Housebreaking your Puppy

There is something naturally adorable about puppies. From their soft fur to their rambunctious attitude, they are all things awesome on four legs. Finding the one for you can be a process, but once you’ve found your puppy companion, that’s when the fun begins. Their curiosity is on high alert from the moment they walk through the door. All the smells and textures must be explored. One of the biggest adventures with a new puppy is housebreaking. Here are some tips for helping your dog learn to go outside:

Establish a Routine

It’s easy for puppies to get distracted. It’s even easier for them to lose track of their needs when they’re playing. That’s where a routine comes in. Taking your puppy outside every couple hours will help minimize accidents and the repetitive action will help them pick up the habit faster. When it comes to these little balls of energy and excitement, learning to stop playing to go outside to go is a large part of housebreaking.

Keep a Watchful Eye

Dogs have certain signals that indicate they need to go. Watch for sniffing, squatting, circling, or their tail out straight, these are signals they are looking for a spot to go. When that happens, interrupt their search and take them outside. Learning what your puppy does to tell you they need a potty break will help you get them where they need to be when they need to be there.

Clean Up Messes Thoroughly

Keeping a watchful eye on your puppy is also important so that you don’t miss an accident. Leaving an accident unattended not only makes it worse to clean, it also creates a distraction and confusion for your puppy. Accidents that are left uncleaned signal to your puppy that the area is an acceptable place to go in the future. Be sure to clean all accident sites thoroughly. Remember you may not see or smell it, but they can.

Correct Don’t Punish

Accidents can be frustrating. When you see your puppy have an accident, the first thing to do is interrupt the behavior. Pick them up or make a loud noise to distract them from what they’re doing. Then, get them outside as quickly as possible. It’s important to correct instead of punish your puppy because they are not likely to associate the punishment with their action.

Reward Good Behavior

Just like learning your pup’s signals that they need to go, learn what makes your puppy happy. Treats, belly rubs, and snuggles are a good start. Whenever your puppy succeeds at going outside, be sure to reward them. All they want to do is make you happy. Realizing they’ve done that is one of the best reinforcements to good behavior.

For more resources on how to care for your new puppy, check out some of our other blogs. You can always count on Black Gold Explorer to have everything you need to support your puppy’s dietary needs.

Learn more here: https://blackgoldpet.com/black-gold-explorer-life-stages/.