Bringing a new puppy home is a joyful moment, but a new pet also brings new problems. Housetraining is one of the first and most challenging things you may encounter.
Consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement are essential while housetraining your puppy. The objective is to establish healthy behaviors while also developing a loving relationship with your pet.
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How Long Will It Take to Housetrain a Puppy?
A puppy will generally be fully house trained in 4-6 months. However, some puppies may take a year to cater to the concept and master it. Size can be a factor. Smaller breeds, for example, have smaller bladders and greater metabolisms, necessitating more frequent visits outdoors. Another factor is your puppy’s prior living situations. You may discover that you need to assist your puppy in eliminating destructive behaviors to develop better ones.
Which is the Best Time to Begin Housetraining?
It is ideal to start house training your puppy between the ages of 12 and 16 weeks. By then, they have enough control over their bladder and bowel motions.
Housetraining a puppy is a daunting task, but being patient and generous can help you housetrain your puppy without any hassle. Below are the steps you must follow to house train your puppy:
Part 1: Learning the basics
Steps 1: Introduce your puppy to the new home and family
Training starts the moment you bring your puppy home. Introduce to the new family, home, and the areas to which your puppy can have access. Supervise and stay along with your puppy during these times.
Step 2: Learn about the breed behavior and needs
Study your puppy’s breed features and specific needs, as well as any behavior that you should be conscious of. In general, a puppy needs to eliminate after waking up from sleep, after every meal, and before going to sleep. Therefore, it is essential to mark the clock of your puppy.
Step 3: Supervise while training
Keep your puppy in an area where you can keep an eye on him when housetraining. This will allow you to seek early warning signals that it’s time to prevent mishaps. For example, circling, scratching, and smelling are signs that they need to go to the bathroom.
Step 4: Interrupt mishaps
While you catch your puppy in the act of urinating and defecating indoors, make a firm clap to move his attention towards you. Remember, you are not supposed to scare your puppy through the clap. Clean the mess and your puppy. Lead him outdoors immediately if he still has to eliminate.
Step 5: Establish a potty area
Designate a place outside and take your puppy there every time he needs to eliminate. You should choose a location not frequented by other dogs or puppies, and it is simple to clean up. While you take your puppy outside, put him on a leash.
Step 6: Establish a specific command
It is essential to establish a command for your puppy to understand he needs to go outdoors to eliminate. The command ‘go’ can be used every time your puppy needs to eliminate. Be consistent with the command.
Step 7: Praise your dog
Gradually your puppy will associate with the go command and the act of going outdoors. Praise with healthy treats and lots of love.
Step 8: Make the potty time enjoyable, so your puppy looks forward to it
Going on a stroll and eliminating should be a rewarding experience for every puppy. Do not disturb your puppy while he eliminates in the potty spot. After your puppy is done relieving, reward lavishly.
Step 9: Clean the mishaps immediately
When your puppy has pooped indoors, it is critical that you immediately clean the area. This will discourage the puppy from trying to go in the same spot again. Use an enzymatic floor cleaner.
You might not have the facility to take your puppy outside for pee and poop in a few cases. You will have to spot an area for your puppy to eliminate inside the house. Choose an area that is easy to clean—place piles of paper and then a toilet pad. Take your dog to the pad after your puppy wakes up from sleep and is done with his meals. After your puppy eliminates there, clean the area by removing the paper and pad and tossing it into the dustbin. Gradually start cutting down on the size of space. This will slowly help your puppy to eliminate in a toilet pad, even if the pad is small and placed in any other location.
Part 2: Keep your puppy close
Step 1: Limit your puppy’s area
It will be simpler if you supervise your puppy and confine him to a certain area of your home. Close doors and use baby gates to do this. It is best if you confine your puppy in a big enough room for him to play and small enough to keep an eye on. Along with this trick, the room should directly lead outside.
Step 2: Keep your puppy on a short leash
Even while you’re indoors, having your puppy on a leash helps you to move about freely while still keeping a careful watch.
Step 3: Take the help of a crate when you are not around
When you leave the house or are unable to supervise your puppy, utilizing a crate can be an efficient method of housetraining. Your puppy will start realizing that the crate is his “home” and will hesitate to soil it.
Remember, do not let your puppy stay in the crate for a more extended period. That might lead to behavioral disorders.
Part 3: Establish a routine for your puppy
Step 1: Be consistent
One of the most critical aspects of housetraining is consistency. It is advisable to always take your puppy outside through the same door and to the exact location, using the same command to help it link the location with the suitable activity.
Step 2: Schedule trips outside before and after a meal
Maintaining a regular eating schedule will aid in maintaining a normal toilet routine. Puppies generally need to go right after eating. Taking your puppy out after each meal can assist in reinforcing the concept of where they should go while reducing the mess.
Pro tips:
Do not punish your puppy if he eliminates or has eliminated indoors. Instead, clean the area to prevent him from doing the mishap again.
Positive reinforcement can only be a way of training.
Treat your puppy with healthy treats rather than inclining towards commercial products. Your puppy’s stomach is vulnerable to gastrointestinal tract infections.
Rewarding your dog with treats after he relieves himself can give him an idea that rewarding is natural after every elimination process. Hence, do not treat if your puppy eliminates somewhere which is not the potty zone.
Eliminate treats gradually during the training procedure. Replace treats with love, scratching of belly, generosity.
A Housetraining Day Schedule
5 am
Take your puppy outside to the toilet zone as soon as he is awake from his sleep.
Breakfast
Give your puppy his kibble and allow him to play with his toys. Do not keep him without any engagement.
Late Morning
Give your puppy a light kibble and take your puppy outside to eliminate. He might urinate and defecate at the same time. Or would play first and then eliminate. Reward after he is done eliminating. He might sleep for a few hours after playing and eliminating.
Afternoon
He will wake up, and it is time for the largest kibble. After he has had his meal, take him to the potty outside. Give a light stroll, and then allow him to play around. Give plenty of time for him to play around this time.
Around evening 6 pm
This is the time for the last meal of the day. Take away the water, and place your puppy in his crate to sleep. It is essential to keep him near you.
Around 11 pm
Take your puppy to a pee and potty break, and end the break with a light stroll.
From 11:30 pm to next day 5 am
Most puppies will sleep throughout the night if they are brought out for their final potty break.
Final Thoughts
House training your puppy is not an easy task, but the task would seem simpler with passing time. All you need to be is ready with the tools and be patient during the entire process. Do not depend on punishments, as it would result in fear and aggression. Your puppy will need time to comprehend the concept. Allow your puppy to take his time and keep training.
