Housebreaking should be at the top of your list when it comes to the first stages of training your dog. In some cases, he has never had to be concerned about where he has relieved himself. In other cases, he may have been in a situation where he was trained, but needs a refresher. Under normal circumstances, it is no more difficult than toilet-training a child. The key is consistency.

Facts about Housebreaking

1. Puppies have small bladders – unlike adult dogs, puppies can not hold their waste for a long time. If you have chosen a puppy, you must be willing to take the time to go outside frequently. In the case of older dogs, it is only necessary to do this until the dog understands what you want.
2. Choose a place for the dog to use – consistency is the key and your canine friend will learn quickly that there is an appropriate place as opposed to any others.
3. Healthy dogs + Quality Food – all dogs should be checked to make sure that there are no physical problems that would affect housebreaking and also be fed a good quality dry food . Soft food tends to produce softer stools that are more difficult to control. Also, consistent diet will prevent upset tummies that can result in diarrhea.
4. Go out often – generally speaking, puppies must relieve themselves after eating, after drinking, after sleeping, after playing, after chewing… It is better to go more often than not often enough so take you puppies to his spot within 15 minutes of any of these activities. This may mean up to 10 times per day.
5. Be patient – usually dogs can be encouraged to go more quickly if they are told what is expected. This is a good time to begin using the training phrase “Go potty”. REMEMBER: Do NOT leave the area until your dog has eliminated. This may require patience on your part, but the results are more than worth the effort – patience is less expensive than carpet cleaning.
6. Reward– when the dog has eliminated, praise lavishly and treat.
7. Be vigilant – mistakes can happen in a matter for seconds. If you can not supervise your dog – confine him in his crate. (more on that later)
8. NEVER discipline the dog for accidents UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY CATCH HIM IN THE ACT – and NEVER use harsh discipline on him for your lack of timing. Making him fear elimination CAN result in his refusal to go.

Helpful Hints

1.     Using the crate – dogs will usually NOT eliminate in their sleeping quarters.  Consider that 15 – 20 minutes before he would normally need to go can be considered “safe” times until he has mastered the difference between inside and outside for elimination..

2.      Use an enzyme-based cleaner to clean up accidents – these cleaners will remove any scent and prevent your dog from “revisiting” old sites.

3.      Submissive and excited urination is NOT the same thing – submissive urination and excited urination are completely involuntary.  Disciplining for this type of “accident” will only worsen the problem.  If you have issues with your dog urinating because of loud noises, strangers or other circumstances, please contact a professional trainer for assistance.

4.      You should choose the schedule and not the dog – if you wait until your gives you a signal, you may find that you miss subtle signals that could result in an accident.  Remember, dogs are much more attuned to body language than humans for communication.