Housebreaking Your Puppy: Easy Tips for Quick and Stress-Free Training

Housebreaking Your Puppy

When you bring home your new puppy, some training must start immediately. With just a few easy housebreaking tips, it won't be long before you can have a puppy and clean floors, too.

Understanding Puppy Physiology

To understand how to housebreak a puppy you must understand just a bit about dog physiology. Unlike humans, dogs have a short digestive tract. What goes in must come out – and rather quickly. That is basic information that makes the difference between a quick efficient housebreaking period and a long drawn out battle with your pet.

Why Puppies Need Frequent Potty Breaks

Puppies, like children, do not have the control over elimination that adult dogs usually have.

• Rule of thumb: The smaller the dog, the more frequently they will need to go outside.

• Puppies are very small! What they eat and drink doesn't stay in their body for very long.

Step One: Start with Newspaper Training

For the first few days or a week, place several levels of newspaper at the door that will be used to take your puppy out. Later he will learn where all the doors are, but at first just use one door to take him out to do his "duty".

Step Two: Establish a Feeding and Water Routine

As much as possible, take the puppy out into the yard about 10 minutes after he eats and 5–10 minutes after he drinks. Though dogs should always have water available, if you are there with him during the day it's fine to just give him the water dish every couple of hours rather than keeping it out all the time.

Step Three: Praise the Right Behavior

When you take your pet outside just set him down and ignore him. Don't play with him, just stay there with him. As soon as he eliminates, immediately praise him as a good dog and take him back inside right away.

Step Four: Handle Mistakes Calmly

He will make mistakes. If you see him in the process of a "goof", don't raise your voice at all. Pick him up (even if he's right in the middle of what he's doing) and place him on the layers of newspaper at the door. As you put him down to finish, tell him "good dog". Don't try to rush outside with him as you'll not make it in time and will confuse him.

Housebreaking Your Puppy