The Art of Housebreaking A New Puppy

By Michael A. Domeck

Unfortunately you are also the not so proud owner of soggy carpets - right? Obviously you quickly decide this has got to stop before your floors are ruined. Well how do you stop it? It's time to properly housebreak that new puppy.

Housebreaking may sound painful and time consuming, but relax it's really not that difficult. All dogs' have a natural tendency to want to keep their living area clean. So by firmly establishing, in your pets mind, that this is his home you will have helped solve the problem all by itself. Normally this takes time but there are several ways you can "speed up" this process.

First you want to be sure your pet is healthy to start with or your training may be all for naught. If you have not taken your pet to the vet already, make an appointment immediately to get them checked over. Your vet will check for overall healthiness and for any conditions that might make house training difficult - such as cystitis and kidney or bladder dysfunctions.

While your pet is visiting the veterinarian, ask the vet to check for worms and parasites by way of a fecal exam. Normally a vet will do this anyway but it is always best to ask.

Please bear in mind the truthfulness behind moms' wisdom -- "You are what you eat." Poor quality dog food, or snacks from your plate, will contribute to a poor nutritional state with your pet. In addition, it can cause digestive problems resulting in loose stools contributing to your puppy's inability to control him/her self.

The number one factor in housebreaking your pet is very close supervision. Dogs, and puppies, learn by repetition so this is absolutely necessary. When your dog shows signs of needing to relieve him/her self immediate action must be taken to get the animal to its designated "bathroom" area. Above all else consistency in this training is absolutely critical. Just because it's cold or dark outside is no excuse and is unacceptable as your pet doesn't care all it knows is it has to go! This close supervision, during housebreaking, is necessary as it gives you the opportunity to learn your dog's special quirks.

These may be the need to urinate, or potty, right after eating, or it could simply be certain actions your puppy takes just prior to soiling the floor. Without this close supervision you will miss these actions and not understand how to respond in the future. But more importantly, it allows you to correct a situation while it is still fresh in the dogs mind. Even though dogs are very intelligent creatures their short term memory is not a strong point and correcting them after several minutes have passed serves no real purpose except to confuse your pet.

Another key to housebreaking is to give your dog a limited amount of space. Using baby gates across doorways or a pet crate will help to confine the dog to a certain area while helping the new puppy to recognize this as his living space. The natural tendency of dogs is to go outside of their living space to urinate.

By making this association for your pet it will make your job a lot easier. Lining this living space with old news papers is an excellent idea, especially at first, as it facilitates a much easier cleanup if any accidents occur. Common sense should tell you that some surfaces are more pet-friendly than others so try to confine your new pet to areas with tile or vinyl floors. These are much easier to clean and they do not retain odors like carpets do. If at all possible avoid letting them have access to any carpet or hardwood floors as they will retain odors and can be extensively damaged by an errant pup. This was the mistake we made with our first puppy and he ruined an area of our hardwood flooring.

Always remember to limit the amount of water your dog has access to at the end of the day otherwise you'll be making a walk with your pet during the middle of the night. It is strongly advisable to take a quick walk outside at regularly timed intervals during training so it helps your pet to set their own internal schedule. Be certain to use a consistent keyword to tell your pet why you are out in the yard such as "potty" or "toilet" or anything of your choosing. Do NOT return indoors until they have relieved themselves. Always remember to give lots of praise when your dog relieves itself in the appropriate places such as on newspapers or outdoors and be consistent in your training as this is the key to success.

If your pet does have an accident indoors you must immediately correct the animal. Then clean the area using some non-ammonia based cleaner and an Enzyme based deodorizer. If you do not thoroughly clean, and deodorize, the area removing all odors the animal will repeat the behavior again - in the same area!

By following these simple rules your floors and your new pet will be able to coexist peacefully. In addition, you and your pet will get through this with relatively little stress while building a good bond between you.

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