Housebreaking can be done with most puppies in three to six weeks depending on the size of the dog, with the proper training. It is the owner’s responsibility to pay attention and successfully train their puppy rather than expecting the puppy to automatically understand that they should signal to the owner and eliminate outside. For the most part, dogs wish to keep their space clean. The biological mother teaches this trait.

Puppies are born both blind and deaf, but have their sense of smell and touch at birth. In addition, the mother dog licks the puppies to stimulate elimination since the puppies have no control over their bladder or bowel at this young age. If the mother didn’t stimulate the puppies to eliminate, they would die from internal infections. As the mother stimulates elimination, she cleans up after them. At roughly three to three and a half weeks of age, the puppies begin eating some solid foods and eliminating on their own. When the puppies are six weeks of age, the mother is tired of cleaning up after them and begins to correct them for eliminating in her space. As she corrects the puppies, she bites them quickly and firmly on the scruff of the neck, the muzzle, or maybe an ear. The puppy yelps and leaves the mother, only to return a couple of minutes later to a clean space and a content mother. She holds no grudges, and the puppy learns what is expected of him.

Typically, puppies go to their new homes and start off on the right foot remembering what the biological mother taught them. Week two or three, the housebreaking problems really develop as the humans are not communicating with the puppy like the mother dog would. Housebreaking a new puppy is tiring, but if the first six weeks of training are consistent and regulated, the puppy should understand to eliminate outside.

Tips:

• Keep the puppy tied to you with a leash at all times until completely housebroken.

• Don’t make excuses about why you can’t do that.

• Use your puppy crate for breaks.

• Correct mistakes, and praise for success.

• Don’t give freedom until you are 100% sure there will be no accidents.

• If the puppy is making mistakes, accept responsibility and move forward.

• There are more training techniques to housebreaking, and different tips for harder cases.

Alexandra Wright

© 2005 Alexandra Wright. All Rights Reserved.