Housebreaking a puppy is probably the number one reason people don’t enter into dog ownership. There is no doubt that this is the hardest part of owning a puppy, but if the process is started immediately and taken seriously your puppy will be trained in no time.

First and foremost, buy a kennel. This is as important as the toys the leash and the food dish. Kennel training is the easiest and most effective way to housebreak your puppy. Not to mention it will save you hundreds in cleaning bills and damage to your personal property. Forget all you that you have heard that kenneling a puppy is cruel. By providing a kennel for your puppy you are actually catering to his natural instinct as a den animal. Depending on your puppy’s breed, choose a kennel that can accommodate the puppy as a full grown dog. You will be surprised how much your mature dog will utilize their kennel as a place of refuge or just as a place to hang out years down the road. Whatever you do don’t use the kennel as a place to punish your pup. Make the kennel a fun and safe place your puppy will want to be.

After you pick up your cute fuzz ball at the breeder make the first stop the backyard or the outside area you plan to take your pup to do his business everyday. Get him acquainted with a spot. Dogs are creatures of habit that crave a schedule and familiarity.

Put together a schedule the entire household will follow on how to of care for your puppy. When everyone is on the same page it will be easy to housebreak your puppy. Puppies on average eat three times a day and sleep about 18 hours a day. After every feeding take him out to his spot and go with him. Yes, even when it’s below freezing and snowing. Take this into consideration when you’re deciding what time of year to bring your puppy home. You need to make sure he takes his outside trips seriously. Eventually you will be able to open the door and let him out, but not at first.

Newspaper training is a waste of time when housebreaking a puppy. You’re just making more work for yourself. You will end up training your puppy twice, and time is of the essence in the house breaking process. You can never take your puppy out too much. They must go out first thing in the morning and right before you go to bed. If you are accustomed to staying out till 3 am and sleeping till 10, then maybe you aren’t ready to have a puppy.