Tips for Housetraining
Do not paper train your puppy/dog!!! It will only confuse him and prolong the housetraining period. Instead, teach your puppy/dog to go outside from the moment you bring him home. Your pup won’t ask to go out, so you need to remember to take him out often. Puppies under the age of 12 weeks should be taken out every 2 hours, and adult dogs may have to go out every 4 hours. At the very least, take out your adult dog first thing in the morning, after each meal, after a nap or playtime and last thing at night. More frequent outside visits will help him to understand the system even better.
You should put your puppy or dog on a leash when you go out with him. Plan to spend no more than 5 minutes outside and don’t play with him. Puppies are easily distracted, so if they think they are going outside to play they won’t bother going to the bathroom. Playing should be done indoors or in a completely separate area from his “bathroom” so he understands why he is going outside. During housetraining, always take him to his designated outdoor spot to relieve himself. Consistently use a key phrase, such as “hurry up” or “do it,” so that your dog learns to associate the command with the action you expect. Be sure to praise him when he goes!
Inside, confine him to a small area at night and whenever you cannot watch him. A training crate is an excellent tool because dogs don’t like to soil the place where they sleep. If you can’t use a crate, confine your dog to a hall or bathroom with a baby gate. He’ll be happiest if he can hear, smell, and/or see you. He shouldn’t be isolated or banished to the cellar or garage.
Housetraining Problems
A dog or puppy with a housebreaking problem needs close supervision. During the day, confine him to an area where you can keep an eye on him. Take him out often. If he doesn’t eliminate when you’re sure he needs to, return him to his crate and walk him again in 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat this process until he eliminates outdoors. Praise him in a “happy voice” and give him a treat. He will begin to put two and two together.
At bedtime or when you leave the house your dog should be in his crate. If you do catch him in the act of messing in the house, scold him sternly but briefly. Say “NO,” and take him right outside. Do NOT hit the puppy with your hand or a newspaper or rub his nose in his stools. None of these techniques works and it destroys the bond you are trying to establish with your dog. This is important: Do NOT scold him if you didn’t see him have an accident—he won’t remember what he did wrong. There is no benefit to yelling if the act was done 5 minutes or 5 hours ago. If an accident occurs, because you weren’t there to keep an eye on him, quietly clean and deodorize it with a product for this purpose. Don’t use an ammonia-based product—it smells like urine to a dog, and he might return to the “scene of the crime.”
If your dog keeps having accidents, have your dog’s stool checked by a veterinarian. A dog with intestinal worms may have accidents he can’t control. Worms are common and easy to cure. Most dogs are 90% housebroken by 4 months of age, but they cannot be expected to always let you know when they have to “go”. It is still your responsibility to anticipate his needs.