subject: Puppy Housebreaking: Crate Training & Routines [print this page] Puppy Housebreaking: Crate Training & Routines
First, lets start with crate training for puppy housebreaking. The first thing you need to do is get a crate that is large enough for your dog. Your dog needs to have enough room to move around and get comfortable in a sleeping position, but giving too much room will defeat the purpose of putting your dog in the crate.
You shouldn't lock your puppy in the crate for more than 2 hours at a time for puppy housebreaking, and never use it as a punishment tool. Crate training is effective because dogs don't like to go to the bathroom where they sleep.
Normally puppies will need to do their business at least once every three hours. You should always take your puppy outside immediately after he comes out of the crate. This process is teaching your puppy that he must wait until he gets outside to go to the bathroom.
Next, lets talk about the importance of getting your puppy into a routine. The first thing you need to do to establish routine is take your puppy outside at the same times every day. Always use the same door to exit. This should be the door that you want your puppy to signal to you from when he needs to go out. Once your puppy becomes trained, he'll start to paw at this door when he needs to go to the bathroom. Sticking to this routine is very important if you want your puppy to learn how to hold it until you are available.
Finally, lets talk about how you can anticipate your puppy's needs. There are several "clues" that your puppy will give you when he needs to go out. Heavy sniffing and circling around a specific area, and staring or pawing at the door are two that you probably won't miss. If these tips don't work then the next thing to do is look into some training pads for your puppy.
