Housetraining Your Puppy Advice From The Experts

Housetraining Your Puppy: Advice From The Experts

Housetraining is perhaps the most obvious example of why it's a good idea to train puppies. Nobody wants stains on the carpet or the smell of pee and poop permeating the house. Yet housetraining is often overlooked or undertaken in a haphazard manner when it should instead be the cornerstone of the training process. Starting early is key, especially with toy breeds, which often have a reputation for being difficult to housetrain.

It's essential to take puppies outside on a regular schedule so they learn to anticipate potty time and hold their urine or stool until then. If you're not consistent about when you take a puppy out, it's more likely to have accidents in the house – and that's not good.

“After a puppy has the habit of peeing in the wrong place, it's hard to change its mind,” says Stanley Kissinger, a Yorkshire Terrier breeder in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “But once the pup gets the idea, it's extremely easy to train.”

With that in mind, take your puppy out early and often. Physiologically, the puppy won't be able to hold its urine for long periods until it's older, but it can learn that outdoors is the place to go.

Establish good habits by taking your puppy out on a leash and giving it plenty of time to sniff around and find just the right spot. Keep its mind on business by repeating the words “Go Potty” in a friendly tone. Stanley says that, “As soon as it potties, be happy and express that joy to the puppy. Take the pup back into the house immediately so it knows it was outside for that one purpose. It registers in its memory after several repeated events.”

A Quick Word About Lifestyle Changes

Taking on the responsibility of raising and housetraining a puppy may necessitate certain lifestyle changes, particularly for single people. If you work outside the home and like to push that snooze button to the limit, brace yourself - you'll need to get up at least a half hour earlier to allow time for your puppy to potty and play before you leave.

Should distance permit, your formerly errand-filled lunch hour now becomes time to go let your puppy out for a potty break. Moreover, forget that after-work drink with a coworker; you'll need to rush home to tend to your puppy.

When proximity prevents you from going home at lunch or during periods when overtime crops up, you must make alternative arrangements for getting your puppy out. Hire a pet-sitting or walking service, or enlist the aid of neighbors willing to help. Whichever the case, it is imperative that your puppy gets out to potty and play during the day.

BONUS : Housetrainnig: 4 Common Housetraining Mistakes New Puppy Owners Can Avoid

Let's face it, as a new dog owner you probably have not taken a canine training class or have studied up on the latest puppy training techniques that are available.

That's okay! New puppy owners should not have to go to such lengths just to teach their pups the basics. But like all territories unknown, it is quite easy for novice puppy owners to find lots of ways to mess up simple puppy training, especially when it comes to the process of housetraining.

But you do not have to be one of these novices. To help guide your way towards proper housetraining with your new puppy, below are a few common mistakes that many people make, those of which you should aim to prevent:

1. Irregular schedule: Dogs thrive on repetitiveness and a routine schedule. If you fail to follow a schedule when it comes to taking your puppy to go to the bathroom, feeding times, and even bedtime, this can cause a disruption in the learning process.

For example, let's say it's Sunday morning and even though your puppy is waiting for you at the door to go to the bathroom at 7:00 AM (his usual morning potty time), and you feel like sleeping in, do not be surprised if you wake up to a puddle of pee or a stinky pile of poop on the kitchen floor. Adhering to a schedule is absolutely critical to successfully housetrain your puppy.

2. Ignoring crate training: Crate training is a safe and effective way to housetrain any puppy. Not only does it work well, but it is not the cruel training protocol that many people think it is. Placing your puppy in a crate when you are not able to watch over him will help your dog to develop control over its bladder.

3. Disciplining your puppy after the dirty deed has been done: In other words, if you continually yell and discipline your puppy after he has made a mistake, while not actually in the moment of the act, he will not have the slightest clue as to why he is being punished. This type of harassment will only cause your puppy to be scared of you. Only correct him when you catch him doing something wrong, never after.

4. Not cleaning up accidents when the happen: I realize that it may get a little tiring when you constantly have to clean up your new puppy's poop and pee, but it's an unfortunate part of the deal you made when you decided to bring home a new dog, especially a brand-new puppy.

Do not make the mistake of getting lazy and leaving his wastes to sit on the floor for any length of time. This can signal to your dog that it is okay to use the bathroom on the floor and he will continue to do so, typically in the same spot.