Dog Housebreaking

Photo by Trine de Florie

Whether you are bringing home a puppy or adopting/rescuing an older dog you will surely have to teach them where, and when to go to the bathroom. Housebreaking is never easy, and accidents will definitely happen, but the tips below will help your new dog transition into your home.

The first thing you must do is understand that your new dog is a DOG, and not a HUMAN. As such, your dog will think like a DOG. Translation: The only way you are going to be able to train him in Housebreaking, or in any other area for that matter is if you learn how to communicate on his/her level, and understand how a dog thinks.

I know this sounds complicated, but honestly its not.

First things first: If you have a new puppy that is under 12 weeks old you need to know that physically they are unable to control the muscles that control urination and defecation. Having said that you can still begin housebreaking training with a young puppy, you just have to be extra patient.

Now, the second things you need to understand about your dog is to them there is no difference between your $12,000 Persian rug, and a Wee Wee pad like Four Paws Wee-Wee Pads Extra Large Puppy Housebreaking Pads (28"L X 35.5"W).They do not ever think to themselves, "I shouldn't pee on the rug because it is expensive." You have to teach them where the appropriate spots to eliminate are - they will not instinctively know the where or even the when. It is up to you as their pack leader to show them what you want them to do in ways they can understand.

By nature our dogs have a desire to please. They thrive on the attention they receive from us, so it is important to only give them attention for doing things that demonstrate good behavior, and not giving them attention when they do bad things. For example, if your dog eliminates where he/she is supposed to you need to make a big deal out of it by offering praise, affection and treats. However, if your dog eliminates where he is not supposed to, like in the middle of the dinning room, or on a carpet yelling at him and interacting with him in anyway only re-inforces that incorrect behavior in his/her mind because your dog is receiving attention. To better understand this you need to realize that dogs can not distinguish between positive attention and negative attention. To them it is attention - plain and simple. Secondly dogs don't understand humans when we talk - they can learn to associate certain words with certain actions or commands, but they can not understand you when you speak to them like a human. These "conversations" that many of us canine lovers have with our dogs are simply one-sided. Our dogs perceive our talking to them as attention. They take nothing more away from it than that.

It is critical for you to understand this. If, and only if you actually catch your dog in the process of eliminating in an appropriate spot you should do the following. Say "No" very firmly (don't yell - just be firm) and pick the dog up and immediately place him/her in the appropriate location to "do his business." Attempting, to correct your dog even 30 seconds after going to the bathroom where he/she shouldn't will only cause confusion. As the dog will see the mess and associate your displeasure with the mess itself, not the act of causing the mess. Again, dogs do not think like we do, they won't come to the conclusion that you were mad at the mess, and they caused the mess, so therefore they should not cause the mess by eliminating in that spot. To a dog they will simply associate the mess with your displeasure with no accountability for having caused the mess, and what happens is every-time your dog goes to the bathroom, whether it is in the right place or not, he/she will see the mess and get anxious that you are going to get upset. Which is why many dogs often look guilty after eliminating in the wrong spot - please don't confuse this guilty look with understanding that they eliminated in the wrong place. They look guilty because they know that you are going to get upset at the mess on the floor, and still don't understand that you're upset because they made a mess on the floor for eliminating in the wrong spot!

There are many, many different methods of housebreaking, and lots of advice to be found on the internet, books, training videos, etc. Some are similar, some are way out there. I am just going to stick to the methods that I've been successful with, and will recommend some aids that I found useful to me.

Answer the following questions: What kind of dog do I have? Is it a small breed like a Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, or Yorkshire Terrier, or do you have a Medium-Large breed like a Mastiff, German Shepherd, or Beagle?

If your dog is a small breed you might consider doing blended paper training, and outdoor training. If your dog is Medium-Large I recommend sticking strictly to outdoor training.

Housebreaking: Setting up a Schedule

Most puppies need to us the bathroom between 6 and 8 times per day. It is very conducive to training to set-up regular bathroom times for your dog, as they are creatures of habit. I use the following schedule with my 2 dogs:

I generally have to wake-up early to go to work, so every morning at 7:00 a.m., after I've used the bathroom, I take them outside into the yard. When they are done we all go back inside. (I don't allow any time for playing during the first trip).
Then I feed them once we are back inside. Immediately after they are both done eating, I take them back outside to use the bathroom again. When they both did their business I play a 5 minute round of fetch before we head back inside. (This round of fetch also lets them expend energy, and occupies their minds, before I leave them alone for the day while I go to work. I find that my dogs are much happier and not destructive when I am gone as a result of it - see Dog Chewing)
When we come back in I put out 4 Wee-Wee Pads for them to use in case they have to go during the day while I'm at work. I use Four Paws Wee-Wee Pads Extra Large Puppy Housebreaking Pads (28"L X 35.5"W) . Make sure they have fresh water, and several safe chew toys to occupy them. In the summer months I leave the AC on low with the Energy Saver, and I also leave a talk radio station on low on for them. And, then I commence with getting ready for work, and leave with a no-fuss goodbye at around 8:30 a.m. during weekdays. (See Separation Anxiety)
While I'm gone they do use the Wee Wee pads I've provided.
My husband generally returns home from work earlier than I do - Usually between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. When he comes in he brings them out to the yard again to do their business, and then plays a longer round of fetch with them before returning back inside.
I generally arrive from work at 7:00 p.m., at that time I give them a low-key greeting only after I've put my stuff away and changed. I generally spend around 15 minutes going through basic commands with them and giving them loads of praise and affection followed by a small feeding. After feeding, I take them to the backyard for another bathroom break.
Around 9:00 p.m. I take the dogs for a walk on a leash in our neighborhood. Since we live 2 blocks from a park - we sometimes stop there as well. The walk generally lasts about 15-20 minutes. If all went well on the walk they each receive a small treat when we return home. (See Leash Training)
Before bed - (generally midnight) I take them outside for another quick bathroom time.

It may seem like I spend a lot of time lavishing attention on my dogs, and you may be asking yourself; Can I handle all this responsibility? Well the honest answer is, if you don't have enough time to spend with your dog(s) you should not have them. Having a dog is a responsibility. They depend on you for their care and well-being, they are sentient creatures that deserve your love and attention. If you do not have that to give, a dog may not be the right pet for you. This is not a reflection on your character, or on the quality of person you are. Not everyone, has the time to have a dog as a pet. There are many other wonderful animals, that don't require as much attention that would greatly benefit from having someone like you as an owner. You should consider, birds, fish, reptiles, and even many cats.

By now you should start formulating in your mind what you and your family's daily schedule is like, and how to incorporate your dog and his needs into that schedule. It may not be necessary to have as many bathroom breaks as I provide, many medium-larger breed dogs, can hold themselves longer. At minimum though I highly recommend the following:

Take the dog(s) outside when you wake up (this can be a walk on a leash - or to a designated area in your backyard)
Take the dog(s) outside after their first feeding (again - this can be a walk on a leash - or to a designated area in your backyard)
Take the dog(s) outside when you return home from work (again - this can be a walk on a leash - or to a designated area in your backyard)
Take the dog(s) outside before you go to bed (again - this can be a walk on a leash - or to a designated area in your backyard)

At least one of those bathroom breaks should be on a leash for a walk. I can not stress how important it is for dogs to have exercise, time to bond with you, and have mental stimulation. A dog that does not receive these basic requirements will become destructive or develop emotional problems like Separation Anxiety for example.

Housebreaking: Paper Training (skip this step if you have a medium to large breed dog)

I find Wee Wee pads extremely useful for small dogs. I use Four Paws Wee-Wee Pads Extra Large Puppy Housebreaking Pads (28"L X 35.5"W) . If you can not afford Wee Wee pads you can use newspaper, or if you prefer to be environmentally friendly there are many new washable training pads on the market like Pooch Pads Reusable Housebreaking Pad (20"L X 27"W; For Mid-Size Dogs) that work really well. Even though that product is labeled for mid-size dogs - I think that is the appropriate size for smaller dogs - there is much less edge accidents this way!

You should always place the Wee Wee pad in the same spot in your home, it should be far away from feeding and water bowls, and they are more effective when placed on hard-surfaced floors like wood or tile vs. over carpets.

The best way to teach your dog how to use the pad is to place the pad on the floor like explained above, and then quietly carry your puppy over to the pad to allow them to investigate it. Many pads are pre-treated to smell like traces of urine to dogs (don't worry - you can't smell it, only they can) and this opens up their natural instinct for wanting to urinate where other dogs have. Let your puppy investigate the pad with his/her nose. However, if your dog lays down on the pad, immediately pick the dog back up into the standing position while saying, "No" firmly. The same rule goes if your dog tries to whew the pad, or play with the pad. Just make sure that you don't scare the dog by yelling at him or scolding him too harshly - you don't want the dog/puppy to get scared of the pad, or worse to be scared of you!

Keep showing the puppy the pad several times a day whether he has to use the bathroom or not. When your puppy does start giving you cues that he/she is looking for a bathroom spot, (usually by twirling in circles, or by sniffing the floor) immediately pick the puppy and gently place him on the pad. If he walks off the pad, keep putting him back on the pad until he uses it. Do not talk during this entire process as you do not want to distract the puppy for going to the bathroom. As soon as the puppy starts using the pad, make a fuss. PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE, treats, and affection are all warranted. Remember our dogs love to please us! And when they do, you better let them know it.

This process does not happen overnight. You will need to do the above consistently for several weeks, and accidents will happen. Eventually though your puppy will understand - I promise!

Now, speaking of accidents, please remember the below rules of thumb:

Never yell at, or physically punish your dog. It doesn't work, and they don't understand it.
Don't correct your dog after the fact, only correct him/her if you catch him in the act by placing him on the pad quietly to finish.

Housebreaking: Should I use a Crate?

I've often read and heard that dogs are den animals. This is a true statement they are den animals, and find comfort in warm, confined places. However, I've found throughout the years that many people misunderstand that fact and use it to justify crating an animal for 8 hours while they are at work. That my friends is a big NO NO! Crating a dog for training purposes can be a very useful tool - but only when done correctly. I personally do not use this method with the dogs that I have trained, but am not against it either if it is done properly.

The proper way to crate train a dog begins with purchasing a crate of the correct size. The crate should be no larger than what the dog would need to lie down in. In order to prevent yourself from having to buy multiple crates as the dog grows you should purchase a crate that would accommodate the dog at its full-grown size, but this crate should have the ability to be partitioned.

A good way to introduce the dog to the crate is to place an article of your clothing inside the crate, a used, un-laundered T-Shirt or sweater is usually a great choice. You should set the crate up in the room where the dog usually eats, and leave the crate door open so that your dog goes inside it on his/her own. Do not place food or water bowls in the crate. Once your dog seems comfortable, close the crate door, and step-out of the room. Make sure to stand outside the room and listen for any sounds of distress! After a few minutes come back in the room, and go about doing other things.

This should be a gradual process, you should up the dog's time spent in the crate a little at a time. With a maximum time spent in crate at three hours.

Once your dog gets used to the crate you can leave your home for short periods of time. However, I do not recommend anything more than 2 hours if you plan on leaving.

Some benefits of using a crate with a puppy are that it makes them feel secure (not for all dogs though - for some it actually promotes and induces anxiety), and it is also a good way of teaching a puppy that they can hold their urine, as dogs will not by instinct use the bathroom where they sleep. Make sure you let the dog go to the bathroom before going into the crate though - otherwise you can un-do nature by forcing them to use the crate as bathroom if they really have to go.

I have heard from some dog trainers that dogs that are crate trained as puppies generally grow up to have less "accidents" around the house as they get older. Though I can not validate this statement from personal experience.

The last thing I will add about crates is if you plan on using them for overnight bedtime, be sure to place the crate in your bedroom. You need to hear if your dog is in distress in the middle of the night!

Housebreaking: Outdoor Training

Outdoor training is necessary for all dog breeds, be it a Small Breed or a Large Breed! The best way to outdoor train your dog is to use the backyard until the dog is Leash Trained.

Like with Paper Training, at the first sign of the dog circling a spot or sniffing a spot you should pick him/her up (remember don't talk) and bring him out to the appropriate area of your yard, and place him/her on the ground. Wait patiently until he/she catches a scent and uses the bathroom. DO NOT talk the entire time, until after the dog goes to the bathroom. Talking can distract the dog, and can even confuse the dog about what they are supposed to do. As soon as the dog goes to the bathroom PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE and lots of affection. When you go back inside, offer your dog a treat.

Now, this method of training requires a lot of observance on your part. This means you need to keep the dog with you at all times, and pay attention to his/her behavior. Unlike using a Wee-Wee pad a dog can not let him/herself out! And, you need to set-up a ritualistic schedule like discussed above.

Wake up carry the dog outside to designated area....You get the drift!

It is going to take time for sure - but every moment you spend training your puppy or new dog will be rewarded back to you in good behavior on their part! Remember don't yell, and NEVER physically punish your dog. Positive, upbeat, attitudes by owners are effective.

The PetAmore.com team welcomes your new dog into your home!