House Training Puppies - Crate Training Is The Most Effective Method

When House Training Puppies, crate training is the quickest way to get the job done.  It works so well because when crate training puppies, it's very simple to get a handle on your dog's eating and toilet schedule, while making it very clear to your puppy where the toilet area is.

Some people have a difficult time with crate training because they feel it is cruel, and your puppy may fuss a bit about being kept in the crate, and that's normal. However, dogs like having a den area, and this creates a safe area for your dog that he knows is his "home". Crate training works because a puppy is very resistant to messing up his own space, and will hold off on relieving himself until he can get to another location.

The crate should be large enough so your dog can get up, walk around in a small circle and lie down. As he gets bigger, you can upgrade to a large crate if needed. Dogs don't like to lie in their urine (who would??) so they hold off as long as they possibly can.

Keep track of the times each day your puppy drinks, eats and goes to the bathroom throughout the day. Then put together a toilet break schedule based on the times of day your puppy might need to go potty. Potty times usually happen first thing in the morning, after vigorous play, about 30 minutes after eating, and just before bedtime. For very young puppies a few nighttime time trips might be needed if they cannot hold it all night long.

When you take your puppy out of the crate in the morning, take him right to his toilet area. Simply carry him straight there and set him down in the toilet area if he tends to get distracted or run off. You should just stand there for 10-15 or so minutes, simply watching and waiting. If he actually goes to the bathroom, immediately give your puppy lots of verbal praise and affection, and you can also give a treat. If he doesn't go, then take him back to his crate, and in about 20 minutes or so, try again. Just repeat this pattern until successful, and once your puppy does go, reward the good behavior with playtime.  You want to teach your dog that he needs to take care of business first, then he gets playtime. This sets up good habits.

In the initial stages, crate training puppies takes a lot of time and focus. If done right, you should see improvements quickly. Your puppy will need frequent breaks playing throughout the day, but for the most part he should stay in the crate during the early stages of the training process.

Whenever your dog is out of his crate, keep your eyes on him at all times. If you catch him about to have an accident on the carpet, shout No! and whisk him up and take him immediately out to the right area. This can be messy and chaotic, but it is really the only chance you have to help him understand where to go.

When you are in the middle of house training puppies, you should understand that accidents will happen, just be prepared not to call attention to it. Quietly clean it up  without letting your dog see. You'll want to use proper dog mess cleaning products that take care of the smell of urine. It will take time and patience for your puppy to learn proper potty habits, so be patient with him.