Housebreaking Hints

Most new dog owners look forward to housebreaking their dog as eagerly as they look forward to a root canal, but with a lot of patience and understanding this important step in dog ownership can be successful without being a nightmare.

The amount of time it will take to housebreak your dog will depend on the dog himself, just be patient and keep in mind that he is not smelling up your house on purpose. Often it takes young puppies a while to gain the muscle control to hold it in. The secret to housebreaking - as with all training - is consistency and repetition. Remember, there has never been a dog that could not be housetrained.

General Hints:
There are some basic principles or guidelines you should follow no matter which method of training you are using.

• Probably the most important rule to remember is positive reinforcement. Every time your dog goes where he's supposed to, lavish him with praise.
• Only punish your dog when you catch him in the act. Punishing after the fact will be futile and may even hinder the training process.
• Take your dog outside as soon as possible after naps, meals or play sessions.
• Get your dog on a regular feeding schedule
• Take away his water dish at night
• Learn to recognize your dog's signals that he needs to go out. For example, many dogs will sniff the floor and walk in circles when they need to go.