One of the most effective ways of house training your puppy is by using crate training.

The way crate training your puppy helps with house training is because a dog will naturally not want to soil the area where it eats and sleeps. If you put your dog in a crate then this instinct will come to the fore. The dog will soon see the crate as his den and will at all costs try to avoid soiling it.

The key to being successful with this form of training, like any other, is to establish a good routine. Your dog will soon learn where and when he can do his business and avoid going in the wrong places. You need to really praise your dog up every time he eliminates in your chosen spot, and don’t get angry when he messes up.

If you have to leave your puppy or dog for a while, he needs to be contained somewhere that is puppy proof, and have fresh water and a bed, plus a few toys. This is not the same as crate training, as if you put your dog into the crate he will think of it as his home and not want to soil it. So when you are crate training to help with housetraining it is really important to take your dog out of the crate as soon as possible after you return – you need to take him quickly to the pre-defined toilet area. When he does his business in the right place praise him. He needs to learn to associate going to the toiler in the correct place with great things like treats, toys and of course plenty of praise.

Don’t ever leave your dog in his crate for long periods as this will only confuse him and force him to soil the crate. The crate in this instance is a tool to help with training, and it should not be abused as this will set your dog training program back by weeks if not by months.

During the day your dog needs to be given the chance to relieve itself around every 45 minutes or so. Take him to the designated area on a leash, give him three or four minutes to perform, if he does not then put him back into his crate for a short while.

During this crate training time you should really keep a note of when the dog does his business each day. If he is fed at the same times each day then his toilet schedule should remain fairly consistent as well. This will help you to know when he needs to be taken outside.