Housetraining
-Make an area that is your puppy's den: a crate, small room, or grated area. Have it be small enough that it feels cozy, but big enough for the puppy to stand comfortably. If the puppy is a medium to large breed dog, get a crate that will accommodate the adult size. You can make it smaller with extra towels or a divider and take those out as the puppy grows. Dens are important to puppies, they usually don't pee or poop in their dens if they aren't in there too long.
-Watch your puppy at all times when he or she is awake. When the puppy is awake, take her outside or to the puppy pad every 30 minutes to an hour. Give praise and/or a treat after going potty outside.
-There are certain times your puppy will have to go; after waking up, after eating and/or drinking, after training time, and after getting up from relaxing - So take he/she outside!
-At night: a general rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold it for as many hours as he/she is old plus one hour. So, for example, a three month old puppy should be able to hold it for 4 hours.
-Remember that accidents will happen! It's not the puppy's fault, and the puppy never does it to make you mad (no dog does). It is the human's fault for not paying attention. Do not scold, hit or shove the puppy's nose in it if you find a mess. If you see your puppy peeing or pooping in the house, use a negative sound to stop/distract it, then quickly take the puppy outside to finish its business.
**Remember that puppies and dogs live in the moment - you have maybe two seconds to catch and correct a behavior you want to change. Punishing or yelling at a dog after the face does no good and will only make the puppy/dog afraid of you.**
