Housebreaking Your Puppy

 

A Behavioral Approach

By Gerry Flannigan DVM

 

Housebreaking a puppy, when done correctly, should take no longer than 7 days. Understanding "when", "where" and "why" a puppy eliminates will avoid potential mistakes. Dogs are creatures of habit therefore a strict schedule will make housebreaking much easier. Just like a child, a puppy should not have the run of the house. Keep the puppy in sight at all times or alternatively in his crate. I see a crate as the doggy equivalent of a child's playpen.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

 

Behavior

 

1. Innate Sense of Cleanliness ~ dogs are actually quite clean and prefer not to eliminate in their sleeping area.

 

- this starts with the dam keeping the puppies' nest clean

- then the breeder keeps the puppy area clean once the dam stops

- you maintain this by crating your puppy when you are not home or can't watch him.

 

2. Pre-elimination Behavior ~ dogs have a characteristic set of behaviors prior to urinating or defecating. This involves circling and sniffing to find just the right spot.

 

Physiology

 

1. Gastro colic Reflex - defecate 15 minutes following eating.

2. Need to Urinate a) on walking, b) after playing or c) after a heavy chewing session

3. Strong Sense of Smell - stimulated to urinate and defecate by the smell of their own urine or feces.

 

Strict Schedule

 

Feeding

8 to 16 weeks of age ~ 4 times daily

16 weeks to 6 months ~ 3 times daily

6 months up ~ 2 times daily

 

Leave food down for 15 minutes and then take away. Puppies should be fed at exactly the same time each day especially when trying to housebreak.

 

Elimination Time

I expect a puppy to hold his bladder overnight and for a maximum of 4 hours a day when in his crate. While out of his crate, you can expect him to hold his bladder for the following:

 

2 to 3 months of age ~ 2 hours

3 to 4 months of age ~ 3 hours

4 to 6 months of age ~ 4- hours

6 months to a year ~ 6 plus hours

 

But don't forget the physiology stimulus too!

 

What DOESN'T Work

 

1. Don't rub his nose in it - he can make no connection

2. After the Fact punishment is useless and counter productive. If you catch your puppy in the act of eliminating, use a sharp command to close his sphincters and take him directly outside to his assigned spot to finish the process.

3. If you expect to have your puppy eliminate outside do not paper train. Yes! Even a 10 week old puppy can handle cold temperatures for a short period of time. In fact, it might motivate him to get on with it!

 

A HOUSEBREAKING TRAINING SCHEDULE

 

Therefore, with this knowledge, a possible housebreaking schedule for an 8 week old puppy would be:

 

7 am ~ On waking pick the puppy up and take him/her out immediately to a specific spot in the yard on leash or off leash if you have a fenced yard. Ignore the puppy until he urinates, then PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE.

Bring the puppy back inside, put his food down for 15 min. and go about your morning business.

Pick the food up after 15 min. and take the puppy outside to defecate as above.

Put the puppy in his crate and go to work.

 

12 pm ~ Puppy goes directly out to his spot to uriniate (as above)

Bring puppy back in, feed and out again in 15 min. to defecate.

Back into his crate when you go back to work.

 

5 pm ~ Home from work

Repeat as 12 noon

Keep puppy out of crate but in a room with you to watch for the pre-elimination behavior.

Puppy goes out at 7 pm and 9 pm and either after a heavy play or chew session.

 

11 pm ~ Feed. Directly after eating or in 15 min. pick up the food bow, take puppy outside to his specific spot to urinate and defecate.

Bring puppy back in and put him in his crate or in your bed overnight.

 

 

Adjust the training schedule to fit your lifestyle but do so using knowledge of canine behavior, physiology and utilizing a strict schedule. GOOD LUCK!