Housebreaking is one of the most important concepts we want our dogs to understand. A dog that does not understand where it is appropriate to eliminate can quickly become a frustration within the family and could possibly end up being given up to a shelter or rescue. It is important we give our dogs the appropriate training to give them the best possible chance to fit seamlessly into our lives.

My training method for housebreaking follows the principals of all of my dog training; leadership, structure, clear expectations and accountability. Below is guidance to help you with your housebreaking training.

Establish a schedule!

Develop a schedule that works for you and your dog. Puppies can hold their bladder for roughly ([age in months] + 1) hours, maxing out at 8 hours around 6 months and older.

Use a crate!

Dogs are less inclined to eliminate in the space they sleep in, as they don’t want to lay in their waste. Use this to your advantage!

Control food and water!

You can control when your dog needs to eliminate if you decide when your dog eats and drinks. Do not allow free feeding where food and water is left out all day. Provide water only during meal times. Remove water about 30 minutes prior to any extended stays in the crate and around 7pm at night in preparation for kenneling at night around 9pm (with an elimination break prior to overnight kenneling).

Use the same location!

Go outside on a leash to the same spot every time! Stand still and let your dog roam and sniff in that limited space. Ideally your dog eliminates and you praise and go inside.

Repeat as necessary!

If your dog doesn’t eliminate after about 5 minutes go back inside and immediately crate your dog. Wait 20-30 minutes and take the dog back out on a leash to the same spot. Repeat until the dog eliminates. This could require a lot of patience in the beginning, but as with all our dog training, patience and consistency over time will give us the results we are after.

I suggest following the guidance above religiously in the beginning until your dog you can confidently say your dog is housebroken; i.e, zero accidents for an extended length of time - weeks or months. Only after you've confirmed your dog is housebroken would I suggest loosening the rules and structure above.

If you have any questions or need additional help, please contact me and I would be happy to help.