How to House Train a Six-Month-Old Puppy

According to Dog Time, a six-month-old dog has good bladder control and is thus able to be house trained quickly and easily. At this age, the dog should be able to be left for six to eight hours in its crate without being taken out for a walk to eliminate. This makes the crate an indispensable part of the house training process. According to the American Dog Trainers Network, a crate serves as a den and will prevent the dog from going to the bathroom because dogs do not like to soil their dens.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog crate
  • Leash
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put the leash on the dog and take it outside for a potty break. Set a schedule for frequent bathroom breaks, including a potty break after each mealtime. Ideally, you should take the dog for a bathroom break six times a day at first. The dog should remain in its crate as much as necessary during this time frame. This might mean leaving the dog in its crate for 6 to 8 hours while you are at work if necessary. The frequent potty beaks can be before leaving for work, during your lunch break if possible, immediately upon returning home from work, and several times throughout the evening.The dog should remain in its crate whenever you are unable to continually monitor the dog to avoid an accident in the house.

    • 2

      Reward the dog for going to the bathroom in the proper place. If the dog does not eliminate immediately or after a few minutes, put it back in the crate for a little bit before trying again. The important thing is to avoid an accident. Use a highly motivating reward such as a tasty dog treat so that the dog looks forward to receiving the reward again.

    • 3

      Allow the dog time to play off leash after eliminating in the proper place. This helps to reinforce the training outside the house by allowing more and more freedom as the puppy learns to not to eliminate in the house.

    • 4

      Watch for signs that the puppy needs to go to the bathroom. Sniffing and searching with its nose to the ground are good signs. Immediately take the dog outside and praise it when it eliminates in the proper place.

      The time frame for having your dog house trained will vary from dog to dog based on how dedicated you are to walking the dog outside to eliminate. Most dogs will quickly develop the habit of going outside.