Housebreaking can turn into a frustrating experience if you fail to use the right training methods. Save yourself significant time and effort by training your puppy immediately. The keys to successful housebreaking include diligence, repetition and positive reinforcement. With this basic foundation in hand you can lay down a successful potty training foundation in a single weekend. Don't get too frustrated with setbacks though. Even the best trained dogs make mistakes from time to time. Remain patient and diligent to ensure the foundation you created remains strong.
Things You'll Need
- Child safety gates
- Newspaper
Instructions
Set up toddler gates around your home to keep your puppy out of certain rooms around the house. While training, your puppy needs to remain within sight at all times. Block off far away rooms and any areas your puppy may have already soiled. The latter suggestion prevents your puppy from returning to the same spot to use again. Your puppy should not roam freely around your home until successfully potty trained.
Feed your puppy twice a day and remove the food when your puppy has finished eating. Thereafter, take your puppy to the designated bathroom area 10 minutes after eating. Most puppies need to use the bathroom at least 10 minutes after eating. Keeping track of time after feeding helps prevent any mistakes. Removing the food also ensures that you know exactly when your puppy has eaten at all times.
Choose an area in your house or outside for your puppy to use. Dogs naturally eliminate in the farthest spot from their sleeping areas. Utilize this knowledge when picking a spot. Any surface area works, whether it's a grassy section of your backyard or a penned-off section inside your home with newspaper. Take your puppy to this spot several times a day, especially after feeding. Make sure your puppy uses the designated area and clean the area when finished.
Give your puppy a lot of praise and positive reinforcement after successfully using the bathroom in the correct spot. Dogs love positive reinforcement and will duplicate activities that produce praise. Similarly, don't punish your puppy if a mistake occurs. Continue the training process the entire weekend and give plenty of praise. Even though you can lay a proper potty training foundation in a weekend, you must stay persistent throughout your dog's lifetime to ensure no bad habits settle in.