House Training Your New Pup

Housetraining 101! The following information relates to housetraining a puppy but the same information applies to housetraining an adult dog. The best strategy is to teach her that she should only eliminate outside and not in the house. With this in mind, puppy pads and paper training probably should be avoided since this actually allows her to eliminate in the house. Instead, opt for a combination of close supervision, encouragement and some type of confinement such as crate training.

The size of the crate is very important. It should be big enough for her to stand up and turn around in, even as an adult. Portable dog kennels work great for crate training and they come in a variety of sizes. They can also be used for travel (i.e. on an airplane, etc). Other dogs prefer a larger area such as an exercise pen or small room. A crate can become a positive place to be if the pup is conditioned to the crate with such things as treats and toys. It is also a positive place to be if it is not placed in an isolated area such as a laundry room or garage. Instead place it in a frequented area of the house such as the kitchen or den since dogs are social animals. She should be in her crate whenever you are not able to watch her such as when you are sleeping, at work, or even when you are too busy around the house to watch her closely. A puppy should not be expected to spend more than about four hours in the crate, however. If you are unable to let her out of the crate after about four hours to eliminate outside and get some exercise, then a larger confinement area is necessary. This way she can eliminate if necessary and be allowed to rest away from any soiled area.

When she is let out of her crate, she should be taken directly outside to eliminate if needed. Make it fun to be outside, not a punishment. A puppy should also be allowed to eliminate just prior to being placed in her crate. When she is out of the crate, you will need to watch her VERY closely so that you can take her outside every hour or two or if you notice any body language which might indicate that she is about to eliminate in the house. Such body language includes sniffing the ground, turning in a circle, starting to squat, sniffing at the outside door, looking at the outside door, etc. All dogs are different so you will have to learn what her cues are. There are critical times when a dog should be taken outside and these include immediately after waking (even if just from a nap), after playing, and within 15-30 minutes of eating.

She can be taught “where” to eliminate outside by taking the pup to the desired location and staying with the pup, verbally encouraging it to eliminate with a code word such as “hurry up” or “go potty”, etc. Don't actually play with her outside until after she eliminates. Business first and then pleasure! A cheerful praise session is in order after the pup eliminates outside as well as during playtime. If you catch her starting to eliminate in the house, it is best not to scold but, instead, to startle her with a clap of the hands, or shaking a soda can filled with coins or small rocks, or a stomp of your foot in order to stop her from eliminating and then quickly place your hand under her belly and scoot her to the same door used every time she exits from your house. Now she'll learn that she is supposed to go to that door whenever she needs to eliminate and you can respond by letting her out. It is OK to say "no" with a stern voice but try not to frighten her. We don't want the pup to fear you. Then praise her when she finishes the job outside. If you find a mistake on the floor but didn't catch her "in the act", just clean it up. Don't scold the dog or push her nose into it because it is too late for her to understand the association between the mistake and the punishment. Scolding would have needed to be done within 2 seconds for a pup or dog to understand the association. Any mistakes in the house should be cleaned up thoroughly and the area treated with an odor-neutralizing product so that the pup is not drawn back to the location by smell.

It is also handy to have a set feeding schedule for a puppy such as two or three times per day since this helps to regulate the bowels and makes it easier for you to predict when the puppy will have to eliminate. Leave enough time for the puppy to eliminate before being placed back in to a crate or confinement area and be sure to feed the last meal three to five hours before bedtime. Being consistent, rewarding appropriate behavior, and close observation will help ensure timely housetraining.

Courtesy of Dr Barbara Brack