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Basic
House Training and Management
In order to best
accomplish the goal, do not consider house breaking as “training”.
Instead consider it as proper “management”. With training, we do
something to the dog to teach it a new behavior, such as making it lie
down when we say “down”. With management, we manage the puppy’s
environment or the method in which we handle the dog to achieve the
desired response, such as confining a puppy to a crate or removing
dangerous objects from his reach. Housebreaking falls into the
management category.
Just like infant
children, little puppies (8-12 weeks old) truly do not have a conscious
sense of when they are about to eliminate. For that reason, you cannot
tell them that they were “wrong” when they make a mistake in the house,
they just won’t understand it. Anything you say or do to the puppy will
not be associated with the elimination mistake, since they do not know
what they just did. So, any sort of “house breaking” punishment is
interpreted by the puppy as nonsensical anger from their human. In his
mind, you will become an unpredictable and angry person and someone to
avoid or fear.
In order to start
housebreaking, right off the bat, we want to create a habit for the
puppy where he learns, though experience, where he is to eliminate.
Once the puppy has developed the habit of eliminating specifically
outdoors (and indoor elimination is prevented through proper
management), as he begins to actually recognize when he is about to
eliminate, he will choose to go to the place where you have chosen based
on highly consistent management.
Here’s how to
best house break a puppy:
Always manage the
puppy in a crate that is small enough that he cannot eliminate in one
end and sleep comfortably in the other end.
When the puppy
wakes, open the crate door let him walk out, then take him in your arms
and carry him outside. Do not let him walk to the door or he will
probably wee before he gets there. Put him down in the spot where you
hope he will choose to eliminate. Wait patiently with him, either
standing still or walking about. Do not speak to him or engage him in
any play, or he will be distracted from the task at hand. When he
eliminates, praise him profusely. Then, wait for him to do “number two”
(by walking about or standing still quietly). When he or she finishes
their business, praise them profusely, again.
Now, you can play
with him outdoors for a while or take him indoors. Once inside, you
must supervise him 100%. Confine him to the room in which you are by
using baby gates or by closing doors. Allow him access to water.
Interact with him or let him relax and chew on a toy. Then, after 20-50
minutes, put him back in his crate to nap.
If it is time for
a meal, give him his meal in his crate. After 20-40 minutes, remove the
meal and take him outdoors again. Most very young puppies need to
eliminate from 20-40 minutes after they eat. Repeat the steps for
outdoor supervision and praising. Do not bring him indoors until he has
done his duty. Once inside, you can put him directly in his crate for
2-4 hours, depending on his age.
A 12 week old
puppy should be able to remain crated for 4-5 hours.
A six month old
puppy should be able to remain crated for 6-7 hours.
A ten month old
puppy should be able to remain crated for 8 hours.
A typical day for
an 8 week old puppy would go something like this; (In a Perfect World)
This is an example of stucture.
6:00 AM puppy
wakes. Take him outdoors immediately. Wait for him to eliminate and
praise.
6:15 AM indoor,
100% supervised play time and access to water.
6:45 AM put puppy
back in crate with his breakfast meal.
7:00 AM take
puppy outdoors (remove food). Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
7:20 AM put puppy
back in crate, leave for work.
12:00 PM take
puppy outdoors. Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
12:15 PM indoor,
100% supervised play time and access to water.
12:30 PM pup
puppy in crate with lunch meal.
12:45 PM take
puppy outdoors (remove food). Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
1:00 PM put puppy
back in crate, back to work.
5:30 PM take
puppy outdoors. Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
5:45 PM play with
puppy outdoors.
6:00 PM indoor,
100% supervised play time and access to water.
6:30 PM, put
puppy in crate and tend to your required evening tasks.
7:30 PM, take
puppy outdoors. Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
7:45 PM, indoor
100% supervised play time. Access to water.
8:30 PM, in crate
with evening meal.
9:00 PM, take
puppy outdoors (remove food). Wait for him to eliminate and praise.
9:15 PM, indoor
100% supervised play time.
10:00 PM, last
trip outdoors.
10:15 PM put
puppy in crate for the evening.
This describes
the requirements for an eight to ten week old puppy. With each passing
week, he should be able to handle longer periods of time before going
outdoors. However, if you do not make the commitment to house break him
in the first four weeks, bad habits can develop which could be very
difficult to
resolve. So, I strongly recommend creating a method of managing the
puppy for the first month that allows for mid-day outings for potty
breaks.
At least for the
first several months, I recommend putting the puppy crate in your
bedroom. That way, if he wakes in the middle of the night, you can say
to him, “It’s OK, we are right here, go back to sleep”. If that works,
he will go back to sleep within a few minutes. If he continues to fuss,
you should take him outside right away, and then put him directly back
in his crate when you get back indoors. A puppy just wants to sleep
within “snoring range” of his human pack-mates. If left alone in the
garage, kitchen or basement, he will not feel secure and you will not
hear him wake. Often when the puppy wakes he just wants to be reassured
that you are there. But, if he has to go outside, he should be allowed
to relieve himself rather than feel compelled to soil himself and his
bed. Most 10 week old puppies sleep through the night.
Although I have
put a time table above for illustrative purposes, I do not recommend
adhering to a highly rigid schedule. You do not want the puppy to become
so attached to your arrival home from work at exactly 5:32 PM that he
will not be able to cope with anything different. When you are late,
one day, it will be difficult for him to handle. So, waking and arrival
from home or school times can vary. But, try to not let them shift so
much that the puppy looses faith in your return or he may not hold his
desire to eliminate for your next scheduled arrival time and you will
come home to a soiled puppy in a dirty crate.
If the puppy
eliminates in his crate, take him outside and clean the puppy and the
crate thoroughly before putting him back in his crate. Do not think
that you are teaching him a lesson by making him stay in his filth.
Instead, apologize to him for your inability to get to him when he
needed you and try to reduce or eliminate situations where he cannot
wait and must soil his crate.
You will notice
that the schedule I suggest above only provides for a few, twenty to
forty minute out of crate times for a very young puppy. That is because
8-10 week old puppies require far more sleeping time than play breaks.
Most of the trouble that folks encounter with their puppies is a direct
or indirect result of sleep deprivation. Do not rely on your puppy to
tell you when he needs to sleep. By the time your puppy is twelve weeks
old, he will begin to have a higher need for play times and should be
well on his way to being house broken. Provide plenty of nap times for
the first month so that you can enjoy a well adjusted puppy from that
point onwards. Do not ask puppies (8 weeks to 10 months old) to perform
extensive or strenuous exercise. You may have noticed that I speak of
8-10 week old puppies as the youngest age you might have your puppy. I
am very strongly opposed to breeders who sell puppies before they are
7.5 to 8 weeks old. To find out why, see my page on "Puppy
Socialization". It will be far easier to housebreak a puppy that leaves
his breeder's home at eight weeks than at six weeks. That is because
the older the puppy the longer he can sleep through the night and hold
his need to eliminate during the day.
Remember that any
time your puppy is out of his crate and indoors you should 100%
supervise him. This does not mean supervise him 85% of the time, but
100%. You do not want your puppy to make a potty mistake behind a chair
in the spare bedroom and turn it into a habitual place for leaving a
little poop before you ever find it. Close doors to rooms you do not
want him to explore.
Put up baby gates
and watch them at all times. You do not want him to chew on an
electrical cord or eat something dangerous because you were not paying
attention to him. The results can be devastating. Paying absolute
attention to a puppy can be very strenuous. When you are too busy to
watch him, put the pup in his crate. You won't loose your mind and the
puppy won't get into danger or trouble.
Also, note that I
recommend that the food is removed after the puppy has had 15-30 minutes
to consume whatever he wants. This will put his digestive tract on a
schedule, so that he will eliminate on a schedule. Once you figure out
how long after he eats a meal he needs to go outdoors, it will become a
smooth transition to a completely housebroken puppy. With each passing
week, the time between a meal and the pup's need to go outdoors will
increase. I also recommend limiting access to water after the last meal
of the day so that the puppy is less likely to wake in the middle of the
night.
I do not
recommend allowing the puppy free access to his food for several
reasons. Perhaps the most important reason is that, when the food comes
directly from you instead of from a food dish on the floor, the puppy
will associate you as his leader and the person he must rely upon for
his meals and other directions. Second, he will learn how to eat his
meals all at once which lends itself to several factors. If your puppy
ever goes off his feed because he is ill, you will know it sooner and be
able to speak with the veterinarian better about changes in the pup’s
eating habits. If you travel with your dog, the fact that he is used to
eating in his crate will make the travel more comfortable for him and
you. It makes staying in a motel, a travel trailer or a tent easier.
Because he is used to eating his whole meal at one time, you will not
have to leave food out in the room or tent or your grandmother's kitchen
floor. The dog will know when and where he will be fed, so he will eat
more normally when away from home. Finally, if someone ever has to care
for your dog in your absence it will make it easier on your pup and the
care giver to be able to rely on the routine feeding schedule and
location.
For the most
part, common sense, patience and dedication to consistent, fair and
loving management will get you through the first year of your puppy’s
life. As a breeder, I am contacted most frequently by owners
who are troubled with twelve week old puppies and eight month old
puppies. I believe that the most common reason new puppy owners
begin to have trouble with twelve week old puppies is that they have not
started the puppy in a crate and they are going crazy trying to watch
the puppy at all times and they are having to clean up messes. The
puppy is racing about, chewing everything and making potty messes in the
house. When I tell them to begin using a crate or, if they do use
a crate but only when they leave the house, I give them permission to
put the puppy in the crate even when they are home or are to busy to
supervise the puppy. New owners and puppy are very happy and
things go far more smoothly.
The most common
reason that new owners contact me about their eight month old puppies is
because the pup has become completely unruly. I believe that is
because they did not provide enough structure, consistency and
boundaries to their puppy from the first day they brought it home. Just
like with human children, puppies are constantly seeking information
about the rules of the household. A puppy that has learned the rules
and boundaries and the ramifications of breaking those limits is a very
happy puppy. Start young, providing a balance between confinement and
time to explore the world safely through impeccable supervision, and you
will be off to the right start for a lifetime of joy and wonderful
companionship with your new puppy.
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