Housebreaking your new puppy is a task which requires patience!

ou should begin to housebreak as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Please keep in mind, puppies need to relieve themselves at least six times a day, and they should be taken out immediately after each meal since a full stomach puts pressure on the colon and bladder.

puppy is not physically able to control the muscle that allows him to "hold it" until he is more than 12 weeks of age, and longer in smaller breeds. It is not necessarily his fault for going on the floor if he is not taken out often enough! Take your puppy out often. Using a crate, an exercise pen or confining your puppy to a small part of the house that has easy to clean floors are some ways to ensure your puppy does not urinate all over your house.  It is much harder to housebreak a puppy if he smells urine in places you do not wish him to relieve himself.


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here are many different methods in which you can housebreak your pet depending on your lifestyle and preferences. Whichever way you choose, it is important to understand your puppy. Dogs want to please; the trick is to make them understand what it is you want from them.


ogs do not think the way humans do. When you are unhappy with your dog, it assumes that whatever it is doing at the exact moment you show disapproval - is the thing that is upsetting you. For example: If your puppy relieves himself on your floor and you show your disapproval five minutes after he has committed the act, the puppy will know that the mess on the floor is bad. HOWEVER, he will NOT relate to the fact that it was the ACT of relieving himself on your floor that you disapprove of. The dog will eliminate, see the mess and then get worried because he will know that you are now going to be unhappy. He will not realize it was the act of relieving himself that caused the mess. This is the reason so many dogs will relieve themselves in inappropriate places and look really guilty about it, yet they continue to do it. They do understand that the mess on the floor is the consequence from them relieving themselves. Some owners start to think that their dog is being sneaky when really it does not fully understand what it is doing wrong. It knows the mess upsets you but does not understand that it should stop making the mess. The trick is to catch your dog in the act and make him understand. PLEASE do not to hit your dog, it will only create more stress and frustration for him. The tone of your voice is enough to make the dog see you are unhappy. A firm "No! You are not  allowed to go in the house" is all that is needed. Immediately take your dog outside to the appropriate place. Wait for your dog to go again and if he does, praise him.



Important: Always praise your dog after he eliminates in the appropriate place. Make a HUGE deal about how wonderful they are!!