Housetraining Tips For the Puppy Who Doesn't Get It

Sometimes, no matter what you do, your puppy will struggle to become potty trained. Maybe you did everything right (and maybe you didn't) but either way, your puppy is still making messes all over your nice, clean floors. If that's the case, here are some valuable tips for potty training a puppy who doesn't seem to get it.

First, let's make sure that you originally trained your puppy the best way possible. Potty training your puppy should only take a few weeks to establish a routine that your puppy understands, as long as you are consistent and committed, and prepared to train your pet no matter what. If your puppy has already been taught bad habits, it will take significantly longer for you to first break the puppy's bad habits, and then train it new ones. So let's start at the very beginning.

As unlikely as it may seem, one of the main problems your puppy may be having with potty training could be…you. If you and your puppy aren't communicating well, your puppy won't seem to be getting the hang of being potty trained. But this is not your puppy's fault. You need to learn the basics of potty training before you can possibly expect your puppy to obey you. Here are a few generalities that you should know about potty training your puppy.

1.Be realistic. You puppy isn't going to just know this stuff. You're dealing with a very young animal. Imagine trying to potty train a 16 month old child who doesn't speak your language. That's what it's like to potty train your puppy.

2.Supervise your puppy whenever possible. It should be your goal to prevent the messy mistakes that can embarrass and set back your puppy.

3.Obviously you can't supervise your puppy at all times. In these situations, you must confine your puppy. Puppies cannot simply have a free run of the house until they've learned to control themselves.

4.Create good toileting habits in your puppy as early as possible. It's much easier to do that than trying to correct an established problem.

5.Pick a spot where you want your dog to eliminate and stick to it. You must be consistent if you expect your puppy to be.

6.Always encourage and reward desirable behavior. When your puppy relieves himself in the correct place, praise him. Play with your puppy for a few minutes or give him a puppy treat.

7.Punishment does not help the housebreaking process. It will only make your puppy fear you, possibly even to the point of making messes in the house because he is terrified.

8.Realize that there will be mistakes along the way. You puppy is just learning and won't pick it up in one try. Just be sure that you clean up any messes very thoroughly. Spray any areas that your puppy messes in with an odor-eliminating cleaner. Then make sure that it doesn't happen again (by supervising or confining your puppy).

9.Develop a feeding schedule and stick to a puppy housetraining routine. It should be easy for you and your puppy to maintain. It's usually best to schedule feeding times, followed by a trip outside to your puppy's special "spot."

Following these steps will make it easy for your puppy to succeed. They're not difficult but only require a bit of effort on your part. And after all, you chose your puppy because you love him. Isn't it worth the time and effort? You'll find that it is. And if, after following these 9 steps, your puppy is still struggling to become potty trained, you may want to try alternative potty training methods. Consider consulting a dog training professional for further ideas.

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