Housetraining Your Puppy

Housetraining takes patience and the ability to follow a schedule. Most puppies respond to a schedule because it gets them used to doing the same thing at the same time every day and they learn the behavior you want easier.

You must first determine your puppy's limit in holding his urine. Keep a diary for several days until you spot a pattern between eating and eliminating. This minus 15-30 minutes will give you the puppy's comfort zone. This is how long he can hold his urine after he has gone potty.

The puppy will usually have to go after they eat, drink, play or sleep. Most dogs need to be taken out upwards of three to five times a day providing they haven't drank an excessive amount of water.

The best thing to do if you take him walking is not to bring him back until he does potty. Be ready to stay outside until he does. This could take some time. If you bring him back in before he is ready, he most likely will have an accident before you can get him back outside again.

The most important thing is to lavish him with praise each and every time he does the right behavior. This reinforces it because he receives attention and a treat. If you wait and praise him later, it won't be effective. To keep him from finding spots, close doors to rooms with carpeting or rugs, because they prefer certain area to eliminate on.

If the puppy does have an accident, use a pet odor neutralizer to prevent any odor. They sometimes will sniff around until they find the exact same spot they went the last time. Don't use ammonia based cleaners as they break down into urea, which is a part of urine.