Things You'll Need
- Dog crate
Instructions
Watch your puppy constantly and confine him to a crate or small area of the house when you are not able to closely monitor him. According to DogChannel.com Housebreaking 101, puppies will naturally try to avoid using the bathroom in their den. This principle encourages the puppy to avoid using the bathroom if confined in a small den-like area, such as a crate; thus, confinement can be useful for small periods of time when you are unable to monitor the puppy. Avoid letting your puppy onto carpet or any other easily ruined flooring. At this age, accidents will happen, and it is much more preferable for them to occur on tile or linoleum or some other readily cleanable flooring.
Keep your puppy on a schedule. Feed her at the same time every day and make sure she eats dinner at least a few hours before bedtime. Make her first walk as early as possible and at a consistent time every day. Take her out right before you go to bed and numerous times throughout the day. Take her out after she eats and whenever she awakens.
Take your puppy to the same spot(s) every time you take him out to use the bathroom. According to the website "Pet Education," this is important because it will condition him to know what is expected of him when you take him to that spot. This will help him to understand that outings to these spots are trips to the bathroom, not walks. This is also advised by the Humane Society of the United States. Make this spot your first destination whenever you take your puppy outside, and refrain from playing with or distracting him until he has finished his business.
Praise your puppy profusely after she finishes using the bathroom. According to the Humane Society of the United States, it is critical to make sure she is completely finished before you praise; otherwise, you may distract her and she may not finish. Pet her, play with her and tell her how terrific she is. You want her tail to be wagging excessively. Make sure she knows how pleased you are. Puppies love praise and will actively try to earn it. The key is to make sure she makes the connection between using the bathroom in the right spot and receiving praise from you.
Scold your puppy gently if you catch him in the act and immediately take him outside to the proper spot. A sharp "No" will suffice. You want to startle him, not scare him. This is not the time for theatrics, as this may just scare the puppy to the point where he fails to realize what he has done. Remember, your puppy doesn't necessarily realize why it is that he is getting in trouble. To get the message across, be patient and consistent and make it clear exactly why he is earning your disapproval. This is also why it is important to catch him in the act as often as possible and necessary that you correct him each time. If you catch him and let it slide, it may confuse him, and he may fail to associate his specific action with your reaction.
Refrain from rubbing your puppy's nose in her mistakes. Your puppy will not understand that you are punishing her for creating the mess in which you are rubbing her nose. She is far more likely to associate your punishment with whatever behavior she was engaging in prior to you scooping her up, pushing her face into the floor and punishing her. It may seem obvious to you, but at 7 weeks, she is just a baby dog. After all, you wouldn't expect an infant to understand this same concept. According to Race Foster, doctor of veterinary medicine, "it was your fault, not the pup's."