Housebreaking Training Guide

Tools you will need:

Crate. Preferably a hard-shell airline style crate. A wire one will also work.
Leash. 6ft.
Dog Crate Water Bottle.
Enzymatic Odor/Stain Cleaner (such as Nature’s Miracle).
Outdoor space designated for potty.
Potty Bells / Potty Door Bell (optional).
Lots of Patience.

The fastest and most efficient way to housebreak a dog is to crate train. It is nearly impossible to housebreak a puppy or dog without a crate because they will have too much freedom to make mistakes. A crate taps in to the dog’s natural instinct not to soil near where they live and sleep.

A puppy can hold his bodily fluids for as many months old they are plus one, up to eight hours. Meaning, a three-month-old puppy can hold it for four hours. No dog should have to hold it for more than eight hours.

As soon as possible upon bringing your new dog home, introduce him to his crate. A crate is not “doggy jail”. The crate taps in to the dog’s natural instinct of having a den environment he can call his own.
The crate should be just large enough for the dog to stand with his head up, turn around, and lay down comfortably. Resist the urge to buy a bigger crate because the puppy is expected to grow larger. If the crate is large enough for him to sleep in one spot and go potty far enough away from his bed that he considers it “outside” of his sleeping area, he will do so.
The crate should be placed in an area of the home where the family hangs out or gets a lot of traffic, such as a living room. The dog should feel like part of the family when crated. The crate shouldn’t be kept away from people such as a laundry room or the garage.
Feed your dog in his crate while in training. This will tap in to his natural instinct not to soil the place where he eats.
The dog should be confined to a crate or on-leash at all times. Brief periods of play immediately after a successful potty break is encouraged and can be done off leash, but be prepared to rush the dog outside if he shows signs of needing to potty, and taking time to attach a leash can mean the difference between success and failure.
The dog should be crated overnight, however, keep in mind that a young puppy may need a potty break in middle of the night if they can’t hold it for a typical adult overnight sleeping time of seven hours or longer.
The dog should be taken out first thing in the morning, before going to bed at night and 20-30 minutes after eating. If the dog is crated, they should be given a potty break for however long they’re expected to hold it based on their age; i.e. a three-month old puppy can hold it for four hours. If the puppy is loose in the house, he should be taken out ever 30-45 minutes as activity will stimulate his bladder and bowels. This will gradually increase with time. If frequent interval potty breaks are not possible due to work schedule, and the puppy is at least four months old, he may be crated for approximately four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon, with a potty break in between typically at lunch time.
Attach a “dog crate water bottle” to the crate that will allow him to sip water slowly throughout the day, and not gulp it down where he’ll need to pee more frequently. Remove water three hours before bedtime to minimize the number of times they need to relieve themselves overnight.
While you are walking to the door to the space where he will go potty, say “outside” a few times in a positive tone. During the act of them peeing or pooping, say “go potty” in a calm voice. Immediately after they finish, praise and pet your dog enthusiastically and tell them “Good Boy/Girl!!”. Make a really big deal, it is a moment to be celebrated.
Take them to the same space each time and don’t walk them out of the area. Wait at least 5-10 minutes for him to go and longer if he is sniffing the ground in circles. If he does not go, take him back inside and put him in the crate. Wait 30 minutes and try again. Repeat as often as necessary.
Gradually increase the time between potty breaks while free indoors from 30 minutes to 45 minutes to an hour, and so on. If the dog shows signs of needing to potty sooner or has an accident, revert back to the previously successful duration for a week or two and then try to increase the duration between potty breaks again.
If you cannot watch your dog every second, crate him. If you’re taking a shower, crate him; if you’re cooking dinner, crate him; if you’re working on your computer, crate him; if you’re occupied in any way and can’t keep your eye on him, crate him. Immediately take him out to potty after being crated for any amount of time.
After successful elimination, you may play with your dog on or off leash, preferably in a confined area where he can be supervised AT ALL TIMES. Do not take your eyes off of your dog. It only takes a few seconds for a dog to go pee or poop. Look for signs that they need to potty, such as sniffing the ground, circling, or pawing at the floor. It doesn’t matter if they “just went” outside; sometimes dogs do not completely empty their bladder or bowels and may need to go again soon after they went outside, it’s just their nature.
During times of play in the house, close all doors, and block off areas for them to escape to, such as behind furniture. Dogs are sneaky and fast, especially puppies. Given the opportunity to run off and pee or poop in private is tempting. They are quick and it can happen in a matter of seconds.
If you catch the dog in the act of peeing or pooping, clap your hands loudly and say “NO, outside, go potty outside!” in a loud voice, but try not to sound angry. Immediately leash the dog if he’s loose, and take him outside to finish his business.
If you do not catch the dog in the act of peeing or pooping, but find the evidence after the fact, do not scold or punish the dog for the accident. Just ignore it and clean it up. Never bring the dog to the place where they had an accident and scold or punish him; he won’t understand why you’re acting “crazy” and if you’re angry, he will sense it and begin to fear you.
After a mistake, either witnessed or not, clean the area as soon as possible with an enzymatic odor/stain remover, such as Nature’s Miracle. Dogs will naturally pee and poop where they’ve gone before; if they can smell it, they will go again.
When letting your dog out to potty, do not just open the door and let him go out off-leash expecting him to know why he’s being let outside and what to do. More than likely, he will spend the time exploring the yard and all of its smells, and forget to go potty.
When taking your dog out to potty on leash, stick to the potty area only; don’t walk him around the yard outside of the potty area.
During housebreaking training, do not allow the dog to play in the back yard at all. The backyard should be used for the business of going potty only.
When cleaning the designated potty area outside, leave one pile of fresh poop in the area. The smell of his own poop will inspire him to go potty in the same place.
Avoid using pee pads if you want to housebreak your dog to only go outside. Pee pads tell your dog it’s okay for them to go potty in the house, and they may not always understand to use the pee pad only.
Be patient and try not to let accidents frustrate you. Dogs want to please you, but housebreaking is a difficult concept for some dogs to grasp. If they have an accident, they are not doing it on purpose, they are not trying to “get back” at you for something, they are not “lazy”, and they aren’t trying to be “stubborn”. If your dog has an accident, more than likely it is your fault, not theirs.
Some dogs can be housebroken in a matter of days or weeks. Some dogs take months. Some breeds are more difficult to housebreak than others. Be prepared to take your time and love your dog while they’re learning.
Once housebroken, a dog can be taught to ring a potty bell hanging from the door handle, or tap an electronic doorbell with their paw or nose to indicate they want to be let out. Please contact your dog trainer for more information.
The dog is considered housebroken when he consistently signals he needs to go potty outside. It may take months or even a year before they’re able to hold it for hours while free alone in the house until the next opportunity to go out, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t housebroken. It just means they need extra attention and patience.