About Puppy Housebreaking Problems

Some types of dog training, such as how to do tricks, can be fun; housebreaking, however, is usually the least enjoyable training activity, as it generally requires time and patience. Nearly all housebreaking issues are training related. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent housebreaking problems or fix ones that have developed.

  1. Training

    • Unless the puppy is in a crate or outside, basic housebreaking requires you to watch him for signs of needing to potty or leashing him to you at all times. According to Vetinfo, a consistent schedule is critical to successful housebreaking. You must take the puppy out after meals, naps, play and at least every hour for each month of age---2 hours for 2 months old, 4 hours for 4 months old---until 6 months old. Failure to follow this routine can lead to housebreaking accidents. Each accident in the house creates stronger learning to continue to potty in the house.

    Early Conditions

    • Puppies that come from puppy mills and bad breeders often have lived in unclean conditions, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Additionally, some owners are away too many hours for a puppy and force the puppy to potty and be in a crate. These puppies learn to tolerate unclean conditions. A normal puppy does not like to potty where he sleeps. These puppies may require different training. Put the puppy in a pen, instead of a crate, so that he has an area or pan to potty in without having to sleep in it. Getting used to being dry and clean is necessary to retrain a puppy that is used to being soiled. Follow basic training until no more pottying occurs in the pen before returning to crate training.

    Supervision

    • Newspapers or potty pads may increase housebreaking training time.

      Acquiring a puppy when you do not have time to do proper training can cause housebreaking problems. Schedules that leave a puppy home longer than it is physically able to avoid pottying create training issues. According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), solutions include having someone come in to help take the puppy out or using a large pen or safe room, such as kitchen or laundry room, with an area to place potty papers or pads.

    Considerations

    • Taking your puppy to the veterinarian for a check-up is a smart start to training. A puppy that has worms, urinary tract or bladder infections or other medical conditions, such as physical problems it may have been born with, may have difficulty housebreaking. Signs that your puppy may have a medical problem include loose, watery, oily or foul-smelling feces and blood in urine or feces. Generally, a puppy will need to potty after each meal, when he wakes up and after playing. Going more frequently may be a sign of a medical problem.

    Warning

    • Puppy housebreaking problems are usually the fault of the owner. According to HSUS, punishing a puppy for an accident will make him afraid to potty in front of you. Punishing does not make him understand it was wrong to go in the house.