House Breaking a Puppy - What Are the Best Techniques

If you are undertaking the difficulties of house breaking a puppy you are, without a doubt, interested in using the quickest and most effective approach possible. This can be a particularly difficult time for many new pet owners because of the strain potty training a puppy can put on a household, particularly if you start out incorrectly.

When you bring your puppy home, you should start laying the ground work for housebreaking right away. Even if he is only 7 or 8 weeks old, he wants to eagerly follow your lead.... it's important to start early using puppy housebreaking training methods that will help him develop the appropriate abilities. Your puppy will make the decision where and when he will relieve himself if he is not trained early and correctly. This, of course, is unacceptable. It is up to you to communicate what his only option is. Puppies will learn very quickly when they understand what is expected of them.

Dogs will not relieve themselves in a confined space where they sleep and, because of power of their nose, are attracted to areas where they or others have eliminated before. You can capitalize on these natural tendencies in several ways.

Puppy crate training is undoubtedly the best way to take advantage of these natural instincts and basically involves using a plastic dog carrier 'crate' as the pup's den or sanctuary. You should get him used to being alone in the crate for short periods of time so that he comes to think of it as his refuge and is comfortable sleeping there.

Another way to use his instinctive tendencies is to watch your puppy's body language for indications that he need to go (circling,searching and sniffing), and then to react quickly by picking him up and taking him to the designated spot to eliminate.

he will recognize the scent in the designated area and your alert and consistent act of getting him immediately to the area will help him get the idea quickly. You will be even more successful if you are observant and pay attention to when he is most likely to go. Be ready to take him out when he wakes up, after playing or exercise, and after he eats or drinks.

To learn more about house breaking a puppy and what blunders and pitfalls to avoid go to House Breaking a Puppy.