Housetraining

Housetraining a dog takes patience and time (and some good humor helps, too!). With understanding, a regular schedule of feedings and “bathroom breaks,” and careful attention to the dog’s body language, housetraining a dog can be a snap. Here are some tips:

Establish a schedule the day you bring the dog home. Take the dog outside first thing in the morning, within a half-hour of eating or drinking, immediately after napping or playing, and right before bedtime. Have the dog sleep in your bedroom at night, so you will be alerted if he or she wakes up and needs to go outside. (Puppies, with their small bladders, often can’t make it through the night without having to relieve themselves.)

When you take Fido outside, lead him to a designated area. (It helps to reinforce the behavior if he can smell where he has gone before.) It may help to “get things going” if you take him for a walk and/or play an energetic game of fetch or chase while outside. After he has relieved himself (but not during the process, as this may distract him), give lots of praise and a treat.

If Fido isn’t inclined to heed the call of nature by the time you’re ready to go back inside, keep a close eye on him. If he starts sniffing around, whining, scratching the door, or acting agitated, whisk him back outside right away.

Remember that the muscles that control elimination do not develop in puppies until they are at least 4 months old. In some dogs, it takes even longer. If the animal is older and has never been housetrained or if the animal was first paper-trained, housetraining may take longer.

Never strike or yell at dogs who have “accidents,” as this will only confuse them and make them think that the act of going to the bathroom is bad. Rubbing Fluffy’s nose in it makes no sense to her whatsoever—she may even think you’re trying to force her to eat her own waste! Punishment will only teach her not to eliminate in front of you, rather than teaching her to communicate her need to go outside. Housetraining works best through prevention (by taking the dog out frequently) coupled with praise.

Once a consistent schedule of eating and bathroom trips has been established, most dogs will show progress within a matter of days or weeks.

Good luck!