Successfully housebreaking a puppy is a multi-stage process that requires patience and consistency. After mastering the foundational steps outlined in “house breaking 101,” the next crucial phase involves teaching your puppy to actively signal when they need to go outside. This transition is vital for preventing accidents and fully completing the housebreaking process. It’s essential to ensure your puppy has consistently followed the initial training schedule, with no accidents, before introducing these new concepts.
The Goal: Promoting Independence in Potty Training
The primary objective of this advanced stage of puppy housebreaking is to encourage your pup to communicate their need to eliminate. By slightly ajar, this door acts as a motivator, prompting your puppy to realize they require your assistance to fully access the outdoors. This is an additive procedure, meaning it’s integrated into your existing routine, not a replacement. It’s best implemented during supervised indoor time when your puppy has access to the designated door for their bathroom trips.
Creating the Opportunity: The Partially Open Door
To facilitate this learning, keep the training door ajar just enough for your puppy to smell the outside air without being able to exit independently. For sliding doors, this can be achieved by opening it an inch or so. With traditional swinging doors, a wedge-type stopper can be effective. Alternatively, a security door chain can provide security while allowing the door to remain slightly open. Some owners have also installed security bolts on sliding doors to achieve the same effect without compromising external security.
Encouraging the “Ask” Signal
Initiate the “going outside” ritual each time your puppy begins to sniff the air through the slightly open door. Prompt them by asking, “Do you want to go outside?” and pause for a moment to observe their response. Puppies may whine, bark softly, or paw at the door to signal their need. If your puppy starts sniffing intently at the floor and moving away, gently guide them to the door. Once at the door, wait for their affirmative signal before opening it fully. It’s important to accompany your puppy outside on a leash to supervise their bathroom trips, even during this transitional phase.
Utilizing Bells for Communication
If you’ve incorporated hanging bells into your training, the process remains similar. When your puppy reaches the partially open door and their sniffing causes the bells to jingle, praise them, offer a treat, and open the door. Remember to have these bells consistently jingling throughout the initial housebreaking phase whenever you take your puppy outside.
Separating Business from Pleasure
During this critical training period, it’s crucial to reserve the “outside” ritual exclusively for bathroom trips. Avoid mixing “business with pleasure” by not playing extensively in the designated bathroom area immediately after they’ve eliminated. This distinction helps solidify the prompt “Do you want to go outside?” and the skill of “asking” for a potty break. While it’s encouraged for puppies to eliminate outdoors during play or walks, explicitly separating the “bathroom” ritual from these activities is key to mastering the “asking” behavior. When going out to play or for a walk, use different phrases than the one used for announcing a bathroom trip.
This final stage of housebreaking is a significant step toward your puppy’s independence. By consistently applying these techniques, you’re well on your way to a fully house-trained companion.
Additional Resources:
- House Breaking 101
- Crate Training 101
- Your Puppy’s First Couple of Weeks: Tips to Make the Transition Easier
