Training Tips for Housebreaking Puppies and Adult Dogs

Problems with housebreaking came up over and over in our survey. Whether it’s a new puppy or
an adopted adult dog that hasn’t figured out the rules of the new home, housebreaking problems
are hard to accept or overlook.

For new puppies, housebreaking is a matter of developing bladder control and learning where
appropriate bathroom spots are. Puppy owners need to remember that young dogs do not have
the ability to hold it as long as adult dogs. To determine a realistic expectation of how long your
puppy can wait, take its age in months and add one and that is the number of hours he or she can
usually hold it during the day.

With an older dog, medical reasons such as a bladder infection must be ruled out
before moving on to other causes of potty problems. Have your dog checked by a veterinarian
before taking any further action. If the vet gives your dog a clean bill of health, then it’s time to
look for other causes for his bad behavior. Some adult dogs will urinate in the house because
they don’t know it’s not appropriate. In some cases, the carpeting or flooring is already saturated
with pet urine, and needs to be replaced in order to avoid ongoing confusion.

In other situations, the pet may not have been taught to eliminate outside. This is called
“dirty dog syndrome” and is most common with kennel dogs and those who have been left in crates for extended periods of time with no choice but to use their crate for a bathroom. Normally dogs don’t like to soil the area where they live or sleep. But once a dog breaks this taboo out of sheer desperation, it becomes more likely that they will potty in their own space again.

 

Training Tips for Housebreaking Puppies and Adult Dogs

 

PAPER TRAINING

This method works best for dogs that are left home during the day and cannot be expected to go
that long without a bathroom break. Create a small living area for your dog and place newspaper
over the entire area. Allow your pet to potty on the papers but remove soiled papers immediately
(or as soon as you get home) and put down fresh ones. At first your dog or puppy will use the
newspapers at random, but eventually it will begin to show a preference for a certain area.

Gradually reduce the number of papers you put down, focusing your paper placement on the preferred area until the dog is consistently going on one small area. You also need to take your dog outside when possible to allow opportunities for appropriate bathroom behavior.
When you have the allowable area down to a small piece of newspaper, take that scented
portion outside and hold it down with a rock or other object while encouraging your pet to
eliminate near or on the paper. When this process has been repeated successfully several times,
you can try removing the paper from your pet’s living area. Continue to use the paper outside.
If accidents occur, revert back to papering a small area and go through the process again. Most
experts agree that you shouldn’t expert your puppy to be fully potty trained until he is at least 4
months old.

Some people who use the paper training method use the paper only as a backup. They watch
the dog closely and quickly take him outside if he begins to eliminate on the papers. As the dog
learns to go to the bathroom outside, the papers are removed and the outdoor reinforcement
continues. With all housebreaking methods, it is important to avoid accidents in other areas of
the house. The key is to teach the dog that there is an appropriate place for pottying.

 

THE PRAISE METHOD

Keep your dog in his living area or right within your reach and take him outside once every hour,
upon waking, after eating, etc. The timeframe can be a bit longer with adult dogs, but the key is
to avoid accidents or soiling of his living area. When you take your dog outside put him on a
leash, even if he is a puppy and you are going to carry him. The leash will help you control and
direct the dog once outside.

As you head for the door, repeat the word “outside” or some phrase that you can use
consistently to signify that it’s time to go to the bathroom. Bring your dog to the area where you
want him to eliminate. By taking your pet to the same area each time, you will teach him to go
to the bathroom in the long grass out back instead of on the path where you walk every morning.
If you are lazy or in a hurry and just take the dog outside the door, that is where he will learn to
go.

Walk your dog on a leash and pace back and forth. If you stand still, your dog may think it is
time to rest rather than get down to business. If your pet starts to eliminate, repeat a phrase such
as “go potty”, and praise calmly with a “Yes” or a “Good dog.” Getting too animated in your
praising will distract the dog from its duties. It’s okay to be a bit more expressive with your
approval as you walk back to the house. Most trainers agree that during the training phase, it is
not a good idea to let your dog off the leash or spend time playing after he finishes. The dog
needs to focus on learning to potty outside first.

This can be difficult for pet owners who work outside the home and want to take their dogs
out to play when they return home. If you are still in the potty training phase, take your dog out
to the bathroom first, return to the house for a few minutes and then go out to play. The two
activities need to stay separate in the dog’s mind until he learns the difference.
Once back inside the house after a successful trip, let the dog off the leash and allow him to
wander freely for ten or fifteen minutes to start and increase this time with each success. It is
important to avoid accidents unless you are right there to catch the dog in the act and bring them
outside calmly but quickly. When your dog gets to the point where he lets you know he needs
out, you have succeeded in your efforts. Occasional mishaps may occur but that is to be
expected for the first few months.

If your dog does not eliminate while outside, continue walking for a maximum of 5 minutes.
Any longer, and the focus of the training is lost. Return back to the house and put the dog in his
crate or at the very least, a short leash attached to you so you can monitor his actions. Try again
in an hour. If you keep a close eye on your pet, don’t allow him to potty in the house, and return
outside frequently, your pet will eventually have a successful experience that you can praise and
encourage.

 

THE TREAT & PRAISE METHOD

dogs that are respond better to food than to attention from their owners. In addition to praising
the dog when he potties outside, give him a treat immediately after. Don’t wait until you get
back in the house, or the dog will have difficulty associating the treat with the action of
eliminating outside. Once your dog is housetrained, it is still a good idea to give him a treat
every now and then when he finishes his business, as this serves as a good reinforcement tool.

BELL RINGING

This technique is more about teaching your dog to let you know when he has to go out. Some
dogs are very vocal and will whine and bark when they need to go outside. But other dogs
haven’t been taught how to tell you, or they quietly go sit by the door and wait for you to notice
them. This is one issue with Snickers, the dog in our example. He was a kennel dog first, and
then Claudia kept him in a crate, so he never learned any ways to express himself in this area.
Teaching dogs how to let you know that they need out also strengthens their understanding that
outside is the place to potty.

Hang a cowbell or strand of jingle bells on the door handle or attach them next to the sliding
door that you use to let your dog outside. When you first begin training him, jingle the bells as
you go out and ask them, “Do you need to go out?” Repeat this every time for a few days and
then switch to using your dog’s paw or nose to ring the bell on the way out, again asking if he
needs to go outside. Keep up this routine until your dog takes over on his own. Some people
prefer to teach the dog to scratch at the door or bump the door handle. Some intelligent, attentive
dogs will make this connection themselves as they repeatedly watch you grab the doorknob to
open the door.

In addition to techniques discussed in these five methods, our trainers and pet care providers also
suggest feeding your dog at the same time each day, sticking with one brand of food as much as
possible, and limiting water and treats at bedtime. If your puppy whines to go out in the middle
of the night and you are certain the need is legitimate, accommodate him, but make the trip
short and sweet. NO PLAYING or you will teach your dog to wake you up each night to
have some fun.

No matter which method of housebreaking you choose, punishment, such as spanking or rubbing
the dog’s nose in the urine, is not recommended as it can lead to other unwanted behavior.

Don’t stick your pup’s nose in the potty unless you want him to eat it. Other trainers agree; this is what you would do if you wanted to encourage a dog to sniff or eat something new. And that is definitely what you want to have happen here, so avoid following this outdated and incorrect training behavior.

Remember, your dog is not behaving improperly as a means of getting revenge. He is simply
confused about what is expected. Praising him for correct behavior is the key. In the case of
Nugget, Claudia admitted that she often spoke in a harsh tone to her pup and expressed
frustration while outside for a potty break. “It was late or cold and I wanted him to hurry up,”
she explained. Her feelings are understandable, but she inadvertently turned his outside time into
something stressful and unpleasant.

It is also important to keep in mind that dogs do not have the capability to reason and connect
seemingly unrelated activity. If you interrupt your dog from a nap to spank him for a mess he
made earlier, he will have difficulty associating his improper behavior with your corrective
actions. He will think he is in trouble for taking a nap. You need to catch him in the act.
Regardless of the training technique you use, the best way to housetrain your dog is to avoid
accidents by proactive, consistent action, monitoring your dog and insuring that he has plenty of
opportunities to go outside and get it right! It may be time-consuming, but it will be worth it in
the end.