How to House Train Two Puppies at the Same Time
House-traiingn two puppies at the same time requires patience, forethought and firm, consistent methods. Puppies, like children, respond to regularity in their schedule. While most puppies are adopted at 8 to 10 weeks old, owners need to know that a puppy can "hold it" for roughly 1 hour per month of life. Puppies also do not develop significant elimination control until they are between the ages of 3 and 6 months.
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Instructions
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1
Accept that house training can take up to 1 year to achieve. In the meanwhile, work on developing positive habits for your puppies.
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Crate-train both puppies. Two puppies in a crate together provide comfort for each other and can actually reduce the stress initially associated with crate training. Very young puppies should have their crate placed close to the door they will exit for elimination purposes.
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3
Establish a strict routine. Puppies respond to routines. When you let them out of their crate, the first stop is always outside. Do not pause to pet them or make a fuss, because excitement is just as likely to make them urinate. Open the door, open the crate and say, "Outside" firmly. While it will take a while, the puppies will begin to associate the word with the action.
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Monitor your puppies' time. If you can't be with both pups, they should be in their crate or outside. Limit the amount of outdoor "play time" until they understand that outside is where they eliminate. Keep it simple. Use puppy pads for puppies that have frequent accidents. These can be placed where they have accidents, to limit stains. All areas where puppies have had accidents need to be cleaned thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner. If they can smell where they went before, they will be drawn back to it.
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5
Emphasize the puppies' "together time." Puppies and dogs will not soil their den if they can avoid it, especially when they share quarters. When they eliminate outside, praise them. When they eliminate inside, tell them "no" firmly and place them in their crate. Remember that you have only a few seconds from a puppy's actions to the discipline. If you didn't see him do it, you can't correct him.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider enrolling both puppies in puppy training. Be consistent with both puppies, but don't expect both of them to respond in exactly the same way.
Resources
- Photo Credit Nesstor4u2, morguefile
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Comments
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everlastor
Jun 05, 2010
I would like to make a correction to step 5... You should NEVER and I mean NEVER use a dog's crate as any form on punishment. A crate should ONLY be used to contain your dog in. It should be a place of safety and comfort. If your dog relates discipline with the crate, he's not going to want to go in, which can lead to him fighting when you try to put him in or being disruptive while in the crate. Instead of crating your dog when it inappropriately eliminates in the house, you should take him outside so that he relates outside with going potty.
