How to House Train Your New Puppy: 12 Essential Tips

To housetrain a puppy might be a challenging undertaking for first-time pet owners. Your patience, consistency, and close monitoring are essential parts of the task. That's why it's crucial to plan and study how to housetrain a dog so you know what to expect. In this article, you will learn 15 methods that have proven successful in house training puppies. Let us begin!

Make sure to establish a consistent routine for your new puppy.

A new puppy must be put on a strict schedule that includes feeding, bathroom breaks, exercise, and playtime. This teaches the puppies to become used to the routine and know when to expect the next meal, potty breaks, walks, and playtime. 

Remember to keep the same schedule as much as possible. This includes removing the puppy's food in between meals and maintaining a consistent feeding schedule. 

By doing so, what a puppy eats and drinks on a regular timetable will also be excreted at the same time each day, which will make house training much simpler for both of you.

Take your puppy outside multiple times a day.

Essential steps in housebreaking include letting your puppy out shortly after:

• waking up
• feeding it
• drinking water

Puppy bladders are small and can only store urine for a minimal time, so taking your puppy out to pee and poop often in a day is necessary. A puppy's bladder will fill up after consuming liquids, so they'll have to use the restroom soon after drinking.

Puppies often wake up in urgent need of a bathroom break because they may have gone all night without getting up. Taking them outside soon after increases the likelihood that they will use the restroom area outside instead of having an accident indoors. 

When they do their business outdoors, shower them with praise and treats.

Use specific commands when taking your puppy outside.

To speed up the housebreaking process, it is helpful to use a specific command like "go potty" or "go pee".

It will help them grasp what you want them to do, and they will quickly associate the instruction with the need to use the restroom.

The command should be used when you are taking your puppy outdoors to use the bathroom and should be spoken in a calm and positive tone. 

This will prevent your puppy from associating the word "potty" with any other action and will reinforce the association between the word and the action. 

Reward your puppy with treats and praise when they go potty outside.

Treating your dog with praise and goodies after it uses the bathroom outside is an excellent approach to reinforcing its positive behavior. The use of positive reinforcement is proven to be an effective method of teaching puppies and can hasten the process of housebreaking them.

It's best to reward your puppy after it finishes its business so it learns to associate the treat with a positive experience. Also crucial is praise, delivered positively and enthusiastically and accompanied by lots of scritches and hugs. 

This will teach your puppy that excellent conduct is rewarded and increase the likelihood that it will be repeated in the future.

To avoid confusing your puppy, consistently reward them when they use the bathroom outside and never for accidents inside the home. In this method, your puppy will learn that it only receives praise and treats when it urinates in the designated outdoor area.

Keep an eye on your puppy at all times and watch for signs that they need to go potty.

When housebreaking a puppy, it is crucial to keep a close eye on it at all times and recognize the cues it gives you that it needs to use the bathroom. 

Watch for excessive sniffing or circling, as this indicates urgency and the puppy searches for an appropriate bathroom location. It is best to take your puppy outside immediately.

Some dogs will whine, bark, or scratch the door when they have to go outside. If your puppy exhibits any of these signs, you should take them out to relieve themselves as soon as possible. 

By keeping a close eye on your puppy and being alert to these cues, you can increase the frequency with which your dog has the chance to use the outside bathroom, speeding up the housebreaking process.

Confine your puppy in a small area when you can't supervise them.

When you can't keep an eye on your puppy, putting them in a small space like a crate or playpen will help with housebreaking. That's because it's statistically more likely that a puppy won't have an accident if it's in a tiny space.

Your puppy needs a crate or playpen that is big enough to stand up, spin around, and lie down comfortably.

As with any new environment, it's best to ease your puppy into spending time in the crate or playpen by introducing it to it gradually and providing them with familiar bedding and toys. 

You should never restrict your puppy as a punishment; instead, utilize it to keep them safe and prevent mishaps when you can't watch them. A puppy still needs frequent trips outside the crate or playpen for elimination and exercise.

Use puppy pads or newspapers in designated areas of the house for accidents.

If you can't take your puppy outdoors in time, you can set up a "potty area" inside the house with puppy pads or newspapers. The purpose of this is to give the puppy a clean, safe place to relieve itself inside the house, especially when you are not around to bring it outside.

It's crucial to show your puppy the specific place for using puppy pads or newspapers and reward them lavishly when they use it for the first time. 

Also, it can help senior dogs with incontinence or puppies who can't retain their bladders for long periods. 

Regular cleaning is required to avoid the buildup of unpleasant odors and bacteria, as is the proper disposal of soiled puppy pads or newspapers.

Remember that while puppy pads and newspapers might help clean up after accidents, they are no substitute for bringing your dog outside. Still, taking puppies out frequently is vital so they can learn where the bathroom is. 

While housebreaking your dog, it is only necessary to temporarily use puppy pads or newspapers.

Clean any accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner to remove the scent.

Using an enzymatic cleanser after potty incidents is crucial in housetraining because it is formulated to effectively remove the smell of pet messes like urine, feces, and more.

Puppies have an acute sense of smell, so if the remnants of an accident aren't cleaned up, the puppy will be drawn back to the exact location. 

You can find these cleaners in pet supply stores. Remember to let the cleanser linger for the specified period before rinsing it off or blotting it up, and you should wipe the area entirely so that no signs of the potty accident remain.

Cleaning up accidents with a standard cleaner, water, and soap will not eradicate the smell. Your dog will be attracted to that location again and again, making housebreaking more challenging.

To avoid your puppy from having another accident in the same spot, keep them confined to a limited space, such as a crate or playpen, until the area is dry. 

Gradually increase the time your puppy can spend outside their confinement area.

An essential part of housebreaking a puppy is gradually increasing the time they can spend outside their confinement area. This is because your puppy will develop the ability to delay urination as they become accustomed to going outside to eliminate.

You should use a crate or playpen to keep your new puppy contained when you aren't around. Gradually increase the time they spend outside their cage as they prove more trustworthy about using it to relieve themselves.

You may substitute it by allowing them to play outside for extended periods. Keep a close check on your puppy at this period, and look for any symptoms of needing to use the restroom, including sniffing the ground or circling.

Avoid punishing your puppy for potty accidents.

It's crucial that you don't scold your puppy for having potty accidents inside as you're housetraining it. The process of housebreaking can be complicated by the introduction of fear and anxiety, which can increase by punishing a puppy for having an accident.

Accidents are a natural part of a puppy's development and learning process, so try not to take them personally when they happen. Instead of correcting the dog by punishing it, you should reinforce its training.

In the event that you discover your puppy in the act of having an accident, you can distract them by clapping your hands or expressing a stern "no," and then swiftly remove them from the area and bring them outside. Getting angry or irritated will only make the puppy more anxious and stressed, so try to keep your cool.

Be patient, as it can take several weeks to fully housebreak a puppy.

Housetraining a puppy may take several weeks, so please be patient, persistent, and firm. The time it takes to completely housetrain a puppy can vary significantly from one animal to the next depending on several factors, including:

• the breed
• the dog's age, and
• the owner's consistency and persistence.

Don't give up if it seems to take longer than you'd want. Your puppy will eventually learn where to defecate properly as long as you provide it with positive reinforcement.

Consider crate training as an option.

Crate training is an option worth considering because it can speed up the process of housebreaking a puppy. The goal is to give the puppy a place to feel secure enough to sleep and rest without worrying about soiling the house.

It aids in the development of bladder control in your dog. Using a crate for housetraining is based on the idea that, like humans, dogs value cleanliness and would be dissatisfied to find a urine-soaked rug in their personal space.

A puppy's crate or playpen should be large enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lie comfortably. As with any new environment, it's best to ease your puppy into spending time in the crate or playpen by introducing it to it gradually and offering them everyday items like bedding and toys.

In summary, a puppy needs time, patience, and consistency when being housetrained. You should keep your puppy on a regular schedule for feedings, bathroom breaks, and playing. Take your puppy outside frequently and reward it with treats and praise when it relieves itself in the appropriate spot. Remember that it can take many weeks to housebreak a puppy, and adjust your expectations accordingly. Following the steps above, you can speed up the housebreaking process and enjoy your day with your pup!