Puppies are cute, fuzzy, curious and just all-around fun! You’ve perhaps equipped him with a few toys, his own food bowl and, perhaps, a designated, cozy pillow to sleep on. If you’ve had some experience with puppies, you know that puppy housebreaking training time is also part of the deal! You may not regard this endeavor as one of the funner parts of welcoming your new BFF, but, nonetheless it’s absolutely necessary. Here we’ve got some pointers on how to conduct your puppy housebreaking training time, with an eye to a gentle, but persuasive program.
First, you must consider his age. If you brought him home at the recommended minimum age of departure from his Ma, 8 weeks, it may take just a bit longer to prosper. A puppy that’s 3 months old had an opportunity for Ma to acquaint her baby with the desired potty ritual. Not that the older puppy has the routine already in hand, just a greater degree of familiarity. So, don’t be impatient! This baby just needs a little more reinforcement on the concept.
This puppy housebreaking training plan succeeds for all dogs, no matter whether they’re to be inside or outside pets. The key to success? The popular old newspaper trick! Works like a charm. Now, let’s get right to the training process.
Save your old newspapers. For each ‘session’, place several sheets of newspaper in a location close by the door you’ll eventually have puppy-kins use to go do his potty business once he’s graduated from your puppy housebreaking training program. Naturally, there will doubtless be several accidents before he gets the picture. Be alert, especially after he eats. As soon as you’re aware that he’s had a mishap, be it on-the-spot observance or an unpleasant detection of a mess; carry your puppy (or put a leash on him) and take him to ‘the scene of the crime’. Use the same words on each occasion, spoken gently but firmly. “No! Bad dog!” is short and sweet. A little more emphasis on the ‘bad’ also helps. You needn’t resort to rubbing his nose in it – he knows what you’re upset about. The beauty of using such a phrase is that it then becomes a universal verbal construct which puppy associates with any unacceptable behavior.
Immediately transfer him to the prepared sheets of newspaper, setting him on the permitted location. It doesn’t matter that he no longer has any potty business to conduct. He’ll soon get the message. When nature calls, he’ll start to look for that newspaper.
Using this puppy housebreaking training strategy does bring results, so do be patient. Your reward will come when your puppy heads for the newspaper on his own. Even if he’s not right on target, but close enough, with an obvious effort to do the right thing, you’re almost there. Now it’s time for generous praise and a little treat. Again, short and sweet. “Good dog!”, with emphasis on the ‘good’, along with some petting and a tiny dog biscuit serves to let him make the association with all good behavior. Perhaps even more than with children, consistency in disciplinary matters counts.
You have to admit that this puppy housebreaking training plan is simple. Your next step? Place the newspaper outside the door and let your puppy see you do this. Now, he knows where the approved location for doing his business is. Yes, the door stands between him and his objective. Now, you can expect him to go to the door and make some urgent whining sounds when he’s ‘gotta go’.
At this stage of your plan, you’ll want to take him outside to the designated potty spot shortly after each meal. Put him on a training leash and, after his first positive venture, load on the praise, with a few repeated “Good dog!” remarks, followed by a short walk. One happy canine and one happy puppy housebreaking training expert! That’s all there is to it!
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