How to Housebreak a Puppy

Housebreaking a puppy is the first training exercise you should accomplish as a new pet owner. If you don't successfully housebreak a puppy in the first three months of life, you can set the stage for bad toileting habits that are difficult to change as the dog grows older.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Crate
• Timer
• Enzymatic odor remover

1. Set your puppy up to succeed. If you allow a puppy to wander around the house unsupervised, an accident is inevitable. Watch the puppy or keep him crated.

2. Get your puppy on a schedule. Most puppies under 6 months of age need to go outside at least once an hour. Set a timer so you don't forget to take her out frequently.

3. Give your puppy some playtime in the house after he has relieved himself outside. He can play for about 15 minutes unobserved, but then you must watch him or put him in his crate.

4. Take the puppy outside after eating, drinking or engaging in vigorous play. The puppy is usually ready to relieve herself shortly after these activities.

5. Issue a command for the puppy to relieve himself as soon as he starts to urinate or defecate. The command doesn't matter, as long as you use it consistently so the puppy can associate this word with the toileting action.

6. Reward the puppy for toileting outside with praise. Return indoors and have a short playtime before the puppy returns to her crate.

7. Eliminate the odor from any indoor toileting accident. You can use an enzymatic odor remover to accomplish this. Odor removal ensures that the puppy doesn't associate your home interior with toileting.