[EnglishBulldogCuties]

Hi. I'am getting a English Bulldog puppy next month and was wondering the best way to housebreak them. I have had dogs in the past, some were horrible to train, they went all over the house and it took forever. Some went on the paper and finally learned. Any ideas? I have used the paper way, taking outside every couple hours, tried crate training but that was a little difficult. If anyone has a plan or a set way that does real well please share. I was thinking of going the crate way again. I'am selling my home to move and dont really want a bunch of potty messes on my carpet before so.

[WalkerDog]

The most important thing with potty training is that someone needs to be watching the dog at all times. I'm surprised how many people think they can housetrain a puppy when no one's home all day!

Here are some of the tips/steps I recommend for clients who are trying to housetrain (I'm using "she" just generically - it's easier than "he/she"):

1) Put the dog on a feeding schedule. Multiple (3 or more, for a puppy) meals of 10-15 minutes each and plenty of time to drink water will help your dog's bowels regulate. They will begin eliminating predictably.

2) No food or water 2 hours before puppy's bedtime, or she will be unable to hold it overnight.

3) Crate train your puppy as soon as she comes home. Do it slowly, rewarding her when she chooses to go in there (don't shove her in and shut the door). Over a few hours, get her until she will go in there and sit until you ask her to come out. Start shutting the door, then immediately opening it and asking her to come out, giving her a treat. Slowly increase how long she's expected to be in there with the door shut. Then start working on leaving and coming back. If she ever seems to get anxious, back off. She should be enjoying every moment.

4) Once crate-trained, she should go in the crate at night or when you need to leave the house. Puppies can hold it for 1 hour to every month of age. If she's one month, don't leave her alone for more than an hour! Puppies won't soil their crates if they can avoid it, but eventually they won't be able to help it. If you have to be gone a long time, put her in another enclosure (like a puppy pen) with her crate, toys, water bowl, and a place to potty. Make sure that the "potty spot" is the only clear choice to potty (every other spot is covered by something like toys, crate, etc.). Keep the crate in your room at night. Puppies don't like to be left alone, and you can work up to that later.

5) Take puppy out every hour on the hour and keep track of when she successfully pees or poops (in or out of the house) so you know when her regular times are. Once you know when she typically has to go, then you can start decreasing how often she goes out.

6) DO NOT scare your puppy if she starts to go in the house! Many dogs learn to hide from you to potty if they're always being yelled at/startled by loud noises. This is NOT what you want, as it means messes will be harder to find, you'll need to keep an even closer eye on her (she'll try to slink off to go potty), and she won't willingly potty for you outside. If puppy pees in the house, remind yourself that it's YOUR fault for not watching closely enough. Puppy doesn't know not to do that!

7) When she potties outside, praise her softly. If you're going to give her a treat, give it to her IMMEDIATELY after she potties, not once you get in the house. Treats aren't necessary, however. All potty training does is teaches a habit - grass=toilet. They'll automatically learn that carpet=not toilet. No treats necessary, but treats, praise, and affection don't hurt.

8) When you take her out, take her out ON-LEASH! Do not just let her out to run around, or she'll run around like crazy, and not pee until she's back inside. Take her to a specific spotl, stand and wait for her to pee, then let her play for a while. If you take her in as soon as she pees, she'll put off peeing so she can play. Wait until she does something before letting her play. If she doesn't do anything, take her inside again without a fuss.

9) Attach a word to the action of squatting. When she squats (NOT BEFORE), say your chosen cue word ("potty," etc.). Over time, you'll be able to say the word and have her potty on command. For now, we're just teaching her "That thing you're doing right now is 'potty.'"

10) When puppy is loose, keep a close eye on her. This may mean keeping the room enclosed (close doors, use puppy gates). Some people even leash their puppy and tie the leash to themselves so they know puppy's right there and can glance down frequently. Whatever works best for you.

11) Puppies typically have to pee soon after eating, drinking, playing, or waking up. ALWAYS take puppy out at these times.

I think that's it! Hopefully some of that was useful. Good luck with your awesome new puppy!

[briteday]

I second everything said above. Also, if you take the dog outside to potty at the regular time and the dog does not eliminate, do not give the dog free run of the house. Put the dog in the crate. Then try again every 15 minutes until the dog does eliminate. Then the dog can have SUPERVISED (eyes on the dog at all times, I like to tether them to me with a leash at first so they can't wander off) time with you in the house. If you are busy with housework, kids, cooking...eyes are not on the dog...then you can try "limited freedom" by putting the pup in a gated room like the kitchen. If you have an open floor plan house look into buying some ex-pens (pet store_ so you can set up a "limited freedom" pen in the kitchen or laundry room...floors there are easier to clean and you can puppy proof the room more easily than a bedroom, etc.

[EnglishBulldogCuties]

Wow, thanks to both of you. I will definitly follow that and see how it goes. Yeah i do have small children so keeping my eye on him at all times will be a little hard, but I will make sure to maybe let him play in a puppy pen or something if I cant. In his crate, should I put like a blanket or sleeping mat in there? Or leave it with just the pan it comes with?

[briteday]

If the crate is properly size (dog can stand up, turn around, lay down) then your dog will probably avoid eliminating in the crate. It sounds gross, but if the crate is the proper size it would force the pup to sleep in his mess. Some dogs don't seem to mind this, depending on the living conditions where you are getting him from. So that will determine if you can put a towel or something in the crate. Try it and see is all I can offer on that one.

Remember to feed the dog on a regular scedule and to take him out as often as necessary. That means even during the night. Don't wait for the dog to whine to wake you. Instead set an alarm for the appropriate amount of time and take the dog out on a schedule. If the dog is 8 weeks old, then that means you take himout every 2 hours around the clock. You can start to lengthen the night time schedule as time goes on. You should be able to tell when the time is right. If not, come back and ask more questions.

[EnglishBulldogCuties]

So, what if he starts peeing or pooping in the house. After he does that what should I do? My first reaction is to yell No and put him outside to go. Not sure if that works though??!!

[Luv4Paps]

When I got my papillon puppy a week ago, I started with the crate as soon as I got her. I also use an ex pen inside the house with pee pads inside. I got the ones that have the attractant in them, and its been working like a charm. She goes out about every two hours and I find it necessary to be consistent with the training. I have my pup on a schedule and its working really well. Good luck to you!

[myminpins]

Originally Posted by EnglishBulldogCuties

So, what if he starts peeing or pooping in the house. After he does that what should I do? My first reaction is to yell No and put him outside to go. Not sure if that works though??!!

THe second you see him start to do that, clap your hands or yell "no" and grab him and race him outside. Hopefully there will be some left to go and you can praise him like mad

Titan could hold it all night at just over seven weeks. Some dogs cannot do this. You'll have to do some of it by practice and watching him. Titan still does not do anything so we KNOW he has to go. He is 12 weeks old. We still put him out every hour when he's up and about and we tell him "go pee" and he now knows that "go pee" means to do so and he will ALWAYS go pee for us. Great thing is, he won't come right back in if he has to poop, he'll take off looking for his "spot". A lot of it has to do with how the breeder handles the dogs the first few weeks of life.

Titan's sleeping area was kept immaculately clean but he was never crated. First night home, he went seven hours without doing anything. Got him up, carried him directly outdoors and he went. Party!! LOL

When your pup first wakes up from ANY nap, it'd be good to carry him outside or leash him and make him go quickly outside. Otherwise, he may not make it. It won't be long and you'll get a rhythm going and it'll be great. The more often he soils in the house, the longer it will take to get him potty trained.

[WalkerDog]

Originally Posted by EnglishBulldogCuties

So, what if he starts peeing or pooping in the house. After he does that what should I do? My first reaction is to yell No and put him outside to go. Not sure if that works though??!!

As mentioned in my first post, startling him with a clap or a scary "NO!" or grabbing at him can scare him enough and end up teaching him not to pee in front of you, instead of not to pee in the house. Although it may work for some dogs, dogs with a predisposition for fear (many small dogs are this way) may end up with problems of peeing out of sight in the house and/or refusing to pee in front of you outside.

Instead, leave a leash on him to drag around and, if you see him squat, grab the leash and rush him outside (less scary for him than grabbing the collar, shouting, or clapping).

If you watch him well enough and have few enough problems in the house, the startle technique might not cause too much damage. If you find you have to do it frequently, though (more than once a week), you may end up having a dog that has some problems.