Kratos the Husky.

Meet Kratos!

Kratos is one adorable, feisty ball of Husky energy. But like any puppy, he doesn’t know the household rules yet, and doesn’t have any way to learn unless we teach him. Puppies are naturally curious, inquisitive and pre-programmed to explore their world. Kratos is like any animal -- people included! -- if a tactic is successful, he’s likely to do it again. If he's running around, biting and exploring, and he has to go to the bathroom, he'll just go wherever he feels is a good spot. After peeing, he feels instantly better! In his little puppy brain, going to the bathroom inside makes him feel great! So why shouldn’t he do it again?

This is the point where we have to step in. Any time a puppy goes to the bathroom, he feels great! If a puppy is able to go to the bathroom whenever and wherever he wants, what’s the point of going outside to pee when there's a perfectly good rug in the bedroom? One vital part of housetraining a pup is to teach them that going to the bathroom inside does not work. And the only way to do this is to watch them like a hawk!

The goal is to be able to have 100% supervision of your pup. This means that he will be with you, in his crate, or in a puppy-proof confinement area at all times. When you are home, keep your pup with you as much as you can. Set up baby gates to keep him in the room, use a dragline to keep him nearby, or simply tether his leash to whatever you are sitting on. This way you can keep an eye on him and if you see him start to sniff around, you can whisk him outside to use the bathroom.

If you just need to get something done without your pup or if he needs a nap, just pop him in his crate. Dogs are den animals and are naturally inclined not to go to the bathroom where they sleep, so the crate makes a fantastic training tool. Also, when he’s been napping in his crate for a bit, you can guarantee that once he's awake he’s gotta go, so you can take him straight outside to do his business.

Any time a puppy is able to go to the bathroom inside, it will set back how long it takes for him to become housetrained. By managing where your pup is and keeping an eye on him 100% of the time, you can prevent any accidents from happening inside and housetraining will happen that much faster.

To learn more about Housetraining and to read our complete Housetraining eBook, check out Zen Dog Training Online.