Housetraining is actually fairly easy—as long as you stick by the rules. Instead of reading the Readers’ Digest version here, go straight to the source. Way to Go! How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age by Karen B. London, Ph.D., and Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D. It costs less than $10 and takes less than an hour to read.
Once you know the rules, the key is consistency. Your success really depends on how well you stick to the rules. Following this book, we housetrained two puppies in a couple of weeks each. At four months, both had full access to the house day and night, even while we were away all day.
Way to Go! encourages rewarding dogs for “doing their business” by giving them a treat. It’s also useful to add a cue such as “get busy.” We did, and it works! When we tell our dogs to “get busy,” they get right on task. You don’t necessarily want to use it every time you go out, but it’s useful on cold nights or rainy days.
Here’s another tip: Don’t make the mistake of heading inside right after your dog “goes.” If you do, you’ll be teaching him to hold it. Your dog treasures these moments with you outdoors—the more so if you don’t get him out for regular long walks. You don’t want to teach your dog that relieving himself ends this treasured experience. Keep walking for a few minutes after the big event, and then go in.
