Housetraining Puppies :O

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So I'm planning on getting a puppy in the next week or so and was wondering if anyone had any tips on potty training. Would like to minimize the amount of "accidents" as much as possible :)

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  • Fitness4Paul
    Fitness4Paul Posts: 166 Member
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    Really control when and how much they eat and drink. You'll start to see a pattern as to when they need out and start just putting them out before that time. Lots of praise when they do go outside (praise while they're going so they know they're doing a good thing. Don't scold them unless you catch them in the act. They can't connect getting yelled with a crap they took 5 min ago. Also, create train. They're den animals and like the confined space of a create. They don't like to mess in they're den. If they cry too much at night try moving the create close to where you sleep and wear and old shirt for a while so you can leave it in the create at night. You're smell on the shirt will be familiar to them and help to soothe them at night
    Good luck!
  • jfluchere
    jfluchere Posts: 346 Member
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    Don't let them free roam in your house and keep them with u on a leash or in a crate at all times.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    There are scented pads and sprays you can use that encourage them to go in certain places. Puppies usually need to go a few minutes after being fed and drinking, so just watch them after they do either - you'll need to catch them in the act to correct them - with my dogs, I would catch them, tell them no, pick them up and take them to where I want them to go and praise them when they continued in the right spot.
  • fxst78
    fxst78 Posts: 221 Member
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    Buy a Crate.

    Look up crate training. Do that. No accidents.

    Current dog (16 months old now) was crate trained and we have NEVER had an accident in the house. She can now come and go as she pleases through a dog door and all is good.
  • Itsallbs15
    Itsallbs15 Posts: 262 Member
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    Control their food and water intake, keep them with you at all times, put them outside very frequently, and use a bell on the door and a treat ( I used peanut butter). When you walk out the door hit the bell, this will train them to know that when they have to go out they ring the bell. The treat just reinforces good behavior.
  • grimmaster1983
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    Really control when and how much they eat and drink. You'll start to see a pattern as to when they need out and start just putting them out before that time. Lots of praise when they do go outside (praise while they're going so they know they're doing a good thing. Don't scold them unless you catch them in the act. They can't connect getting yelled with a crap they took 5 min ago. Also, create train. They're den animals and like the confined space of a create. They don't like to mess in they're den. If they cry too much at night try moving the create close to where you sleep and wear and old shirt for a while so you can leave it in the create at night. You're smell on the shirt will be familiar to them and help to soothe them at night
    Good luck!

    ^^^^ THIS ^^^^ almost exact how we trained our dog, you really do see a pattern and watch for when they squat or sniff at something, normally and incling that there gonna do there mess :)
  • p0stdramatic
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    Buy a Crate.

    Look up crate training. Do that. No accidents.

    Current dog (16 months old now) was crate trained and we have NEVER had an accident in the house. She can now come and go as she pleases through a dog door and all is good.


    This is the only way to go! Crate training all the way.
  • tonyacoursey
    tonyacoursey Posts: 404 Member
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    Routine, and and a crate. They are just like babies and need to be taken out when they wake up, after eating, after a nap or before bed. Feed at scheduled times so that they get you to the routine. Mine is 9 years old and has had one accident in the house. He was sick at the time or I don't think it would have happened. Good luck!
  • momof3and3
    momof3and3 Posts: 656 Member
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    Do not leave the water dish down all day...drinking all day=peeing all day :) Give the puppy water as needed but pick it up when it is done drinking.

    Take outside for a walk immeditaley after it wakes up from night or naps, and about 20 mins after eating/drinking...

    Praise it when it goes outside, even give small treat...do not react or get angry if it messes in house

    I don't crate train, I have 2 rescues who thought the crate as a punishment after being confined in one for months...but I did contain them into my kitchen with baby gates. Free roaming can led to accidents because you loose track of them :)

    Accident free takes time and commitment on your part...

    Always use the same door to go outside for potty, the puppy will learn to then go to that door when it needs to "tell" you it has to go out....

    Good luck!
  • gemmaldavies
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    good luck! lol

    i wish i could have my Apollo back as a puppy - just for 1 day!

    with him it just clicked 1 day when he was 6-7 months old. but routine is best. be careful not to let them win u over & sleep in your bed. the first few nights they will cry & cry. i took apollo to bed with me - bad idea. poo all over floor (but fella trood in it not me so not 2 bad. haha )

    stick to the routine. what puppy do you want?
  • BrownEyedGiRL928
    BrownEyedGiRL928 Posts: 51 Member
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    Here are some tips that worked for me. In no way am I a dog expert but my trainer really gave us great tips and our dog, who is 3 now, has a great bathroom routine down.

    1. Just be prepared, the puppy will have accidents and don't get angry or upset with them when they do.

    2. As soon as you catch them going to the bathroom interrupt and take them outside calmly.

    3. If they go to the bathroom when you are not around, or are not looking, don't let them watch you clean it up. Put them in a room where they can't see you and then clean it up. For some reason if you allow the dog to watch you clean up their bathroom mess, or even allow them to watch you clean up a pillow they've shredded, or magazine they've torn apart, they take that as interracting with them and may do it again.

    4. Feed them and take them out on a schedule. Depending on the size of the dog, larger dogs can hold it longer. Ours goes once in the morning after we feed him, once when we get home from work at 4pm after we feed him, and once at midnight after we feed him a small snack... it's like clockwork. If you leave water and a food bowl fulled with food out all day, it increases the chances of them having an accident.

    Also, try to teach them to go to the bathroom in a specific area outside... that way you won't have "land mines" to navigate in your yard. We unintentionally trained ours to go in leaves... whenever he goes outside he runs straight to the leaves and does his business.
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
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    I've had dogs since I was a small girl and currently have six. The way I've always trained mine is to take them out about every 30 minutes to an hour until you get them house broken (I realize you won't always be home with them and I do agree with crating them while away but please make sure they have ample food/water and bed in their crate and the crate has ample room in it). Always, and I can't stress this enough....always PRAISE them when you take them out and they go potty. Pick one word/phrase for potty that you're going to use and stick to it, as not to confuse them.......mine is "let's go potty." I don't agree with "scolding" them even if you catch them in the act. What I do is take them out when you catch them in the act and don't forget to use you "phrase" and they will catch on. Dogs are one of the smartest animals and they live to please their people so just love them, respect them, and be consistent in your training and I guarantee results. :flowerforyou:
  • Suedre
    Suedre Posts: 435 Member
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    With my most recent puppy, I took two days off work and spent every minute with him (Expect when we had just come in, I leashed him so he couldn't get too far away). I took him out about every 30 minutes and if he went, I loved on him like he was a super king. On the occassions he started to go in the house, I said a firm 'no' picked him up and put him right out. Worked beautfiully. Other than peeing in new places the first time he went in them (my bed - UGH!), we've never had a single accident. First dog I've even been so successful with and it was worth every minute of those two days. :)

    Good Luck!
  • Zombella
    Zombella Posts: 490 Member
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    Don't let the puppy roam around the house first and foremost, especially if they aren't potty trained. If they start to go to the bathroom, take them to the pad. When they do go to the bathroom on the pad on their own, give them a treat.