Of course the first thing he needs to learn is not to go potty in the house. Boys are easier than girls because exploring outside is their favorite thing. They just cannot get enough of all the new smells out there!



The number one priority to house training your puppy is Never Take Your Eyes Off Him. Watch your puppy AND the clock. Once every hour is not too often on a day he is active and the weather is good. The younger the pup, the more often he needs to go out, mostly because he is growing so fast. As a puppy, until he is about 6 months old,he drinks much more water than he will as an adult. This is because his metabolism is burning like crazy. Also, since he eats three or four times a day, you know what that means.

Watch him for subtle changes. If he is happily chewing his toy, and gets up suddenly with his nose to the floor, move quickly! He is ready to squat! If he has had a nice nap, get him out of his crate and outside right away. If he has just had a good grooming, it stimulates his circulation and guess what? Time to go out again. And of course after a meal, watch him extra close.

Things to remember: Do not punish him for mistakes. They are YOUR fault. Every time you take him out he will go, and praise praise and praise! Happy face, laughter, happy noises! He loves your happy face. When he makes a mistake, your frown and your face turned away from him is all the punishment he needs. He will get the point.

He is learning English, you must use the same phrases over and over. "Good go potty!" "Hafta go potty?" "Wanna go potty?" He can learn in one afternoon that "go potty" means a jaunt outside and your happy face. Whatever phrase you choose, stick with it.

I cannot recommend strongly enough getting a crate. They truly help with all phases of his training. They give him his personal and private space, which is important in a house with more than one dog. The crate makes him feel more secure, and he loves having a place to hide his chewies and toys. This is even more important if you have other adult dogs in the house. ---Be consistent, always be kind and gentle, and be patient as he learns your language, and your puppy will always look forward to his training sessions. Dogs love to work!