Housebreaking

The basic rules to remember are:

• A dog needs to relieve himself after he eats, after he drinks, when he wakes up, after extensive playing (especially chewing), and after a trip in the car.

• For a dog to learn anything through reward or correction, this reward or correction must come WHILE he is having the wanted or unwanted behavior. In other words, punishing the dog for having accidentally soiled the carpet during your absence will be absolutely useless, and can result in far greater problems.

You must catch him in the act or ignore it!

If it is a new puppy that you bring home, it will be easy to housetrain him. However, if it is a dog with a bad habit already, it will require more time and patience. Here are some ideas which will help:

• Feed always at the same time and the same balanced diet. No snacks or scraps from the table. This way, you will be able to predict when he will need to go. Dogs usually need to go 15 minutes to 1 hour after they eat, and you need to remember that many dogs go twice within a short period of time. It normally takes 8 to 12 hours for a dog to eliminate what it eats.

• Leave the dog outside for one hour after feeding him his meal, and 10 to 15 minutes after he goes out to drink.

• If the dog lives inside, take him out to drink every 3 hours, and every 2 hours if it is a puppy or very warm inside. Remember to leave him outside for 10 to 15 minutes.

• If you leave the house with the dog inside, or if you live in an apartment, take the dog outside just before leaving and immediately upon returning. In fact, for dogs living in an apartment, it is best to water them only in the morning and in the evening.

• If you see the dog eliminating in the back yard when you put him out, Praise him verbally.

• If the dog has an accident in the house and you see him do it, scold him by giving a sharp "NO!", and take him outside immediately, wait a while, and praise him when he does "it" outside.

• Clean up the accident when the dog cannot see you. Use a solution of 25% white vinegar and 75% water, (This should be safe for your carpet, but try it in an inconspicuous spot first!) or use "Odormute" which can be purchased in pet stores.

• If the dog sleeps inside, withdraw food and water two hours before retiring for the night. Then take the dog out just before retiring for the night and again as soon as you get up in the morning. Of course, he must be crated or on a short leash for the night.

Following these simple directions will make housebreaking your new dog much simpler and easier, but it will still require some time, patience and effort from you.

Every pup is different and you have to go with the flow, some are more mellow and other are more holy terror's. . Here is some information that may help you. But I really recommend you get the Book the Art of raising puppy! By the MONKS OF NEW SKETE.