Tips on House Training a New Puppy
Potty Training Tips to Speed the House Breaking Process
Aug 17, 2009
Just like babies, adorable puppies don’t come potty trained. But, house training doesn’t have to be a frustrating ordeal as long as owners commit to a three step plan—supervise to prevent accidents, stick to a schedule, and reward good behavior.
How to Potty Train Dogs With Close Supervision
Since new puppies have no way of knowing where they should or shouldn’t relieve themselves, one key to successful potty training is supervising a puppy to prevent accidents indoors.
To keep tabs on the puppy, a pet owner can use a lead to tether him to a chair or a belt loop. Owners can also set up a doggie play pen in high-traffic rooms. This will prevent the puppy from finding an unattended second to sneak off and do its business inside.
Pet owners can use baby gates to limit access to parts of the house. A puppy needs to start out with very little freedom and earn more as he proves himself reliable.
Watch for Signs That Puppy Has to Potty
While supervising their puppy, pet owners will want to watch for several tell-tale signs. In doggy language, “I need to potty,” can be communicated by sniffing, walking in circles, whining, sneaking off to another area, and pacing. All dogs are different, and some give very little warning. Still, owners who know what to look for will be sure to speed up the potty training process.
Pet owners will want to be extra observant during bad weather. Some puppies would much rather find a secret spot in the warm house than be trotted out into the rain or cold.
How to Potty Train Dogs by Using a Crate to Supervise
Puppies are reluctant to relieve themselves in their sleeping area. So when owners have to leave, crate time can give puppies a chance to practice waiting to go until they are let outside. When letting puppies out to potty, pet owners will want to carry them to the door until potty training routines are firmly established.
Puppies should only be expected to wait for short amounts of time. A rule of thumb is to add one to the dog’s age in months to determine the amount of hours he can be crated. So, a three month old dog can be left in his crate for four hours. Of course, no dog should be left in a crate longer than five or six hours.
If a pet owner plans to be away longer, he’ll need to find someone to let the puppy out for a break, use a doggy daycare, or confine the puppy in a larger area with a puppy pad or newspaper.
How Long Does House Training Take?
There’s no precise time frame when it comes to potty training, though smaller dogs tend to take a bit longer. Much of the time frame depends on how carefully pet owners supervise their pets to prevent accidents, how strictly they stick to their schedule, and how consistently they offer rewards. Most dogs won’t be completely potty trained until they’ve reached six months to a year of age.
Now that readers have a good start on potty training, they may also want to check out tips for crate training, and eliminating biting. And for more tips on the second two aspects of house training, readers can check out advice on scheduling and rewards.
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