In December of last year, we added an new member to our family, a 10 week old Australian Shepherd and Labrador mix we named Tucker. He was (and still is) the cutest little puppy, with his big, clumsy over-sized paws skidding all over the family room. We were all in complete awe, all we could do was stare at our new little puppy baby until, of course, IT happened. Our darling little angel unleashed a voluminous bowel movement that cleared the room. Oh, no the kids weren't helping with THAT. And so, our puppy housebreaking began...

Fortunately, we'd done this before, so we were well aware of the process ahead. With a background in behavioral psychology, I am well-versed in shaping and successive approximation. We'd used a very simple process incorporating some of Skinner's behavioral techniques. There are five steps to successfully housebreaking a puppy. It's not complicated, in fact, it's very simple. Don't complicate it, housebreaking a puppy takes vigilance and work, but the steps you need to take are quite simple.

If you have a puppy that has begun the housebreaking process before you got him, continue to use whatever dog potty training method has been previously used. Otherwise, it will be very confusing to him and puppy potty training your dog will be unnecessarily difficult. If you're dealing with a bland slate here, you will be using crate training to achieve your puppy potty training. Keeping him confined is critical at this point.

Step One

Put him in the crate without any newspaper at all. You are trying to avoid planting the idea that eliminating in his crate is desirable and acceptable behavior. By nature, it's unappealing for a dog to defecate in his sleeping area, in this case his “den” (crate).

Step Two

For the first few day, no more than three, allow him to readily use the papers to eliminate when he's out of the crate. You want to give him a chance to feel comfortable in his new environment and don't want to rush the process for potty training puppies!

Step Three

After the first few days, he will have begun to catch onto the paper training with a little encouragement from you. Make sure you're praising him with a treat and a “good dog!” when he's appropriately gone potty on the papers. Now, you will SLOWLY begin moving the papers towards the door he'll use to go outside. We're not talking about moving the paper a few feet here, we're literally talking about inches, eight at the most each day. You will continue this paper migration until the papers are finally at the door. Again, continue to reinforce the puppy for appropriate elimination.

Step Four

Here you will be shifting gears with the puppy housebreaking. You will make sure your dog is paying careful attention to you as you move the papers outside. Make sure he's watching you as you pick them up and move them just outside your door. Naturally, the goal is that the puppy will begin to ask to go outside to potty on the papers. Unfortunately, this step doesn't always go as smoothly as you'd like. He may get confused and begin eliminating inside the home, on the floor. If he does, you know you've gone too quickly and will need to move the papers inside again. Return to slowly moving the papers back to the door again, with frequent rewards. It may take a few days, but your puppy will get the hang of it.

Step Five

Now that your dog house training has landed your dog outside, begin moving the papers to the place in the yard you'd like him to go. If he backtracks and has an accident, say “outside” while taking his “accident” to the desired location out in the yard. Make sure he's watching and goes outside with you while you deposit it in the correct location. DO NOT SCOLD YOUR DOG! Your puppy will be naturally interested in exploring his business, let him. That's an integral part of house training dogs. Let his natural curiosity work for him.

Now that the papers are outside in the appropriate part of the yard, you will begin reducing the papers. If you started with three papers, go down to two. Next reduce it to one. Then, begin making that one paper smaller and smaller, by ripping it in half, and quarters, etc...

Finally, remember to frequently let out your dog! Don't assume his bladder is capable of holding as much as a full-grown dog, he still needs plenty of opportunities to go outside. When you do let him out, walk with him to the desired place in the yard. Give him lots of treats, praise, petting, and “good dogs!” when he goes potty.

Dog house training should not be forced, the owner must take his or her time. Crate training a puppy is the best way to begin housebreaking a puppy. Not only will it reduce the chances a puppy will adopt bad habits, but it's bar none the best method for house training dogs. Anywhere along the process, if he begins to back track in the housebreaking, just go back to the previous step and work from there. It was only a matter of about a week before our puppy was potty trained. Be patient, be loving, and provide lots of praise. He'll be accident-free before you know it.