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How To Housebreak A Puppy
In order to
best accomplish the goal, do not consider house breaking as “training”. Instead
consider it as proper “management”. With training, we do something to the dog
to teach it a new behavior, such as making it lie down when we say “down”. With
management, we manage the puppy’s environment or the method in which we handle
the dog to achieve the desired response, such as confining a puppy to a crate or
removing dangerous objects from his reach. Housebreaking falls into the
management category.
Just like
infant children, little puppies (8-12 weeks old) truly do not have a conscious
sense of when they are about to eliminate. For that reason, you cannot tell
them that they were “wrong” when they make a mistake in the house, they just
won’t understand it. Any thing you say or do to the puppy will not be
associated with the elimination mistake, since they do not know what they just
did. So, any sort of “house breaking” punishment is interpreted by the puppy as
nonsensical anger from their human. In his mind, you will become an
unpredictable and angry person and someone to avoid or fear.
In order to
start housebreaking, right off the bat, we want to create a habit for the puppy
where he learns, though experience, where he is to eliminate. Once the puppy
has developed the habit of eliminating specifically outdoors (and indoor
elimination is prevented through proper management), as he begins to actually
recognize when he is about to eliminate, he will choose to go to the place where
you have chosen based on highly consistent management.
Here’s how
to best house break a puppy:
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Always
manage the puppy in a crate that is small enough that he cannot eliminate in
one end and sleep comfortably in the other end.
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When
the puppy wakes, open the crate door, let him walk out, then take him in your
arms and carry him outside. Do not let him walk to the door or he will
probably wee before he gets there.
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Put him
down in the spot where you hope he will choose to eliminate.
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Wait
patiently with him, either standing still or walking about. Do not speak to
him or engage him in any play, or he will be distracted from the task at hand.
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When he
eliminates, praise him profusely. Then, wait for him to do “number two” (by
walking about or standing still quietly). When he does his business, praise
him profusely, again.
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Now,
you can play with him outdoors for a while or take him indoors.
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Once
inside, you must supervise him 100%. Confine him to the room in which you are
by using baby gates or by closing doors. Allow him access to water. Interact
with him or let him relax and chew on a toy. Then, after 20-50 minutes, put
him back in his crate to nap.
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If it
is time for a meal, give him his meal in his crate.
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After
20-40 minutes, remove the meal and take him outdoors again. Most very
young puppies need
to eliminate from 20-40 minutes after they eat. Repeat the steps for outdoor
supervision and praising. Do not bring him indoors until he has done his
duty.
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Once
inside, you can put him directly in his crate for 2-4 hours, depending on his
age.
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A 12
week old puppy should be able to remain crated for 4-5 hours.
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A six
month old puppy should be able to remain crated for 6-7 hours.
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A ten
month old puppy should be able to remain crated for 8 hours.
A typical
day for an 8 week old puppy would go something like this;
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6:00 AM
puppy wakes. Take him outdoors immediately. Wait for him to eliminate and
praise.
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6:15 AM
indoor, 100% supervised play time and access to water.
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6:45 AM
put puppy back in crate with his breakfast meal.
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7:00 AM
take puppy outdoors (remove food). Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
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7:20 AM
put puppy back in crate, leave for work.
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12:00 PM
take puppy outdoors. Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
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12:15
indoor, 100% supervised play time and access to water.
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12:30 PM
pup puppy in crate with lunch meal.
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12:45 PM
take puppy outdoors (remove food). Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
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1:00 PM
put puppy back in crate, back to work.
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5:30 PM
take puppy outdoors. Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
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5:45 PM
play with puppy outdoors.
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6:00 PM
indoor, 100% supervised play time and access to water.
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6:30 PM,
put puppy in crate and tend to your required evening tasks.
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7:30 PM,
take puppy outdoors. Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
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7:45 PM,
indoor 100% supervised play time. Access to water.
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8:30 PM,
in crate with evening meal.
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9:00 PM,
take puppy outdoors (remove food). Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
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9:15 PM,
indoor 100% supervised play time.
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10:00 PM,
last trip outdoors.
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10:15 PM
put puppy in crate for the evening.
This
describes the requirements for an eight to ten week old puppy. With each
passing week, he should be able to handle longer periods of time before going
outdoors. However, if you do not make the commitment to house break him in the
first four weeks, bad habits can develop which could be very difficult to
resolve. So, I strongly recommend creating a method of managing the puppy for
the first month that allows for mid-day outings for potty breaks.
At least for
the first several months, I recommend putting the puppy crate in your bedroom.
That way, if he wakes in the middle of the night, you can say to him, “It’s OK,
we are right here, go back to sleep”. If that works, he will go back to sleep
within a few minutes. If he continues to fuss, you should take him outside
right away, and then put him directly back in his crate when you get back
indoors. A puppy just wants to sleep within “snoring range” of his human
pack-mates. If left alone in the garage, kitchen or basement, he will not feel
secure and you will not hear him wake. Often when the puppy wakes he just wants
to be reassured that you are there. But, if he has to go outside, he should be
allowed to relieve himself rather than feel compelled to soil himself and his
bed. Most 10 week old puppies sleep through the night.
Although I
have put a time table above for illustrative purposes, I do not recommend
adhering to a highly rigid schedule. You do not want the puppy to become so
attached to your arrival home from work at exactly 5:32 PM that he will not be
able to cope with anything different. When you are late, one day, it will be
difficult for him to handle. So, waking and arrival from home or school times
can vary. But, try to not let them shift so much that the puppy looses faith in
your return or he may not hold his desire to eliminate for your next scheduled
arrival time and you will come home to a soiled puppy in a dirty crate.
If the puppy
eliminates in his crate, take him outside and clean the puppy and the crate
thoroughly before putting him back in his crate. Do not think that you are
teaching him a lesson by making him stay in his filth. Instead, apologize to
him for your inability to get to him when he needed you and try to reduce or
eliminate situations where he cannot wait and must soil his crate.
You will
notice that the schedule I suggest above only provides for a few, twenty to
forty minute out of crate times for a very young puppy. That is because
8-10 week old puppies require far more sleeping time than play breaks.
Most of the trouble that folks encounter with their puppies is a direct or
indirect result of sleep deprivation. Do not rely on your puppy to tell you
when he needs to sleep. By the time your puppy is twelve weeks old, he will
begin to have a higher need for play times and should be well on his way to
being house broken. Provide plenty of nap times for the first month so that you
can enjoy a well adjusted puppy from that point onwards. Do not ask puppies (8
weeks to 10 months old) to perform extensive or strenuous exercise. You
may have noticed that I speak of 8-10 week old puppies as the youngest age you
might have your puppy. I am very strongly opposed to breeders who sell
puppies before they are 7.5 to 8 weeks old. To find out why, see my page
on "Puppy
Socialization". It will be far easier to housebreak a
puppy that leaves his breeder's home at eight weeks than at six weeks.
That is because the older the puppy the longer he can sleep through the night
and hold his need to eliminate during the day.
Remember
that any time your puppy is out of his crate and indoors you should 100%
supervise him. This does not mean supervise him 85% of the time, but 100%. You
do not want your puppy to make a potty mistake behind a chair in the spare
bedroom and turn it into a habitual place for leaving a little poop before you
ever find it. Close doors to rooms you do not want him to explore. Put up baby
gates and watch him at all times. You do not want him to chew on an electrical
cord or eat something dangerous because you were not paying attention to him.
The results can be devastating. Paying absolute attention to a puppy can
be very strenuous. When you are too busy to watch him, put the pup in his
crate. You won't loose your mind and the puppy won't get into danger or
trouble.
Also, note
that I recommend that the food is removed after the puppy has had 15-30 minutes
to consume what ever he wants. This will put his digestive tract on a schedule,
so that he will eliminate on a schedule. Once you figure out how long after he
eats a meal he needs to go outdoors, it will become a smooth transition to a
completely housebroken puppy. With each passing week, the time between a
meal and the pup's need to go outdoors will increase. I also recommend limiting access to water after
the last meal of the day so that the puppy is less likely to wake in the middle
of the night.
I do not
recommend allowing the puppy free access to his food for several reason.
Perhaps the most important reason is that, when the food comes directly from you
instead of from a food dish on the floor, the puppy will associate you as his
leader and the person he must rely upon for his meals and other directions.
Second, he will learn how to eat his meals all at once which lends itself to
several factors. If your puppy ever goes off his feed because he is ill, you
will know it sooner and be able to speak with the veterinarian better about
changes in the pup’s eating habits. If you travel with your dog, the fact that
he is used to eating in his crate will make the travel more comfortable for him
and you. It makes staying in a motel, a travel trailer or a tent
easier. Because he is used to eating his whole meal at one time, you will not
have to leave food out in the room or tent or your grandmother's kitchen floor. The dog will know when and where he
will be fed, so he will eat more normally when away from home. Finally, if
someone ever has to care for your dog in your absence it will make it easier on
your pup and the care giver to be able to rely on the routine feeding schedule
and location.
For the most
part, common sense, patience and dedication to consistent, fair and loving
management will get you through the first year of your puppy’s life. As a dog
trainer, I am contacted most frequently by folks who are troubled with twelve
week old puppies and eight month old puppies. I believe that the most common
reason folks begin to have trouble with twelve week old puppies is that they
have not started the puppy in a crate and they are going crazy trying to watch
the puppy at all times and they are having to clean up messes. The puppy is racing about, chewing everything and making potty
messes in the house. When I tell them to begin using a crate or, if they do use
a crate but only when they leave the house, I give them permission to put the
puppy in the crate even when they are home but they are busy, they are very
happy and things go far more smoothly.
The most
common reason that folks contact me about their eight month old puppies is
because the pup has become completely unruly. I believe that is because they
did not provide enough structure, consistency and boundaries to their puppy from
the first day they brought it home. Just like with human children, puppies are
constantly seeking information about the rules of the household. A puppy that
has learned the rules and boundaries and the ramifications of breaking those
limits is a very happy puppy. Start young, providing a balance between
confinement and time to explore the world safely through impeccable supervision,
and you will be off to the right start for a lifetime of joy and wonderful
companionship with your new puppy.
© 2005 Tammie Rogers - all rights
reserved. For permission to reprint
email Tammie.
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Please Note: |
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Each week I receive
several emails from folks who are struggling with housebreaking
issues. As a professional dog trainer, I gladly post free,
comprehensive, step-by-step details for housebreaking a puppy
here on my site. |
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I simply do not have
the time to answer questions about training and housebreaking
that I receive via email. |
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If you have not
found the information in this article sufficient to address your
specific issue and you reside in my general area (central
Illinois), you may set up a
privates
consultation with me. |
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If you do not live
nearby, I offer
telephone
consultations. |
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