Start immediately

Get started on housetraining the first few minutes a new dog comes into your home. One of the secrets of good pottying behavior is to establish habits. If you don’t start reinforcing good pottying habits with your dog right away - the very first day she comes to your home - you’re making the job harder than it should be. The last thing you want is to let your dog get into the habit of pottying where she shouldn’t.

Prevent "Accidents"

The better you are at preventing accidents, the more quickly your dog  will become housetrained.

So how do you prevent housetraining accidents? First, make sure you give your dog frequent bathroom breaks. (If he’s a very young puppy, this may mean taking him outside every couple of hours at first.)

Second, pay attention to your dog’s behavior. Many dogs act a certain way when they need to relieve themselves. They may whine, go to the door, or circle around the floor sniffing. Puppies often need a bathroom break right after playing, eating, or napping.

And finally, consider a crate for those times when you can’t directly supervise your dog. In most cases, confining your dog to his sleeping area trains him to wait to relieve himself.

Use a crate

Crates are a great housetraining tool. Healthy dogs don’t usually soil their own beds. So confining your dog to her bed when you can’t directly supervise her is a great way to prevent housetraining accidents.

Of course, it’s important to introduce your puppy to the crate properly. Your dog should view her crate as a comfortable place where she wants to be when she’s resting or sleeping. Research crate training and other housetraining puppy tips to help you build a strong and loving relationship with your new pet.

Dog Potty Training and Dog House Training Tips