Training your Dog in 7 Steps: How to Housebreak your Dog in Just 7 Days

Chapter 1: The Principles Behind Effective Housebreaking

These principles are : confinement, management, and regulation . When you fully understand them and apply it consistently as you venture on housebreaking, you will be successful. As you get started, here is a list of basic supplies that you’ll need for housebreaking:

Crate: The ideal size of a crate is 1.5 x the size of your puppy. It should be spacious enough for them to turn over comfortably. You can help him acclimatize to his crate quicker by feeding him inside it or tossing treats and toys for him to enjoy while inside.

Leash: Always keep a leash handy so you are prepared to take your dog out at any time. A leash is useful even if you have a designated area in your yard so that your dog will eventually learn to stay close to you. It will also give you added control and allow you to know right away when he has successfully eliminated.

Treats: These should be cut up into small, pea-sized treats. Keep them on you so you can provide a reward to your dog immediately after he has eliminated in his designated area.

Designated potty area: Select a spot outside your home that will serve as your puppy’s designated potty area. Each time you take him to relieve himself, take him to the exact same spot. The potty area should be convenient for you as well; if it is too far you may increase chances of accidents happening.

Cleaner: Accidents are inevitable during housebreaking but have an enzymatic cleaner that is powerful enough to efficiently remove the odor. If your dog detects the smell of his urine or feces in an undesirable location, he may end up using that spot again.

Once you have these essential housebreaking supplies, you can begin housebreaking.

Confinement

The reason why confinement is necessary in housebreaking is because dogs are den animals. They thrive on the security that confined spaces bring provided that these spaces are big enough for them to stay comfortably.

You may have encountered dogs before that enjoy staying in tight corners or under tables because their instincts lead them to seek out places that offer protection and safety.

Crates are the most effective tool for confining a puppy. Proper introduction to crates are important so that they have a positive attitude towards it, rather than seeing it as a place where they go when they are punished.

Crates are also essential since they help maximize the dog’s instinct for nesting. This is why dogs like to keep their crates clean just like we humans prefer to have neat homes.

Dogs want to be as far from their own mess as possible and you can be sure that they don’t want it in their den or living space. By providing a crate, puppies have an incentive to exercise discipline when it comes to elimination.

As a dog owner you will notice a significant decrease in accidents if you are able to take them out of their crate at regular intervals.

When you first introduce your dog to the crate expect to have him barking, whining, and complaining the first few times. Try to be understanding and avoid scolding him; keep in mind that in his young life he has only grown accustomed to his mother and siblings all who are comfortable and provide a familiar environment for him.

All of a sudden here comes a human who has taken him from what he is familiar to and put him in a crate. Of course, it will not be a desirable situation for him but this is only during the beginning. It will take any dog some time to adjust and see you as his companion.

There are things you can do to make the crate as comfortable as possible for your puppy. One efficient way is by making it extra comfortable through the use of soft beddings.

This material can recreate the warm surroundings young puppies still crave which remind them of being in their mother’s womb. On cool nights, you can also put a hot bottle of water underneath the bedding to help keep them warm and cozy, lulling them to sleep.

Even though you have done your part in making the crate comfortable, at some point they will still complain demanding to be let out.

Just remember that you shouldn’t give in to their demands and let them out; doing so will let the dog know he has found a method that will get him the results he wants.

You may also be wondering how long you can reasonably expect your dog to stay in the crate without having to eliminate.

This will be different for all puppies; it is recommended that you try to observe his habits to figure this out. As a general rule of thumb, never keep them confined in a crate for more than 3 or 4 hours at the absolute maximum.

When it comes to confinement keep in mind that the purpose of all this is to provide your dog with a reward for restraining himself. However, this doesn’t mean that you will be 100% free from accidents because when they need to eliminate, it’s necessary to let them out to avoid accidents.

The job of all responsible dog owners is to get the dog in the proper area for elimination when they need to go, and with patience and practice, you’ll get there in no time.

Supervision

Puppies are not meant to spend their entire lives in their crate; they should be given the opportunity to play and explore their surroundings. However, this should only be done under your strict supervision. In the same light you wouldn’t let an infant wander around your home alone. Letting your dog wander without being supervised will only be counterproductive to housebreaking while increasing the chances of your dog getting into all kinds of