Puppy Housebreaking 101

By

druidana

Just be very patient. He's just a baby. Do you leave this baby outside while you're not home? Kinda cold for that, isn't it?

By

Robyn Fed

Also remember these times to try to take the dog out to go, before he misses and accidentally goes in the house:

After exercise
After a nap
after eating
after drinking

This helps to catch him doing the good deed outside, use the same word each time. I just take mine out every so often, and applaud and make a big deal when he goes!

By

Robyn Fed

Hi,
I really like this site: leerburg.com...there are a lot of free articles......and podcasts etc.
http://leerburg.com/housetrainingproblems.htm

Basically the simplest way to do it is to watch for the dog to smell the carpet, look like it is about to squat and scoop it up and say lets go potty in a sing song voice.

It always helps to play learning games.
I like to teach them as a game that clicking means to come over here. It is a game of reward and lack of reward if they don't answer the cue, but it is a happy game.

I get a hot dog, cook it, let it cool enough to not burn the dogs mouth and cut it up into little pieces...the dog should be able to grab it and practically swallow it whole. Too big of pieces will distract from the game.

After dog has pottied, then come in the house and get one of the bags of hot dogs, cut up in little pieces and click with your mouth. If the dog comes to you then quickly drop a piece of hot dog on the floor. After he eats it he will want another piece.
Click and drop,
click and drop
click and drop and so on.

Soon have him come to you when called....click and as soon as he comes to you and touches your outstetched palm with his nose or sits or whatever he does, then drop a piece of hot dog.

This is a fun interaction game that lays the groundwork for you to train later.

Also you can teach the dog to go to the door this way too, say outside, and hurry like you are having a good time to the door. When he gets there, open the door and drop the piece of food outside where you want him to go and click and drop the food. I have also found that after a dog gets scolded for something, tell it to hurry and click on it when it comes to you and give it a hug. Don't hold grudges with a dog, and this teaches trust!

Have fun! Good luck!

By

Tannac

I do puppy rescue(save dogs from puppy mills) and I have to house break a new dog every few months. The Keys are time and routine! When pooping happens, firmly tell the the dog NO and put the poop outside where you want him tol earn to go, he'll get the idea. Try to remove all the scent(baking soda left overnight works well). Routine is very important, for example,if you walk him after he eats,eventually he'll know that and expect to do his business after he eats. Set a routine and stick to it and he'll be trained in no time!

By

Cricketnc

The first thing you need to do is to realize that it takes sometimes up to a year to completely housebreak a dog of any breed. They will have good days and bad along the way, but it does take many many months of consistent training on your part. If he has an accident in the house, don't get upset. Show it to him and tell him NO, then take him outside. Then clean the accident up completely, spraying the area with a pet odor remover when you are done.

I got a new puppy over the weekend. I love it so much, but there are problems. My family and I are not able to train it because it goes outside and pees but then he comes back inside and pees. What should I do?