House Training For Puppies

Getting a new puppy is a very exciting event, but it comes with one dreaded experience - housetraining.  Many people would have no qualms with getting a puppy if it wasn’t for having to housetrain the puppy.  However, contrary to popular belief, housetraining doesn’t have to be stressful or messy.  In fact, housetraining can be a simple and easy process for both you and your puppy. 

The first step in housetraining a puppy is to be completely prepared for it before you even bring your new puppy home.  There are a few supplies that you are going to need to ensure that you are ready when the puppy does come home.  You will also want to have some carpet cleaning supplies that neutralize odors, just in case. It is important to select the right bed for your dog. Dura-Bull Dog Beds are recommended by Kennels, Boarding Services, Groomers and Veterinary Hospitals.

The second step is to get the best, most detailed information that's available, which will make the training quick, easy and stress-free. Being prepared, with the right information before you start,  will save days or even weeks of pain and embarassment for you and your dog. Easily the most comprehensive package online is by Daniel Stevens, who covers all aspects of dog training and his section on  HOUSE TRAINING is guaranteed to bring fast and permanent results. He also offers Free personal email consultation.

Daniel has a 6 Day Mini Course, that's FREE! This Course is Normally Worth $29, BUT You'll Receive it for FREE! This 6-Day Course will Teach YOU Secrets to Correcting Dog Behavior Problems Using REAL-LIFE scenarios, such as...

• How to prevent your dog from destructive attention seeking behaviors,
• How to get your dog to respond to 'off-leash' commands,
• What to do to overcome separation anxiety,
• Selecting the right puppy for you,
• Stopping aggression towards strangers and other dogs,
• Overcoming general disobedience and much, much more...

Crate training is one of the easiest and most common methods for housetraining.  You need to be prepared with a crate that will fit the puppy when it becomes an adult dog.  This may also mean that you will need to partition a portion of the crate so that the puppy doesn’t have too much room.  If the puppy has a crate that is too large they will use the bathroom in one corner and sleep in the other.  You can partition the crate with a box that takes up a portion of the crate.

View a huge selection of Dog Crates both metal and plastic and in a variety of designs - at Amazon.com

 On your way home with your puppy it is a good idea to stop by the veterinarian.  Have the puppy checked for any signs of bladder infection.  A bladder infection can make it difficult for a puppy to control when they use the bathroom and they are prone to more accidents.  It can also be painful for them to eliminate, which will cause housetraining problems as well.  If your puppy does have an infection, you are better off waiting out the infection before you work heavily on housetraining the puppy.  They are simply unable to control the bladders when they have an infection and they may become frustrated.

Housetraining can take as little as two weeks or as long as four months.  The length of time all depends on the dog and its size.  Small breeds are often harder to housebreak because they can easily hide behind furniture and have accidents without anybody knowing it.  It is also very important that you set up a schedule for both you and your puppy.  A consistent feeding and exercise schedule will allow you to know when the puppy needs to go outside.  You will work in the dog’s schedule around your daily schedule.  The puppy needs to eat and exercise at the same time each day.  There are three things that make a puppy need to eliminate including:

• Eating
• Sleeping
• Exercising

 About ten to fifteen minutes after each of these activities, the puppy should be placed outside and given the opportunity to use the bathroom outside.  Ideally you will take the puppy to the same place every time and give him an elimination command such as “go potty” or “hurry up.”  Whenever the puppy is not eating or exercising, it should be in its crate.  You will also want to give the puppy the opportunity to eliminate every couple of hours. 

Puppies under nine weeks old may have difficulty at first because they do not have the ability to control their bladders and bowels completely.  It is normal for there to be a few accidents during this process.  It is very important that you handle these accidents properly.  Puppies do not understand that they have done something wrong, as they have very short attention spans.  You will get nowhere trying to punish the puppy.  Simply clean up the mess and place the puppy outside to use the bathroom.  Be sure to eliminate the odor of the mess to ensure that the puppy does not smell that spot again and mark it as his territory. 

Consistency is key when housetraining puppies.  Be certain that you follow the same patterns everyday with your puppy and they will learn where they are supposed to use the bathroom in no time.