This blog post is aimed at the housetraining of puppies; however, the basic principles and method will work for a dog of any age.

When training a puppy we should remember that they will not have complete control of their bladder until at least 5 months of age. Similarly, and to bust a popular myth we should bear in mind that any dog, either puppy or adult , that urinates in the home is not being naughty, stubborn or seeking revenge but rather he is doing what he has learnt to do in the past.  

It’s not impossible to retrain an adult dog that eliminates in the home, but it obviously takes longer and requires a little more patience than learning the right habits in the first place (and those old habits need to be unlearnt too)

How to potty train your puppy in easy steps

Management, in terms of housetraining, simply means that the puppy is under your constant supervision either inside or outside and if not, then confined to a restricted area. In general, dogs prefer specific areas for toileting and tend to avoid areas used for sleeping or eating.

With very young puppies housetraining starts in the home while under constant supervision. You will very soon start to recognise the signals that your puppy is about to eliminate and so be able to move your pup onto newspaper. This will quickly evolve into taking the pup outside; taking the soiled newspaper to the outside area will also encourage the dog.

If outside and you notice the pup indicating they may be about to eliminate (preferably in a designated area) be careful not to stare. When the dog starts, simply wait for them to finish and then reward immediately with vocal praise and even a treat.

The key to housetrain your puppy 

Initially, the key to housetraining your dog will be restricting their access to limited areas. Start by allowing your pup in one or two rooms where you spend most time, usually the kitchen, living room or bedroom.

When the dog learns that these rooms are not to be soiled, start to expand and introduce your puppy to new rooms in the house. However, once a puppy is given access to a new room they won’t realise that this too, is part of the home and they will see no reason not to use it as if it were ‘outside’ the home.

An extremely good idea would be to introduce the dog to a new room immediately after eliminating outside. Sitting on the floor of the new room with the puppy will also get your scent at puppy level which may help them understand that this too, is part of the home.

Spend time with the puppy every day in the new room, playing, training and even feeding. Make sure you do not leave the dog unattended until, after many managed visits and sessions, they realise that this room is also part of the home and do their best to keep it clean

House training your puppy takes time

Very young puppies up to about 3 months (and especially small breeds) need to urinate frequently if they are active. It makes good sense to take them out at least every half hour, while they are active. If puppies are particularly active with playing, running, getting excited, or even chewing hard they may need to be taken out every 15 minutes to avoid accidents. Puppies will also need to go outside within minutes of drinking or eating. It will also help to implement routines by feeding your puppy on a regular basis so that they may learn to eliminate on a regular basis too.

As a general rule, dogs tend to be more metabolically active both first thing in the morning and again in the late afternoon or early evening and so we should be particularly vigilant around these times of day.

Knowing when your puppy needs to toilet

Establishing a routine and taking the dog outside at specific times during the day will help hugely.

These times include:

·  After waking up

·  After eating/drinking

·  After becoming excited

·  After being greeted

·  After playing

·  Sniffing the floor

·  Wandering off

·  Visits area previously used

·  Stares at the door

·  Pacing or whining

·  Appears distracted or confused

For more information and advice please get in touch with the expert him, here.