Crate Training – The Perfect Way To Housebreak A Dog

A common gift for the holidays is a brand new puppy. A cute bundle of fluff in a basket with a brightly colored ribbon its head is something few people can turn down, and generates smiles from anyone who sees it. With this new little member of the family, however, come a few responsibilities. The first thing to do when you have a new puppy, of course, is to potty train it – even the cutest puppy will soon stop being such a pleasure if you’re constantly having to clean up after it. Fortunately, potty training doesn’t have to be difficult, and there is one method that makes it exceedingly simple, called crate training. With crate training, you can cut down greatly on the amount of accidents that you have to clean up, and achieve a house-friendly puppy in no time.

For starters, you need to buy a crate for your puppy. This crate is going to serve as his den. Dogs naturally avoid using the bathroom in their dens, so this gives you a place where you can start potty training on an instinctive level. The size of the crate needs to be large enough for him to stand and turn around comfortably, but should not give him very much room to move around. If the crate is too large, your puppy will not have a problem using the bathroom in it, and its functionality is defeated. It is in the crate that you will keep him at nights while you sleep or when you are out of the house and can’t tend to him. This gets him used to being in a crate, keeps him safe and out of trouble while you are gone, and most importantly keeps him from using the bathroom unsupervised inside the house.

Our next step is making sure that you get your puppy used to using the bathroom only when he’s outside. As soon as you ever let your puppy outside of his crate, you immediately rush him outside. – As soon as he goes to the bathroom, shower him in praise and keep a couple treats on you to give him as well! This will condition your puppy to know that he’s only supposed to go outside. Make sure that every time you let your dog out of the crate to take him outside. – You have got to be extremely consistent, this makes the learning process much easier and faster for your new puppy.

It would be foolish to think that any method for house-training a puppy could keep a puppy from ever having accidents, and you need to be prepared for these. Sooner or later, and more than on one occasion, your puppy is going to use the bathroom inside. It’s important that you catch him in the act, and immediately scold him for it. Avoid punishing him if you simply find his accident later – doing so will probably only confuse him, as he won’t really be able to tell exactly why he’s being punished. When you find him in the act, immediately usher him out the door and into the yard, and if he continues what he started outside, go ahead and give him praise for that. The whole point here is that you have to communicate to him that using the bathroom inside is not allowed. He should already be aware that going outside is good, and establishing this last piece to the puzzle for him shouldn’t be too difficult.

I have found that housebreaking a dog through crate training is the most effective. By getting your puppy used to a crate, not only are you ensuring that you’re not going to wake up to any surprises, but that if you ever have to travel with your dog, they’ll be well prepared to ride in their crate! Make sure to give lots of positive reinforcement to your new little puppy. – Just like children, puppies love to know when they’re doing something you approve of, and they’ll learn much faster with treats and attention!