Training a puppy not to urinate in the house can be the most difficult and frustrating part of pet ownership. Starting the process early can help your new puppy learn house training or potty training manners.
Potty Training Age
House training or potty training can begin as soon as your new puppy is brought into the home. The average age for training your puppy is at eight weeks of age.
Schedule
Your puppy will need to defecate every couple of hours. Times can be calculated by adding one hour to his age. For example a two month old puppy will need to be taken out at least once every three hours.
Elimination Times
Your puppy should begin potty training by taking him outside during natural elimination times. He will need to eliminate immediately after waking in the morning, after naps, after playtimes and approximately 15 to 20 minutes after eating or snacking.
Size and Breed
Typically, smaller breeds are harder to potty train because their bladder size is smaller. Breeds such as terriers, pointers and some hounds are also more difficult to train because they feel the need to mark their territory or are naturally stubborn.
Bladder Control
Muscle control of the bladder does not fully develop until a puppy is three to four months old. Even when full bladder control is developed a puppy may have frequent or occasional accidents until they are fully potty trained
References
Photo Credits
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Image by Fotolia.com, courtesy of Claudio Calcagno
Writer Bio
FaithAnn Marie began writing in 2009, and her work appears on eHow and Answerbag. Her areas of expertise include health, science, computers, information management, data organization and computer networking. She is a certified phlebotomy technician and is working toward a Bachelor of Science in clinical laboratory research.
