By Polly Hamilton
Learning how to housebreak a puppy can be a trying task, and is not for the sensitive stomach. There will be cleaning up to do! There are a couple of rules when learning how to housebreak your puppy.
Number one: never rub you're a puppy's nose in its faeces or urine, it is a terrible thing to do and puppies will not understand that you are disciplining them.
Number two: if they defecate in the wrong place use one word consistently to discipline them, for example "no" or "don't".
Number three: begin to housebreak when you first get your puppy. You will confuse it if at three months you begin to discipline it for doing something that has always been okay.
The first thing you should do after you have introduced your puppy to your family is introduce it to its new bedroom! Chose a room in your house that is small, closed off, and has a non absorbent floor (slate, linoleum, vinyl). The bathroom is probably the best place to housebreak your puppy. Put your puppy litter box in the room, near to the door. Sit your puppy in it so it knows it is a place it can go. Then spend some time with your puppy in the room, hopefully it will need to use the litter box in that time. Of course the first time, it will just go on the floor, pick it up gently and put it straight in the litter box. Immediately praise it, not because it did it on its own obviously, but just because it's using the litter box. For the next three nights, keep your puppy in the room so it begins to understand the litter box concept. Let it out during the day, but always watch it!
During the day if you puppy begins to defecate on the floor, take it to the litter box straight away. Praise it as soon as it is in the box. Don't tell it off if you catch him in the act, just correct his behavior. You should, however, discipline it if you walk in and it is halfway through its business. Begin by using your word (no, don't) and turn him around so he can smell what he's done. When he sniffs it, smack his bottom (not too hard). Then take him straight to the litter box. Sit him on it and give him lots of attention! Praise him and use positive words. He will begin to like the litter box and see it as a happy place.
If you walk in and find your puppy has not used the litter box and gone in the wrong place, but is nowhere to be seen, do not discipline him! If you haven't caught him in the act you can't discipline him, he won't understand.
Very quickly your puppy will consider going to the toilet in the litter box. Learning how to do this is a big deal, so the first time you see him doing it give him a treat! Praise him, pay him attention and give him a little snack. He won't forget it. Once he has used the litter box a couple of times begin moving it closer to the outside door. Maybe into the hallway the first time, then to the next door, then the living room and so on. Eventually the box will be outside in the garden and your puppy will start using the garden as its litter box. Congratulations on learning how to housebreak a puppy! Once you see evidence of this, you can take the litter box away completely.
It is very important to remember certain things when you learn how to housebreak a puppy. Regularly clean the litter box (but don't take it away so he can't use it). Praise him when he does the right thing! Briefly and sternly discipline him if he does the wrong thing, when he does it. And most importantly, be patient. With some puppies, housebreaking can be a long process. You will get there!
