HOUSETRAINING & BASIC PUPPY GUIDANCE

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Successful housetraining is built on supervision, consistency, and positive reinforcement. Harsh punishment (such as rubbing a puppy’s nose in a mess) is ineffective and may create fear or delay training progress.

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1. SETTING YOUR PUPPY UP FOR SUCCESS

Your first goal is to teach your puppy where to eliminate.

• Designate a specific outdoor potty area

• Take your puppy there frequently

• Praise immediately after they eliminate

• Use a small treat occasionally to reinforce success

Repeated visits to the same area will naturally encourage consistent use.

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2. TIMING IS CRITICAL

Puppies must be taken out often to prevent accidents.

6–8 week puppies: every 1–3 hours
Older puppies: gradually longer intervals

Always take your puppy out:

• After waking up

• After naps

• After eating or drinking

• After play or training

• After being crated or alone

• Before bedtime

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3. FEEDING SCHEDULE

Most puppies eliminate within 30–60 minutes after eating.

To create structure:

• Feed 2–3 times per day on a consistent schedule

• Leave food down for 30–40 minutes, then remove it

• Avoid feeding right before crate time

• Schedule meals when you can take them out afterward

Consistency helps regulate potty timing.

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4. CRATE TRAINING & SUPERVISION

Accidents happen when puppies are unsupervised.

• Supervise your puppy at all times when loose in the house

• Use baby gates to limit access if needed

• Use a crate when you cannot supervise

• Do not allow freedom until reliability is proven

A puppy is not considered reliably housetrained until at least 4 consecutive weeks without indoor accidents.

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5. MISTAKES ARE NORMAL

Expect accidents during training.

If you catch your puppy in the act:

• Interrupt with a calm, firm “No” or similar sound

• Immediately take them outside to finish

• Praise once they eliminate outside

Never punish after the fact—your puppy will not connect the correction to the accident.

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6. SUBMISSIVE URINATION (NERVOUS WETTING)

Some puppies urinate when excited or greeted.

• Do NOT punish or correct this behavior

• Remain calm and low-energy during greetings

• Avoid leaning over or reaching for the puppy’s head

• Ask for a sit and reward calm behavior

Most puppies outgrow this with confidence-building and calm handling.

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7. CLEANING ACCIDENT AREAS

Proper cleanup prevents repeat accidents.

• Use an enzymatic cleaner made for pet urine

• Fully saturate the affected area (not just the surface)

• Restrict access to problem areas when possible

• Reintroduce those areas gradually under supervision

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8. CHEWING BEHAVIOR

Chewing is normal puppy behavior.

To manage it:

• Provide appropriate chew toys at all times

• Rotate toys to maintain interest

• Redirect chewing immediately to approved items

• Praise when your puppy chews appropriately

Do not punish chewing. Instead, manage and redirect it.

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9. TRAINING & BASIC COMMANDS

Keep training sessions short (3–5 minutes) and positive.

Begin early using rewards such as treats, praise, and play.

Core commands to teach:

• Sit

• Come

• Stay

• Down

• Off / No jumping

• Kennel / Crate

Consistency is more important than repetition or duration.

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10. SOCIALIZATION

Expose your puppy early to:

• New people (calm, positive introductions)

• Other dogs (controlled, safe interactions)

• Different environments and sounds

Always allow your puppy to approach new experiences at their own pace. Never force interactions.

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11. FINAL REMINDER

Training takes patience and consistency. Progress happens through repetition, supervision, and positive reinforcement.

With proper guidance, your puppy will quickly learn household rules and become a well-adjusted companion.