How to House Train Your Pet Puppy

Every pet puppy needs house training to teach it where it can go to the bathroom and where it can't. In many cases, house training occurs at the same time the puppy goes to a new home, and the process can cause stress to the puppy. House training should only take about two weeks if done correctly. Consistency in your routine and not punishing the puppy for mistakes help the process to go more smoothly.

Instructions

    • 1

      Create a consistent feeding and play time schedule. The puppy will need to go outside about 20 minutes after each meal and every hour. Don't let the puppy eat between meals.

    • 2

      Watch the puppy after meals and during play time for any signs that it might need to go to the bathroom. Puppies usually sniff around, cry, pace or search for a secluded spot right before they go to the bathroom. Keep the puppy in an enclosed area using a gate or fence if you can't follow it through the house.

    • 3

      Take the puppy outside to go to the bathroom as soon as it wakes up in the morning, right before it goes to bed at night and after every nap. Don't let it eat food right before bed to avoid accidents during the night. Take the puppy out during the night if it cries, but don't give it extra attention. It might cause the puppy to cry during the night out of boredom.

    • 4

      Give the puppy about five minutes to go to the bathroom. If it has done nothing in that time, take it back inside and try again in 20 to 30 minutes. Praise the puppy when it starts to go to the bathroom outside, but not so much as to cause a distraction.

    • 5

      React calmly but firmly if you catch the puppy going to the bathroom indoors. Tell the puppy "no" in a steady voice, but do not smack the puppy. Distract the puppy by clapping or whistling to get it to stop, and take the puppy outside immediately. Praise the puppy when it finishes its business outside. Clean up the mess inside thoroughly to discourage the puppy from using the same area again.

    • 6

      Clean up any accidents you do not see the puppy making. Use an enzymatic cleaner to remove any chemical traces of urine. Do not smack or yell at the puppy because it can't connect your actions now to something it did earlier in the day.