7 simple steps to house training your puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is such an exciting moment and one you’ll never forget! There’s a lot to learn but one thing you’ll want to teach them as soon as possible is house training. House training your puppy is about consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement. The goal is to instill good habits and build a loving bond with your growing puppy.

It’s not a quick process and can take a few months to fully house train your puppy, so be prepared, it’s not an overnight transformation. In the early stages, if possible, start using your garden before migrating to frequent walks when you’re puppy is old enough. Eventually your puppy will learn that they should ‘go’ outside, not in the house or garden.

Here’s our 7 tips for house training success

Stay with your puppy

Where possible keep your puppy with you at all times during toilet training. If you can’t watch closely and attentively, consider crate training or using a playpen, the laundry or the bathroom as a safe den.

Take your puppy out regularly

Repetition and consistency is key. At first, take your puppy out frequently, every hour is ideal and should help reduce accidents in the house. The more occasions you have that you can reward the appropriate behaviour, the quicker your puppy will ‘get it’.

• Take your puppy out first thing in the morning and then once every 30 minutes to an hour.
• Always take your puppy outside after meals or when they wake from a nap. Make sure they go out last thing at night and before they are left alone.
• Be patient and consistent and avoid punishment. Punishing your puppy after an accident will not teach them anything, except that you are to be feared. If an accident happens, move on and try to take your puppy out more frequently.

Regular feeding

Keep to a regular feeding schedule and routine, and take away their food between meals.

Recognize the signs

You’ll soon start to recognize the signs when your puppy needs to go to the toilet. Typically puppies and dogs become fidgety, often sniffing around looking for a suitable place to go. Be particularly vigilant after naps and feeding, as noticing toilet signs and taking your puppy outside will reduce accidents in the house.

Go to the same place

Take your puppy to the same spot each time to do their business. Their own scent will prompt them to go. It is also essential that you go outside with your puppy as this is your opportunity for positive praise, telling them this is the correct place to go and rewarding them with a treat. Once they’ve been to the toilet don’t head back, walk around a bit longer to ensure your puppy doesn’t learn that going to the loo outside means the end of playtime!

Gradually cut down on your hourly outings

If after a few minutes your puppy is showing no signs of going, take them back inside. As you learn your puppy’s toilet routine you will be able to cut down on your hourly outings to the garden and focus on quality rather than quantity.

Praise

When your puppy goes to the toilet outside, praise them, give them a treat and play a game – Positive reinforcements is key for all aspects of puppy training.

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