house training help

Question
I've been housetraining my 11 wk old puppy cairn terrier since we got him about a week ago. He's doing pretty good, and he doesn't pee in his pen at night anymore. I need help with something though...

How long is it before I can let him out during the day more (to wander around the house)? Right now I have these baby gates set up so he's wandering around the kitchen. It's a pretty big space, but I was wondering when I should let him wander around the entire house without watching his every move.

And do pet owners with grown dogs usually lock their dogs up in the pen at night or do they just let them around the house ? And if they do let them out during the night, when should I begin doing this? Thannkss!

Answer
Hi Jeff,

Until your puppy is reliably housetrained he should not have the run of your home at any time, if you aren't there to supervise him. Doing so only sets him up for failure, since he's bound to have an accident someplace.

Once your puppy is housetrained, you no longer will need to contain him at night.

The age of when that light bulb finally goes on over a puppy's head, and can be considered house trained, varies from dog to dog, and it's largely connected to how well you supervise your puppy. Keep in mind that puppies under 4 months of age have little bladder or sphincter control. Puppies under 3 months have even less.

Continue to take your puppy outside immediately after he awakes, after play sessions, and 15 to 30 minutes after meals for a total of six to eight times a day. Not giving a puppy the opportunity to soil in the house is about the most important part of this training process.

While the puppy is in the act of going to the bathroom, you should repeat a key phrase, such as: "go potty" or "take care of business". Your puppy will learn to associate this phrase with an appropriate time and location for elimination. To avoid confusing the puppy, choose a simple phrase not commonly used in conversation. Teaching a puppy to eliminate on cue can great benefit!
You should reward or praise your puppy immediately after eliminating (within 15 seconds) so he can associate the praise with the action of eliminating, and know that he's done good!

Be patient. It takes many puppies 6 months to learn to be housetrained.

You might find these web sites helpful, they're about house training a puppy:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1548&articleid=157

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_she...


Best of luck!
Patti