One of the most important aspects of puppy training is house training. Teaching your puppy where and when to go to the toilet is critical for a clean and stress-free home.
House training a new puppy can be a daunting task, but with patience and consistency, it can be done successfully. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Establish a routine: Puppies thrive on routine, and establishing a consistent schedule for toilet breaks is crucial. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after meals, after playtime, after naps, before bedtime, as well as several times throughout the day.
The rule of thumb is that for every month of your puppy’s age, they can hold their bladder for 1 hour.
Encourage them to go in the same spot to provide scent stimulation and to help your puppy understand where they are supposed to go.
Reward good behaviour: Positive reinforcement is key when it comes to puppy training. Praise and reward your puppy every time they go to the toilet in the designated outside area. We do this by using the mark and reward method. Whenever your puppy goes to the toilet outside, make sure to praise them a lot and reward them with a treat that holds value to them. By capturing this outside, it will help reinforce good behaviour and encourage your puppy to continue going to the toilet in the right place and not inside the house.
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Supervise your puppy: Keep a close eye on your puppy, especially during the early stages of house training. By doing this, you can start to notice the behaviour before they need the toilet and start predicting. If you see your puppy sniffing or circling, take them outside immediately. Interrupting accidents and redirecting your puppy to the designated outside toilet area will help reinforce the correct behaviour. Don’t forget to praise and reward when they go in the right place!
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Be patient: As with any puppy training, it’s important to be patient. House training a puppy takes time, patience and consistency. Don't get discouraged if your puppy has accidents or takes longer to learn than you expected. Every puppy is different, and some may take longer to train than others.
Never punish a puppy if they go inside, they might end up going in secret places. If they do have an accident, make sure to use animal grade disinfectant to clean it.
At Kate's Dog School, I offer customised puppy training programs that can help you with house training and other important aspects of puppy training. My training methods are based on positive reinforcement, which emphasises rewarding desirable behaviours rather than punishing undesirable ones. I provide tailored, one-to-one and group sessions that focus on building trust and understanding between you and your puppy.