are around, and it will likely still go in the house — just not when its owner is looking. Instead, if you catch your puppy in the act, you can interrupt him with an “oops” and immediately take it to the proper elimination area outside.  

Use enzymatic cleaners on potty spots to keep your dog from smelling previous accidents and going there again.  

If accidents happen, confine your puppy to the previous level of success. Throughout the entire training process, keep to your puppy's regular schedule of bathroom breaks and reward proper elimination.

Gradually expand your puppy’s space privileges as your puppy stays accident-free for one week. Allow access to a new room or area. Baby gates are helpful. You will know your pup is potty trained when it is accident-free for one month.