Written By: Cindy Jacobs (Cyd)
I have been ask how I house train my puppies so fast. I decided to write about it and post it on the blog. All I can do is tell you what I have done for 35 years, it has always worked for me, as all of my dogs are pets and live inside the home however, I am home all day with my pups. I am sure there are other methods you can search on the net to find, when you find something that works you tend to stick with it.
Puppies are very systematic in the times they tend to potty. They also prefer not to potty in their house, this is also natural for the puppies. If a puppy lives outside and has a doghouse, that puppy will leave the doghouse and go outside to potty. Our goal then is to teach the puppy, that our full home is their house, as well as their crate.
Puppies timely go to the potty, when they are disturbed from rest, now that can be when they wake up on their own then crying wanting out of a crate to go potty, or when you open the crate door disturbing them to get up. The other potty time very consistent with puppies, is not to long after they have eaten. It won’t be long and you will learn your puppies potty habits, this aids in training also.
When the puppy wakes and wants out, or you have opened a crate door to get your puppy out to play a bit, immediately pick up the puppy, or they will most likely potty 3 foot from the crate. Carry the pup to the door, walk outside and set the puppy down in the grass and tell them to “go potty” when they do, say “that’s it” and praise, then I have the puppy follow me back in the house. After doing this procedure a few days, always carrying the puppy to the outside, I then will carry the puppy to the door, set the puppy down, open the door and have the puppy follow me to the grass, again always saying “go potty”. I often say while carrying the puppy to the door “outside….go potty” again having the puppy follow me back inside when done and praise is given. Do I give treats for going potty outside? No I personally don’t, UNTIL I move to the next phase … after a week or so… I try sending the puppy out to go potty by themselves, I open the door and say “outside go potty” see if they will go by themselves, if they don’t I again walk outside with them, when they do go out to the grass the first time on their own, I call them back to the house when they are done, praise them and give them a piece of food once inside the door. It will not be to long before you notice your puppy going to the door asking to go out to potty.
One reason I like to teach my puppies to bark on command is to teach the final phase, and that is getting my attention rather than me watching them all the time. I then will have my puppy bark before I open the door to send them out to potty. So far these things have worked for me. Good luck to everyone that is potty training your puppy.
Cindy Jacobs
http://vonjacobs.com
21 responses so far ↓
1 Paul // May 21, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Great idea about the barking to notify you. I was wondering if you thought using the clicker to house break a puppy would change things - easier or faster learning?
2 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // May 22, 2009 at 5:36 am
Hi Paul,
I do not believe it would, but then my pups are used to my voice as in all the training I do. I tend to rely on my voice. I was just taught with the clicker when I met David. The clicker is a much faster way to teach on some things for me. I often get it back out when the pup is older just to teach something new, so it was great for me to learn to use it. You tend to use what works, so far this has worked without a clicker. If I had a problem case on house training, I would then maybe try a clicker, that has not happened as of yet. If you use a clicker, you will have to let me know how it works for you.
3 Danielle in KY // May 22, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Have you had any luck with the door bells?
They hang on the door knob and the dog rings it to go outside. I bet it would be cake to train them to do it. How do you feel about it?
It’s like a belt with bells attached to it, hangs from the door knob so the dog/pup can ring it when they have to go out.
4 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // May 22, 2009 at 3:05 pm
You can use whatever works for you… if the dogs ring the bells that is great. I would not personally use that to train simply because I take my dogs with me a lot of the time and they are in other peoples homes, and all homes don’t have bells on the doors, so I prefer them sitting and barking at the door… well ok maybe at Christmas time there are more bells on doors…:-)
5 Danielle in KY // May 22, 2009 at 5:45 pm
LOL that works too but for “normal” people that don’t take their dogs other places it would work. I just look for new and different things to do. I can see you carrying bells around with you LOL.
“Excuse me but can I hang my bells on your door”
6 Amy // May 23, 2009 at 8:04 am
My dogs like to go outside a lot, not just when they need to. I thought about a bell, because I thought it might be cute. I had second thoughts because I could see my dogs driving me crazy hitting the bell.
7 Danielle in KY // May 23, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I have a screen door for the back yard where the dogs hang out. I have a 6 month old husky mix that opens the screen door so her and our 2 year old daughter can escape. I thought about installing a doggy door but break in’s have became a bad epidemic in my neighborhood lately.
They also have door bells that are electronic, if the dog gets within 3 feet of the door a bell goes off whether the dog is inside or out. The dog wears a collar with sensor that triggers the “pee alarm.”
We should by that for my 2 yr old daughter for when she tries to escape LOL.
8 David Harris // May 25, 2009 at 10:33 am
Like Cindy I have a tendency to use what works and if the door bell thing works for you that’s great. I personally do not want my dog giving me commands. I have found that once you open this door it leads to other problems down the road. I call them DIGGS. They are small behaviors, such as begging for food or go ahead of you out the door. By themselves they are meaningless, non-issues. But, they have a cumulative effect and tend to add up. This minor behavior added to that minor behavior leads often to other major behavioral issues. So, I stay away from teaching my dog to have me open doors for them on command.
I teach my dogs to hold it. I trust myself to remember to take then outside regularly.
9 Danielle in KY // May 25, 2009 at 11:11 am
Awesome, thanks for your input and insight. I appreciate it a lot. Hopefully others read the information and learn from here and your knowledge. You make a lot of sense you really do and are very appreciated by me. I am going to refer people here as well. Thanks a lot!!!
10 Danielle in KY // May 27, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Our pup has been going to the door and sitting quietly when it’s time to do his business outside. I make him wait now after reading what David had to say the other day about the dog giving commands. No matter how long I make him wait he sits there and holds it. I do make him sit and wait on me to get outside then invite him out.
11 Cornette // Jun 14, 2009 at 8:43 am
Our puppy will always pee outside for me but will also pee in the house, even immediately after unrinating a large amount outsidie. At first he would poop outside but now he only does it indoors. We are crating but I can’t ever let him down in the house, even after just going outside, because he goes again in the house.
12 David Harris // Jun 15, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Keep him on leash even in the house. Typically a puppy will not use the bathroom when next to you, but if he does the leash will assist you in communicating your dislike of this behavior. A couple quick snaps and your voice of displeasure will go a long ways in educating your pup to hold his water when inside your home. Immediately take him back outside, then praise him and treat him outside to reinforce the correct behavior. Keep him onleash as long as necessary. There is no harm in that and is much easier than carrying your pup all day.
13 Paul // Jun 15, 2009 at 4:29 pm
snaps? you’re one of those neck yankers? I thought those methods were outdated, no?
14 Danielle in KY // Jun 15, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I’m a proud neck yanker and pinch collar supporter.
They are far from out dated.
15 David Harris // Jun 15, 2009 at 5:35 pm
No is the right answer.
As long as we’re are living in the real world where there is an UP to correlate with DOWN there will always have to be a GOOD to go along with a BAD and vice versa. Anyone that doesn’t believe or understand this fact needs to stick to Disney movie versions when it comes to basic animal nature.
Let me ask you this. Do you pay your taxes? Do you want to? Why do you? Exactly! You pay your taxes to avoid a correction that you perceive to be worse that paying your taxes. It’s called avoidance behavior and it works with all types of animals, not just humans.
Sorry Paul. In the real world there is always a bigger treat. Try raising a puppy with all positive reinforcement methods and you better be prepared for disappointment.
There is a right time and a right way, but corrections are part of training and part of the real world.
I am a balanced trainer. I use both sides of the coin and get fabulous results.
16 Amy // Jun 16, 2009 at 8:12 am
Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that with a young pup you really aren’t going to be that forceful with your snaps on the leash. A small snap with the leash will surprise the pup and throw it off balance. That should be enough to get its attention and let it know that you are displeased with its behavior. The goal is not to “yank its neck off” but to get your point across.
17 Paul // Jun 16, 2009 at 9:45 am
making an “ah-ah” or a kissing noise with your lips does the same thing to get a dogs attention. you dont want a dog to be off balance ever , unless you are the dog whisperer
18 David Harris // Jun 18, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Maybe your pup is soft enough for kissing sounds to be used as a correction, but just yesterday I had a GSD puppy brining blood to a five year old boys arms and legs. The more the mother yelled the better the pup liked it and bit harder. Of course the boy was screaming and crying. Which sound should I have used? The kissing sound or the ah-ah? Hurry, the boy is running low on blood!
19 Paul // Jun 19, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Once a puppy is fixated, you would have to physically intervene.
20 Jenny // Jun 23, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Pretty nice post. I just came by your site and wanted to say
that I have really liked browsing your posts. In any case
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you write again soon!
21 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Jun 24, 2009 at 10:07 am
Hi Jenny,
Thanks, it is easier to write things if David or I are ask questions, which is what had happened with selling a litter of pups, so it was easier for me to write it once and inform everyone. David and I have put a lot on the site regarding puppy training. Feel free to ask questions on anything posted or start a new topic question by using the contact tab.
Cindy
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