HOUSEBREAKING YOUR NEW PUPPY
While everyone has their own method of housebreaking, the days of
rubbing a puppy's nose in his "accident" and throwing him outside have long gone. Each puppy is different however, I have found one basic method of housebreaking that works for me. Very young puppies are not capable of "holding it" for long periods of time. When a puppy has to do his or her business varies depending upon when you feed them as well. I wouldn't expect a pup younger than about 10 to 12 weeks of age to be able to go all night without having to relieve himself at least once. So if you don't want to get up with your new puppy in the middle of the night, I recommend confining them to a small pen, bathroom, or porch area with a potty pad, and a nice warm bed at night or when you are going to be gone long periods of time. While you are home however, I recommend crate training. When I first heard of crate training I thought.. I am not keeping my puppy in a little box! I quickly discovered however that if I wanted to save my carpet, my base boards, the trim around my door, and protect my dog from electrocution from chewing on an electrical cord or swallowing something they shouldn't, I should at least give this crate training a try.
When the puppy is going to be unsupervised for short periods of time, up to 4 hours he should be in his crate. The crate should not be too big other wise he will just go to one end of it to do his business. As a rule, they do not like to eliminate where they sleep. Normally, they will sleep the entire time. As soon as you remove him from his crate, take him/her to the place you have chosen for him/her to eliminate put him down and give him what ever command you have chosen to use for "go potty". This teaches them to go on command so you do not have to waste time when you want them to go. As soon as he/does praise him like he/she has just performed a miracle. Let him/her know just how pleased you are that he did what you wanted him to do. Dogs live to please their people and are never happier then when we show them how pleased we are.
Along with taking your puppy to potty as soon as he wakes up, take him out 10 to 15 minutes after eating as well. Watch him closely after eating and if you see him looking for a place to go, typically walking in circles sniffing around, immediately take him to the place you have chosen for him and again give him the command you have chosen for "go potty". Again, remember praise, praise, praise!! Any time your puppy is out of his crate, he should be closely supervised so you can catch any accidents before they happen and get them to their spot. Take them to their spots often at first until they get the hang of it. When your puppy tires and wants to sleep, back in the crate he goes. He will learn that his crate is his den. It will be a "safe spot" for him to go with he wants his peace and quiet. Once your puppy gets used to going on command, instead of picking him up to take him to his spot, you can tell him.. come on, lets go potty and have him follow you to his spot. This way, he learns to do this on his own without you having to place him there. Once he can follow you to his spot, he will learn to go there on his own. Gradually, you can increase the time he is left out of his crate. If you see him backsliding and not going to his spot, go back to the beginning. The time frame for housebreaking varies from dog to dog, but remember if you are consistent, they will pick it up much faster. The key is be consistent!As much as some of us want our new puppy to sleep right there with us on our bed, please try to resist the urge to do this until your puppy is housebroken. It will make house breaking much faster and easier and you will both be happier for it.Housebreaking must be a family endeavor. Each member of the family must know the plan for housebreaking and follow it. If you work outside the home and have older children who get home from school before you do, make sure they know the the first order of business is the dog! Puppies cannot to 8 to 10 hours a day without eliminating and also be expected to go 8 to 10 hours at night. The last person to leave the house should be responsible for making sure the puppy has had a chance to relieve himself in the chosen place and the first person home should tend to that immediately upon arriving home. If the entire household is going to be gone for extended periods of time, it is important to provide a safe confined place for your puppy where he also has a place to relieve himself. You try going from the time you leave for work until the time you get home without relieving yourself. With a little effort and a lot of consistency on everyone's part, proper housebreaking will make for a happier dog and a happier you!
