Puppy House Training Tips

Puppy House training is an important element in creating a well trained dog and trusted family member. Problems with house training and similar issues are the main reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters, so correctly house training your dog can literally save his or her life.

House training a puppy need not be tough, but it is essential to take the process earnestly, plan ahead and take things slowly. Some dogs will be easier to house break than others, so it vital to work with your dog. Rushing the process of puppy house training can be counterproductive and cause you to have to start all over again.

Proper puppy house training demands that you know what to expect. Unless the owner is able to oversee the puppy round the clock, it is not easy to complete the house training process until the dog is at least six months old. It is important to know this ahead of time so you can be prepared. Young puppies have bodies that are constantly changing and growing, and puppies younger than six months often have not fully developed  bowel and bladder control they need to be suitably house trained.

Beginning Your Puppy House Training:  Time for Paper Training
If the owner is not at home, the puppy should be confined to a small room and the entire floor should be covered with paper. Of course it is important to puppy-proof the room, which is removing any items on which the puppy could be injured. In the beginning, the puppy will most likely eliminate anywhere within the room. In addition, the puppy will probably play with the papers, chew them, etc. This is perfectly normal and should not be grounds for reprimand or distress. Cleaning up each day should simply be part of the routine of living with a new puppy. Simply clean up the soiled papers and put down new ones each day.

The puppy, during its confinement to the den, first develops the habit of eliminating on paper. After a little time has passed, the puppy will begin to exhibit a preferred place to eliminate. After this preferred spot has been established, the area that is papered should be slowly diminished. The first papers to be removed should be those that are furthest away from the toilet. Eventually, the owner will have to lay down only a few papers. If the puppy ever misses those papers, it means that the papered area has been reduced too early.

After the puppy has being shown reliably to be doing its business only on the papers that have been left, slowly and gradually move the papers to a location of your choice. The papers should be moved only gradually, as little as an inch a day. If the puppy misses the papers, again it means that they have been moved too soon and too far. In this case it will be required to go back a few steps and start over. It is vital not to become disheartened. The puppy will sooner or later comprehend the concept, and you will be able to choose your puppies’ toilet area and move on to the next step.

Puppy house training when the owner is home
Clearly the more time you can spend with your puppy the faster the house training will go. The aim should be to take the puppy to the toilet area every time he needs to do his business. In most cases this will be either every 45 minutes, right after each play session, after he first wakes up or right after he eats or drinks. It is important to offer effusive praise for the puppy when he eliminates in the established toilet spot.

As the puppy get more used to using his toilet area, and as he develops improved bladder and bowel control, he will be able to begin spending more and more time outside his den with his owner in the rest of the home. It is vital to begin this process by allowing the puppy access to one room at a time. It is also essential to allow the puppy in the extra room only when he can be supervised. When you must leave the room, be sure to put the puppy back in his den.