The Basics of Housetraining Your New Puppy

Housetraining is the first and the most important task that every new puppy owner must undertake.  Every new puppy, no matter how cute and sweet they may be must learn the rules about living in their new home.  Proper housetraining should not take too long and of course, it will make the lives of both you and your new puppy happier and less stressful. 

There are three categories of housetraining that you need to consider as an owner of a new puppy. 

1) Basic housetraining, this is the establishment of an appropriate toilet area for your pet and teaching your puppy to communicate with you and use only his area for eliminating. 

2) Submissive wetting, this is the urination that often occurs when greeting, disciplining or times of high excitement. 

3) Marking, which is marking their "territory".  Many dogs, both male and female will start marking their territory upon reaching puberty. 

With a new puppy, proper housetraining should only take about two weeks.  However, an improperly trained older dog, who has already established bad habits can take as long as six weeks or more of much more difficult training.  It is crucially important to train your new puppy early and consistently. 

As soon as you know that you are getting your new puppy, prepare for housetraining.  Make sure you have a leash, a collar, a designated toilet area and the time to consistently maintain a schedule.  A crate is also recommended to help your new puppy learn control and to have a safe and comfortable home of his or her own. 

As soon as you get your new puppy, take him or her to the vet for a complete checkup.  Medical complications such as intestinal parasites, intestinal upset or urinary tract infections can make housetraining much more difficult if not impossible. 

Your attitude is probably the most important aspect of training your puppy.  Remember that your puppy is still just a baby and he cannot be expected to conform to your wishes automatically.  However, with a disciplined schedule, some consistent commands and lavish praise your puppy will learn very quickly when and where it is appropriate to eliminate. 

When your puppy makes a mistake in the early days of housetraining you should respond with a firm "no" but do not over-discipline.  You do not want to frighten your puppy but just firmly let him know that he has made a mistake and then take him out to his toilet area.  When he or she does well, make sure that you praise him or her and give treats and affection.  Your puppy wants to please you and he or she will quickly learn to do the things that make you happy. 

With submissive wetting and marking your training will be much the same. When the puppy inadvertently wets, scold him and take him out to his toilet area.  Be consistent and let him know that the only appropriate time and place to eliminate is in that area. 

When you find an "accident" in the house or you catch your dog in "the act", clap your hands to get his attention.  Scold your dog by saying "no" but do not get overly angry.  You do not want to scare your dog but just let him know that his behavior was inappropriate.   Take him out to his toilet area and if he relieves himself there, make sure that you follow through with the praise and attention. When you return to the house, make sure that you thoroughly clean and deodorize the area.  If your dog can still smell the marking he will continue to use that area in times of stress. 

It's up to you as a responsible dog owner to train your puppy well.  Be consistent, have a schedule and most importantly, have a good attitude and soon your puppy will be the well-trained and lovable dog that you dreamed of.