Ideally you will bring home your puppy in a crate. As I’ve mentioned in my article, When you bring Home you’re Puppy, Don’t Forget the Crate!, investing in a good quality dog crate before purchasing a new dog or puppy is essential. In the case of a puppy or a young dog that is not house-broken, the crate is an invaluable tool that is used as an integral part of teaching your puppy to go outside. If you follow these simple steps, housebreaking will be a fairly simple process, although it does requires effort, time, and consistency. Some animals are easier to house-train than others, but animal care professionals in general agree that crate training is the most effective method for dogs of any age.

Step # 1 Purchase a quality dog crate that is suitable for your needs and the size of your puppy or dog.

Step # 2 Make the crate comfortable for your puppy by placing soft washable bedding that can be easily removed in case of soiling. Make sure fresh water is always available. Provide safe chew toys in the crate. You may want to place puppy pads in the crate’s corner for times when accidents happen. This gives him the opportunity to move away from his sleeping area to urinate on a disposable pad.

Step #3 Place the crate in a spot that is near a central location in your home where your puppy feels close to you, but can also have quiet time and feel protected. If you place his crate in the kitchen, a hall near the living room, or another room where you spend time, this teaches your puppy that the crate is not a place where he is being isolated.

Your puppy has a crate—now what?

During the crate training process, keep your puppy confined to his crate when you are not with him. Puppies need lots of rest, so when you are not playing with him or taking him out to go potty, place him in his crate where he will sleep most of the day (puppies, like babies, sleep most of the day—14 hours a day is typical). Every few hours (see the schedule below), go and pick your puppy up and carry him outside, put him in the spot where you want him to go, and say, “Go potty.” As soon as he goes, praise him lavishly (you may also give him a treat), and let him run around and play for a few minutes outside. When you bring him in, this is a perfect time to play with him and allow him to spend time with you outside of his crate. He will not need to relieve himself and can run around a bit under your supervision—bring out some safe puppy toys, play with him, and cuddle until you are ready to place him back in his crate. If some time has passed and you have fed him or if he has been drinking, take him out again before putting him back for a nap.

By this time, your puppy will be ready to nap again. Make sure you don’t leave your puppy in his crate for more than a few hours without taking him out. When you return to take him out, follow the same steps. Pick him up, and without letting his feet touch the floor, take him outside, put him on the ground in his spot and say, “Go potty.” Each time you are consistent with this simple process, you reinforce he is meant to go outside to do his business. Your puppy will also learn what you mean by “Go potty.” This command, or the command of your choice, will come in handy over time. Your dog learns early that you will tell him when and where he should go, and this is invaluable when traveling or in new surroundings.

Crating Duration Guidelines

*NOTE: Except for overnight, neither puppies nor dogs should be crated for more than 5 hours at a time. (6 hours maximum!)

The reason crate training is such an effective house breaking method, is puppies, like most animals, don’t like to eliminate in their sleeping areas. They will only do so when they have no other choice. They will hold it as long as possible until they are forced to “go” where they are. Crate training takes advantage of the puppy’s natural desire to keep his area clean, and is the perfect way to teach them bladder control. Of course, you have to be careful not to use the crate unfairly and keep puppies confined longer than they should be expected to hold it.

Also, the goal of crate training is to prepare you puppy to enter your household as a fully trained adult dog that is housebroken, who is trained not to chew or be destructive, and yet can be crated when necessary. You want your dog to have positive feelings about his crate; the crate should be a safe, comfortable, and pleasant doggie den.

Unfortunately, puppies that have been purchased in pet stores, or have been kept in small cages at a young age (between 7 and 16 weeks) may be more difficult to housebreak using the crate training method, because they have been forced to eliminate in their sleeping areas. Confining puppies with their waste, when they are learning to eliminate outside their sleeping areas, slows the house breaking process, making it difficult to housebreak your dog.

Accidents Happen!

Expect and prepare for accidents to occur both in the crate and elsewhere. It only takes a moment for your puppy to go! If he eliminates in his crate, don’t punish him—simply clean the crate with a pet odor neutralizer such as, Nature’s Miracle, Nilador, or Outright. Never use the ammonia based products that smell like urine and may draw your dog back to urinate in the same area.

It’s important to be positive with your puppy and not to use harsh words or discipline during the housebreaking process. If you’re not present when he has an accident, simply clean up the mess. If you are present, say, “no,” pick him up instantly and carry him outside to where you want him to go and give the command, ”Go potty.” This way you’re teaching him what he needs to do without creating stress and without harming his trust. Everything you do with a young puppy helps form his opinion of you and the world, and your goal should be to establish a loving bond with him, as well as to be firm and consistent.

For more on the proper use and benefits of crates:

When you bring Home your Puppy, Don’t Forget the Crate!