housebreaking

Question
We have had a pup for two months and are trying to housebreak her.  We are very dilligent about it.  She's almost six months old.  How long will it take to completly get her straightend out?

Answer
Most puppies are house-trained by six months old. How are you training her? It could be the method you are using that is confusing her.

The easiest and most commonly used method is very simple. You feed the puppy in the morning and then you immediately take her outside to potty on a leash. You do not let her run around and play- you ONLY take her out to potty. If she goes you give her a small treat-very small one- and praise her highly.

If she doesn't go you just take her back into the house and do it again later on. At six months she should only be eating twice a day or once in the morning. Morning is better as it promotes better house-training.

You do not scold her for accidents, you do not let her see you pick up her accidents either. If she goes in the house you again put a leash on her and take her outside again. Since she already went she won't go again, so she might not get it right away. But you tell her, potty (insert name here), good girl.

Do this over and over each time she eats and each time she thinks she might be needing to go. Some dogs take longer to train then others. But remember, no scolding!! No paper training either as all that does is train them to go inside on papers!

Most people have problems with housebreaking because of paper training. I have seen hundreds of clients train their dogs with this method and never have an issue with it.

So start on this plan today and you should see results in the next few weeks, but she will have to overcome whatever you have been doing up till now.

Good luck and let me know how she does.