House Training
How do I house train my puppy?
House training should start the moment you arrive home with your puppy, so that you avoid having any 'accidents' right from the beginning. Take your pup to the area you want it to use. Let it explore the area and if it obliges by urinating or defecating, praise it and give it a food reward.
Now follow these instructions:-
a) Walk your puppy outside to 'the spot' in one hour and stay there for five minutes. If it obliges, praise and reward with food, take it inside and repeat the process an hour later.
If your puppy does not oblige within five minutes, take it inside but go out again ten minutes later and keep doing this until your patience is rewarded. You will quickly work out your own puppy’s rhythm.
b) Also take the puppy out as soon as it wakens from sleep, after eating or drinking and after play.
c) Watch its body language for any signs indicating a need to go out such as circling and sniffing.
Inevitably accidents will happen. It is extremely important never to punish your puppy for eliminating in the house because it will associate the punishment with the act rather than the location; and can cause major house training problems.
Night Time House Training
Some people prefer to leave their pup outside or in the laundry at night. We don't recommend either as they stress the pup by being alone. Leaving your puppy in the laundry is also counterproductive to your house training programme, as the pup will be forced to toilet inside. Putting newspaper on the floor is immaterial.
You will initially need to be prepared to get up once or twice during the night to take the pup out. A pup has a natural tendency not to soil its sleeping area and you can make use of this by keeping the pups bed confined in a cage or playpen. A small bell attached to the pup's collar can then alert you when the pup becomes restless at night.
By following this advice, your puppy should be house trained within 2 weeks.