Housebreaking A Puppy

 

You should begin housebreaking a puppy as soon as you bring it home. Once bad habits are started they are harder to break. You must decide whether you are going to train your puppy to go indoors, outdoors or a combination of both, which is recommended as you don’t have to worry about your puppy getting wet or soiling his coat if the weather is bad.

Immediately upon arrival, introduce the special place where you have chosen for your puppy to do his business indoors. Place plentiful newspapers or special pads for the purpose on the floor. If you have carpet, it would be wise to confine the puppy to just a few rooms without carpeting while the routine is being learned. Young puppies need to relieve themselves frequently, so if you see the puppy about to squat away from the paper, just say “No” firmly and whisk the puppy away to the paper and say “paper. Give lots of praise when the task has been completed. Rewards and treats can also be given.

For outdoor training, a 10-12 week old puppy should be taken outdoors every one to three hours. Older puppies can wait longer between outings. You will need to choose an appropriate area outside. Always walk you puppy to this spot on a leash. Always praise your puppy when he completes his business in the appropriate spot. By giving praise and/or a food reward immediately after your puppy finishes you can encourage him to go to the bathroom in a desired area. Odor left from previous visits to the area will quickly mark it as the place for the puppy to do his business. Be sure to promptly remove the puppy’s soiled waste and dispose of it properly.

Most puppies should be taken out:
*After waking in the mornings
*After naps
*After meals
*After play or training
*Before being put to bed
The #1 rule in this, as in training your dog to do anything, is to be consistent