How to housebreak a Puppy
Dealing with a mess that your new puppy creates on a regular basis is a part of being a dog owner and unfortunately, it is an inevitable one. Our tips will help you to learn how to housebreak a puppy in the shortest time possible
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How to housebreak a puppy

Puppies are known for eating a lot and lacking bladder and bowel control. Therefore, there is no way to avoid unsolicited piles or puddles in the early stages of your life together. So you have to accept that and focus on minimizing the span of this period. Luckily, there are simple rules for you to follow and we will share them with you so that your puppy becomes a responsible good boy or girl as soon as possible.


Dogs inherently crave structure in their lives, so your job is to lay a foundation of that structure for them. You simply have to be mindful of three main pillars, which are Confinement, Supervision and Regulation. If you can't establish supervision, your dog should be confined, and if it is not confined, you must be supervising it. And with the help of regulation, you will have to create a sort of a schedule for your pet, so that you both would have a long and happy life.
Confinement

Getting your pup a cage might be a good idea, since dogs like the comfort of small secluded spaces. They tend to hole themselves up under coffee tables, in the corners or other similar areas around the house, so if you think that caging your dog would be an act of cruelty, you are wrong. In fact, a cage or a crate is the single most effective tool for housebreaking that should be used by everyone.

Due to a deep-rooted nesting instinct, dogs don't usually soil their den and tend to stay away from their messes. Caging a puppy builds self-control in the most natural way and getting him out at regular intervals ensures that your housebreaking training bears results quickly. You should make all the necessary arrangements before bringing your puppy home. That is, getting a proper crate and making it as cozy as possible.

It is inevitable stress for a puppy to be taken away from his mom and siblings and brought to an unfamiliar environment, so don't expect it to behave itself from day one. You are likely to experience barking and whining when you lock the cage, but be firm in your resolve. To make it less stressful for a puppy, try to stuff the cage with soft and fluffy materials imitating a familiar environment. A warm water bottle or an old ticking alarm clock wrapped in a towel might also be useful in making your puppy fall asleep.

While your puppy is caged, it is a good time to let him know that barking and throwing fits will not be tolerated. Once it starts behaving inappropriately, throw some rattling toy at the cage or sprinkle your pup with water. It is ok to do so, as it doesn't hurt the puppy and sends a strong message that barking and thrashing around is a no-no. Paying attention to your pup and making the training consistent will surely get you the desired results. If you want to housebreak a 5 month old puppy, make sure that he spends no more than 4 hours locked up.
Supervision

Obviously, your pup can't be a cage dweller all the time, he needs to play and explore as well. Although, such activities demand supervision on your part. It's the same as keeping an eye on a baby, a puppy should not be left alone when he's outside of the confined place. Supervision is pivotal for determining whether your puppy needs to go and for providing him with feedback on the wrong places for pottying.

To help you with identifying such occasions, puppies usually want to relieve themselves after sleeping, playing, eating or drinking. The sure sign is when your pup abandons his occupation and starts to sniff around. It is then should you carry him outside to do his thing. It might so happen that your puppy gets distracted by the outside world with all the scents and noises, bring him into his cage for 15 minutes or so and try again, but don't play until he's done. Only after pottying should your puppy be allowed to continue supervised exploring and play.

Of course, you will likely find yourself in a situation when your puppy just squats right in front of you and starts peeing or pooping, since he has little control over this process. You need to give negative feedback such as clapping or saying "no" loudly and bring the puppy outside. Just be sure to repeat all the steps described above no matter what and don't forget to praise your pup when he eliminates where intended.

If you do find a pile or puddle, don't blame your dog. Confinement and supervision are designed to have total control over your pup's early life in your house and if you follow our tips, then unexpected surprises are almost impossible. Try to investigate, where have you made a mistake and how you allowed this to happen.
Regulation

Dogs are creatures of habit. They love it when their life is regulated and predictable, and they are especially good at adapting to such a life. For successful housebreaking, you have to control the feeding times because that's when your puppy would want to eliminate after he finishes. Try to feed your pup at the same time several times a day. If your puppy doesn't finish or refuses to eat at all, that's fine, he will be hungrier the next time. Whatever you do, don't leave food accessible at all times. Your puppy must figure out that opportunities to stuff his belly are limited.

Starting out housebreaking is not easy and you might have to take your pup out every hour or so until you start seeing patterns in his behaviour indicating that he wants to go. Take your puppy out every time he wakes up, finishes eating or playing. It is important to adapt to the puppy's rhythms and as he gets older, there will be more wiggling room for adjustments. Keeping at it will steadily teach your dog that there is a schedule and that there is nothing to worry about.
Creating a Housebreaking Program

Now that you know the basics of housebreaking training, try to mix and match to find your own pace and build a training program around it. For example, take your puppy out every morning when you get up. That is almost always a guaranteed time for your pup to eliminate. Define an area outside and bring a leash to limit your puppy's movement. As he relieves himself, come up with some phrase like "hurry" or "come on" and repeat it during the process. This will teach the puppy to react to this phrase.

Don't forget to clean up the designated pottying area, as dogs are very particular about the mess and avoid eliminating in a dirty place. So if you don't want to turn your backyard into a toilet, limit the area and keep it clean. Also, bring some treats and reward your dog, further solidifying the desired outcome in its mind.

After your morning session, it is mealtime. As we stated earlier, waking up or finishing a meal can both trigger the elimination. It is important to watch your puppy closely after breakfast and maybe play for a bit to ensure that he wants to go again. Be sure to avoid playing in the potty area and don't wait for your dog to relieve itself for too long. 3 to 4 minutes would be enough and then cage it for 15-20 minutes before trying again.

Repeat the same pattern during the day and give your puppy a couple of opportunities to go outside before bed in the evening. In order to structurize your housebreak training, consider using eTrainDog, as it will take care of the scheduling and make your life easier.
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