Okay, you’ve brought home that precious, oh-so-cute puppy…and now you’ve got to teach him how to live in your world…but where’s the training manual?

The bad news is, they don’t come with one…and house training puppies is work. But the good news is, training them is still fun and rewarding too!...so let's get started.

To begin with, have the right expectations.

Your puppy simply won’t be able to control himself very well for 3 months or more…and it will be another 3 months or more after that before he’ll have full control of his bladder…so understand straight off that you’ll be working with him for that long…pace yourself.

Routine, Routine, Routine!

Your best partner in house training your puppy is to set up and stick to a feeding and watering schedule…feed and water him at the same times every day – no exceptions…no snacks in between; no special treats…in this way your pup’s body will automatically respond to the schedule and become predictable…this will help you immensely with your house training.

Observation is the key.

Now that he’s on a schedule, you’ll find out that your little guy will need to “go” shortly after each feeding session, shortly after each watering session, and probably every 45 to 90 minutes in between each of those sessions…every day. Observe him closely and discover what his body language is when he needs to relieve himself.

Don’t leave him unattended if you can help it, but if you must leave him alone, confine him to a single (always the same) space. Make sure a large part of that space is covered with newspapers too (about 3 sheets thick).

When he uses the papers, clean up the mess and replace the papers…but place one of the soiled papers right in the middle of the new batch…this will help build the “here is where I go” idea in his brain. Over time (weeks not days) his “aim” will improve and you’ll be able to reduce the papered area to maybe just a single sheet.

Now what?

Okay, you’re beginning to know your pooch like the back of your hand, so when you see the signs that he has to go, put him on a leash and take him outside to the place you want him to use. Make this the same place every time; don’t switch it around on him. Be patient and when he finally “goes,” make sure to give him a lot of praise and strokes…you want him to associate that praise with his actions so his little doggie brain will remember “Go Outside = Good Stuff!”

But what if he has an accident?

If he goes “where no dog has gone before,” immediately, make eye contact with him and correct him with a firm “No” then lead him to the place you want him to use (either outside or his “papers”).

But you must remember (and I can’t emphasize this enough) you can only do this if you catch him in the act…if it’s any later, even just seconds later, your correction won’t work, he won’t make the connection you want…in fact, it will have a negative impact…so, if that’s the case, you’ll just have to be more vigilant and catch him the next time.

But once the deed is done, clean up the mess completely and remove the odor completely too, because it will be the smell that brings him back to that spot for a return visit.

Last but not least.

Keep in mind that this will take time…we’re talking weeks here (I did say that house training puppies was work didn’t I?)…some dogs will be able to control themselves sooner than others and some will learn what you want from them sooner than others. If you want to be successful in the shortest amount of time, it’s up to you to be persistent and consistent so your buddy has the best chance to learn.

I hope this helps a bit…thanks for reading.

Did you know that house training puppies is just the first training step owners need to take? Need help taking the next steps? Then check out AlexionReviews.com.