How to Night House Break or Train a Dog or Puppy

Need help getting your dog or puppy through the night without an accident? With a little effort, night accidents can be a thing of the past.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Patience
• Crate (optional)
• Alarm Clock
• Kibbel

1. Observe ~ Observe your dog's daytime potty habits. How long can they usually go before they need to be let out to relieve themselves. The average time is the time you will initially use to schedule night time potty breaks.
2. Limit Liquids ~ After mealtime limit your dog's water intake. Unless it is a hot day or your dog has been exercising, they generally won't need water within two hours of bed time. Unlimited access to water means unlimited accidents.
3. Co-Sleep ~ Your dog doesn't need to be in your bed. However, for the purposes of training, your dog should be close enough so that he/she can see you and you can hear their cries. A pet is more likely to communicate if they think someone is there to hear them.
4. Crate ~ This is not absolutely necessary, but HIGHLY recommended. Crate your dog or puppy at night. Section their create (with a divider) so there is only enough room for them to stand up, lie down, and turn around. Dogs don't like to foul the area they sleep in so they will be more likely to notify you if they need to go outside. Without a crate, they might just use your slippers.
5. Schedule Breaks ~ Set your alarm clock to wake you throughout the night. This is not much fun, but can cut months of training down to a week. If your dog or puppy averaged 3 daytime hours without needing to go outside, you should set your alarm to wake you every 3 hours.
6. Potty Time ~ Even if your dog is sleeping when the alarm goes off, you should still make them go outside. Take them to the desired area (leash or fence them) and wait for them to do their business. If they seem confused, remind them why they are there. When finished, reward them with a piece of kibbel. Return them to their crate.
7. Extend Intervals ~ If your pup has made it through a night or two of this training without having an accident, extend the time between breaks by 30 minutes. With each successful night, you can continue to extend the intervals by 30 minute increments. Eventually, you will eliminate night time breaks altogether.

Tips & Warnings

• Crating your dog will cut back on accidents.
• Limit praise at night time breaks. This will encourage play.
• Reward with a single piece of Kibbel. Excessive snacking will result in more breaks.
• Never scold or hit a dog for accidents.
• Demonstrate patience and confidence with the process.
• Do not let your dog play while on a break.
• Do not leave your dog or puppy unattended during a break. This will cause fear and encourage accidents.