The sensation of becoming an empty nester is a strange feeling that all people who experience it handle differently. A big question that many parents in this position have is, “What do I do now?” The answer for some is to fill that hole with another living being to care for—in this case, a dog. While this is certainly a suitable solution, raising a dog has some challenges that you likely didn’t experience with your kids. That’s why we’re bringing you our list of tips on how to house train a puppy on your own without the help of a trainer.
Accept That Mistakes Are Going To Happen
One of the biggest errors that new dog owners make is getting mad at their dogs for relieving themselves in the house. If you catch your puppy doing this, try not to yell at them. Instead, quickly take them outside, especially if they aren’t finished yet. Once they’re out there, come back in and clean the spot thoroughly. Failing to get rid of that smell can lead to them doing the same thing again.
Also, we want to make a note of the fact that rubbing your puppy’s nose in their mess or pointing at it and yelling at them is a very bad way to handle the situation. Rather than stopping them from going to the bathroom in the house, it will teach them to simply not do it in front of you, which will lead to even more frustration when you step in it later.
Set Up a Daily Routine With Them
Puppy’s digestive systems work best when they’re on a routine. That means going outside around the same times each day, receiving food at regular intervals, and not having access to water right before bed. Of course, keeping a strict routine like this is nearly impossible due to the craziness of life and forgetting to do certain things every so often. It’s just a good goal to have.
If you really can’t stick to a schedule or if your dog doesn’t seem to need to go, you’ll just want to make sure you let them outside consistently. Once every two hours or so is a solid time frame, but you should also let them out once they get up or after they eat or drink heavily. Over time, you’ll start to notice the warning signs that they need to go.
Crate Train Your Puppy
While our final tip on how to house train a puppy on your own can be a little bit controversial, there’s no denying that it works well for keeping your dog from relieving themself in the house as often.
Crate training shows your dog that their cage is their own personal space and a safe area to go to. If they see this place as their home, they will be less likely to soil it while you’re gone. Be sure to buy them a crate pad as well. These pads have many uses, but they are most helpful in case your dog does go to the bathroom while in their cage. Having the pad in there will make it much easier to clean up the mess.
