Puppy Potty Training

Your first job when housebreaking your puppy is to establish a consistent schedule. Dogs are creatures of routine and habit. A consistent schedule will help your dog become housebroken by providing a predictable routine.

Housebreaking the Puppy

For the very young (under 3 months) puppy the schedule is all about observation. Your puppy doesn't have the physical ability to "hold it" at this age. When he's gotta go, he's gotta go right now, so no, you don't have time to put real shoes or a coat on.

Don't give your young puppy even a moment to make a mistake - he has to be supervised every waking moment. You are safe to assume that any time your puppy stops doing anything - eating, sleeping, playing, chewing - he will have to pee within minutes, if not sooner. Whatever he's doing, if he stops, he has to go. Eating and chewing set off a bit of a chain reaction in young puppies, so you can figure that he'll probably need to poop within a few minutes of stopping either of these activities.

Pay attention and take notes if necessary so you'll learn to recognize his signs that tell you he's getting ready to go. His signs might include sniffing the floor, circling, pacing, whining, staring at you, or sneezing. As soon as you see him starting to give you a sign, ask him, "Do you want to go out?" Carry or escort him to the door, repeating your "Go out" phrase a few times.

Accompany him to his potty area every time, both to praise and reward him for going in the right place, and so you can make sure he actually goes. This is a novel environment for him, so he may temporarily forget why he's there. Keep him on leash, but don't take him for a walk. Just take him to where you want him to eliminate and wait. Be as boring as you can possibly be. Ignore his attempts to play and explore; just wait and watch for up to ten minutes. If and when he goes, have a party, with lots of smiles, praise, and even a few treats. Allow him a few minutes of play or exploration as a reward for going quickly. If he doesn't go, bring him back inside, but keep him under very close supervision, either tethered to you or in his crate, for twenty minutes or so, then try again.