Successfully housebreaking a puppy is possibly the major issue that many people dread when bringing home their new pet.

Praise vs. Punishment

Yet it is training that can be quite easily accomplished if approached the right way and with the right attitude. Housebreaking encompasses patience, kindness and awareness. Establishing a routine for your puppy and learning to read the signs will prevent a lot of stress, for both of you. Puppies do not bode well in an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. A puppy needing the bathroom is natural - it is not naughty behavior and should not be treated as such. A puppy should not be shouted at, smacked, kicked or jerked around. They should be admonished when accidents happen and praised when they do something right. A gentle and kind approach will reap far more rewards from your puppy than punishment. If a puppy is consistently punished they will learn how to hide the evidence, but worse than that they could develop behavior problems.

After all housebreaking a puppy is about tailoring or focusing their behavior not about trying to break them of a habit.

Routines

It is simply not possible for a puppy to be trained in a day or two. As with a human baby a puppy has no control over their bodily functions. As they grow older they will become more reliable. This means that it is up to the owner to take control of the situation. They need to be vigilant and be consistent. Knowing in advance when a puppy is ready to 'go' and reading the signs when they are ready, will ensure successful housebreaking.

There are many techniques to help an owner read the signs. With the correct training techniques a master will make their own lives easier as well as that of their puppy. A puppy needs to be taught how to integrate into the life of its owner. They live to please their masters and will do almost anything to do so. However an owner must be able to instill a sense of trust in their puppy. With the right housebreaking techniques this can be accomplished.

Putting routines in place will not only encourage housebreaking, but will also offer the master a housebreaking agenda that is easy to follow.

In Summary

Housebreaking a puppy should be beneficial for both owner and puppy. Instead of traumatizing it should bond. If a puppy is shown what behavior is expected of them they will happily comply. There are techniques that if followed will ensure the process is as low stress as possible.

A puppy should be put into a routine from the first day it arrives. It should be shown what to do and when to do it. The focus should be on praise and not punishment. Housebreaking calls for high levels of patience from master and a positive attitude. The onus is on the owner to ensure that housebreaking is conducted in a manner that does not have an adverse or negative effect on a puppy.