To be good dogs, puppies must be taught how to do many things. Your responsibility is to show your puppy how you want him to behave, to go potty in a specific place, and to walk with you on a leash. You may need to give your puppy focused attention for several months before they learn how to do these things. With a firm but gentle approach, you can teach your puppy important lessons. Before you know it, she will be a well-behaved, mature dog who has a special place in your home.
Establish a routine with your puppy
Create a routine for your puppy to learn housetraining. To learn where and when they should relieve themselves, puppies need to be taught a consistent routine. As soon as your puppy is brought home, itโs crucial to teach her to take her dog outside whenever she feels the need. You will take your puppy outside every day on a specific schedule: before and after meals, playtime, and bedtime.
Every hour is a good time to take your puppy out, including after meals, naps, and playtime. Your puppy should be taken out every morning before you go to bed and before you leave him alone for an extended time. You can predict when your dog will need to go outside by feeding her at the same time each day.
Young puppies need to use the toilet as often as possible. You or a relative will need to be able to take your puppy outside as frequently as possible.
Itโs important to find someone to housetrain your dog if youโre not available during the day. If you donโt get started early, it may take your dog many years to stop using the bathroom in the house.
If your dog attempts to get out of the house, you should alert him
Donโt panic if your dog goes potty outside the house.ย
Interrupt your puppy while he does his business by clapping together in order to get his attention.
Next, pick him up or ask him to follow your lead and take him to the bathroom. Reward him for going to the toilet.
Itโs too late to discipline a puppy if it makes a mess on the couch or elsewhere in the house. Do not rub his/her nose in it. Your dog will get scared and confused and wonโt be able to understand what you are trying to teach him/her.
While your puppy is being house-trained, limit your puppyโs access to your home
You will need to be vigilant for the first few months to ensure your dog is safe and that she can go outside when she needs to. You donโt want her to be allowed to roam the house too often, so you canโt allow her to use the bathroom anywhere she chooses.
Baby gates can be used to restrict your puppyโs access to your home. To prevent your puppy from roaming about upstairs, put a gate at the bottom of the stairs. You can also put up gates to restrict your puppyโs movements between rooms in your house. As your puppy gets better at controlling her bladder, you can give her more freedom.
When your dog is exploring new rooms, you can put it on a leash. Your puppy will have a harder time getting into trouble if you attach the other end to the leash.
Choose a designated spot for the bathroom outside
It will be easier for your puppy to learn to avoid the bathroom by having a designated place to go. Youโll find that he will want to use the spot for toileting, and eventually, he will learn to wait until you take him there.
To strengthen your puppyโs relationship with the spot, use language. When you put her down, say โgo pottyโ instead of โpottyโ. Use the word only in this spot.
People often choose a corner of their yard as their dogโs bathroom, even if it is not fenced in. You can also choose to have your dogโs bathroom in a nearby area of your apartment or home if you donโt have one. You donโt have to choose the exact spot; it doesnโt really matter.
If you bring your dog to the same spot, she will be able to associate the smells with going potty. Dogs will often eliminate if they smell something.
Remember that not all puppies will be able to go outside immediately. Others may need to play for a while before they are able to eliminate them.
Your puppy deserves praise for a job well done
If your puppy goes to the toilet in the designated area, give it a pat and praise it. This will teach your puppy that good behavior is important and she should continue to do it. She will be motivated to do the same kind of good deed again if she is promised a reward.
Your puppy should be rewarded immediately after she uses the bathroom. You can wait for her to associate the praise with another reward.
Wait until your puppy has finished going potty. Your puppy may become confused if you praise her before she goes to the toilet.
Make an effort to clean up any spills as soon as possible
Accidents will happen from time to time, so it is crucial to get rid of them as soon as possible. It is important to clean up after your puppy so that they donโt cause more damage.
To clean up after your puppy has messed up, use an enzymatic cleaner instead of an ammonia-based cleaner. Your puppy might confuse ammonia-based cleaners with urine because they smell like urine. Your puppy might want to use the toilet again if the smell is reminiscent of urine.
Crate training is an option
Dogs donโt like to contaminate their dens, so a crate is a great tool for potty training. Your puppy should have a safe place to retreat to when she feels overwhelmed or a place she can feel secure in while you are gone.
You should make sure that the crate is large enough for her to sit up and stretch her legs. If the crate is too large, she might choose to use a corner as her bathroom.
The crate should not be used as punishment. You can take her out for a game or just to give her a break.