We work very hard to get our pups into a routine that closely resembles our own. We train them and eventually they settle into our daily routine. Of course, come Saturday and Sunday we all enjoy sleeping in (even if this difference is only an hour or two from our weekday wake-up), but your puppy has absolutely no idea that it is a weekend and that you want to sleep just five more minutes, Mom. Accompany his lack of understanding with your normal body clock and sure enough, you are going to have a dog thinking that 5:30AM on Saturday is time to play, especially since your breathing pattern changes (since we still wake up at the usual time even if we are not ready to get out of bed in the least) even if you don't plan to get out of bed just yet. This can be frustrating, but it's not your dog's fault.

This is a really tricky one for most dog owners, after all, in pup's mind, you've been snoring away since bedtime last night, surely you are ready to get up by now! However, you should never let your dog get in the habit of playing before you're ready to get up out of bed. You are the boss, not the dog! At first, he's only mildly annoying, with perhaps small whimpering noises and mild barking. Within a few minutes, when he comes to realize that you're really ignoring him (and how dare you do that) he grows increasingly persistent. You have to stop this attitude immediately or you're going to allow your dog to develop a habit that will nearly be impossible to break later in life.

For beginners, tell the dog no. It is not time to wake up, it is still rest time right now. Hopefully, this will put the worst of it to rest (no pun intended). But, if the dog then suddenly appears at your bedside with a toy to let you know yes, it IS play time, you need to become more firm. Whatever you do, do not, under any circumstances, pick up that toy and send it sailing down the hallway or stairs. Your dog will then be convinced that he was right and you were wrong, it is indeed playtime at 5:30AM and all he has to do is bring you his favorite ball to prove it. No matter how many times you roll over, he's coming back as soon as he can run, grab the ball, and come back.

Once your dog begins to realize you do not intend to get out of bed, he'll likely settle down and go back to sleep eventually. If he doesn't go back to sleep within 15 minutes or so, you may want to get up and take him out to the bathroom then encourage him to get back in his bed. You don't want any accidents because his system is on a routine of going out to do his business early in the morning, but you still need to remind him that you are only taking him out for business, not play.

With a little patience, your dog will become as accustomed to your weekend routine as he is to your weekday routine and you'll soon find that he enjoys the extra 'nap' on Saturday and Sunday mornings as much as you do! In time, he may even sleep in on days that you don't, especially as he grows older and learns the value of just a few more minutes of sweet sleep.

If you are considering getting a new puppy, don't be one of those people who forgets about all the little things that go along with being a puppy parent! A couple of years ago, I brought home this little black fur ball that weighed a grand total of twenty ounces and strangely enough, housebreaking him wasn't one of the things I considered first.

This lack of consideration was greeted by one mess after another for the first few days, aggravating to clean up and frustrating because it couldn't be stopped immediately. This little guy was twenty ounces, eating about a half ounce of food a day, but he could create a mess in the house the likes of which I'd rather never see again! Not many would believe the mess even a very small dog or puppy can quickly create.

At any rate, I soon found myself confronting the obvious necessity of beginning the housebreaking process, and soon discovered that the biggest advantage I had was keeping my little tiny pup on a schedule. I also had an enormous luxury that many dog owners do not have: I worked at home. I was always available and was able to catch his little accidents as soon as they happened, making the training process faster and easier to complete for both of us.

A) Puppy wet pad - these are readily available in all pet stores and look like the same wet pads you'd put on a child's bed. Place one of these near the door. You will discover very quickly that your dog will not go to the bathroom anywhere near his toys or his food, so use this to your advantage. However, be prepared: puppies don't know these pads aren't toys. You will probably find them shredded into bits by a playful puppy on more than one occasion.

B) Take out your dog after every meal. Dogs love consistency, and will thrive on developing habits. They will soon get used to going at these times, much like we do. Don't become discouraged if your small dog has to go eat then go out to potty frequently, they have stomachs and bladders that are appropriate for their size, and you would have to go pretty often if your bladder was that tiny too!

C) Develop a schedule for him. Dogs, like children, perform best when put on a schedule. They like knowing what to expect and when to expect it. Beside the normal routine of potty-time after mealtime, take your dog out right after he wakes and right before bedtime. This will discourage messes or trips outside in the middle of the night.

Above all, remember that it takes time. Some dogs, like mine, will be housebroken quickly (I was done in only six weeks), making your job quick and relatively painless. On the other hand, some dogs will take much more time. This includes stubborn, older, large, and less mature dogs normally, but there are exceptions to every rule. Even dogs of the same breed, size, age, or lineage will have different schedules.

Like potty training your toddler, your dog will learn eventually. Reward and praise for good behavior and no accidents, but remember that it does no good to scold if you do not catch him in the act. If you can catch him, scold sternly and reinforce it if necessary.

Otherwise, be very careful to reward lavishly so that they learn that going in the right place, and at the right time, is important.