Puppy Potty Training

The arrival of a little puppy in your household is not just a matter of great joy but is associated with a number of responsibilities as well. While swooning over the cute puppy is alright but cleaning up after them can be quite a painful affair. So rather than stocking up the old newspapers, start with some puppy potty training to eliminate the problems of your new puppy ruining your carpets and even your favorite rug. Here are some puppy house training tips to help you on your way.

Puppy Potty Training Techniques

Puppy Potty Training Age and How Long
Well, when you are training puppies, it is important for you to establish the time when you should start the process. This should be determined keeping in mind the capabilities of the puppy. So rather than hitting your puppy each time it eliminates in the house, establish a proper puppy potty training schedule. The right age for potty training puppies is seven to eight weeks approximately. Remember that not all puppies are born equal so each would require its own time to be trained.

Read the Clues
The first step in the potty training process should start with you understanding the clues that indicate that the pup needs to eliminate. Restlessness, sniffing around the place and digging the floor are some of the indications of your pup wanting to go to the toilet. You may observe these signs after the fifteen to twenty minutes after the pup has eaten or slept. It is essential that you take the pup out first thing in the morning, after eating and at night.

Choose a Spot
For potty training dogs, take it outside to a selected spot each time your pup wants to eliminate. Remember that once you reach the spot, do not play around with the dog, but rather allow it to finish its job.

Using Verbal Cues
Teaching your dog verbal commands like "outside" helps it understand that it needs to go out to eliminate. So if you see him eliminating in an inappropriate area inside the house, use a firm tone to say the command "outside". This will startle the dog and make it stop eliminating in the house. Once your puppy does that praise it and take it outside to finish eliminating. Some people hang bells to the door, so each time the dog would catch the jingling of the bell, it would know that it is time to go out. Read more on puppy training tips.

Praise is the Key
As soon as the puppy eliminates in the spot chosen for it, praise it enthusiastically and give it a small treat. This helps in reinforcing the behavior. Read more on house training a puppy.

Puppy Crate Training
Keeping the pup in confined closed spaces during the training process allows you to keep a close watch on the puppy while avoiding the chances of accidents at home. Remember that a young dog cannot be confined in kennels and crates for more than two hours at a stretch. If crate training is not a feasible option for you, then you might consider putting the puppy on leash. Read more on crate training puppies at night.

Accidents do Happen
Despite all your attempts, accidents will happen. If you catch the dog eliminating in the house then you can stop it by startling the dog with an "Outside" command. However, if the dog has eliminated in your absence then instead of scolding the dog and rubbing its nose in it will not help. Instead clean up the area thoroughly and rub some vinegar on the spot. Apparently it smells like the urine of another dog and will keep the dog from approaching the same area.

Read more on:

• Puppy Potty Training Techniques
• How to Housebreak a Puppy
• Puppy Potty Training Problems

Remember that puppy potty training is hardly an instantaneous process. With consistency and a degree of patience, the puppy will start getting a hang of the process. So good luck and stay calm!