How to House Break a Male Puppy

There isn't a great deal of difference between housebreaking a male or female puppy. Yet, male puppies can present special challenges, as they are more apt to mark their territory with urine. With a male puppy you aren't just teaching him to relieve himself outside, you want him to learn that marking the furniture or family members with urine is a bad idea. The more you can be with the puppy the faster the task will be completed. When housebreaking your puppy, never hit or yell at him. After all, he is just a baby.

Things You'll Need

• Crate
• Training pads or newspaper
• Puppy treats

Instructions

1. Prepare a dog crate for your puppy to sleep in at night and to stay in when you are not at home. Puppies will feel more secure and protected in a crate.

2. Immediately take the puppy outside when he wakes in the morning. Typically a puppy won't relieve himself in his crate.

3. Keep the puppy in an area of the home with hard floors, instead of carpets, if possible. Child gates can be used to block doorways.

4. Lay a training pad or piece of newspaper near the door. In the early stages it may not be possible to move your puppy outside when he starts to go. You will want to immediately move him onto the paper when he begins to relieve himself.

5. Take the puppy outside on a regular basis and immediately after each meal. The more time you spend with the puppy, the sooner you will be able to understand the schedule of his bowel movements and urination.

6. Praise the puppy when he relieves himself outside and offer him a small puppy treat.

7. Consider a belly belt for your male puppy, if he is attempting to mark his territory indoors. He would wear the belt when inside. This will not be necessary for all male puppies, yet may be helpful for one that is being difficult. Discuss the use of the belt with your vet before proceeding.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't give the puppy the entire run of the house, there will be more chances for him to relieve himself in areas with you unaware, leaving behind a scent to encourage future urination.

• Always clean and disinfect the floor after the puppy has an accident. You want to remove the scent immediately.

• If you add a blanket to the crate, periodically check its condition, as a puppy might choke on a blanket that has been chewed or torn.

References

• University of Minnesota: Successfully Housebreaking Your Puppy
• Housebreaking Your New Puppy
• Housebreaking Tips for Apartment Living or Anywhere

Resources

• Pet Shop Boutique: Belly Bands
• Dr. P's Dog Training