How Your Puppy Can Be Successfully Housetrained

Bringing a new puppy home is one of life’s great joys — but housetraining is often considered one of its biggest challenges. The good news is that with consistency and patience, your puppy can be fully housetrained in just a few weeks. Read on to find out how your puppy can be successfully housetrained. if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us.

A Routine Should Be Established Early

A consistent schedule is considered the foundation of successful housetraining. Puppies are biologically programmed to eliminate after eating, sleeping, and playing, so bathroom breaks should be planned around these moments. It is recommended that young puppies be taken outside every one to two hours throughout the day.

A Designated Bathroom Spot Should Be Selected

A specific outdoor area should be chosen and used consistently. By being led to the same spot each time, your puppy’s sense of smell will be engaged, and the act of elimination will be triggered more quickly. Once the bathroom has been used successfully, praise and a small treat should be offered immediately so that the behavior is positively reinforced.

Key Housetraining Tips to Be Followed

• A crate should be utilized as a training tool. Dogs are naturally den animals, and a crate is considered one of the most effective aids in housetraining. It should be sized so that your puppy can stand, turn around, and lie down — but not so large that a corner can be used as a bathroom.
• Meals should be fed on a fixed schedule. Free feeding should be avoided. When meals are given at set times, elimination patterns can be predicted and accidents can be significantly reduced.
• Signs of needing to go should be watched for. Sniffing, circling, squatting, or heading toward the door are signals that should be recognized. When these behaviors are noticed, your puppy should be taken outside immediately.
• Accidents should never be punished. If an accident is discovered after the fact, nothing should be said. Punishment is not understood by puppies in connection with past actions, and anxiety can be created, making training harder. Instead, the soiled area should be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner so that the scent is fully eliminated.
• Progress should be celebrated consistently. Each time the bathroom is used outside, enthusiastic praise should be given. Positive reinforcement is considered the most effective training method available.
• Purina has a great video that covers this and MUCH more.

Patience Should Always Be Practiced

It should be remembered that accidents are a normal part of the process. Most puppies are considered reliably housetrained between four and six months of age, though some may take longer. When the process is approached with calm consistency, success will be achieved — and a lifelong bond between you and your puppy will be built along the way.