Welcome to Puppy Training!

DOG POTTY TRAINING

Teaching Your Pup the Right Ways to Eliminate

By:

Miro Posavec

INTRODUCTION

For starters, you CAN'T expect your puppy to be fully housetrained and fully dependable before he's six month old. With that being said, a dog can be housetrained between one to six weeks. A great deal is determined by your puppy’s size and breed and for the most part the efforts you put into housetraining him.

There's also the reality that your puppy won’t have sufficient bladder and bowel controls before he’s 16 weeks of age. Quite simply, he’s unable to “hold it” for extensive periods so you have to be extra vigilant in that period. But that doesn’t indicate that you can’t start housetraining her as soon as he put paws inside your home. It simply means that you need to expect your pup to have a handful of accidents. But don’t fret; this eBook features everything you’ll need to deal with these little mishaps, from the best way to react to tips on how to clean up. 

Some people think housebreaking is as simple as just keeping the dog on a regular eating, drinking and potty-outing routine where he is taken out every few hours. Or they believe the dog will be fully housetrained within a week or two. 

For a lot of precocious puppies this might be so; nonetheless, many young dogs taken through such an easygoing, shortened potty protocol continue to be only partly housetrained, or they have potty mishaps for months. These little cuties understand that pottying outdoors is good, but they don't realize that inside is off limits. The truth is, they may even come inside the house soon after an extensive playtime or exercise and relieve themselves on the costly rug.

This is because toilet training isn't just about teaching where to go. It's also about making it clear that other areas are unacceptable, until pottying only in the right spot turns into a habit.

CHAPTER ONE

What to Expect?

Among the step to housetraining success is being able to foretell when your dog needs to eliminate. Your puppy is likely to need to relieve himself:

• First thing in the morning (immediately after he wakes up)
• After each meals 
• After drinking water
• Soon after waking up from a nap
• During and/or after playing and exercising
• After gnawing on his chew toys
• After any excitement
• After a ride in a vehicle
• After smelling another dog’s urine or seeing him pee
• When he leaves his crate
• Last thing at night (before he sleeps)

As you see, your dog needs to go out frequently. But don’t fret; as he gets older he'll need to be taken outdoor less often.

How often will my Puppy Need to Eliminate?

Here’s a platform that covers the regularity of trips to elimination zone or the toilet stop needed day and night with regards to the age of your puppy.

6-8 weeks - every 30 (for toy and small breeds), 45 (for medium breeds), 60 (for large breeds) to 90 minutes (for giant breeds); one or two trips during the night

8 to 12 weeks - every two hours, one trip during the night

12 to 16 weeks - every two hours; one trip for toy and small breeds during the night, none for other sizes

16 to 20 weeks - every three hours; none during the night

20 to 30 weeks - four to size times a day; none during the night

30+ weeks - three to four times a day; none during the night

12 months old - three times a day; none during the night

Last but not least, your pup will most likely want to eliminate between one and 30 minutes after eating and to pee within 20 minutes of drinking a lot of water.

Obviously, these are general estimates. If you utilize the blank schedule, your puppy’s internal clock won’t have any secret for you without delay. You’ll have the ability to anticipate when he has to go and since dogs learn by repetition, each time he goes at the right place he reinforces a good behavior.

During the first week, the more trips to toilet, the better. That’s why it’s smart to take some time off when you bring your pup home. By setting up good habits from day one, you’ll be able to spend your entire life together enjoying each and every moment.

If you opt to take a week off, don’t make the miscalculation of having the pup with you all the time because you won’t be there at all times when you go return to work and you’ll make it trickier for your dog to adjust. Rather, adhere to a normal schedule. That way, you’ll kill two birds with one stone:

• You’ll speed up your puppy’s housetraining process by bringing him outdoor or to his designated place indoor more frequently that you could if you've been working; and
• You’ll help your puppy understand that being alone is not the end of the world.

Where my Puppy should Eliminate?

There are just two places your dog can eliminate: outdoor at his “elimination area" or indoor at his “toilet stop.” Probably the most frequent mistake new owners make is to believe that paper training is the first step to housetraining. It’s actually not.

Housetraining, or outdoor training, is the method of teaching your puppy to eliminate outside all the time while indoor training involves teaching your dog to eliminate at a designed place, his toilet stop, inside your house.

Dog Indicators

Most puppies follow a routine just before eliminating. Your task is to figure out how to "read" your pet. To aid you with this task, listed below are the signs you should be aware of:

• Your pup whimpers
• His tail is rising
• He runs around in circle
• He sniffs intently the floor, carpet, ground in pursuit of the right spot
• He paces restlessly
• He chafes the door that leads to his elimination zone
• He moves out of the playing area
• He squats

As soon as you see any of aforementioned behavior, stop whatever you’re doing, put his leash on and take him outside to his elimination zone or inside to his toilet stop. If he starts peeing, interrupt him by saying a firm “outside” or “toilet” and then take him to his potty place.

Puppy or Adult Toilet Training, Is There a Difference?

The housetraining technique is the same for a puppy or an adult dog. The only variation is that an adult dog can hold it a lot longer than a pup. So, it may seem easier to teach an adult dog, but it can also be tricky since your adult dog comes with a history and you don’t always know how his previous owner trained him.

The crate training part of the method may take a bit longer with a grownup dog. 

Potty Training Strategies

Prevention Is the Key

The true secret to potty training is taking your young pup out frequently (typically every two hours for an eight-week-old pup) and never giving him the chance to have a potty accident. This means a minimum of eight trips each day.

To prevent giving your dog the chance to potty anywhere else in the house he should always either be:

• in his crate
• in a puppy-safe and potty-safe playpen with a potty area which has an ideal potty surface (like fake grass or pee pads)
• attached to you by a leash so he can’t wander off to potty
• or under your direct supervision in an enclosed area. Direct guidance implies you're looking at him at all times. 

Follow this plan for a month straight and he'll dependably get the habit of going outside and holding it inside. Then continue keeping a close eye on him for another month or two, particularly when you take him on outings to other people’s homes, before affirming his completely potty trained.

Expectations for Puppyhood

Another key to a successful doggy potty training is understanding your puppy. Below is a guideline of what you have to expect with regards to puppy-hood. 

For a pup, life is all about "Me!" Assume nothing more than that from your pup. Basically, in their minds their owners are pretty much their servants in this stage. Their needs imitate the immediate needs of a baby or young toddler. Remember that it has absolutely nothing to do with your pup being bratty- it’s just his immediate needs that need tending. So, do tend to them immediately.

Love, love, love. Yes, since this is the phase of affection, you'll easily fall in love with your pup. Take tons of photos, but be mindful not to overindulge and spoil your pup. This will be the hardest part of raising your dog, but is vital in setting up a cooperative, good dog.

While you will find essential skills you can start to generate in puppyhood, you're really in a “holding pattern” of sorts. Your pup is just too young for proper obedience training in this life stage. Your task now is to stop errors, teach concepts, and keep your dog safe until he can learn his obedience skills at.

Puppies act on intuition. Pups come equipped with only their dog instincts and are acting strictly on what they know genetically. They're not in charge of their emotions, nor do they pre-plan actions. They just act on their instincts until owners teach them to withstand urges. Do not punish, but reroute them and remain patient!

Limitations: Pups literally have no self-control during this period. They generally tend to do whatever springs into their little minds. This is part instinct and part absence of self-control. Don’t expect your pup to make good choices or to continually be well behaved.

Trying to “break” your pup of instinctual behaviors (like mouthing) won't work. You can educate your dog to stop using his mouth to communicate when you teach him a different approach to communicating. Until then, trying to use “quick fixes” to restrain these behaviors will only serve to diminish your puppy’s confidence in you as a leader. 

Pups have a limited attention span and can only “behave,” or in other words, be kept out of trouble, for a restricted period of time. As they grow and as owners train them, they do develop an attention span. It’s vital that you know now that they can only focus for short time periods.

Once your puppy’s mental battery has donned and repetitive, incorrect behaviors start, any attempt to refocus will be useless. Take your pup to the crate for rest.

Your puppy can learn the housebreaking routine, but his body cannot “hold” all of his bodily functions regardless of how much he may want to do this. At roughly four and a half to five months of age, your puppy’s body will get caught up in development and then control his flow of pee from the body. Very frequent potty breaks can help this routine.

Get Real. Keep expectations sensible. Puppyhood is the stage where owners must be totally accountable for their pups. Don't expect your pup to behave like an adult dog. Know his limitations and work with them into the next stage of learning.

CHAPTER TWO

Outdoor or Indoor Training?

Depending on your situation, you need to determine if you intend to train your pup to eliminate outside or inside your home. It’s strongly suggested to train the dog to go out if you have a yard or an immediate access to a park or street. 

If you’re currently living in a high-rise apartment or if you have a disability, it can be difficult to train your dog to go out to pee or eliminate, so indoor training in a specific part of the house is suggested. 

Moreover, owners of toy breed who live in a region/place where it’s cold in the winter might also decide to train their dogs inside. 

Preparation is Crucial!

It’s always better to get everything prepared even BEFORE your puppy’s arrival. But don’t worry, if you already have your dog, this chapter will help you get straight away. Throughout the training process, there are two kinds of confinement:

• Short-term
• Long-term

To confine your dog for a short period of time, make use of his crate. 

When you leave your pup for more than a couple of hours, you have to use long-term confinement. As a result, you need to block part of a room in your house you don’t wish you pup to have access to. You may use a kiddy gate to execute this successfully. 

On your dog’s own special area (like his crate or his own small den), make certain to pepper it with chew toys. It’s a good idea to put a plastic sheet under the paper to protect the floor even more. This place is your pup’s domain, so everyone in the household must recognize and respect it. 

According to professionals, the best part of the house to put his den/crate is near the kitchen. This place is usually the best choice because it’s often the busiest place in the house. Dogs really need to feel that they’re part of the family and being in the midst of all the action is very motivating for them. In general, a kitchen floor is easy to clean which is actually a good thing during housetraining. 

To block part of the other parts of the room, as mentioned above, you may use baby gates. They are easy to install and to open when it’s time to get your pup outside. You can also use playpen to confine your dog. Most pet stores have them. These tools are pricier though. 

Your pup’s own special place aka his domain should be limited with gates or board, his crate should be in a corner and the rest of the floor covered with old bed sheets or brown paper (a lot better than newspaper). 

Choosing Your Pup’s Toilet Spot

You have to decide where you want your pup to eliminate. For those of you who will outdoor train your puppy, choose a place that is easily accessible and relatively quiet and that won’t get too muddy. For instance, choose a corner from the backyard that isn’t too close to the streets so your dog won’t get distracted when it’s time for him to do his business. His elimination place is called his elimination zone or toilet spot. 

Obviously, for city dogs, the elimination zone will most likely be the gutter. But no matter which spot you decide on, it’s important that you train your dog to be comfortable in it. This is actually not a hard thing to accomplish since canines have an extremely powerful sense of smell. It only takes one urination and elimination for your pup to recognize the spot after that. The smell of his pee and poop will trigger your dog’s desire to eliminate and speed-up the whole process. 

Furthermore, a canine have this intuition to want to refresh their spot, just to mark it and for other dogs to not claim the spot for their own. In this aspect, dogs are very territorial. 

The toilet stop is the equivalent of the elimination zone but it’s inside your house. You have to choose a place that won’t be in the way, but not too isolated so that your puppy will have a hard time finding it. Vets usually recommend the bathroom. The floor surface is usually easy to clean-up and there’s generally a toilet product that makes it easier to get rid of the odor. 

Potty training begins with understanding how to love and sleep in a crate (or other small, enclosed area):

The purpose of crate training is that your pup learns to love resting in his crate.

Crate

Your dog should sleep in his crate at night and take naps in it throughout the day. To train him to love his crate, you can make it cozy with a blanket and place treats inside at random times. Then give his toys and pet him when he's in it prior to closing the door. The supreme goal of crate training is that he goes into the crate on his own or when you give him a verbal cue, as opposed to needing to be shoved or coaxed in. And once he's in, he remains relaxed, comfortable and quiet. 

Crate Size

The crate must be large enough for the pup to lie down and turn around however, not big enough for a separate potty area. You may make the crate smaller by putting a box in it and, as the dog grows, expand the crate simply by using a smaller box.

Most pups whine the first time they are crated. They aren’t accustomed to having restricted access to their family. It’s essential that puppies learn that being separated or confined is fine. If you're conscientious with regards to the crate training in early stages, the whining ought to stop within a week.

If you reward your dog by letting him out when he whines, the whining could become serious anxiety or barrier frustration that forestalls you from being able to leave your pet alone in another room or alone at home.

Regular Schedule and Getting the Pup to His Potty Spot Quickly

Very first thing in the morning

When you let your pup out of his crate, rush him to his potty spot before he has a chance to squat and pee. If you’re unsure that he can hold it long enough to make it outside, carry him out.

Rush him out to his potty spot

If you take him out without a leash, walk briskly or run down the hall so he doesn’t have a chance to stop. He may have to be on leash so he doesn’t have the opportunity to stop. Even a one- second stop will give him a chance to squat and potty inside. That means if you have stairs, it’s wise to carry him, since his reluctance right before the first stair is sufficient to permit him to squat and pee.

Stand around until he potties

Once outside, keep him on a leash so he can’t wander and get distracted, otherwise place him in a small confined area outside. Stand silently until he potties. When he does, compliment, pet him or give him a treat as he's finishing. Just be cautious you don’t distract him from finishing. If after five minutes he doesn’t potty, put him in his crate for 15 minutes and then repeat the process. Do this 20-minute procedure until he potties outside. After he has pottied, you can play with him.

This can be tiresome at first. Give some thought to listening to music or a book on tape while you wait for him to do his business, and also having a timer so you don’t get impatient for the five minutes outside. If your puppy doesn’t potty initially, remember to take him back out for a second try after 15 minutes in his crate.

How Often Should You Take Him Out?

Commence with every two hours for an eight-week-old puppy. Eight-week-old pups can be crated for up to two hours in the daytime and through the entire night when they're sleeping. Generally speaking, during the day, pups can be crated the same number of hours as their age in months. For instance, a three-month-old puppy can be crated three hours at a time, if he hasn’t had a large drink of water prior to going in.

Take him out after a nap.

Besides the two-hour rule, take the dog out whenever he wakes up from sleeping or first comes out of his crate or playpen.

Take him out to potty after a play session.

If he doesn’t go potty, you can put him in his crate for 15 to 30 minutes and then take him out again.

Take him out when his body language says he's hunting for a spot to pee.

Indications that the pup is about to potty can be subtle. Usually they start sniffing the ground, circle, or wander away.

After a drink.

Take him out to potty 10 to 20 minutes after he'd had a drink of water. Remove his water around an hour prior to taking him out for his last potty trip of the day, so he can go through the night without pottying. He must be able to pull through the night for seven to eight hours.

Learn from your blunders.

Puppies have to potty seemingly a hundred times a day. Figure out how to anticipate when your pup will need to wait, and expect to have accidents. Every time he has an accident, you need to learn from the experience and prevent making the same blunders again. Potty training is about creating a habit of going to a potty spot whenever the puppy has to go potty and never giving him the chance to have an accident inside.

Adding the cue to go potty.

When you are able reliably predict when he's about to potty, you can also add a cue word. Say “go potty” in a clear, motivating voice only once, right before you think he'll squat. If you're able to dependably say it within a matter of moments before he has to squat, he'll come to learn that “go potty” means he should do his business on his elimination zone/toilet spot. Refrain from saying the cue again and again, or it'll just turn into noise to him.

CHAPTER THREE

Constant Supervision

Until he's reliable, the pup must be directly monitored or attached to you with a hands-free leash or near you on leash or resting in a playpen. On the other hand, he can be outdoors in a potty-safe and puppy-safe area. This could help him be able to potty when you're not outside to look over him. But avoid leaving him outside without supervision for hours at a time. Also understand that young puppies are less in a position to withstand warm and cold conditions.

Housetraining your dog or dog demands more than a few piles of old newspapers -it requires caution, patience, a good amount of commitment and most importantly, consistency.

By using the procedures outlined below, you are able to minimize house-soiling mishaps. Practically every dog, especially pups, will have an accident in the house, and more likely, quiet a lot. Expect this - it's part of living with a pup.

The more constant you're in pursuing the basic housetraining methods, the faster your dog will learn appropriate behavior. It may take a few weeks to housetrain your puppy, and with some of the smaller breeds, it could take longer.

Set-Up a Routine

Like infants, puppies do best on a regular schedule. The routine teaches him that there are periods to eat, times to play, and times to potty.

Most of the time, a pup can control his bladder one hour for every month of age. So if your pup is two months old, he can hold it for approximately two hours. Don't go longer than this between toilet breaks or he's certain to have an accident. If you work away from home, this means you need to ask your housemate (or family member) or in some cases to employ a dog walker to give your pup his breaks.

Take your puppy outside often -at least every two hours-and soon after he wakes up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking.

Choose a bathroom spot outside, and always take your pup to that spot using a leash. While your dog is eliminating, use a word or phrase, like "go potty," that you can eventually use before he eliminates to remind him to do his business. Take him out for an extended walk or some playtime only after he has pooped.

Reward your pup each time he eliminates outdoors. Compliment him or give him a treat -but make sure to do so soon after he's completed eliminating, not after he comes back inside the house. This step is critical, because rewarding your dog for eliminating outdoors is the sole method he'll know what's expected of him. Before rewarding him, make sure he's finished eliminating. Puppies are very easily distracted. If you praise him too quickly, he may overlook to finish until he's back in the house.

Put your pup on a regular feeding timetable. What goes into a puppy on a schedule is released of a puppy on a schedule. Based on their age, pups usually have to be fed three or four times a day. Feeding your pup at the same times every day will make it more likely that he'll eliminate at constant times too, and that makes housetraining simpler for both of you.

Pick up your puppy's water dish about two and a half hours before going to bed to scale back the chance that he'll need to potty through the night. Most pups can sleep for about seven hours without needing to poop. 

If your puppy does wake you up in the night, don't make a big issue of it; or else, he'll think it is time to play and won't desire to return to sleep. Turn on as few lights as possible, don't talk to or fool around with your pup, take him out to do his business, and return him to his bed.

Supervise

Don't provide your pup a chance to soil in the house; keep close track of him whenever he's indoors.

Tether your pup to you or a close by piece of furniture with a six-foot leash if you're not actively training or having fun with him. Look for signs your pup needs to eliminate. Some indicators are obvious, such as barking or scraping at the door, squatting, and uneasiness, sniffing around, or circling.  When you see these signs, quickly grab the leash and take him outside to his toilet spot. If he eliminates, compliment him generously and reward him with a treat.

Keep your pup on leash in the yard. Throughout the housetraining process, your yard must be treated like any other room in your house. Give your dog some freedom in the house and yard once he is reliably housetrained.

Confinement

When you find yourself unable to watch your pup continuously, he must be limited to an area small enough that he won't wish to eliminate there. The area must be just large enough for him to comfortably stand, lie down, and turn around in. Use a portion of your bathroom or laundry room obstructed off with baby gates.

Or you might want to crate train your pup and use the crate to confine him. Just make sure to discover ways to use a crate humanely as a technique of confinement. If your dog has spent a long time in confinement, you will have to take him straight to his toilet spot once you let him out, and praise him when he eliminates.

Housebreaking

Establish a Routine

The initial step to housebreaking your pup is to set up a schedule. It is important to stay as close to the same times daily until your dog has fully understood the idea you're teaching him. The tighter you stick to schedule, the faster the pup will establish a rhythm and internal time clock for his own timetable.

Develop a working schedule across the rhythms of the household. Puppies have to be fed two or three times a day except if work schedules prohibit. Commence your schedule when the household wakes, and start with an immediate toilet break. Once a pup is awake he won’t wait long to eliminate.

Write this schedule down and post it in a visible place in the house (like the kitchen door). If several people are taking care of the puppy, make certain schedule duties are understood and followed by all. A unified household can guarantee the success of your housebreaking venture.

Cue Words

Direction Cue

When coming to the door, go with a word like "outside" to direct the first part of his task. "Outside" will let him know where you're going, and by using the subsequent cue word (the elimination cue word); he'll connect the two words with the process.

"Outside" will end up a question you'll later ask him if you feel he needs to go outside. If you’ve successfully linked "outside" with, say, "go potty" (as the elimination cue word), he'll quickly run to the door in response to your question if he needs an elimination break.

Elimination Cue

Use one more specific cue like "hurry" to suggest that you wish him to eliminate. This word can be connected easily with the first potty break of the morning since most pups have to eliminate very first thing in the morning. 

Cue words may become gentle coaxes when you're aware your pup has to eliminate but is possibly becoming distracted in the yard. Repeating the cue "hurry" in a coaxing voice can refocus him on the job at hand.

Some folks decide to pick one cue word for peeing and one for pooping. You need to time the cue word with the action a number of times successfully so your pup can make the link between the action and the words. At times it’s simpler to use one word or term for both actions.

The Housebreaking Cycle

Commence the housebreaking cycle by bringing your pup out of the crate. 

Carry or walk your dog promptly outside. Using a leash, walk your puppy over to the specified elimination area. Gently, but motivationally, repeat your cue word.

Once your pup has pooped, praise in a gentle tone and go back inside the house.

Wait only for five minutes for your pup to eliminate. If it takes more than this, he probably doesn't need to poop or is distracted.

Return inside and wait around 5 to 15 minutes and do this again. 

Once inside, provide breakfast and some water. When your pup finishes, take him outdoors for another toilet break. In this morning routine, your dog must both pee and poop.

How to Potty Train a Dog to Go in One Spot

Dogs can create a mess of your yard when they relieve themselves anyplace they want. To stop this matter, it's beneficial to train them to relieve themselves only in one specific spot. Here's how you can do it:

Pick a Spot

Pick a spot away from the high traffic parts of your yard. The spot you select must be suitable for the size of your dog. A small area could be fine for a toy or small breed dog, but larger breeds will need more room.

At times dogs pick their own spot. Does your pet often come back to one spot regularly to relieve himself? If that's the case, if at all possible, make this his toilet area.

Keep the Spot Clean

You need to keep your dog's toilet area clean. It is possible to leave one pile in the area during training to let your pet know that's the right spot, but ensure not to leave any more than that. If the area becomes too soiled, your pet may check out other place to relieve himself.

Train the Dog to Go on Command

Among the simplest ways to train a dog to go only in a single spot is to train him to relieve himself on command. Take the pup to the spot you want him to make use of, and give the command. Keep him in that spot until he relieves himself, after which praise him. Only reward him when he goes in that specific spot.

Confine Your Dog to One Spot

Just as you do not allow your pet who isn't housebroken to have free run of the house, a dog not taught to go in one spot should not have free run of your yard. The ideal way to keep your dog from relieving himself outside of the spot you pick is to keep him on a leash. Stand in the spot you have opted, and wait until he relieves himself. Never let him explore other parts of the yard until he finishes doing his business.

Reward Good Behavior

If your dog relieves himself in the right spot, supply him with a reward. As soon as he goes, compliment him and let him off leash to have some playtime in the yard. If he doesn't relieve himself, take him back inside, and try again later on. Don't allow him run of the yard if he hasn't relieved himself yet.

Monitor the Dog's Body Language

During the occasions you permit your dog playtime, make certain to watch over him. Keep close track of his body language. Most canines give a sign that they're about to relieve themselves. They pace or spin or sniff. If you see your dog doing any of these behaviors outside of his designated potty area, disrupt him and bring him to the right spot.

Further Vital Information

It’s very important that you clean after your dog. This is particularly essential if your dog eliminates on the street pavements or in the park (this is especially true to people living in high-rise buildings or condominiums). Every time your dog poops, make sure that you dispose his waste properly. Make it a habit to bring a poop scope and plastic or brown bag whenever you play with him around the neighborhood. 

CHAPTER FOUR

Eliminating Accidents

Puppies need to be housetrained to realize that it’s not fine to pee and poop just anywhere. Potty training is a straightforward process, but one that must be executed positively (with no punishment that frightens the puppy) and consistently, following two main rules: 

• Avoid indoor accidents through confinement and close monitoring, and
• Take the puppy outside on a regular schedule and reward him for eliminating where you want him to do his business. 

House soiling may happen in any part in your home but sometimes pet parents will observe that their puppy soils more in selected places, like rarely used rooms or on a specific type of surface. Very young pups (under 12 weeks old) don’t have full bladder control and might be unable to hold it very long. Older puppies that’ve had accidents mightn't have been house trained entirely.

Why Pups You Thought Were Housetrained Might Have Mishaps

Too Young to Be Fully House Trained

Some pups, particularly those under 12 weeks of age, haven’t developed bladder or bowel control yet.

Incomplete Housetraining

A lot of puppies simply haven’t learned where to eliminate or they haven’t learned a means to tell their people when they have to go out. Some pups house soil only under certain conditions. For instance, a puppy may soil when he’s home alone for very long time periods, very first thing in the morning, at some point during the night, only when you’re not watching or only in occasionally used rooms. Other pups may pee or poop whenever they feel the necessity to go.

Breakdown in Housetraining

At times pups who seem to be house trained at some point regress and start off soiling in the house again.

Some Other Reasons Your Puppy Might House Soil

Urine Marking

If your pup is over three months of age and pees small amounts on vertical surfaces, he could be urine marking. Young dogs doing this behavior often elevate their hind legs when peeing. 

Separation Anxiety

If your pup only soils when he’s left alone at home, even for short time frames, he may have separation anxiety. If this is the case, you may observe that he appears anxious or upset right before you leave him by himself.

Submissive/Excitement Urination

Your pup may have a submissive/excitement urination predicament if he only urinates during greetings, play, and physical contact. If this is the case, you may observe your pup displaying submissive postures during interactions. He may flinch or cower, roll over on his belly, tuck or lower his tail, duck his head, avert his eyes, flatten his ears or all of the above. 

Medical Reasons for House Soiling

It’s usually a good idea to visit your puppy’s vet to exclude medical causes for house soiling. Some widespread medical reasons for inappropriate urination and defecation are:

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Pups with UTI usually pee frequently and in small amounts. They may additionally lick their genital areas more than usual.

Intestinal Upset

If your pup was house trained but now defecates loose stools or diarrhea at home, he may have intestinal upset.

Change in Diet

If you’ve recently modified the quantity or kind of food you give your puppy, he may develop a house soiling issue. Often, following a diet change, a pup will defecate loose stools or diarrhea. He may need to poop more frequently or on a different schedule than before the diet change.

Methods to Housetrain Your Puppy

Housetraining is achieved by rewarding your puppy for eliminating where you want him to go and by stopping him from peeing or pooping in inappropriate places. You need to keep crating and confinement to a minimum; however, some amount of limitation is generally essential for your pup to learn to “hold it.”

House Training Steps

Maintain your pup on a constant daily feeding schedule and take off food between meals.

Take the puppy outside on a regular timetable.

In between these outings, know where your dog is at all times. You have to watch for early signs that he needs to pee and/or poop so that you can anticipate and stop accidents from happening

If you can’t watch your puppy, he must be restricted to a crate or a small room with the door closed or blocked with a kiddy gate. Otherwise, you can tether him to you by a leash that doesn't give him much freedom around you. Progressively, over days or weeks, give your pup more freedom; you start with freedom a small area, like the kitchen, and little by little increasing it to larger areas, or multiple rooms, in your home. 

Go along with your puppy outside and reward him whenever he eliminates outdoors with praise, treats, play or a walk. 

If you catch your pup in the act of eliminating inside, clap sharply twice, sufficient to startle but not frighten him. When startled, the dog should stop in mid-stream. Promptly run with him outside, motivating him to come with you the whole way. Allow your pet to finish eliminating outside, and then reward him with happy praise and a small treat. 

Additional Housetraining Tips

• Clean mishaps with an enzymatic cleanser to reduce odors that might entice the pup back to the same spot.
• Once your dog is housetrained in your home, he may still have accidents when you have visitors. That’s because young dogs have to generalize their learning to new surroundings. Just because they appear to know something in one spot doesn't mean that they’ll automatically understand that thing everywhere. You’ll need to monitor your pup carefully when you visit new places together and be sure to take him out often.

What NOT to Do

Don't rub your pup's nose in his waste.

Don't reprimand your pet for eliminating indoors. Rather, if you catch him in the act, make a noise to surprise him and stop him from peeing or pooping. Then immediately show your puppy where you want him to go by running with him outside, waiting until he finish his business, and then praising him.

Don't physically punish your pup for accidents. Understand that if your pup has accidents in the house, you neglected to properly supervise him.

Don't clean with ammonia-based products. Urine contains ammonia. Cleaning up with ammonia can attract your puppy back to the same spot to pee again.

Teaching Your Housetrained Dog to Ask to Go Out

Some housetrained dogs show obvious signs when they will need to go out, like scraping or barking at the door. But others aren’t as good at telling people when they need to relieve themselves. They already know outside is the place to go, but they can’t work out how to get there. So they station themselves by a door and wait. At some point, their confused people may see them quivering with frustration and distress, ready to explode. If their people don’t see them soon enough, these dogs are forced to pee or poop inside, usually at the front of the door where they’ve been waiting. 

Is Your Pup Really Housetrained?

Prior to making an effort to teach your dog to ask to go out, make sure you’re working with a communication problem, not a health, potty training or urine marking issue.

CONCLUSION

Housetraining your dog demands far more than a few heaps of old newspapers. This training requires caution, perseverance, an abundance of commitment and most importantly, regularity.

The greater consistency you are in adhering to the basic housetraining techniques, the quicker your dog will become familiar with appropriate behavior. It may take a few weeks to housetrain your pet, and with a few of the smaller breeds, a lot longer, but when you succeed, it will be something you and your dog will benefit from for years to come.

When housetraining, it's very important to establish a routine. Like babies, pups function best on a regular routine. The timetable instructs him that there are times for everything: eat, play, nap, and even eliminate. In most cases, a puppy can handle his bladder an hour for every month of his age. Just be mindful to not go longer than this between toilet breaks or he's bound to have an accident. If you can monitor him all the time or can't come with him outside to eliminate, make sure that someone is there to accompany him do his business.

Supervision is another key to a successful housetraining. Don't give your dog a chance to soil in inappropriate places. Keep an eye on him as much as you can. But whenever you're not able to do so, make use of confinement methods. With this, crating is your best choice. 

Lastly, don't expect your dog to be all perfect. Few accidents in the house will happen, even if he's completely trained. If mishaps occur, avoid punishing him. Instead, teach and remind him again what's the right thing to do when he wants to eliminate.

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