Dogs are Creatures of Habit. They will believe in the world that you show them, so be careful what you teach them. Consistency and routine are the most important parts of housebreaking. Utilizing a crate or kennel for your puppy can help predict elimination, and prevent accidents.

The cleaner the area the puppy was kept in before he or she arrives at your home, the easier it seems to train a puppy not to soil in your house. If you know the routine and key words the breeder used, using the same thing after you bring the puppy home can make training your puppy easier.

Choose words like “outside” to signal your dog it is time to go out. Tell them to go “potty” when they are sniffing or circling in the correct area where you want to eliminate. Young puppies should be taken on leash to the area of the yard you wish for them to use as the potty area. Once the puppy has done his business, then allow the puppy to play in the yard or go in the house to play. Don’t engage in play with your dog until he has taken care of eliminating!

A good rule of thumb: for each month of age of your puppy, you can expect them to be able to “hold it” for one hour, plus one. A four-month-old puppy should be able to wait about five hours before having to go outside.

Paper training is an option, however some puppies see a newspaper casually dropped on the floor next to your favorite chair and use it to relieve themselves. We prefer teaching puppies to use elimination pads. The pads are scented to attract the puppy and the plastic backing helps to keep the urine from soaking the area under the pads. Be aware that while the front end of the puppy can be on the pad, the business end may not be. Make sure and place the pads in an area that is convenient, but also easy to clean. The pads allow the puppy to relieve itself indoors, however make sure to keep the area clean and sanitized so the puppy doesn’t get used to living with a mess. Litter boxes filled special puppy litter, wood shavings/dust can be used as long-term solution if your work schedule does not allow you to go home on a regular schedule to let your dog out. If you choose to use cedar shavings for the potty area, do not expect your dog to know the difference between the potty area and your cedar lined closet or the new cedar filled bed you purchased.

You should still strive for house training even if you use the pads or litter box.

We strongly believe in crate training. Most dogs that are crate trained do not have to live their entire life in a crate. By allowing the dog to earn freedom when you are home you will be able to gauge when the time is right to allow the dog more freedom when you are away from the home. Slowly increase the puppy’s access to small areas of the home near the crate, by using baby gates or other confinement measures.

Puppies should be placed in the crate and then given a treat. Some reluctant puppies are easier to place in the crate backward. Some puppies will readily go into the crate after a cookie is tossed into the crate. Praise the puppy when it is in the crate, not when it comes out.

By placing the crate near your bed, you will be able to correct the puppy easily at nighttime. If possible, move the crate to an area of the house where the family hangs out so that the pup is not isolated when the family is active.

DO NOT TAKE THE PUPPY OUT OF THE CRATE WHEN IT IS WHINING!

Correct whining in the crate should be corrected with verbal “shhhhh” or “annnhhh”. You may also distract the puppy by sticking your fingers into the crate. If the whining continues, the correction will increase. Start by rattling the crate door and saying “annnhhh.” If the whining continues, rock the side of the crate or thump the top of the crate. A spray bottle set to “stream” may be squirted into the crate. Or rattle a can filled with coins to distract the puppy. When the puppy is quiet, only then does he get out of the crate.

A radio or television can be useful. The sound of a human voice is comforting to the puppy and block outside noises.

7 a.m. - Let puppy out of crate and take outside. Wait until puppy does business using key words like “go potty.” This is not playtime.

7:15 a.m. - Feed and water puppy

7:30 a.m. - take up any remaining food and play with puppy.

7:45 a.m. - Take puppy outside to go potty.

8:00 a.m. - Put puppy in crate and leave for work.

Between Noon-2 p.m. - Let puppy out of crate and take outside. Give drink and small snack and return puppy to crate and go back to work. You may have to take puppy outside a second time before returning to crate.

5:15 p.m. - Return from work, take puppy outside. Feed and water puppy. Take outside.

5:30 to 10 p.m. - Play with puppy and make frequent trips outside. Play with your puppy.

One hour before bedtime give light meal/snack and allow the puppy to drink. Then take up the water.

Just before bedtime take puppy outside to do business, then put puppy in crate.

KONGs are useful with puppies left alone in a crate. They can be filled with a variety of treats or left empty. Many puppies enjoy chewing and playing with the rubber toy. When properly sized, they are one of the safest toys for unattended puppies.

We recommend not leaving collars on puppies when they are unattended in a crate. Puppies may become tangled or snag the collar in the crate creating a risk of strangling.

Bedding is not recommend for use with unattended puppies in crates. Some puppies will chew and eat a large amount of bedding when they are going through teething. If you choose to use bedding in the crate, choose something that is easily washable and that is inexpensive. Pillows with stuffing are not recommended. Only through trial and error with bedding when you can supervise your puppy will you know if your dog will terminate the bedding.