How to House Train a Puppy - 10 Easy Steps

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     House training a puppy can take from a few weeks to a couple of months, so you have to be patient and consistent to get the best and fastest results. A puppy has a small bladder so he will have to go outside quite often. Always praise your puppy for doing the right thing.

1.
Start training your new puppy right away on the day you bring him home. Take him to a designated spot outside where he can relieve himself. Stay quiet and do not distract him. When he is finished give him lots of praise and let him know what a good dog he is. He will start to associate this spot with fun and lots of attention from you.

2.
Your puppy has a small bladder which he cannot control yet, so be patient and do not get angry with him. Never stick his nose into the mess he has made, as he will learn nothing from it, except to be scared of you. This will cause him to do his business under furniture and other hiding places when you are not around. Encourage your puppy to love you, not fear you.

3.
A puppy usually needs to relieve himself first thing in the morning, a few minutes after eating or drinking, when play time is over, when he wakes from a nap and of course the last thing at night. He will need to go during the night too. Develop a daily routine for feeding and toilet breaks and keep the same schedule everyday.

4.
After your puppy has relieved himself outside, spend some quality time walking around with him. This will help the two of you to bond. Play with him and call his name and get him used to your voice. Let him explore for a while. He will associate going outside with a place to do his business and also have fun and interact with you.

5.
Always praise and reward your puppy for going in the right place. Every aspect of dog training is based on positive reinforcement. Your puppy has to be taught how to do things and trained properly with patience, consistency, reward and love.

6.
When you get to the designated area for him to go, use a simple word or phrase to trigger him to do his business. You could say "toilet" or "potty now" or "do your job". NEVER use his name.

7.
Watch for some of the signs that let you know your puppy wants to relieve himself: he suddenly stops what he was doing, starts walking in circles, sniffs the floor, begins whining, stands at the door, scratches the door or paws the floor. Some people train their puppies to touch a bell low down at the door. In time you will spot the signs.

8.
Crate training your puppy can be very useful for house training him too. Make his crate a nice place to be by making it very comfortable with toys and treats in it and of course water. Take him outside to relieve himself before putting him into his crate. Give him all his meals there too. Do not leave him in his crate for more than 3 or 4 hours.

9.
When your puppy makes a mess in the house, you must clean it as quickly as possible. Use odour and stain remover. You have to discourage him from wanting to go there again. Make sure there is no ammonia in the cleaning products you are using as ammonia is found in dog poop. Your puppy will smell it and make another mess in the same spot. Use pet-stain remover.

10.
Your puppy must always have fresh water available to him. Do not take away his water hoping it will reduce the amount of times he has to relieve himself. Water is needed for hydration and to ensure good health in your puppy.