Housebreaking Your Pit Bull Terrier: Puppy Dog Training

Housebreaking any new pet can often be a daunting challenge, and
housebreaking your Pit Bull puppy will be no exception. It is a
necessary step that you as a dog owner must take if you intend
your Pit Bull to be an indoor pet, but one that many owners
dread. The earlier you start training your dog the better, and
many veterinarians recommend starting housebreaking at around
eight weeks old.

Pit Bulls tend to learn well by repetition, so it is important
to develop a daily routine and stick to it as much as possible.
They also crave lots and lots of attention, which will help them
to feel more secure in their new home and possibly make training
easier. It is best if someone is at home at all times with the
Pit Bull during housebreaking, as it will definitely make the
process much faster. It is important that you have a designated
area for your Pit Bull that is to be considered his individual
space. Ideally, his space should be somewhere easy to clean up,
like a tiled floor for example, because accidents are likely to
happen, especially in the beginning. The area will need to have
his bed, chew toys, and food and water since this is the area he
will spend a lot of time in, especially if you are away. Make
sure the area can be closed off so that the dog cannot get out
and gain access to other areas of the house when no one is home.
Baby gates tend to work well, because the dog can still see you
and won’t feel as though he is shut in.

During your time at home, try to give your Pit Bull puppy as
much of your attention as possible. Try to go outside with him
at least every thirty minutes or so, and make sure you praise or
reward him for relieving himself outside. Praise and rewards
will help him learn that it is good to potty outside, and he
will catch on quick.

Expect your puppy to have accidents in the house. It is just
something that is going to happen no matter how diligent you are
in training him. Punishing your puppy for this will only lead to
more setbacks. The best way to handle housebreaking is to be
patient, and remember that it is a long process for both of you
that won’t happen overnight. The more attention you give your
new Pit Bull puppy, the more he will thrive and do well. During
all of the time you devote to training your puppy, you are
building a good relationship with him as well, hopefully one
that will last a lifetime.