The faster you can housetrain your puppy, the sooner you will begin to truly enjoy life with your new dog. The good news is that your puppy actually has powerful instincts that work in your favor—namely not to mess his or her own den. What you need to do is learn how to maximize those instincts to suit your lifestyle and living accommodations. There are many ways to housetrain a puppy, whether you live in an apartment or a house with a yard. This section will focus primarily on the latter, but should you choose to papertrain or use wee-wee pads much of this basic information will still come in handy.
Puppy’s physiological needs
Puppies, like human babies, don’t have complete control over basic bodily functions. Consequently, they need "to go" often: up to 10 times each day and in the wee hours at night (giving that time of night a whole new meaning). For the first few days, plan on taking your puppy out or to the papers at least once an hour for each hour he or she is awake, and especially after he awakens or eats—eating stimulates peristalis and elimination, even in adult dogs.
Gradually, as he can "hold it" longer, you will be able to reduce the frequency of these forays. Most adult dogs are happy with just three to four elimination trips each day. If your adult dog is urinating in the house, see Elimination problems.
Dog psychology 101
Dogs are fastidious about elimination. This instinct is part of a powerful survival strategy—poop can lead a potential predator to the den. It’s also why many puppies and adult dogs eat poop. "Accidents" never occur near the places your puppy eats or sleeps. He finds a spot far enough from his "den" to keep his home clean. (Puppy doesn’t yet realize that the Persian rug in dining room your kitchen floor are part of his home, too.)
You can leverage this instinct by carefully defining the den area where puppy will sleep and eat and live when he is unsupervised. A dog crate is ideal for this purpose, but you can achieve the same result by blocking off a small section of the kitchen or family room. The area should be just large enough for him to get up and move around a bit. Most puppies prefer a closed-in space. Finding the correct size may take trial and error, and you may have to go up a size or two as your puppy gets bigger. Any accident in the den means it’s too large a space.
During periods when you aren’t there to watch him – when you leave the house or at bedtime – confine him to his den. When you return and release him, immediately take him to relieve himself.
Getting down to basics
The combination of frequent trips outdoors and constant supervision indoors can help prevent accidents in the house. But puppy won’t connect your outdoor forays with his urge to eliminate unless you actively teach him what you expect:
- When you take him out, always go to the same spot in the yard. As he marks this area, over time, it will develop a scent that triggers his desire to eliminate there.
- Keep him on a short leash, so he can’t wander off until business is done.
- As soon as he squats or raises his leg, repeat a phrase like "Go potty!" Choose any words you like, but always say the same thing. As he comes to associate those words with the action, you will be able to use them as a command.
- As soon as he finishes, praise him in a happy voice and reward him with petting or playtime. Remember, puppy want to please you and he will repeat any action that makes you happy and gains attention for him!
Practice patience
You will need to repeat the exact same process over and over every time you take him out until you and your puppy establish a routine that you can trust. Be sure that everyone in the household know puppy’s special place and "go" command. Consistency is essential, because puppies learn through repetition. Any variation will only confuse him – and slow down the learning process!
When puppy’s not in his den, you must vigilant. If he shows signs of needing to go – like circling and sniffing the floor – take him right out to his special spot. If you catch him in the act indoors, make a loud noise to distract him, than grab him and take him outside to his spot. If he uses his elimination area, remember to praise him. (Don’t yell or punish, no matter how annoyed you are! He won’t know why and he might become fearful of you). Clean up any accidents thoroughly to avoid confusing him with indoor triggers.
With patience and consistency, most puppies will train in two to three weeks. It will probably feel much longer than that while you are in the process, but by following these tips, you’ll avoid stepping in quite a few puddles along the way.
