How old should your puppy be before you begin housebreaking? Start as
early as you can but don't expect results until the pup is about 14
weeks old. Before 14 weeks your pup cannot physically hold it in. Then
why start early you may ask? Well, even though your pup may not be
physically able to hold it in, she'll at least begin learning what's
expected of her. Consider any training before 14 weeks to be
"pre-school". When her physical abilities catch up with what you
taught her, it will make it that much easier to put the lessons into
practice.
ESTABLISH REGULAR EATING ROUTINE
As I'm fond of saying, "what goes in must come out". To help you
figure out the best times to get your dog to go to the bathroom it's
important to feed your dog at the same times every day. This is the
ideal time to practice the housebreaking lessons. For your dog's
comfort it's also a good idea to feed your dog in the same place every
day, a place that they will identify as their eating spot. With your
puppy, there's a very short time between eating and eliminating.
Figure around 15 - 20 minutes. When feeding your dog, give her 15-20
minutes and then pick up the uneaten portion (if any). This will also
teach your dog to eat when fed. Again, these rules can be relaxed once
your dog is housebroken but for now it's key to establish a routine.
ESTABLISH A REGULAR ROUTINE
Until your dog is housebroken, also avoid treats and in-between meal
snacks. The whole idea is to feed your dog, observe them constantly
for the 15 -20 minutes after they eat and then bring them to the place
where you want them to do their business. Do it like clockwork and
you'll be putting your puppy in a position to succeed. This is all
about setting expectations and teaching your eager learner to do what
you want. And when they do, praise them wildly. Make it seem like that
little pee or poop that they did is the greatest and most magnificent
thing you've ever seen in your entire life. Your friends and neighbors
may think you're crazy, but I can't stress enough the power of praise.
It's what your puppy craves. Give it to her in generous amounts.
SIZE MATTERS
If you're considering crate training your dog as a means of
housetraining, keep in mind that the size of crate you choose is very
important. A good rule of thumb about size is: the crate should only
be big enough for the dog to comfortably stand up and turn around in.
You don't want the crate so big that the dog will mess at one end and
sleep at the other. For large-sized breeds that will continue to grow
substantially, you may need to buy a larger size later on if you
intend for your dog to continue using the crate after it is
housetrained.
MAKE SURE TO KEEP IT CLEAN
Have you tried getting rid of pet odors in your home but for some
reason the smell continues to linger? Not only is the odor unpleasant
but unless you completely remove it from wherever it's coming from
your dog will think that that smelly spot is an OK place to keep
soiling. After all, it smells like somebody peed there, right?
That's probably because you missed the spot.
The problem sometimes is that you can't see pet stains. And if you
can't see them you can't clean them.
Using a blacklight will reveal those hidden stains. Here's how:
DIRECTIONS: Simply shine the BLACKLIGHT on the surface where you are
trying to locate sources of odors. The BLACKLIGHT shows these stains
as greenish/yellow.
TURN OFF ALL THE LIGHTS : Best to use the BLACKLIGHT in the evening.
Works best in a COMPLETELY DARK or VERY dimly lit room. Hold the
BLACKLIGHT 1 to 2 feet above the surface. DO NOT USE IN A WELL-LIT
ROOM!
SUBMISSIVE URINATION
Urinating on the floor when you come home and greet your dog is called
SUBMISSIVE URINATION and is NOT related to housebreaking. This is an
entirely different topic with it's own set of problems and solutions.
The point of mentioning it here is so that you recognize the condition
if it exists and not confuse the two as they are completely different
and separate issues. You can find additional free information here:
Remember to be generous with your praise and use lots of positive
reinforcement. It's all about putting your dog in a position to do
the right thing and then observing them in the act of doing the RIGHT
thing and praising them wildly. Because remember: dogs don't know
from spite. They want nothing more than to please you. You just have
to show them the way!
Happy Housetraining!
Gene R. Sower
Gene is the author of Happy Housetraining, an ebook aimed at housetraining your dog easily and effectively.
Happy Housetraining E-Book - Train your Dog Easily and Effectively
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