HOW TO HOUSE TRAIN YOUR PUPPY

Training a puppy can be quite a challenge. You must be very patient and very consistent. Don't expect your puppy to know everything on the first day.

Crates are a great resource for a new pet owner. You can put your puppy in the crate if you are going to be away for a while or in the night. The puppy will be safe and you will not have to worry about unexpected messes.

Don't use your crate as a place of punishment, this will scare your puppy into thinking it is a bad place. Instead put something comfy for your puppy to snuggle with a favorite toy or treat plus food and water.

Every time you take your puppy out of the crate take him or her directly outside to potty. This will help your puppy to learn to hold his or her urine and stool for longer periods of time as well as know when and where to go.

Puppies learn very early from their mothers not to dirty in their local areas, this is why puppies will not go in the crate. Of course there is exceptions to every rule.

If this does not work for you and your puppy or you just cannot stand the whimpering you may hear at first putting your puppy in the crate there are other methods of training.

Remember when you buy a crate to make sure your growing puppy has plenty of room, a boxer puppy for instance would need a larger crate than a toy poodle.

If you choose, you can train your pup to potty on newspaper or potty-pads in the house.  The nice thing about that is you don't have to worry about bad weather, late nights, or being gone from the home.  We have a potty pad set at our back door.  If the girls need to go, they go.  It is easy to clean up, does not smell, and keeps their coat beautifully shiny and clean.

For a male that lifts his leg, you do not have to resort to leaving him outside.  He can still be a part of the family.  You can purchase a "belly band" that wraps around his belly so when he lifts his leg, he pees into a kotex pad that can be changed.  This gives him the ability to live like king! 

The most important thing to keep to is that you want to rule your puppy, you don't want your puppy ruling YOU!