Welcoming a new puppy or adult dog into your home is an exciting, heartwarming experience. One of the first jobs is housetraining, and it goes far more smoothly when you treat it as a routine to set up rather than a battle to win.
When should I start housetraining a puppy?
The day your puppy comes home. The first few days set the pattern, so show them where to go from the very first trip outside.
How often does a puppy need to go out?
Young puppies need to go far more often than most people expect. Take them out when they wake up, after eating or drinking, after play, before bed, and every hour or two in between while they are small. Stretch the gaps gradually as they succeed.
A step-by-step housetraining routine
- Pick one spot in the garden and always take your puppy there on a lead.
- Go out with them. You can’t reward what you don’t see.
- Add a cue word as they start to go, so you can ask for it later.
- Reward straight away, outside, with a treat and a bit of fuss.
- Supervise indoors. When you can’t watch, use a crate or puppy pen they are happy resting in.
- Learn the signs: sniffing the floor, circling, heading for the door, suddenly wandering off.
- Clean accidents with an enzymatic cleaner so the smell doesn’t draw them back.
- Never punish accidents. It teaches your dog to hide from you to go, which makes everything harder.
What about adult dogs and rescues?
The same routine works at any age. Rescue dogs often need a refresher in a new home. If an adult dog that was clean starts having accidents, speak to your vet first: urinary infections and other medical problems are common causes.
Can residential training fix toilet training?
Honestly, no. Toilet training is one of the things intensive residential training is not suited to, because it is about your home, your routine and your garden. It is best done by you, at home, with the routine above. Where our residential courses do help is with everything outside the front door: lead walking, recall, jumping up and calm around other dogs.
