1. Why You Need to Housebreak Your Puppy

Many people think that puppies will automatically be housebroken or that they instinctively know not to go in the house, and to go outside.

That’s not the case. They need to be TRAINED so they’re housebroken.

And while it should seem logical why a puppy needs to be housebroken, some people don’t think about it. Let’s take a look at the reasons why your new puppy needs to be housebroken.

Dogs are Very Clean Animals

Some people think a dog is dirty because it will urinate and defecate in the house. A dog will only do that if it’s not trained to go outside. If a puppy is brought into a house and never shown how to get outside, or learn that he can go for a walk to get outside and go “potty” then he will think that the house is his territory and huge bathroom.

Dogs are not dirty by nature. In fact, dogs are instinctively very clean animals. They don’t want to sleep or eat in an area that is soiled. If they were living in the wild, you would see the dogs picking out areas to defecate and urinate….that are far away from their den where they sleep and eat!

You Need to Show That You’re In Control

Through housebreaking, you’ll show your puppy that you are in control. The puppy will not have the chance to take over the situation and run the household! Puppies that continue to urinate and defecate in the house are “out of control”, but in reality, the owner is out of control, and the puppy has complete control of his situation, and the house!

If you don’t housebreak your puppy,it will be totally out of control….and it will think that it’s in control of you!

By housebreaking your puppy, you’re also teaching it respect. Respect for you, your family and your house. The puppy will learn to listen to you, and look to you for guidance.

And out of that, the puppy will learn that if he listens and does what you want, you will give him praise, treats, toys and love! In return, the puppy will behave, be housebroken, and will love you back!

It’s the Natural Thing to Do - Urinating and defecating is the natural thing to do….but not in the house!

A dog “goes to the bathroom” outside. A puppy has been inside a house or pen with his littermates and mom. So he has no idea about the great outdoors unless he’s older and has been outside. A puppy needs to be exposed to grass and outside; and learn that this is where he urinates and defecates.

One he learns that he goes outside and on grass, and not on a rug or tile floor, then your puppy will love going outside to do what he needs to do. And once he knows that, he’ll also learn that outside is FUN! He can sit in the sun, play with toys, chase squirrels and run around and get exercise.

Being outside is natural for a dog. Using the house as it’s bathroom is not natural!

A Clean House is a Healthy House

While your dog is a clean creature by nature, if his environment continuously gets soiled, it’s never going to be clean! No matter how many times you steam clean your rug, dry clean the drapes, wipe down the chairs or mop the floor.

When you start to “smell the stains” that means there’s bacteria feasting on the residue! And that can also mean there’s mold or fungus forming in damp areas. Not only does it not smell good, it’s not healthy. Not for your dog, your other pets or you and your family. This can lead to upper respiratory infections, fungal infections and serious allergies.

The “Perfect” House for a Dog

We do have to face the fact that no matter how well housebroken your puppy or dog is, they may still have occasional accidents. And if they do, the best flooring to have is either tile, linoleum or wood. Wood is by far the less attractive of the bunch; it can warp if water stands on it for a long period of time.

So get a sample of wood and test it by dumping water on it and letting it stand overnight. If it has enough layers of sealer on it, the water will puddle up and not soak in. Buy that wood! The urine and other materials won’t soak in and ruin your wood.

If you do insist on having rug, then invest the pad that has a thick covering on it so pet stains won’t soak into the mat and create a “hidden” moisture trap for bacteria and mold to grow in! And also invest in a good steam cleaner.