Housebreaking your new dog or puppy

Housebreaking doesn’t have to be tough. Read on to find some useful tips and tricks to housebreak your dog in a hurry.

Close supervision is essential any time your puppy is not crated indoors (or confined to a small area covered with newspapers) .It only takes a few seconds for your puppy to have a house soiling accident. Think of it this way, you wouldn’t allow a 2 year old toddler to roam the house freely, right? Your new dog needs the same amount of supervision.

Using baby gates to keep a new dog in a kitchen or family room is a great way to keep him under close watch and prevent accidents where you won’t be able to catch him in the act.

So I caught him in the act, now what?

Good job, you’ve been paying close attention to your dog! If you’re fortunate enough to catch him in the act of having an accident, clapping your hands and saying a loud NO! is usually enough to stop the flow.
The idea is to startle, not to scare the pee out of him, so be sure to judge your dog’s temperament and act accordingly.  Harsh punishment is never recommended and can actually make housetraining problems worse!

Next step, whisk your dog outside right away! Lavish praise, a trigger word (i.e.: “potty”, “get busy”, “business”, etc.) and a treat reward immediately following his eliminating in the right place will help you communicate to your puppy that you are pleased with his behavior. Delayed praise is not effective, so going outside with him on leash and witnessing him going in the right spot is important.

The Crate Is Your Friend - Use It!

Crates or area confinement are recommended for puppies and most adolescent dogs when left unsupervised alone in the house. If properly introduced and used appropriately, crate training is an efficient and humane way to prevent housetraining accidents and will keep your puppy safe when you can not watch him (or when you leave the house/apartment without him).

* Going out for the mail? Crate your dog.
* Leaving the house? Crate your dog.
* Going to bed for the night? Crate Your Dog!

Most dogs will not want to use the crate as a potty space, so by using this tool when you cannot supervise your pet you can prevent many accidents.

The crate should be a positive place, not punishment, so be sure to praise your dog when you put him into the crate. You can even offer a few yummy treats to get him to associate the crate with good things.  Avoid putting any bedding or newspaper in the crate. Some dogs are smart enough to eliminate on the bedding and then push it out of the way. A blank crate bottom will work well until your dog gets the hang of housetraining.

If your dog whines or cries in the crate immediately after going in, simply ignore him until he’s quiet. It may be tempting to let the dog out and console him but don’t give in! Letting a dog or puppy out of the crate for whining is only reinforcing that negative behavior. The puppy will learn that crying equals freedom and you will only be in for more and more crying the next time. We recommend a “60 second rule” meaning the dog must be quiet for 60 seconds before being let out of the crate, this will reinforce good quiet behavior. An exception to this rule can be made if you know your dog has to eliminate right away. If he’s been in the crate for a few hours or overnight, then by all means take him out right away and allow him to relive himself outside.

You can combat whining and fussing in the crate by offering the dog a stuffed Kong Toy or other treat filled toy keep his mind off the crate and on the food. A dog that is eating cannot be whining!

Important: As a general rule a puppy can “hold it” for the amount of hours equal to his age, plus one. So a 4 month old puppy could “hold it” for 5 hours. Avoid crating your puppy for extended periods of time, and avoid leaving adult dogs in the crate for over eight hours.

NEUTRALIZE ODORS WITH AN ENZYME CLEANER

Should your puppy have a few house soiling accidents despite your best efforts to prevent them, neutralize any soiled areas (carpet or floor surface) with an pet odor neutralizer such as Nature’s Miracle, Fresh ‘n’ Clean, or Outright Pet Odor Eliminator. Avoid using ammonia-based cleaners to clean up after your puppy’s urine.

Dogs can smell urine even when you cannot, so even if the floor looks clean it may still be attracting your pet to do his business there. Using an odor neutralizer is the best way to get rid of smells for good, even through the carpet padding!

Veterinary Exam & Urine/Fecal Check

Your puppy’s state of health will affect his ability to be successfully housetrained. Make sure your puppy or dog is seen by a vet within 48 hours of his coming home from the breeder or animal shelter. If your dog does not receive a “clean bill of health”, it is important that any physical conditions that can impede successful housetraining (such as cystitis, bladder infection, etc.) be properly treated.

Times When Your Dog MUST Go Outside

* First thing in the morning, even before you have your cup of coffee or brush your teeth!
* Twenty minutes after drinking
* Thirty minutes after eating
* Right after a nap
* Immediately after taking him out of the crate
* Immediately before putting him in the crate
* After playtime or exercise
* Right before bedtime

Most puppies over 10 weeks of age, need to eliminate somewhere between 5 and 10 times a day! Adolescent and adult dogs (from approx. 7 months and older) will need 4 to 6 walks a day.