10 points for best answer. How do house train a 2 month old puppy?

Question

What's the best way to get started? I haven't had him that long so I'm not sure when he has to go outside. He's not lifting his
leg - he just sort of sqirts when he's ready to go. After he eats
or drinks how long should I wait before I take him outside?

Answer 1

All puppies under 4 months of age have small bladders and can not be expected to hold their urine longer than 3-4 hours during the day or 6 or so hours at night.

Someone must be available to let the dogs out once every 3 hours. Housebreaking occurs gradually over a period of time using consistent schedules and methods.

Puppies urinate frequently and predictably. They go after waking up, after eating, after playing, and when they get excited. Always take your puppy out to the same place, the same time, and following his meals. When you take them out it is helpful if you give your pup a word or phrase to associate with elimination. After they go, praise them for going in the proper area. (Make going outside FUN.)

It is important to allow your puppy to earn space in your home. Only allow him in a new room after he has gone to the bathroom outside. Do not overextend his limits. He needs to gradually work up to extended freedom in the home. Do not wait until your puppy is 6 months old to show him your living space, he will not consider this part of his "den" and may not respect it. Good manners are taught young.

Within 10-30 minutes after you feed your pup he will have to relieve himself. All your walks do not need to be long. The first walk in the morning is just to relieve himself then bring him back in for breakfast in the crate.

Pull up all food and water by 7pm (depending on your schedule, climate, etc.). Your puppy needs to go to bed on an empty stomach and bladder. An ice cube instead of a whole bowl of water is helpful.... It gives them liquid in the bowl gradually and/or is a fun snack.

Feed your pup in his crate for now. This does several things, it enables him to eat with more peace of mind knowing he's in his own space, and it makes the crate a more enjoyable place to spend time in.

Giving your puppy dinner by 5pm allows him to digest and urinate prior to bedtime

Answer 2

First of all you need to take him outside OFTEN. We recently had a foster who always had accidents. We took him out every 15 mins and still he had accidents. Once you take him out and he goes time him as to how long it is before he has an accident. Then take him out in that amount of time. It is a lot of work. Also, we gave a small treat (normally a piece of dog food they dont know the difference) after he went outside. Not when he got in the house but right after we went potty. Dogs live in the moment and you reinforce good behavior by using the treat/food. They then associate getting a treat with going potty outside. Crating the dog when not home and at night is best as this teaches them to hold it. You have work up to longer periods of time as puppies cannot hold it as long as adult dogs. The kennel should be small enough so the dog cannot "get away" from an accident. No dog wants to sit in an accident and a small enough kennel will help them immesnly.
Once the puppy starts teething you may have some problems also. They drink much more water when they teeth as it helps the pain. I would suggest weeting a washrag, tie it in a knot, and freeze it. This way the dog does not get so much water and his teeth feel better. Love, patience and praise will do the trick. Remember they live in the moment and if he pees on the floor and you find it you should not scold him. He will only remember the most recent thing he did and think you are scolding him for that. If you catch him peeing, tell him no, and take him out even if it is mid-pee. Gross I know but it will help him associate potty and outside.
Let me know if you have any questions. We have had a lot of luck with these methods!

Answer 3

Someone told me that if a puppy is two months old they can hold it for two hours. Three months, three hours, etc..... Take him out right after he eats and drinks. Once he does pee outside praise him and reward him right then and there. It also helps to have key words. I tell my puppy "go pee pee" some people say things like "get busy". When the dog goes outside praise him. Also, other people have suggested putting a bell on the door. Ring it before you go outside. Then, when the dog is potty trained he can be trained to ring the bell to let you know he has to go outside. Be patient, and buy lots of Petzyme to clean up any messes.

Answer 4

I agree w/ the first answer. Anybody who has ever had a hard-to-housetrain breed knows the importance of a feeding/watering schedule. I have an Italian Greyhound and I trained him exactly the way the rescue agency told me. They said to put him on a schedule, crate train him, do not let him have the run of the house and watch him for signs that he has to pee. Some dogs are so easy to housebreak but others are not! The ones that are not should be on a schedule otherwise they are IMPOSSIBLE TO HOUSEBREAK!!! That is why so many Italian Greyhounds end up being dumped or killed by their owners!!!!

Answer 5

We just went through this with our puppy, I'll try to be brief since there are already so many answers.

Set up a potty schedule and stick to it.

Age in months +1 is the number of hours they can be crated. Not necessarily how long they can hold it.

If you can provide a consistent and frequent enough schedule to avoid potty pads, do it. They can be confusing to a puppy when you're trying to train it to go outdoors, but providing a place indoors.

When catching them in the act do not scold physically or verbally. This will just teach them to not do it in front of you. Instead, clap, or make a loud noise that will startle them. This will drop them in midstream so you can pick them up and carry them outside. Wait for them to pee and treat immediately. (If you forget the startle part they'll continue to go as you pick them up :)

The bell idea can work, but we've had dogs that as they grew older/smarter figured out they could also use it as a human-calling device. :)

Btw, your puppy will need to mature some more in order to learn when it needs to go. At 2 months, they only get a very short warning before they have to go. Once they get a little older and have enough time to warn you, it'll be a learning experience for you both. For him to learn how to tell you, and for you to spot that he is trying to tell you. The bell can help here.

Answer 6

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://bitly.im/aMS49

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 7

1) crate train. feed in crate get used to crate.. should take no more than day or two. Crate should be just big enough to stand up and turn around. Puppy will not want to pee or poop where it will lay.

2) put puppy in crate to rest. take out puppy for potty break.. if goes, reward and play with puppy for 20 minutes or half an hour.. then put back in crate. take puppy out to go potty.. if goes, reward.. it doesn't go.. back in crate.

3) elaborate.. hang bell near where puppy goes outside. ring the bell when you take puppy out. try to get puppy to ring the bell. if puppy doesn't play with bell.. put butter on bell.. reward puppy for ringing bell. then every time you take puppy out.. ring the bell. it'll sink in some day. if puppy rings bell but doesn't have to go.. put in crate.

any time you put puppy in crate.. give a small reward.. cookie or something. crates are good. they are a den animal and prefer confined safe spaces. it's not cruel. it's highly recommended by many professionals.

NEVER CLEAN WITH AMMONIA or any other chemicals.. other than vinegar.. use plain ol' vinegar and water solution.. or buy 'nature's best' at pet store.. ammonia and many household chemicals.. the dog sniffs it and thinks it's pee and will go right where you cleaned up.

Crate training really works. it may take a bit extra in the beginning, but it's well worth it. bell also works well. you'll get tired of the lies.. just coz puppy wants to go outside.. but after a year.. you will be thankful puppy only rings bell instead of barks.. or scratches at door.. or who knows what to let you know it needs to go out. Also.. when puppy rings it several times.. you KNOW it's time! :)

ALSO.. REMEMBER.. THE AVERAGE HOLD TIME for a puppy is 1 plus it's months old. So if you're pup is 2 months old.. 2+1=3... the average hold time is 3 hours.... this varies.. but is a good estimate.

I disagree with the water schedule.. they should ALWAYS have water.. WITH EXCEPTION to before bed.. pull water and food away 2 hours before bedtime. Depriving of water is not humane to dogs. It can also cause urinary tract infections... But do put pup on a food schedule.. there shouldn't be food down all the time :)

Answer 8

My dog only ever had one accident. But, this takes time at home. So, after he eats, put him outside (be with him) until he pees, then bring him in. After he naps, bring him outside until he pees then bring him in. After a few hours, if he hasn't been outside, bring him outside until he pees then bring him in. Eventually your dog will stand by the door when he has to pee. My dog doesn't bark, he just goes to the door. He honestly only peed once in my house. After a big drink, take him out. It's time consuming, but it works, and you don't need the newspaper or puppy pads or anything. We started this the day we brought him home.

Answer 9

Take him out when he wakes up, after he eats, and every 30--40 minutes to give him lots of chances to do the right thing so lots off chances for you to praise him.
Hang a bell on the door that you take him outside, and ring it when you open the door, teach him to ring the bell and the door opens. It is a means of communication you both understand. You know when the bell rings, he has to go out, he knows when he rings the bell, the door opens and he can go out.

Answer 10

take hime out as soon as you get up, before you go to bed, after every meal and after playing with him.these are the key times that a pup will want to go. reward him when he goes out side but ignore it when he goes indoors. accidents will happen and he prob wont be completely clean for a few months. also get a crate. make it like a den for hime and a safe place to go. dogs never wee where they have to sleep so if you make the den a big bed, he will go all night and whenever in it with out weeing.
good luck