7 Reasons you fail at housebreaking a puppy & how to fix them

Video: 7 Ways To Cure Your Dog's Housetraining Problem

Housebreaking a puppy can be very frustrating and may seem hopeless when all your efforts seem to fail. If your dog just isn’t picking the training up or has developed some hard to fix bad habits, don’t give up just yet!

You may be doing something that is actually hindering your puppy’s learning process. This article shares some reasons your potty training hasn’t been successful and some tips and tricks to help you get back on track.

As with any type of dog training, housebreaking a puppy will take time and patience. You can’t expect him to learn over night. With consistency and composure, you’ll have your dog going outside in no time.

7 Reasons You Fail At Housebreaking a Puppy & How to Fix Them

1. When you see your puppy eliminating in front of you, you punish him

This can be detrimental when housebreaking a puppy. When your pup gets in trouble for going potty in front of you, and you get mad, he learns that it is bad to go in front of you.

Instead he will find other places (like under a table or bed) to go where you can’t see. The only thing more annoying than having your puppy defecate in the house is when he goes and you can’t find it.

How to fix it:

Instead of making a scene when you see your puppy going in the wrong place, do something to startle him. This will make him stop going. Try clapping your hands.

When he stops, pick him up and carry him outside. When he regains his bearings, he will wander around and find a place to finish his business.

MORE HELP: How To Housetrain An Adult Dog 101 – A Step-By-Step Video Guide

2. You clean up his mess with an ammonia-based cleaner

Ammonia is a bad choice for cleaning up pet stains for several reasons. For one, it is made of the same things urine is made of, which means that when your pet smells it he will be attracted back to the spot.

This makes it more likely that he will go there again. It basically smells like old pee, which will draw him in, and his natural instinct will be to mark over the old urine.

Another reason is that ammonia is high in alkaline, so it can be bad for carpets. The odor isn’t good for you to breathe in either. Ammonia also leaves a residue, which can last for a very long time.

How to fix it:

Use an enzymatic cleaner like Urine-Off. This will break down the proteins in the urine and take away the scent, so your puppy won’t be inclined to go there again.

For more great products to remove stains and smells, take a look at this list of five best pet urine odor and stain eliminators. Make sure to choose the one that’s fit for your pet.

If you need help finding the spots where he’s had accidents, you can use a black-light like this one, or you can easily find one at almost any hardware store.

3. You leave food out all day

Free feeding can have a negative impact when housebreaking a puppy, because it doesn’t keep him on a schedule. A schedule can make sure the dog learns certain potty times.

This can help you to predict when he has to go out. Free feeding can also lead to health problems down the line, like obesity.

How to fix it:

Feed your dog twice a day – once in the morning and once at night. Puppies need to go potty first thing in the morning, 30 minutes after they eat, after they nap and right before they are left alone for the night.

Video: How to Potty Train a Beagle - House Training Your Beagle Puppy - Beagle Potty Training Methods

When they are young or you are just starting out with housebreaking, they should be taken out every 30 to 60 minutes. As they get bigger and their bladders grow, you can gradually increase the time between bathroom breaks.

4. You miss the signs your dog has to go potty

If you are new to owning a dog, you may not know when they have to go out and miss the warning signs. If the dog can’t hold it anymore, they will have accidents. Some common warning signs include:

• waiting by the door
• pacing
• barking
• whining
• circling
• trying to hide
• sniffing around for a good place to go

How to fix it:

Spend time observing your dog. Figure out which behaviors are a sign that he needs to use the bathroom. When housebreaking a puppy, noticing these signs can be the key to preventing accidents.

How often your dog has to go can depend on his size. Smaller dogs have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms, so they have to go more frequently than big dogs. It can also depend on his age. Younger dogs and elderly dogs go more often than dogs in the middle of life.

5. You are not being patient

Housebreaking a puppy is hard and needs a high level of dedication to be successful. It is not going to happen overnight. It takes a lot of time and energy, especially when your dog is having trouble picking up the training.

How to fix:

It can take any where from 4-6 months up to a year to housebreak your dog. So be patient. Cutting corners can lead to the process taking twice as long or causing bad habits to form. Take your time and dedicate it to your dog.

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