eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

How To

How to Potty Train Your Puppy

Member
By Michael-Jon Lazar
User-Submitted Article
(32 Ratings)
Your dog wants to please you, but discipline is necessary.
Your dog wants to please you, but discipline is necessary.

Puppy potty training is not as daunting a task as you may think. There are proven methods that will allow you to effectively housebreak your puppy in a matter of weeks. So do not give in just yet, get your puppy housebroken in no time at all by following these simple steps.

From Quick Guide: Learn to Potty Train
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Bleach enhanced tile cleaner spray
  • Carpet cleaner spray
  1. Step 1

    Enforce your dominance. Let the dog know that you are boss. Like a child, the puppy learns wrong and right through discipline. Every time you catch your puppy using the carpet as their bathroom make sure to discipline them with a light tap on the nose. Reinforce this by telling them in a harsh tone that they were bad. This usually works well, “Bad Dog, no potty in the house!”

  2. Step 2

    Take them immediately outside. Once you have scolded the puppy pick it up and take it outside. Make sure to support the puppy’s weight with one hand, while maintaining a secure grip on their scruff with the other hand. This enforces your dominance in the situation; much like the mother dog would do.

  3. Step 3

    Enforce the potty outside rule. Now that you have your puppy outside set them on or near were they can go and tell them, “You go potty outside!” Do not let them go inside or allow them to play until they have done their business. Once they have finished their business reward them with praise, “Good dog good potty outside!”

  4. Step 4

    Clean up in-door puppy waste properly. You will definitely want to use a specialty cleaning product, depending on what type of surface you will be cleaning. If you are cleaning tile flooring use bleach enhanced cleaner. If you are cleaning carpeting use a brand name carpet cleaner spray. This is necessary to remove all residue of the smell; this way your puppy is not encouraged to go on the same spot again.

  5. Step 5

    Practice makes perfect. Don’t expect your puppy to become potty trained overnight. Remember puppy potty training is a habit that you must form in your puppy’s mind. Habits take time, especially with puppies. This process will generally take anywhere from three to six weeks to really take effect on your puppy.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you live in an apartment and can not be home for your dog all day, you can still lay out puppy potty training pads. You can easily find these pads at any pet supplies store for cheap. Simply lay the pads out before you leave; they have a smell that attracts your puppy when it is potty time.
  • Never use extreme physical force when disciplining your puppy.
  • Never rub their face in the mess. This is one of the worst things you can possibly do during puppy potty training. The puppy will not understand what you are doing, and you will have to clean them up later. This also will cause all prior training to backfire.

Comments  

| View All 23 Comments

TheSeeker said

Flag This Comment

on 6/20/2008 Michael I agree with your article completely. However your behavior in the comments section is wrong. Your use of all CAPS indicates shouting and quite frankly no one wants to hear a shouting match in a how to article, comments section or not. Ehow is a professional site, please keep it that way.

Flag This Comment

on 6/19/2008 by michaelgavin on 06/18/08 : Thank you Lilac, for your kind words. And, thank you to all of my readers for giving me 168,000+ reads to date, you all rock. Sorry I have been so absent. I have been working with a new band and working on my book for Dorrance, but I am still here in the background writing new content. Take care all, More articles coming at you soon! Mike ...

Flag This Comment

on 2/5/2008 Good article.

Flag This Comment

on 1/23/2008 Thanks to you all again for giving me 18,000 reads on my articles - WOW!

Flag This Comment

on 1/23/2008 Thank you all for your comments and responses.

Post a Comment

Post a Comment
  • Have you done this? Click here to let us know.
I Did This

Related Ads

Get Free Pets Newsletters

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

eHow Pets
eHow_eHow Pets