The question that comes up all the time is “How do I housebreak my dog or puppy?” Whether it is a new puppy or a new adult dog you are bringing into the house, it’s all about leadership and consistency. This is one of the top behaviors that causes anxiety in the house as well as being high on the list why dogs are surrendered. Because of this it is also one of the few things I use treats for. Probably the two biggest mistakes are that people think that the dog naturally associates with going outside with going to the bathroom. The other is giving the dog a treat when they come in the door. Personally, I like to condition dog to immediately potty upon walking out the door. Sort of like making the kids go before getting in the car.
Here are the keys to successful house training-
The Treat– use something high value like a piece of cheese or hotdog. Don’t come at them with some dry dog biscuit. Take the treat outside with you.
The Leash– take them out on a short lead, we recommend the Immediate Correction lead, but NEVER a retractable lead.
The Spot– The most important thing is that you confine their “sniffing” area to a small space. No bigger than 6 X 6. Dogs, especially puppies, get distracted in new areas and overwhelmed with too much space and too many smells. Once they are completely housebroken, you can let them explore.
Tip- if you already have a dog, take them out and encourage them to use the spot. This will encourage the new dog to “sign the guest book”.
The Ritual- Whether it is getting up in the morning, after eating or drinking, or before going to bed, we all have rituals, and need to create these for the dog. With pups you can add in after playing, after a nap, well pretty much all the time until their bladders catch up.
- Put on the leash and say “OUT” as you carry or walk them to the spot. Have the treat in your pocket.
- Once they are in the spot, let them sniff around for no longer than 5 minutes, as you stand still, if they don’t go, take them back inside as you say “IN”. Either put them in a crate or keep them within eyesight so they don’t go in the house. Every time they do, it is a setback. In my experience, saying anything to them only encourages them to hide when they go.
- If they do go while you are out, as soon as they start say “potty”. When they are done, give them tons of praise and the treat. You cannot over praise this.
So, the ritual is OUT-POTTY-PRAISE-IN. Be sure to give the treat outside after the potty and not in the house. This is a very common mistake, and the dog thinks the treat is for coming inside. This is very simple, but it’s not easy because it is all about consistency. Do it by the numbers for a week and see what progress you make. The more they use that spot the faster they will become, and less for you to clean up.
It comes down to this. If I showed, you three port-a-pottys and said every time you use the first one, I will give you $20, but nothing if you use the other two, which one are you gonna use?
When you couple command, outside, relief, praise, and high value treat you will get fast results.