House Train Puppy - 3 Methods Reviewed

You can house train your puppy using many different methods. Here are 3 proven methods that work and you can decide which one fits your lifestyle best.
How to house train puppy is one of the most often asked questions of new and prospective owners of puppies. Many fear that they will not know what to do or will cause harm to their new family member by imposing discipline to such a young and vulnerable creature.

Although house training a puppy can be challenging, most people do just fine and their puppy's life is not scarred by the experience. It seems that there are many housebreaking methods put forth by various experts. This article will concentrate on 3 proven methods and you can decide which one will work best for you.

House Train Puppy - Paper/Pad Method

The paper/pad method of house training a puppy involves putting down on the floor newspaper or a specially scented pad that puppies are attracted to. This method requires that you keep an eye on your pup and when he starts his "pre-potty behavior" such as walking around sniffing the floor, you quickly pick him up and put him on the paper/pad. When the puppy successfully urinates or defecates on the paper/pad you praise him for his good job.

Soon the puppy will be going on the paper/pad all by his own volition. The paper/pad is then moved close to a door and eventually outside the house. When it is time to potty the pup will want to go outside on to the paper/pad. Eventually, the paper/pad is completely eliminated and the puppy will start to find a favorite spot on the ground to perform his duties.

House Train Puppy - Crate/Cage Method

The crate/cage method involves the purchase of a crate/cage that is just large enough for the puppy to lie down in. Since most puppies will not soil the place where they have to sleep, they learn to hold their bowels until they are let out of the crate/cage and put outside to go potty.

This type of house training requires that the puppy be placed in the crate/cage anytime the owner cannot directly watch the puppy. The puppy learns to hold his bowels longer than he "thought" he could and this is exactly the point of using the crate/cage. It is important not to leave the puppy too long in the crate/cage but just long enough to teach him that he should only go potty when he is let out and taken outside.

House Train Puppy - Constant Supervision Method

This method is the most difficult of the three to manage unless you are retired or have unlimited time to spend with your new puppy. You must constantly supervise your puppy and when he begins to exhibit pre-potty behavior" you must scoop him up and take him outside where he will then potty.

The constant supervision method can be successful but it is prone to having the puppy occasionally "make accidents" because of inattention of the owner. This method can also be stressful because it requires hyper-vigilance on the part of the owner to watch every little behavior of the puppy. However, the constant supervision method can be very rewarding because an owner is so keenly aware of their puppy's behavior that a close bond is developed.

To learn other methods to house train a puppy and learn things related to training puppies and dogs, including behavior problems, from an expert in the field, please visit: http://www.PuppyDogBehavior.com

By Anthony Pace
Published: 8/19/2008
 
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