Puppy Potty Training: How to House Train Your New Dog or Puppy

What is the secret to house training your new puppy?

Contrary to popular belief, swatting your  puppy on the behind with a newspaper
when he or she does his business where he's not supposed to is not the answer!

What works best in house training dogs and puppies are the three P's -
Prevention, Praise and
Perseverance!

Prevention - Prevent Accidents Before they Happen

Just like a brand new human baby needs diapers for the first few years of it's
life, puppies need a place to pee and poop until their little puppy bladders can
hold it like an adult dog. Puppies have poor bladder and bowel control - having
to pee every few hours, and poop several times a day. Keeping your puppy in an area
with quick access to newspapers, a puppy litter box, puppy pee pads or the back
yard is essential in the first few months of your puppy house training
regimen. Accidents are inevitable, so don't let puppy romp unsupervised in areas
where cleanup is difficult. Play with puppy where there is no carpeting or furniture
that can be soiled - areas where flooring is linoleum, tile or well-sealed hardwood
are best. NEVER give puppy free reign of the house - even when supervised. Watch
carefully for signs of impending peeing or pooping such as sniffing the floor, moving
in circles, or sudden disappearing acts. If you catch puppy in the act - DO NOT
SCOLD HIM!  Simply move puppy outdoors or to his designated "bathroom area"
- then clean up the soiled area, using an enzymatic cleaner specially created for
pet odor cleanup. You must completely eliminate the odor - or puppy may smell it
later and think it's a good place to go again. If puppy finished doing his business
where he is supposed to, praise him lavishly! You can also offer him a tiny tidbit
of his regular kibble food as a reward.

Always feed your  puppy a high-quality puppy food, and stick to the same
food at all times. Feed your puppy on a regular schedule, and avoid giving puppy
table scraps or other such tidbits and treats intended for humans. Don't switch
between brands of food - puppy's tummy is sensitive and delicate. Human food or
sudden changes in diet will likely give puppy diarrhea, which will make your
puppy house training attempts very difficult.

After puppy eats, take him outdoors to the area where you want him to eliminate.
Come up with a command that you will use when you want him to do his business. Whether
it's "hurry up", "Let's do it", "Do your business", or whatever you choose, be consistent
and use the same command every time. If possible, remain there until puppy completely
eliminates, then follow with lots of praise and a small treat of his regular puppy
kibble.

If you haven't already done so, your new  puppy should be taken to your
veterinarian for a well-puppy check up. This will ensure that your puppy is in good
health and is free from conditions that might hinder your housebreaking efforts,
such as a bladder infection, parasites, fleas, etc. Your veterinarian will likely
want to vaccinate and de-worm your puppy (unless your breeder has already done so)
and put him on a regular schedule of vaccinations, de-worming, flea protection and
heartworm preventive medications.

Crate Training as an Aid to Puppy House Training

You should spend as much time with your  puppy as you possibly can, but
when you can't directly supervise your puppy, you should confine your puppy to a
comfortable crate or small pen. You should also place puppy there at night when
the family is asleep. Your puppy's crate or pen should be his oasis - NEVER use
a crate or pen as punishment. DO NOT confine puppy to his crate for excessive lengths
of time. Puppies thrive on human companionship and can suffer greatly from separation
anxiety, which can occur when you leave him alone too long or too often. In addition
to being cruel, long periods of isolation can cause your puppy to misbehave by chewing,
digging, barking excessively, hyperactivity and even harming himself.

The puppy's crate should be used for dog naps, overnight and for short periods
of time when you must leave the house. If you have to be away all day, you can hire
a caring pet sitter to drop in on your puppy to provide a break for play, companionship,
elimination and exercise. Better yet, consider putting puppy in a doggie daycare
during the day where puppy can play with other dogs and people. Many doggie daycares
and pet sitters will assist in puppy house training - be sure to
ask! Give puppy plenty of outdoor exercise! It's good for both you - and puppy -
and gives  your puppy lots of opportunity to pee and poop outdoors, where you
want the activity to eventually be limited to. Weather permitting, your puppy should
be taken for a short walk or to play in your securely fenced back yard at least
twice a day for 20 minutes or more. Family members can take turns exercising your
puppy, or you can all participate at once.

Praise - A Great Reinforcer in Puppy House Training

Your  puppy loves you and wants to make you happy. You are his world! Lavish
him with praise when he does good, and you'll soon have a do-gooder puppy! When
it comes to house training puppies, a little praise can go a long
way. Whenever puppy eliminates in the right place, make sure he knows that you are
very proud of him. Say "Good Dog", "Way to Go", "Woo Hoo", "Yippee" or whatever
you feel comfortable with - and do it with feeling! Give puppy a tiny treat of his
regular dog kibble at the same time, and be sure to reward him IMMEDIATELY after
he does his business. Don't worry what the neighbors will think of you jumping up
and down and whooping like a goof-ball - THEY don't have to shampoo your carpets!
This goes for any behavior you want your puppy to repeat. Praise and a small treat
are a great way to positively reinforce your  puppy's behavior.

Perseverance - Be Ever Vigilant in your Puppy House
Training Regimen

Rome wasn't built in a day, and your  puppy won't be house broken
in a week. Give it time and be consistent. Make sure all members of the family have
been trained in the art of puppy house breaking, and make sure
everyone follows the plan to avoid confusing your puppy.

In the event that you are unable to successfully house train your 
puppy, despite your best efforts, please consider consulting a professional
dog trainer or dog behavior specialist. They can help you determine where your efforts
are going wrong, or suggest and help you implement other more intensive methods
for house breaking your  puppy.

Remember the commitment you made to your puppy when you invited him to become
a part of your family. You wouldn't give away a baby or child for peeing on the
carpet, so why should your " baby" be any different? Puppies and even older dogs
CAN be house trained! It just takes time, effort and consistency
from every member of the family.

If you follow these tips and give it enough time, you'll have a house
trained  puppy that will provide your family with many years of love,
joy, laughter and companionship!

This article is copyright©2007 Deborah
Moore and Dogpage.us

All rights reserved.

This article may not be reprinted without the express, written consent of the author.