How to Housebreak a Puppy If You Work All Day

Housebreaking a puppy is a challenge for every dog owner, but it can be especially difficult if you work all day. It can be disheartening to come home and find puppy accidents all over the house after a hard day's work, and you may wonder if it will ever be possible to housebreak your puppy. Fortunately, there are several options available for continuing to housebreak while at work. You just need to know where to look and what materials you'll need to successfully housebreak your puppy when you work all day.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog Kennel
• Dog Sitter
• Outdoor Fenced Area
• Puppy Playpen
• Puppy Training Pads

1. Check with your workplace to see if they will allow you to bring your puppy in to work. If so, bring a dog kennel/crate with you to work and keep your puppy in the kennel near your work area. On every break and at lunch, bring your puppy outside to relieve himself. Do not leave the puppy in the kennel for more than two hours at a time.

2. Consider hiring a dog sitter or use a puppy daycare facility, if your workplace doesn't allow you to bring your puppy. Explain that your puppy is in the housebreaking stage. Explain your chosen method for puppy potty training and have the caregiver tend to it while you are at work.

3. Leave your dog outside in a secure area so he will naturally relieve himself outdoors, if you don't have access or budget for a kennel. Only do this if the weather is clear and is a comfortable temperature for your puppy. Remember to leave water for your dog to drink while you are at work.

4. Set up a puppy playpen, also known as an X-pen, in your house, if you prefer, or if the weather prohibits leaving your puppy outside. Make sure the X-pen is large enough to include your puppy's kennel, a water bowl, puppy training pads and enough room for him to move around and play with toys. You should have introduced your puppy to training pads before using them so he understands that is the place he should relieve himself.

5. When you wake in the morning and before you leave for work, then after you feed him when you get home, work on housebreaking your puppy. Puppies often need to relieve themselves shortly after they wake up or after they have eaten. You'll know he is ready to go when he starts giving signals that he is looking for the right place to go to bathroom by sniffing the ground while circling.

6. If you think he is ready to go to the bathroom, take him to the area where you want him to eliminate and start using your potty word. A potty word is the word or phrase you'll use in the future when you want him to go to the bathroom. For example, "Potty," "Puppy Business" or "Toilet Time." Be consistent with the word or phrase you've chosen.

7. When your puppy goes to the bathroom, repeat the potty word while he's going, and then give him lots of praise and perhaps a small treat for pleasing you. It won't take long for your puppy to understand that going to the bathroom where you want him to makes you happy and he'll be housebroken before you know it.

Tips & Warnings

• Step up your housebreaking efforts when you are at home. Your praise and happiness when your puppy goes potty in the right place is the quickest way he will learn.
• Don't leave your puppy outdoors if he is a barker. It will irritate your neighbors and could result in a citation from the police. Don't yell or punish your puppy if he has an accident. This may make him scared to go to the bathroom in front of you, so he'll try to do it in secret, which only compounds the problem.