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Housetraining Tips
* Have your puppy on a feeding schedule. Two to Three smaller meals a day. By having a feeding schedule you can predict when your puppy will need to eliminate (generally about 20 minutes after eating)
*Take your puppy out as soon as he wakes up, before he goes to bed, after he eats or drinks and after playtimes
*Take away the water bowl one hour before bedtime.
*Pick a spot in your yard that will be your dog's toilet area. Having a designated spot to do his business will help remind your puppy why he is outside.
*When you think your puppy needs to eliminate bring him to his area on a leash. You want your puppy on a leash so you can restrict his movement and prevent him from wondering off and becoming distracted by other sights and smells. You don't want to send your puppy outside without you because then you won't know if he did his job or not.
*When you reach the designated spot in your yard say your potty phrase a few times quietly. Your phrase might be "Hurry Up", "Go Potty", "Do your business" etc. Only say it a couple of times and then be quiet. You don't want to distract your puppy with constant chatter.
*When your puppy eliminates praise quietly. If you are going to give your puppy a treat, give it to him as soon as he finishes. Don't wait until you are back in the house to give him a cookie. If you reward inside you are rewarding your puppy for following you into the house, not for eliminating in the yard.
*If your puppy does nothing and you are pretty sure he needs to potty, bring him back in the house and kennel him for 10 to 15 minutes. Bring him back to his spot and try again after the short kennel break. Do not give a puppy freedom in your house if he did not do his business while outside. If you go back inside and let your dog loose when he has done nothing outside, he likely will find a nice spot on your carpet to eliminate.
*If your puppy has an accident in the house, even if you see him eliminate on your carpet right in front of you, do nothing! If you scold your puppy, there is a good chance your puppy will learn that going to the bathroom in front of you is a bad thing to do. Then when you bring your puppy outside to potty he will refuse to eliminate in front of you because he was punished for it before. Your puppy will then take the next opportunity he gets to hide in your house and do his business out of site (behind couches, under beds, in the basement).
*Supervise your puppy carefully. It is your responsibility to help your dog form good habits. The more your puppy can practice doing his business outside the stronger that habit will be. Prevent your puppy from practising the habit of eliminating inside by bringing him outside frequently.
*BE PATIENT! Housetraining takes many many weeks. Do not expect to to have a housetrained puppy in a week or less. For many puppies housetraining will take a month or longer. Puppies all develop physically at different rates and your puppy might not physically be able to hold his bladder as long as your friend's puppy. Be consistent and your hard work will pay off! | 
