Avoid these 5 Mistakes when Housebreaking your Puppy

Housebreaking may not be the most fun part of being a dog owner, but the good news is you only have to do it once. Avoiding these five mistakes will help your puppy understand the rules quicker, giving you and your puppy more time for fun! Five common mistakes to avoid are:

1. Waiting too long before taking the puppy out. Young puppies are unable to control their bladders in the first few weeks of their lives, and need to be taken outside or to their puppy pads frequently. Waiting too long to give your pup the opportunity to use the bathroom will likely lead to accidents in your home. Some important times for the puppy to visit the puppy pad or outside are after eating, after drinking water, first thing in the morning and at bedtime.
2. Missing the clues that the puppy needs to go. Getting in tune with your pup’s behavior and routine will help you predict when to take him out, making housebreaking easier on both of you. Take notice of the behaviors he exhibits just prior to eliminating, such as sniffing around or going to a certain corner, and take him immediately to his bathroom spot.
3. Scolding the puppy for accidents after the fact. Your pup will only understand what he has done wrong if you catch him in the act and make your disapproval clear. Simply saying "No!" in a firm tone while he is in the act will be enough to get your point across. Punishing him for an accident when you discover the evidence later will not help because he will not associate his actions with the problem. Positive reinforcement when he eliminates in the right place will get better results than punishment for unwanted behavior.
4. Slacking off on the praise for good behavior. The power of positive reinforcement cannot be overemphasized when training a puppy. Always, always praise your puppy when he has used the bathroom in the place you want him to, whether it be on puppy training pads or outside.
5. Being inconsistent. Your puppy will learn faster if he is accustomed to a regular routine and receives consistent messages from you. Consistency is extremely important in the early stages of puppy training so that the puppy does not receive mixed signals about what is expected.

If housebreaking seems difficult at first, do not be discouraged. Your puppy is eager to please, and just needs time to understand what it is that you want him to do. By avoiding these five puppy housebreaking mistakes, you can make housebreaking easier on both yourself and your four-legged best friend.