House Training
Contrary to popular belief, house training a puppy requires far more
than a few stacks of old newspapers—it calls for vigilance, patience, and
plenty of commitment. By following the procedures outlined below, you can
minimize house soiling incidents, but virtually every puppy will have an
accident in the house, and more likely, several. Expect this—it is part of
raising a puppy. The more consistent you are in following the basic
house training procedures, however, the faster your puppy will learn acceptable
behavior. It may take several weeks to house train your puppy, and with some of
the smaller breeds, it might take longer. Like babies, puppies do best
on a regular schedule. Take your puppy outside frequently—at least every two
hours—and immediately after he wakes up from a nap, after playing, and after
eating or drinking. Praise your puppy lavishly every time he eliminates
outdoors—you can even give him a treat—but remember to do so immediately after
he's finished eliminating, not after he comes back inside the house. This step
is vital, because rewarding your dog for eliminating outdoors is the only way
he'll know what's expected of him. Pick a bathroom spot near the door, and always take
your puppy to that spot using a leash. Take him out for a longer walk or some
playtime only after he has eliminated. If you clean up an accident in the
house, take the soiled rags or paper towels and leave them in the bathroom
spot. The smell will help your puppy recognize the area as the place he is supposed
to eliminate. While your puppy is eliminating, use a word or phrase, like
"go potty," that you can eventually use before he eliminates to
remind him what to do. Put your puppy on a regular feeding schedule and
feed a high-quality diet to make house training easier. Depending on their age,
puppies usually need to be fed three or four times a day. Feeding your puppy at
the same times each day will make it more likely that he'll eliminate at
consistent times as well, and that makes house training easier for both of you.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled
Don't give your puppy an opportunity to soil in the house; keep an eye
on him whenever he's indoors. You can tether him to you with a six-foot leash,
or use baby gates to keep him in the room where you are. Watch for signs that
he needs to eliminate, like sniffing around or circling. When you see these
signs, immediately grab the leash and take him outside to his bathroom spot. If
he eliminates, praise him lavishly and reward him with a treat.
Confinement
When you're unable to watch your puppy at all times, he should be
confined to an area small enough that he won't want to eliminate there. The
space should be just big enough for him to comfortably stand, lie down, and
turn around in. You can use a portion of a bathroom or laundry room blocked off
with baby gates. Or you may want to crate train your puppy and use the crate to
confine him. (Be sure to learn how to use a crate humanely as a method of
confinement.) If your puppy has spent several hours in confinement, you'll need
to take him directly to his bathroom spot as soon as you let him out, and
praise him when he eliminates.
Oops!
Expect your puppy to have a few accidents in the house—it's a normal
part of housetraining. Here's what to do when that happens: When you catch him in the
act of eliminating in the house, do something to interrupt him, like make a
startling noise (be careful not to scare him). Immediately take him to his
bathroom spot, praise him, and give him a treat if he finishes eliminating
there. Don't
punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, it's
too late to administer a correction. Just clean it up. Rubbing your puppy's
nose in it, taking him to the spot and scolding him, or any other punishment
will only make him afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence. In
fact, punishment will often do more harm than good. Cleaning the soiled area is
very important because puppies are highly motivated to continue soiling in
areas that smell like urine or feces. It's extremely important that you use the
supervision and confinement procedures outlined above to prevent the number of
accidents. If you allow your puppy to eliminate frequently in the house, he'll
get confused about where he's supposed to eliminate, which will prolong the
house training process.
Paper Training
A puppy under six months of age cannot be expected to control his
bladder for more than a few hours at a time. If you have to be away from home
more than four or five hours a day, this may not be the best time for you to
get a puppy; instead, you may want to consider an older dog, who can wait for
your return. But
if you're already committed to having a puppy and must be away for long periods
of time, you'll need to make arrangements for someone, such as a responsible
neighbor or a professional pet sitter, to take him outside to eliminate. Or
you'll need to train him to eliminate in a specific place indoors. Be aware,
however, that doing so can prolong the process of house training. Teaching your puppy
to eliminate on newspaper may create a life-long surface preference, meaning
that even as an adult he may eliminate on any newspaper lying around the living
room.
When
your puppy must be left alone for long periods of time, confine him to an area
with enough room for a sleeping space, a playing space, and a separate place to
eliminate. In the area designated as the elimination area, use either
newspapers or a sod box. To make a sod box, place sod in a container such as a
child's small, plastic swimming pool. You can also find dog litter products at
a pet supply store. If you clean up an accident in the house, put the soiled
rags or paper towels in the designated elimination area. The smell will help
your puppy recognize the area as the place where he is supposed to
eliminate.
Other Types of House-Soiling Problems
If you've consistently followed the house training procedures and your
puppy continues to eliminate in the house, there may be another reason for his
behavior, such as…
Medical
Problems: House soiling can often be caused by physical problems such as a
urinary tract infection or a parasite infection. Check with your veterinarian
to rule out any possibility of disease or illness.
Submissive/Excitement Urination: Some dogs, especially young
ones, temporarily lose control of their bladders when they become excited or
feel threatened. This usually occurs during greetings or periods of intense
play, or when they're about to be punished.
Territorial Urine-Marking: Dogs sometimes deposit small amounts of urine or
feces to scent-mark their territory. Both male and female dogs do this, and it
most often occurs when they believe their territory has been invaded.
Separation Anxiety: Dogs who become anxious when they're left alone may
house soil as a result. Usually, there are other symptoms as well, such as
destructive behavior or vocalization.
Fears or Phobias: When animals become frightened, they may lose
control of their bladder and/or bowels. If your puppy is afraid of loud noises,
such as thunderstorms or fireworks, he may house soil when he's exposed to
these sounds.
Copyright ©
2004 The Humane Society of the United States.
