How to Housebreak & Crate Train a Puppy

Housebreaking a puppy can take as long as six months of consistent training. Crate training your puppy can help with house breaking because it reinforces the dog's natural instinct to not soil its own bedding. Do not place food or water in the crate when the puppy is confined; instead, offer only a blanket and a toy. Otherwise, it will need to toilet as soon as it has eaten but won't be able to get out.

Things You'll Need

  • Crate
  • Newspaper
  • Puppy treats
  • Dog bed
  • Toys
  • Pet deodorizer
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Decide where you want the pup to relieve itself, such as the backyard. This area should be close enough that the puppy can reach it quickly when it needs to toilet.

    • 2

      Set up the crate. Choose a crate that is large enough to accommodate the puppy as it grows. Introduce the puppy to the crate by placing treats and toys inside. Play with the puppy around the crate so that it associates the crate with something good, not frightening. Place a washable dog bed in the crate so that the puppy is comfortable while it is confined.

    • 3

      Use the crate to confine the puppy when it cannot be supervised. If the puppy starts to whine and bark while in the crate, try to ignore it. If you let the puppy out when it does this, you are reinforcing the behavior and teaching the pup that if it barks, you will let it out.

    • 4

      Place the puppy in the crate overnight. As soon as you are up in the morning, let the puppy out. Take it to the designated toilet area to relieve itself, giving the pup lots of praise, treats and attention when it toilets in the correct area. Do not punish the pup if it has messed overnight; instead, clean the area without making any fuss. Housebreaking takes time, and losing your temper with the puppy when it has an accident will just make it afraid to toilet in front of you. This can lead to the puppy hiding its messes and will increase the amount of time it takes for the pup to learn to go in the designated area.

    • 5

      Watch the puppy closely at all times it is awake to see if it needs the toilet. The puppy will most likely to need to toilet after meals, after a nap, after or during vigorous playing, after exercise and at least once an hour while awake. Signs the puppy needs to toilet include sniffing the ground, walking in circles, looking distracted and moving around like it is looking for something. As soon as it shows any of these signs, pick the pup up and take it to the toilet area. Give the puppy lots of praise when it toilets. If it doesn't toilet, take the puppy back inside, place it in the crate for 10 minutes, then take it straight back to the toilet area again until the pup relieves itself. Repeat this every day until the puppy has learned the only place it can toilet is in the area you designated for it.