Crate Training and
House Breaking Your New Puppy
Using the
crate method of housebreaking your puppy is probably the most
effective and most humane method available. Most veterinarians and
animal behaviorists endorse it. As a side benefit, the crate will
also become your best method for preventing destructive behavior. In
the wild, dogs are creatures that spend a lot of time in their dens.
They enjoy the security of a small area of their own. The majority
of dogs also have a natural instinct that keeps them from soiling
their den area. This really makes crate training an easy way to
housebreak puppies.
First you
should choose a crate only large enough for your puppy to stand up,
turn around, and lie down. If the crate is too large, your puppy
will soil one corner and rest comfortably in another corner, and you
will not have a successful housebreaking. Most people buy a crate
that is large enough for the adult dog that their puppy will grow
into. For this reason you may have to block off the rear of the
crate so it is the correct size for the puppy, which can be done
simply by inserting a cardboard box of the right size in the back of
the crate. Many puppies prefer the security and privacy of plastic
airline crates. Wire crates have the advantage of being collapsible
for travel, but you should drape a towel over the top to give the
dog the illusion of privacy. The crate should be located in a quiet
area. Avoid high traffic areas like kitchens, hallways and doorways.
A good place is in your bedroom, where your puppy can have the
security of your presence at night. During the day you might want to
move it into the living room.
Although
most puppies accept the crate easily, there are some that have to be
convinced that this is a good place to be. The quickest way to teach
this is with treats. Begin by placing treats in the crate for your
puppy to find, and soon your puppy will go into the crate on his own
in search of treats. The next step is to lure your puppy into the
crate with a treat, giving a command. I use "Night-Night time",
while other people use "kennel up." There are several different
commands that you can use, but make sure that you continually use
the same command every time. All we have to say is "It is
Night-Night time" and they all go to their kennels for bed time.
Also try to keep their bedtime the same time every evening. Our dogs
go to bed between 9 and 9:30 pm. There has been times that we have
ran late and they are already in their beds.
Especially at night, it is important not to return to a whining
puppy to "offer comfort." If you do, you will end up with a puppy
that whines and cries whenever it wants you near. Instead, return to
your puppy when it is quiet, and the next time return before the
whining starts. In addition, try not to make returning to your puppy
too exciting, or you will exaggerate your absence and possibly
contribute to separation anxiety in your dog. Just quietly greet him
with something like "Hi puppy." Then open the kennel door and
quietly walk away. The most important thing to remember is the crate
must be a safe haven for your puppy. Never punish in the crate or
use the crate for punishment. Eventually, if you leave the crate
door open the puppy will start to voluntarily use it for naps or
quiet time.
If the
puppy is comfortable with the crate, housebreaking is fairly
straightforward. Feeding must be on a strict schedule. If you feed
him/her at the same time each day your puppy will soon eliminate on
a fairly reliable schedule. This will allow you to anticipate when
he/she will need to go outside and eliminate. Young puppies and
untrained dogs need to go outside after napping or being crated for
a while, since increased activity often can trigger elimination.
This means that the first thing in the morning when you take him/her
out of the crate he/she needs the chance to eliminate. After a long
night, puppies often can't even make it to the door before they have
to go, so you may have to carry him/her to the door for a week or
so. Sometimes just actively playing, eating or drinking large
amounts of water, can also trigger elimination in a puppy.
Your
puppy should be taken out on a leash to the same designated spot
each time. Choose this spot carefully. This is not walk time or play
time, stand in approximately the same spot and wait for your puppy
to eliminate. If he/she does, praise enthusiastically. Don't
immediately rush back into the house with them, or he will learn to
hold on and not eliminate so that he/she can get more time outdoors.
Instead walk a few minutes or give him/her a minute or two of
playtime. Don't fully clean up the spot, but leave a trace of urine
or feces to provide a scent that will remind the pup what he/she is
supposed to do there.
You may
find it useful to crate your puppy whenever you can't be available
to supervise it and to prevent accidents. When you are able to
supervise your puppy take it out on schedule, you should be able to
prevent accidents by keeping an eye on them. Housebreaking is for
the most part owner training, where you learn your puppies schedule
to avoid accidents. However, the more successful, praised
elimination outside, the quicker your puppy will become housebroken.
There may
be an occasional "accident" in the house with puppies. If there is
one don't hit him, yell at him or rub his nose in it. The puppy
won't make the connection between your punishment and his earlier
behavior. This means the puppy may learn to be afraid of you, or the
simple situation where you approach him. Simply clean up the mess
and then use a commercial odor eliminator (like Natures Miracle or
other enzyme containing products) or simply clean the area with
white vinegar. Don't use products containing ammonia, since that
smells enough like urine that it actually attracts the puppy to
eliminate in that place again.
If you
actually catch your puppy in the act of eliminating inside the
house, interrupt him and take him outside to the proper place
(without harsh words or punishment). One way of interrupting the
puppy is to clap your hands or make sure to use a very firm voice to
get their attention, what this will do, is the puppy will stop,
because of the noise that was made or your voice. If he eliminates
outside, praise him. Remember to be patient, some puppies take
longer than others to housebreak. If your dog is slow at
housebreaking, check with your vet since dogs that are ill or
suffering from parasites often have elimination problems. If you are
consistent, watchful and use the crate, the puppy will usually be
housebroken in a couple of weeks. An occasional "accident" will
usually be your fault, for leaving the pup to long, or not keeping
to the routine. If so, just take a breath, clean it up, and remember
that this phase of life will quickly pass.
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