My puppy is stubborn and won't listen. How do I housetrain him?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Hello, sorry to hear about Hades! I hope the following helps you guide his housetraining better.
  
  Congratulations on your new addition to your household! It is fun to have a puppy in your house, but it can be challenging, especially when it comes time to housetraining.
  
  Basic Principles of Canine Elimination Behavior:
  • Puppies and dogs are taught by their mothers not to soil their “dens”, and have an innate aversion to doing so.
  • A puppy lacks development of the bladder muscles necessary to hold their urine and feces for long periods of time as adult dogs can.
  • Breeds of dogs may vary in their responsiveness to housetraining. Even though there may be differences in breeds, the same principles of housetraining apply.
  
  What To Do:
  When you’re away from home…
  • DO keep puppy in a small, confined area (e.g. dog crate, bathroom, puppy pen) and make it appealing by providing toys, food, bedding, etc. Your puppy will come to see this as his “den,” which he will prefer not to soil. If you are gone for long periods of time in which your puppy physically cannot hold its bladder, make sure that the area is large enough that the puppy can get away from the mess. An example would be an exercise pen or small room, with the area for elimination set away from its food, water, and resting areas.
  • DO gradually expand the den area until the puppy can be trusted to eliminate appropriately while having access of the entire home.
  • DO remember the number of hours puppies can delay their elimination is strongly linked to their age.
  
  When you’re at home…
  • DO have a schedule for taking your puppy to designated area to eliminate. For example:
  Age of Puppy Frequency of Elimination Breaks
  6-14 weeks 8-10 times daily
  14-20 weeks 6-8 times daily
  20-30 weeks 4-6 times daily
  30 weeks and older 3-4 times daily
  

  

  0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

• Answered By Bette Isacoff

  Dog Trainer

  Published on January 8th, 2018

  Because you are spending time with him in the bathroom, he thinks this is part of his "home," and has actually housebroken himself not to do his business there! This is why he goes as soon as you let him out . . . he's been holding it, thinking he's doing the right thing. (By the way, dogs don't "pretend" like humans do.) Try going into the bathroom with him on a leash. After a minute or two, walk out the bathroom door. If he starts to go, tell him "NO!" and take him back into the bathroom. Stand there with him until he goes, using a phrase like "go potty,." Sooner or later, he'll have to relieve himself. Keep saying "Go potty! GOOD DOG!"

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

• Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

  Veterinarian

  Published on April 18th, 2017

  Please do not beat Oscar! It doesn't teach him to not poop or pee in the house, it will only teach him to fear you. You are correct that is wrong, and it's also cruel. I can give you a method for house breaking puppies. Start by keeping him on a regular feeding schedule, and taking away his food between meals. Take him out to potty first thing every morning, and once every 30 minutes to an hour. Always make sure he goes out after meals, first thing when he wakes up from a nap, last thing before bedtime at night, and right before you leave the house. Take him to the same spot each time to go potty. His scent there will encourage him to go. Stay with him outside each time he goes to potty, at least until he is fully house trained. When Oscar goes outside, praise him and give him a treat. You might want to consider crate training as part of his house training. It allows you to keep an eye on him for signs that he has to go potty, and will teach him to hold it until you put him outdoors. The crate needs to be big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down, but it should not be big enough for him to go potty in.
  
  As for eating his poop, it's a gross thing that dogs do and is common. It can also be a sign of intestinal worms or a nutritional deficiency. Make sure Oscar is up to date on his deworming treatments, giving him one if he isn't. Also make sure you are feeding him a high quality puppy formulated food such as Royal Canin.

  

  2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

• Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

  Veterinarian

  Published on December 27th, 2019

  I can give you the toilet training method I recommend for puppies. Start by keeping Ozzy on a regular feeding schedule, and taking away his food between meals. Take him out to potty first thing every morning, and once every 30 minutes to an hour. Always make sure he goes out after meals, first thing when he wakes up from a nap, last thing before bedtime at night, and right before you leave the house. Take him to the same spot each time to go potty. His scent there will encourage him to go. Stay with him outside each time he goes to potty, at least until he is fully house trained. When he goes outside, praise him and give him a treat. You might want to consider crate training as part of his house training. It allows you to keep an eye on him for signs that he has to go potty, and will teach him to hold it until you put him outdoors. The crate needs to be big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down, but it should not be big enough for him to go potty in. I hope this helps!

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful