Housebreaking a puppy has got to be the most tedious experience in raising a dog. Find tips on how to housebreak your puppy without losing your mind. Housebreaking your puppy is the most important thing your puppy must learn. This learning experience will make you the owner and you the puppy a very happy family. There are many recommendations from novice to experts on how to train your puppy to do his or her “business” outside and not in the house. The key to housebreaking a puppy is consistency and reinforcement.

After adopting your puppy at approximately 8 to ten weeks the puppy is ready to start being house broken. Most dog trainers recommend house breaking your puppy by using a crate. A crate is a wire cage with a locking door that your puppy will live in for security and training. Think of it as a bedroom for a dog. The crate should accommodate the size of the puppy so the puppy can freely move around in the cage but not be too big that the puppy can relieve him or herself at one end and sleep at the other. The idea behind using a crate for your dog’s living quarters and house breaking your dog is that a dog will not relieve itself in the area or near the area they live. Never use the crate to punish the dog.

Here are some tips on housebreaking your puppy.

1. Know how long to keep the puppy in the crate. Puppies that are less than 12 weeks should not be crated longer than 2 – 4 hours at a time. Puppies that are 12 weeks old can be crated approximately 4 -5 hours, a 6-month old puppy 6-7 hours, and a 10-month old puppy should be able to remain crated up to 8 hours. Do not keep the puppy in the crate all day and expect the puppy to hold its urine. Remember do not leave your puppy in the crate longer than what is recommended for its age.

2. As soon as the puppy wakes take the puppy out of the crate and carry the puppy outside and place on the ground where you expect the puppy to relieve himself. Do not let puppy walk to the door or you will probably have to clean up after the puppy.

3. As soon as the puppy does his business, praise him profusely, over and over again. Give him positive reinforcement.

4. After you return inside with the puppy keep the puppy in the room you are in to watch the puppy. Allow access to water. After a period of play time place the puppy back in the crate for a nap. Do not let the puppy nap outside of the crate.

5. When it is meal time provide the meal inside his crate. After about 20-40 minutes after the puppy’s meal remove the meal and take the puppy directly outside to do his business. Supervisor the puppy outside and when the puppy has done his or her business praise the puppy again. Do not bring the puppy back inside until the puppy has completed his business. Most puppies will need to go outside to do there business about 20-40 minutes after their meal.

6. Watch for signs while puppy is playing inside for searching and sniffing behavior in a certain area or a squatting motion. If you see that immediately take the puppy outside and repeat the positive reinforcement once the puppy does his business outside.

7. Set a schedule for meal, play, crating puppy, sleeping, and outside business. Get the puppy into a routine. Praise the puppy when he has accomplished his business where expected. Be patient there will be accidents.

These tips should be repeated on a daily basis for approximately 4 – 6 weeks. This may vary per puppy. Consistency and commitment is the key to house breaking your puppy. If you do not have the commitment to maintain a consistent schedule in housebreaking a puppy the puppy can develop bad habits which do not benefit you or the puppy. There will be accidents during the process but remember do not punish the puppy by placing the puppy in the crate. If the puppy has an accident in the crate remove soiled items, clean the crate, and start all over again. The puppy will learn with consistent and positive reinforcement. Keep working with the puppy they’ll get it and you will have one happy house broken puppy.