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House Training Your Puppy

House training your puppy is going to take time and patience. How much time and patience depends on you, your puppy’s natural abilities and instincts, and how well the two of you can work together.

There are three basic methods to choose from when housetraining your puppy which are: Laying down papers or puppy pads Crate training your puppy Taking the puppy outside This article gives a very brief outline of the three methods. More detailed guidelines can be found by clicking the links to the individual articles.

Different professional dog trainers will recommend different methods but all will advocate two important rules - do not punish the pup for mistakes, and always be consistent.

Why not punish?

Surely punishment is a quick way to let a pup know he’s doing wrong?

No, it isn’t.

Firstly the puppy has no idea he’s doing wrong. Going to the loo is a natural function, something he’s been doing for as long as he’s been alive, and so far he hasn’t been punished for it. All you will achieve by punishing a puppy for mistakes during his housetraining is to make him scared of you, and possible ruin your relationship for the rest of the dog’s life. You will, in effect, teach your puppy the opposite to what you wish. Deal with mishaps and mistakes by promptly cleaning it up and using a purpose made deodoriser to get rid of smells. Simple cleaning with household soap and water may make it smell fresh to your nose, but a puppy’s nose is much more sensitive.

If you catch your puppy in the act of of going to the toilet indoors, simply pick him up with a firm, “No”, and take him to where you want him to make his toilet. Stay with him until he goes, and praise lavishly when he does. If he’s already finished relieving himself by the time you get there, just clean it up and remind yourself to be more vigilant about recognising the signals (walking in circles, sniffing, etc.) that he was looking for a good place to make a toilet.

Paper or Pads for Housetraining Your Puppy

This method of training involves laying newspapers or specially scented puppy pads on the floor and taking your puppy to these whenever he needs to pee. You may have just a few newspapers in a designated corner, or you might dedicate a whole room to be a ‘puppy room’ if you have the space.

At first the puppy will probably use the entire newspaper area to do his business, but will eventually settle on one particular spot as his favourite. When this happens you can begin gradually reducing the area covered by the papers, and moving the papers slowly towards the door.

The problem with this method of housetraining  your puppy is that you are teaching him it’s okay to make his toilet inside the house. When the ultimate aim is that the puppy will always go outside to the toilet, this seems counterproductive to some people.

If you have the time, it would be far better to begin housetraining your puppy to go outside from the beginning.

Crate Training Your Puppy

Crate or cage training can be a good way of housetraining your puppy if you do it properly and sympathetically. Leaving a puppy in a crate for long periods of time will be stressful for him, however, and if he is left to soil his sleeping area it can even undermine his natural instincts to keep his bed clean and so destroy any chances of successful housetraining.

Outside Housetraining for Your Puppy

There’s no doubt this is most time consuming and labour intensive way to housetrain your puppy. You need to be with him all the time and watch over him constantly. You need to quickly learn the signals that he’s looking for a place to be his toilet and be prepared to take him out into the yard or garden every hour if necessary.

Whichever method of housetraining your puppy you choose, consistent routine, oodles of patience and being prepared to accept mistakes as a natural and inevitable part of the process are vital.

Follow the links to get more detailed information...