House Training your puppy: The Need for Training

If you expect your puppy to sleep in a dog bed or crate, make sure you enforce that behavior from day one. Your puppy might cry in response to separation from mother or littermates. A hot water bottle and plenty of TLC should provide some comfort. Be sure the bed or crate is located in a warm area free of drafts.  Ideally, take the crate into your bedroom at night.  Many a night a crate resides on our bed right by my head.

Some people do not mind having their dog on the couch. For other people, a pet on the furniture would be an intolerable nuisance. Decide now what your household policy will be and enforce this from the start.  You must be consistent with any policy. Again, never hit. Never use a crate as punishment, think that the puppy wants to be with you, so if you don't want the puppy on the furniture get on the floor with him!  Remember, never let the puppy jump down off the couch or stool... broken legs make it hard to potty train!

The same holds true for begging at the table, jumping on people, and other objectionable behaviors. If you don't want your puppy to learn any of these habits, make sure your rules are obeyed from the beginning.  Be firm, consistent and kind. 

Housebreaking: the Direct Method

Teaching your puppy where you expect him or her to go to the bathroom is probably the most critical part of training. A dog that is not properly housebroken frequently ends up relegated to the backyard or the animal shelter, garage, basement or crate. 

Toy breeds are so easy to carry outside that people tend to do this, instead of teaching the puppy to go to the door and ask to go out.  Be very careful that you walk the puppy to the door and outside to the appropriate spot to relieve themselves.  (once their bladders get big enough to wait that long)

The best and most reliable way to house train your puppy is to provide frequent opportunity to eliminate in an appropriate place and to reward this behavior immediately as it occurs. To do this, walk your puppy on a leash at regular intervals (at least every 2-4 hours).

The direct house-training method requires you to be nearby and to start good lifetime habits from the beginning. Other methods may seem easier and may appear to demand less initial investment of time. The direct training method, however, is sure to save you time and energy in the long run. Climate and time play a big role here, as it's pretty difficult to take a tiny toy baby outside in -20 weather.  You have some decisions to make, and plans to carry out.  Don't wait until you are staring at a mess to do this... make your decisons and plans before you take a trusting little life into your care.

Puppies require more frequent walks/outings until they are able to reliably control sphincters. This usually occurs by six months of age. The best method of house training is to take your puppy out within several minutes after each meal, after each nap, and after playing. These are predictable moments during the day when bowel and bladder are most full.

A wave of rhythmic contractions along the length of the digestive tract (the gastrocolic reflex) begins when food or water is swallowed. The contractions are particularly strong after eating, which explains why a bowel movement is so likely after a puppy eats. Feed your puppy at scheduled mealtimes and avoid snacks between feedings. The gastrocolic reflex may be conditioned by feeding your puppy at regular intervals.

If your pup is initially afraid of the leash, leave the leash on indoors for brief periods without holding onto it. When the pup becomes more accustomed to the collar and leash, take the pup for brief leash walks indoors before graduating to walks outside. Daily leash walks throughout a dog's life help maintain good elimination habits.

When the pup prepares to eliminate, begin using a key word or phrase which he will soon associate with elimination (like "hurry up" or "do it"). Use a happy and light tone of voice. . This teaches the pup to void on command so that you won't freeze unnecessarily on a cold winter night while the pup leisurely looks for just the right spot. Praise immediately once the task is completed. Immediate encouragement is necessary for your pup to associate praise with elimination outside.

Paper Training: works, but may not be “Fool proof” 

Paper training encourages the pup to eliminate on newspapers spread over the floor in a designated area of the home. Restrict access to a small area, and gradually increase freedom as accuracy and consistency at paper training increase.  There are draw backs to paper training.  It can lead to several problems. The first is that you may confuse your pup by teaching him twice what he need learn only once. When, and if, the pup has learned to void on the newspapers, he must then be retrained to eliminate outside.

The second problem with paper training is that you may unintentionally teach your pup that it is acceptable to eliminate inside your home. Though some puppies stay on the paper, many more "miss" the boundaries set for them. You may think your pup clearly understands that he should void on paper. Instead, he may learn that it is acceptable to eliminate anywhere in that room and may begin soiling in a variety of unacceptable areas in your home. Some owners of small-breed dogs prefer to continue paper training throughout the pet's lifetime, but this should not replace daily walks.  We paper train and have outdoor access as well, but, paper training is rarely 100% accurate.  For our part, we feel, when we have an accident, at least it’s a small accident!

House Training: Crate Training

We recommend crate training, but, be clear, as an aid to housetraining only, it is not appropriate to live in a crate.  We will not knowingly allow one of our babies to be placed in a home where they spend their days in a crate.  Left in a crate for 8 hours to a small dog is cruel and there is no excuse for such lack of care. That said, crate training is an effective method of housetraining. In addition, it teaches your dog that the crate is his special place away from any stress present in the "outside world".

Begin by selecting a crate that will accommodate your dog at his anticipated adult size. Your (adult) dog should be able to comfortably stand and turn to change positions in his crate.  Consult with your breeder about the size of crate you will need.

To introduce your dog to the crate, we start here, and all our puppies have a crate with the door off of it, that they have access to sleep and play in.  We place a soft blanket inside, perhaps some toys, and put the whole thing in the enclosure the puppies are in.  Puppys naturally like to sleep in a “safe spot” and the crate meets those needs.  If a puppy cries at night, often we put our fingers in the crate and reassure him, sometimes we speak firmly, or reassure the puppy verbally, a hot water bottle if the puppy is very small, or a stuffed animal sometimes works.  Be consistent, and your puppy will adjust.  Use soft bedding, and play with your pup during the day tossing favorite toys and treats into the crate. Say "crate" or some other word for the puppy to begin associate with going to bed.  Never play when you take the puppy out of the crate, always go straight to the elimination area, and back to bed at night or your puppy will soon figure out the middle of the night is a great time to play!

Do not place food and water in the crate.  This is not where your puppy lives. You are using this crate as an aid to house breaking, not as a permanent housing for your puppy.  This also decreases the likelihood that your dog will soil inside the cage.

Immediately after opening the crate, carry your puppy directly outside to the area you want to be used as the bathroom, and set him down. In all likelihood he will go to the bathroom right away. Praise him lavishly. Once he’s bigger you can let him walk outside, but in the beginning carry him as he’ll make it two feet and piddle right there!

The crate is your dog's special place where he must never be disturbed or threatened. The crate must not be linked with punishment or your dog will avoid it. Encourage him to use the crate as a resting place. When the pup is ready to nap, place him in the crate with a favorite toy or treat. Never place your pup in the crate or try to remove it from the crate when you are angry. Do not reach in and pull your dog out of his crate.  We have special toys we reserve just for the crate (we use cow hooves) and puppies love to chew and usually fall asleep doing so.

Some pups do not tolerate crate training initially, becoming very agitated and excessively vocal for long periods of time.  Individual pups have individual personalities.  Consult the breeder if you are having problems.  Perhaps you have to let the pup fall asleep in your arms initially.  Your breeder will help you.  If your puppy soils his crate clean it well, disinfect, and new blankets.  Don’t scold the puppy, you should have been there and taken him out.