How to housebreak the puppy

 

"How do I housebreak my dog?" - A question that new dog parents ask themselves very often. To avoid the little mishaps, you should pay attention to a few things and follow rules. Because for the puppy, becoming housebroken is one of his first big challenges and he needs a lot of help with that.

Getting a puppy housebroken is the first step of dog training that the new owners have to deal with. If you want to give the puppy a grace period, it's best not to. After all, the most important imprinting phase takes place between the 8th and 20th week of life. To support the little four-legged friend in this learning process, clear rules are needed - but also sufficient calm and patience. Punishment is taboo when it comes to housetraining!

In order for the puppy to become housetrained, you should not let him out of your sight in the first period and - if possible - observe every step closely. Over time, you will develop an eye for when your dog needs to do his business. Classic signs of this are sniffing, whining, or nervously spinning in circles. Once you observe this behavior in your puppy, however, it needs to happen very quickly. Therefore, you should set as a goal to get him outside even before his urge to relieve himself. Once he has relieved himself outside, it's praise, praise, praise - whether it's with extensive petting or a treat! In the beginning, one or the other mishap can still happen. However, it is important that you do not scold the puppy for his mistake. Carry him outside anyway. If he gets loose again, praise him again.

How often does a puppy need to go outside?

Besides the typical signs, there are certain times when the puppy should go outside: after sleeping, eating and drinking, and after extensive playing or romping. Regardless of this, you should train the dog to a regular rhythm so that no mishaps happen in the house: for example, puppies under three months usually need to go out every 1.5 - 2 hours, between the third and fourth month about every 3 hours and from the fifth or sixth month about every 4 hours. Keep in mind, however, that these are not hour-long walks. Quite the opposite - a puppy cannot yet walk long distances. This is more about getting him used to being loose in freedom.

How to housebreak the puppy at night

To quickly accustom the puppy to his new life and the associated rules - such as housetraining - a regular routine will help him. Ideally, he should always get his dinner at the same time and be allowed to go out for the last time. Then it's off to the night quarters. Here it can be helpful to let the puppy sleep in a travel box, from which he can not easily crawl out. Most dogs instinctively try not to soil their sleeping space. If you don't have a box on hand, a large, tall cardboard box that the dog's basket is placed in will also suffice. With these aids, the likelihood that the puppy will let you know when the bladder is pressing increases. As soon as this is the case, quickly get him out! Again, remember to praise despite a sleepy night's sleep.

How long does it take a puppy to become housebroken?

When the puppy is housebroken is completely different. Each dog has its own character and therefore a completely different learning behavior. A lot also depends on whether the human reacts to the dog's attempts to communicate. So, especially in the first weeks, it is also helpful in terms of housetraining that you devote a lot of time and attention to your puppy. Depending on how consistently you train with him, the time until the puppy is completely housebroken will shorten or lengthen. Usually, most dogs can then be reasonably reliable for a short while around four months of age. Up to the age of one year, however, something can go into the fur from time to time. This is not a big deal! As long as you deal with this happened misfortune properly.

But you should definitely remove the legacies in the house with a strong-smelling cleaner or water-vinegar mixture. This way, no scent traces will be left behind. After all, these can tempt the puppy to get loose again in the place.