House-Training

Helping puppies adjust to the human world is our number one job! Puppies live in our homes, go to our offices or workplaces, and travel with us. Good bathroom manners are a necessity. Getting to "perfect," though, takes time and patience. Here are some pointers and some links to supportive resources.

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Puppy's physical development

Puppies have small bladders and are developing the muscle tone needed to control their elimination. Remember this when you need to take puppy out at 2 a.m.!

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Puppy signals

Most puppies will give some kind of signal that they need to eliminate. They may whine or pace or circle. They may wander away, looking for a place to relieve themselves. Learn your puppy's signals and react quickly!

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Crate is your ally

Puppies naturally don't want to soil where they sleep. A crate is your ally in housetraining! The first order of business, then, is to train puppy to enjoy being in their crate.

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Celebrate success!

Reinforce a successful potty outing with praise and a tasty treat, a romp around the yard, or a game of puppy-chase-me. Remember, what gets reinforced continues!

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Cleaning up

Look for products that have an enzymatic agent. Puppies easily smell where they have peed or pooped previously. (If you want to learn more about puppies' amazing sense of smell, read here!) Assiduous clean-up is vital! Regular cleaning products mask but do not eliminate the odors of dog urine and feces. (If you want to learn more about puppies' amazing sense of smell, read here!)

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Feeling frustrated?

First of all, don't take out your frustration on puppy! It's normal to feel stressed sometimes when housetraining puppy. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you're dealing not only with a very young being but with a being who is growing up in an alien world!