In addition to the correlation between number of months of age and number of hours a puppy can wait to go out, it’s also important to let your dog out first thing in the morning, during or after play time, and after he’s eaten a meal or drank a lot of water. This time also refers to the maximum length of time he can hold on (i. e. at night). When house breaking a puppy, it is important to offer him a toilet break every 20–30 minutes for training purposes. [2] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source

Crates come in a variety of materials and versions. There are plastic crates that are typically used for traveling, and there are metal crates with folding/collapsing frames. Choose a type of crate that will be most conducive to your needs, and be sure it’s something your dog will not be able to chew or destroy easily, if that is a concern with your pet. [6] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source Choose the right size. A crate should ideally be just large enough for an adult dog to stand upright, turn around in it, and lie down with his legs extended. If a crate is too big, your dog may designate one corner of the crate as a bathroom spot. If it’s too small, your dog will be cramped and uncomfortable. [7] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source If your dog is young and you expect that he will continue to grow, talk to your veterinarian about how to measure a crate that will fit your dog’s anticipated adult body size. [8] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source

Try leaving the door to the crate open and periodically dropping treats in the crate. Start by leaving treats near the door, and progressively drop the treats further inside the crate. [10] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source Let your dog explore the crate whenever he wants. Leave the door open so that he feels like he can go inside at his leisure. [11] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source

Close the door of the crate while your dog is eating. When you first begin doing this, you’ll want to open the crate as soon as your dog finishes his meal, so he doesn’t become frightened. You can gradually increase the amount of time you leave the door closed, adding a minute or two every couple of days. [13] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source If your dog begins to whine, cry, or bark, do not let him out right away. Wait until he stops acting out before opening the crate. If you open the door whenever he barks, he will begin to think that barking gets him out whenever he wants. [14] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source Once your dog is comfortable staying in the crate for close to a half hour without incident, it is safe to start leaving your dog in the crate when you leave the house for brief errands, and you may want to consider leaving him in the crate overnight. Expect this process to take up to several weeks before your dog is comfortable being left alone in the crate. [15] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source

Be sure to let your dog outside to relieve himself right before you put him in the crate. Failing to give your dog adequate outdoor time before being crated could increase the likelihood of his having accidents when you’re not home. [17] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Never use the crate as punishment. You do not want your dog to associate the crate with being yelled at or punished. As long as you continue to feed him in his crate and only use the crate for training purposes (such as preventing him from destroying the house while you’re not home), he should have only positive associations with the crate. [18] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source

Do NOT yell at your dog or rub his face in the mess when he has an accident. This does not help your dog learn from his mistakes, and it may cause him to become fearful of you. Take accidents in stride and be patient with your pet.

If you have a yard, you can use indoor accidents as a training tool. Any time you clean up an indoor accident, take the urine-soaked paper towels outside to the dog’s usual bathroom area. Leave the paper towels outside on the ground, using a rock or stick to secure them in place. Once your dog smells his urine on the paper towels, he will firmly associate going to the bathroom with being outside. As soon as your dog learns the lesson and begins relieving himself outside again, you can remove the soiled paper towels.

urinary tract infection (UTI) surface preferences (desire to eliminate waste only on certain types of surfaces or textures)[22] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source anxiety/fear of going outdoors[23] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source separation anxiety[24] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source urine marking of household objects[25] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source submissive or excitement urination[26] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source