Just like a newborn baby your puppy will need your constant attention and care. One of the most important challenges that you are going to face is housebreaking your new pet. Making your puppy accident free is the first milestone in the time line of upbringing the newest member of your family.
Think of your puppy as you would a new born baby. The puppy just like the baby doesn’t understand the importance of relieving themselves in the proper place. The do however know that they do not want to dirty their sleeping or eating area. You have to remember that at first the puppy is going to have accidents, for the same reason that you don’t potty train a baby as soon as they are born, they can not comprehend the skill that you are trying to teach them.
The most important thing that you need to do before you start to train the puppy is to realize that you are the boss and that you are going to set the rules. Choose the spot that will be designated as the puppy’s bathroom area. Assigning the area and sticking with it will save your yard when the puppy becomes a full grown dog. Once you have chosen that spot it is very important that the puppy is reintroduced to it at least once an hour.
Make special trips if your puppy has just woke up from a nap, or has been eating or drinking. Pay attention to the puppy if it is wondering around with it’s head down and sniffing at the floor, there is a very good chance that it is looking for a place that it can relieve itself. Try making a bathroom schedule for you and your puppy. Make sure when it is potty time that you take your puppy to the spot and tell it in a stern voice that it is “potty time”. Using the same training words each time you take your puppy to the bathroom will help it understand what you are expecting from it.
In a perfect world you would be there with your new puppy 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. In the real world however, there will be a lot of times throughout the day that you will be gone. It is very important that you keep the puppy in a crate.
First off, crate is not a bad word. Not only will it help ensure that your puppy does not have an accident on your floor, it will also help to keep your puppy secure and out of harms way. As far as the accident avoidance in the crate, make sure that your puppy sleeps in the crate every night. Soon the puppy will realize that the crate is a place for sleeping and by instinct a puppy will not go to the bathroom anywhere near where they sleep.
Remember to be patient and that accidents do occur. Most accidents are the fault of the owner and not the puppy. If you keep a close eye on your puppy, walking here on schedule and make sure that anytime you have to be away from the puppy that it is in the crate, then your puppy will remain accident free. Enjoy every moment that you have with your puppy; this is one of the hardest stages you will face with them, which by definition also makes it one of the most rewarding when you conquer it together.
