Housebreaking a puppy.

[loganbiffy]

Hey everyone, just got my new puppy yesterday, a Patterdale Terrier named Bo.
He is lovely and I want to get him trained asap and was wondering if anyone has any good methods of housebreaking a puppy.

Thanks.

[poppett]

There is a patterdale terrier training section if you google the breed. Hope this helps.

[neepnipper]

Your pup will need to go out to toilet at least every two hours, when he does a wee or a poo outside praise him as much as you can, go over the top with it and remember that pups have no control over their bladder until they are 16 weeks old. If he does an accident in the house don't make a fuss just pick him up as soon as you can and place him outside.

You could try crate training him, dogs like to have a place of their own to sleep and feel safe and you'll know he'll be safe if you have to go out for a couple of hours.

Kongs are good for chewing pups, you can get puppy ones and put a bit of kong puppy paste inside to keep him occupied. Also invest in some anti-chew spray to put on chair and table legs and any other vulnerable spots!

[Birdie Wife]

My cocker pup is now five and a half months old and she hasn't had any accidents now for nearly a month :) my top tips are:

1. buy a crate for the pup to sleep in at night - they don't like to mess in their own beds so it will teach them to hold it in. This DOESN'T mean that you have to shut them in all night and ignore the barking - they won't be able to hold it in all night anyway so you need to take them out to pee and poo during the night. google for 'crate training a puppy' and you should find lots of help.

2. At first, take them outside (and go outside with him - don't just open the door) at least every hour, before food , after food, after play, and when they mess outside give them lots and LOTS of praise.

3. I found it helpful to give a command when they start messing outside (I use "busy busy") which helps them associate the action with the command. After the association is made, you should be able to start using the command when you let them out and they know that you want them to go to the toilet. This is particularly useful if you're going on a trip and you want them to mess before you go and not need to let them out of the car half an hour earlier because suddenly they need to go!

4. Don't tell them off if they pee/poo in the house. They'll only start doing their business where you can't see it.

5. Clear up any accidents with biological washing powder. It breaks down the smells that linger instead of masking them - the dog can tell, and if it smells where poo has been before, they are more likely to go there again.

6. If you can, try not to use puppy training pads. Some people swear by them - I never needed to use them - it means that the puppy has to be trained twice, once to go on the pad, and again to go out of the house.

Hope some of this helps!

[jings00]

no bein funny, but did you no think to look into this before you got the pup??

good luck though !! I thought mine was never goin to go outside all the time, then ...he did. Had to bribe the wee sod in wi custard creams then.

[loganbiffy]

no bein funny, but did you no think to look into this before you got the pup??

good luck though !! I thought mine was never goin to go outside all the time, then ...he did. Had to bribe the wee sod in wi custard creams then.

Of course I thought of it, hence why I'm asking.
It's surely good to get advice from people who have had experience?

I was asking people on here what their methods were as I am interested to see what they do as I am sure there is many methods.

Thanks to everyone else who helped :)

[jings00]

ahhh just the way i read it then, i wisny tryin to be smart.

[loganbiffy]

ahhh just the way i read it then, i wisny tryin to be smart.

Nae worries :)
Thanks to Neepnipper who helped me pick food for my puppy at Pets at Home this afternoon :)

[froal]

I would swear by crate training it worked for all of ours and i still use the crates for 1 or 2 of the adult dogs they have every thing they need in them Bedding, Water, chews and a toy ! :D

[loganbiffy]

I would swear by crate training it worked for all of ours and i still use the crates for 1 or 2 of the adult dogs they have every thing they need in them Bedding, Water, chews and a toy ! :D

Excellent froal, thanks for your suggestion! I'm just waiting for a crate to be delivered :)

[froal]

You can't go wrong letting little Bo out after he's had a meal 20min's approx water, play and when he's woken up straight away and in the mornings he'll soon get into a routine and by time will ask to go out, it's knowing and looking for sign's from him that he wants to go out !
some of ours look at the door but they also do that when someone comes to the house or pace around !
lots of people give different advice from there own experince's of puppys etc ! :D

[lorr_mun14]

All the above advice is good. I have taken Gem out for a few little walks on the lead, which she took to very well, and she will hold onto the toilet until she gets back to the garden, where it is familiar. I have found that you do have to stand outside with her, where she is going to do the toilet, and if you use the same place each time, they soon get the message, and of course their own smell. I use a cage for her, she settled down into it within a couple of nights and doesn't cry at all now! Good luck!

[jings00]

when my wee dog first got his injections and we started to go for walks, he would more often than not decide to try and poop when we were crossing the road!! nightmare to pick up!! lol,poor wee dog, gettin dragged and no enjoyin his poop in peace.
:-)