Bringing a new puppy into your home is very exciting but can come with a few challenges. One that most new puppy parents are faced with is house training. When you have your puppy home you will need to start a routine of outside potty time, come rain or shine.
Routine is the key word. Dogs respond to consistency and schedule. Everyone in the household needs to take part, so you are all on the same page. If not, your puppy can become confused, and training will take longer.
Establish a plan. A young puppy needs to go out to potty first thing when waking up, after a nap, after a meal, after playing, and multiple times in-between. Take your puppy out every hour or two to relieve themselves. Do not add a word at first. Once they get the idea of going outside regularly you can add a simple word or two to encourage them to go on request. Words such as “go potty” work best, just be consistent. If you are still seeing accidents in the house, take them out more often. Every time your puppy goes potty in the house reinforces that behavior as acceptable.
Be prepared. Expect your puppy to have accidents – how often depends on your ability to be consistent with training. If you see your puppy going to the bathroom in the house, do not yell or scold, just quickly say “oops,” scoop them up and take them outside. If you see a mess after it happens, all you can do is clean it up and be more watchful. Dogs are in the immediate time, here and now. Reprimanding after they have done something (even minutes) confuses them because they do not understand your actions. Have cleaning supplies that remove stains and odors breaking down enzymes ready. Be sure to clean thoroughly. Dogs are drawn to return to the same spot if it smells.
To minimize accidents in the home, always have eyes on the puppy. If this is not practical, crate training is advised. Dogs do not like to go to the bathroom in their crate if they can avoid it. Yelling at the puppy will not help them understand what you want, they may still go inside but hide behind furniture, etc. We’ll be publishing an article on crate training in the next few weeks.
When your puppy goes outside, praise them, give treats, make a fuss so they get the idea they are doing what you want. Positive reinforcement training is when you praise desired behavior and ignore unwanted behavior. Easier said than done, but integral in raising a confident puppy!
House training your puppy may take as little as a week or two to several weeks. Each puppy is different, but your devotion to training them is the key. The more committed you are to your training, the more benefits you will reap and develop a lifelong bond with your new family member!!
~Jill Simpson