House training for puppies
This is how you get your puppy house trained
When a puppy moves in, not only does your everyday life change - your living space must also be adapted to the needs and development of the dog. Carpets and small runners in particular are affected by the still untrained bladder and the digestive system of your dog that is not fully developed in the first few weeks of life. You should therefore store carpets in a closet or storage room for the first few weeks at best and start housebreaking training as soon as your puppy moves in. The key to house training lies primarily in a consistent and patient upbringing. We have 5 useful tips for you so that you and your darling can work out stress-free.
1. Attention
Your puppy is showing signs such as: B. restless behavior, whining, excited sniffing and frequent turning around his own axis that he has to. Before your dog breaks loose, you should be able to carry him out of the apartment and take him outside to the front door. In order to be able to react in time, you have to watch your pup carefully and always be attentive. Even at night, your puppy will draw attention to the fact that it has to go to toilette by whining and possibly scratching the puppy rail or the door.
Our tip: You don't have much time from the first signs to the loosening of faeces or urine! To avoid mishaps, have your shoes, jacket and a front door key ready before bed and go straight out to the desired place where he can go to the toilette at the first signs of your puppy.
2. Adhere to the times
Especially in the first few months, keep a set rhythm and reliable times, day and night, to which your dog can orient itself. After a little siesta for your puppy, after he has indulged in the delicious food in his food bowl, or after a long romp and play with you, he will urinate or stool and should be taken outside in good time. In the evening, fixed rituals will help you to prepare your puppy for the night ahead. Always feed your dog at around the same time and go for the last time just before bed, also at a regular time. Then bring your puppy directly to their sleeping place - in your bed, their basket, the puppy box or the puppy gate.
How often does a puppy have to go out a day?
The rhythm of how often your puppy has to go out during the day or at night is around 1.5-2 hours for puppies under three months of age. Puppies between three and six months old need to go out every 3-4 hours.
3. Presence
Always stay close to your puppy and accompany him on his voyages of discovery through the apartment. Remain reachable for your dog even at night. If he has to sleep alone in the kitchen or hallway with the door locked, loneliness makes him anxious. Fear means internal restlessness for your puppy, which disturbs his sleep and can lead to nervous behavior and uncontrolled emptying of the bladder and bowel. Diarrhea cannot be ruled out due to stress. Do not punish your dog in the event of a mishap, but think about how you can change the situation in the future and adapt it to his needs.
Our tip: Of course, the adventures and new impressions don't just make your puppy hungry. You too should allow yourself time to cook food and take a relaxing shower or bath. The best way to limit your puppy's range of motion while you are away is to use a puppy fence or a puppy box.
4. Commitment
You can also help your little dog to be house trained by choosing a fixed environment or specific place to go to toilette outside - a kind of regular place. In addition, a “code word” that you have chosen will help your puppy understand it as a request to break up. Short commands such as “Make pee!” Are suitable as a code word.
5. Praise instead of grumbling
If an accident happens every now and then and your puppy urinates in the house, this is never a willful contamination or a mistake by your dog. Reprimand or punish, in the shape of a nose in the puddle are absolutely taboo! Your scolding will not lead to the desired result - instead your puppy will learn to secretly retreat to hidden nooks and crannies in the future in order to avoid your punishment for his natural needs. If you catch your darling red-handed, pick them up immediately and carry them out of the apartment without comment. If he go to toilette again, praise him profusely. Then, wipe up the puddle from the floor of the house without ignoring or blaming your puppy.
How long does it take to house-train your puppy?
The magic word is patience. Puppies can control their bladder and digestion from the age of four months, i.e. from around the 17th week of life. For the duration of the house training, the decisive factor is how well you succeed in carefully observing your little one between their 9th and 16th week of life and in consistently carrying out the house training. If you have made sure from the beginning that your puppy understands how to go to toilette outdoors, you will achieve your goal in a few weeks.
What to do if the dog is not house trained
If your puppy is not house trained even after several weeks or more than four months, it does not show any signs of having to loosen, but continues to pee and faeces in an uncontrolled manner even after prolonged training. Do not be discouraged and consult a vet for physical or to recognize or exclude psychological causes. Physical causes can usually be remedied very quickly with drug treatment. With professional help, you can also quickly get to the bottom of psychological causes and increase your puppy's well-being. This way, your training can soon continue in an uncomplicated manner.