By Barbara Jarvie Castiglia
When housebreaking your puppy, always keep two “P” words in mind—patience and positivity—as the process will involve a lot of both. You will need to be patient, as it could take up to a year to fully train your pet, and it’s a must to always practice positive reinforcement. While housebreaking can be a challenge, it will also be an opportunity to start the bonding process with your puppy.
Before adding a puppy to a home, note your availability to spend time on things like housebreaking because it’s crucial that there is someone around to establish a consistent routine over those first few months. If you have a vacation or deployment in the near future, it might not be the right time to adopt.
Before you bring your pet to its new home, be sure to stock up on potty training supplies such as training pads or paper and specified cleaning materials, including enzymatic ones designed to remove pet stains and odors. You will also need extra paper towels and waste bags. If you are doing crate training, have it all set up and ready to go when your pet comes home. It can be a helpful tool in the housetraining. Scope out a desired elimination spot or spots outdoors as you want to begin to set a routine.
Start the day with a visit to the space and expect to go out at least hourly for probably five to ten minutes at a time. Pets will most likely want to eliminate after eating, sleeping, and playing. End the day with a visit out and be consistent with a routine. If you do have a schedule change or trip, inform caretakers what they need to do to ensure your pet does not backslide in its training.
Initially, a good rule of thumb is two months old, the pet will need to go every two hours; at three months old, the pet will need to go every three hours; and so on. Keeping track of this on a calendar or even a spreadsheet will give you a good handle on your pet’s individual needs. It will also help you pinpoint any issues.
Expect the potty-training process to take four to six months, but it could be up to a year. It does depend on breeds as smaller dogs have smaller bladders, requiring more frequent needs.
Keep treats at the ready and offer a steady stream of praise and play as reward and reinforcement.
Accidents are inevitable. Expect to have good days and bad ones with setbacks. That’s where the patience comes in. Never punish a dog for having an accident as that could create anxiety and encourage more accidents. Be sure to thoroughly clean the spot so any residual scent won’t confuse your pet.
As the pet matures, they will gain more control over their elimination functions so you will have less accidents. Your pet will also be able to tell you more easily when they need to relieve themselves, and you will learn to recognize these clues. Among the signs your pet has to go include sniffing, going to or scratching at the door, and circling. If you have an increasing number of accidents after potty training, veterinary intervention might be needed as that could signify health or behavioral issues that need to be addressed.
