Dogs have good instincts when it comes to keeping their living spaces clean.
Mother dogs train their puppies from the start not to mess in their nests. The mother licks the newborns in order to stimulate urination and defecation and then ingests the urine and feces to keep the nest clean. As the pups get a bit older, the mother may nudge them from the nest, stimulate them and then nudge them back into the nest. As the puppies mature and begin venturing from the nest, the mother is sure to clean up in and around the living area.
It is the owner’s responsibility to keep the puppy successful.
Never Let an Untrained Puppy Have Open Access in the House
Any dog that is not completely housetrained should never have the run of the house. A pup that has free access has ample opportunity to do the wrong thing. And the more practice she gets, the more habituated the behavior becomes.
During the training period, the dog must be under the watchful eye of the owner for any indications that the pup needs a bathroom break. When too busy to monitor her, the owner crates the puppy or confines her to an area where someone in the household is able to keep an eye on her. If necessary, the owner can leash the dog to the waist so that she can be monitored as one moves from room to room.
Learn her signals. Many dog owners complain that their dogs don’t signal when they need to relieve themselves. While it would be convenient if all dogs barked at the door to be let out, this is not the case. However, dogs do display ritualistic behaviors (sniffing, circling), albeit sometimes very subtle ones, just before doing their business.
Know the Likely Times When a Puppy Needs a Bathroom Break
Knowing the common times a pup needs to urinate is a help: any time she wakes up from sleep, even if only from a brief nap; after she gets really excited, e.g. after play or when company arrives.
Well into or after a play session, no matter how brief, the puppy will need a bathroom break even if the pup relieved herself just before the session.
Be especially careful when guests arrive. It is best to welcome guests quickly and then politely exit with your pup for a bathroom break.
Avoid Compounding the Problem
Aside from knowing the likely times, one also needs to be aware of the ways of unintentionally adding to the housetraining problem.
Whenever a puppy goes outside, she shouldn’t be hustled back into the house immediately after she has done her business. Many dogs love running around outdoors. If the puppy realizes that her outdoor fun ends as soon as she relieves herself, she is likely to hold back and either not evacuate or do so only partially, hoping that she is buying more time outside.
While on a walk, puppies are often too busy to make a pit stop; their senses are being bombarded. Yummy, the neighbor is having bacon for breakfast! Wow, a squirrel! Hey, is that a new dog in the neighborhood I hear? Like a young child that is too busy playing, the dog doesn’t take time out to relieve herself completely until she is back in familiar territory. Once back in the house, she thinks, “Ho-hum. Nothing new here. Hmmm, I think I feel something pressing. Gotta go.”
To avoid this problem, don’t wait for the dog to search out a comfortable spot to relieve herself. After walking for five or ten minutes, determine an appropriate place for her to go and stand there. Patiently outwait the puppy. Let her just circle around on the lead. After she has gotten totally bored with the spot, she is more likely to become aware of the sensations and relieve herself. Do this a couple of times while out on a walk.
If a dog is let out in a yard alone, one can’t assume that she has relieved herself or evacuated completely. Put the dog on a leash, take her to the desired spot and get her bored with the area until she empties completely. The first few times this may take a while, so plan on setting up a lawn chair and bringing along the daily newspaper.
Use an Appropriate Cleaning Agent
Clean up any messes with an enzymatic cleaner specifically designed to remove the smell for a dog’s very sensitive nose. Otherwise, the house will begin to smell like the right place to go. Ordinary household cleaners and disinfectants just don’t do the trick. Disinfectants that break down the enzymes in soiling from urine and feces can only be found in pet supply stores. Those found in supermarkets may disinfect and remove the odor for a human but not for a dog.
Prepare for Regression
If a puppy that has been housetrained suddenly regresses, immediately get back on the program. Often the reasons for regression are teething (emerging canine teeth and molars can be painful) and major changes in the household such as a new person moving in or a change in an owner’s work schedule.
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