Housebreaking a Dog
Housebreaking your dog is seemingly the first test of your patience as a dog owner.
Perhaps you're experiencing the following scenario:
You take him outside multiple times a day and every time, he refuses to make. You assume he just doesn't have to go, so you bring him back inside and moments later he soils the rug.
Or...
You take him outside and he goes, you praise him with "Good boy" and after bringing him back in, moments later he goes again.
It's a frustrating cycle not only for you, but for your dog as well. You just can't seem to make him understand what he's supposed to do.
Your dog simply doesn't understand the rules yet. That's why it's important to take your dog outside to make at scheduled times of the day.
It will take approximately 14 consecutive days of going outside, watching your dog make and praising him for it before he starts to get it. Housebreaking a dog takes discipline, consistency and patience.
During that period, every accident that happens in the house is counted as negative two days. Remember, you'll want 14 consecutive days of proper housebroken behavior before you can relax a bit.
After he goes outside, you'll want to supervise him closely for the next ten minutes he is inside the house. At the first sign of going the the bathroom, take him outside.
If he does have an accident, only use the "No" command if you catch him in the act. Otherwise, it's useless and will only confuse your dog.
The amount of time that you should take your dog outside to make will vary depending on the breed, size and type of puppy.
It's generally recommended that you take your dog out every 2-3 hours during the day for the first three weeks. Obviously you won't be taking your puppy out every 2-3 hours at night before bed. So use the following strategy.
Take away your dog's water bowl two hours before bed. During that window of time, walk your dog at least twice. If accidents occur in the middle of the night, you may need to get up once in the night to walk your puppy.
As your dog gets older, his bladder size will increase and the nightly accidents will disappear.
After the first month, begin to space out the amount of time you take your dog outside to make. You'll want to do this until your dog only needs to go out only 3-4 times a day.
In summary, the trick to all of this is using the follwing tactics.
- Set a schedule to take your dog outside
- Praise your dog with the "Good boy" command when he makes
- In case of an accident, only use the "No" command if you catch your dog in the act
- Take away your dog's water two hours before bedtime
- Walk your puppy twice before bed
- Always supervise your dog when he is inside AFTER making outside
Don't stop there. Sign up below for our FREE 6-Day Dog Training email course and get this problem under control immediately.
The course covers all major dog obedience concerns including, yes, tips for housebreaking your dog as FAST as possible.
Take the first step towards having the obedient pet you've always wanted. Sign up below for the FREE 6-Day Dog Training course and end all the frustration in one fall swoop. Your dog will thank you for it!