There is no secret to housebreaking. And no shortcut. Below is what I know works. You'll also find a good and thorough explanation at www.PetEducation.com.

A crate is essential. A puppy has no idea that it isn't absolutely ok to tinkle anywhere. They will poo a distance away from where they are or sleep, but pee pee close by is ok, they think. If you purchase an older puppy that has been confined in a small area he will be used to being in filth and he may never be house broken. That's tough to face, but that's it.

As our puppies mature they are placed in bigger and bigger areas so that they have "the bathroom end" and "the bedroom end" in their runs and they learn that clean is better than dirty.

When your puppy arrives at his new home -
introduce him to his crate

When you first get your puppy home set a kitchen alarm on an hour. Take him out every hour when it dings. He won't go every hour. You'll learn his schedule.

Your puppy should be kept in a crate at night until he is trained. Take away his food and water at 5 PM and he will "make it through the night" better. Set your alarm for 5 AM. Bundle up so you will be comfortable outside. Take an umbrella for you if it is raining.

If he makes a mistake in his crate, change the towel. Don't fuss at him -- he has soiled in HIS house and he does not enjoy being in the mess. Make sure you don't have a crate that's too big or he can just go the far end and not be bothered by the mess. Put a box in the crate to make it smaller at first, if need be.

If you depend on your children to take the dog out be sure they go out NOW. They must not expect the dog to wait. Keep the dog in his crate when you are gone. Take him out immediately upon your return home. He must feel that "If I hold it they'll let me out as soon as they get home."

If he barks and carries on in his crate and you let him out to shut him up --he has won. He is training you. YOU MUST WIN. Be as consistent as you can be. Once you get him trained he will be trained. A dog WANTS to please his master.

When to take him out

The key times to take him out is when he wakes up in the morning, after he wakes up from a nap, when you get home and let him out of the crate, after he plays, and after he eats.

Teaching him about the great outdoors

We encourage folks to suspend a jingle bell on a string that almost reaches the floor from the door knob of the door where they take the puppy out to potty. Ring the bell and say in an interested, enthusiastic voice "Let's go out, let's go out". Click here to read a note from a customer who tried this and it worked perfectly!

Have two treats with you. Put the puppy in the area of the yard that you want to be the potty area and say "Potty, potty" or whatever word you want to use. You stand there -- very still -- be boring.

The puppy will want to be picked up or played with. Just stand there -- he will eventually give up on you and go to the potty area. When he relieves himself THEN you become animated. Pick him up and love him and tell him he's wonderful. Give him a tiny cube of cheese or a small slice of hot dog (have little pieces handy in the fridge at all times). Put him down and give him time to have a bowel movement.

One of you will win - you choose who

If he doesn't "go" and you get tired of standing there take him back into the house and put him in his crate. Put a small amount of food in there with him -- dry food that you've put very hot water on (to make it very tempting). After he eats something solid he will have to poo. Take him out (have a treat with you) and repeat the process.

If he is a hard-headed little thing and still won't poo, take him back into the house and RETURN HIM TO HIS CRATE AND SHUT ITS DOOR. He MUST NOT SET FOOT ON YOUR FLOOR IN THE MORNING UNTIL HE HAS POOED OUTSIDE. If you put him down in the kitchen and get busy making breakfast and wonder when he will tell you he has to go out -----forget it. You'll get busy; he'll sneak off to the back bedroom and have a b.m. He has won and you have missed that chance to re-enforce that morning. YOU MUST WIN -- every morning, until he is trained. Then and only then you can just put him out and he'll potty and then ask to come in. Don't expect him to potty outside without your being there at first.

Have a treat -- be ready to reward!! Don't play with him at this time. Potty time is all business, except for the treat.

He'll get so that HE'LL ring the bell when he wants to go out. It's pretty magic and fun to see it work.

I have some buyers that teach their puppies in three days. And some call me when their puppy is six months old and say that "He's doing better, but he has ruined our carpet. When will he outgrow it?" He won't. You must start over with the crate training. Be consistent. You must win or your house will be stinky. You'll get used to it, but your friends and relatives will not want to come see you.

When your male reaches a year he will be hiking his leg all over the furniture if you don't have him housebroken. Neutering helps but he still must be trained that OUTSIDE is where he is to "go".

If you can take him to obedience school, do so. The dogs love it and it makes a better pet/buddy of him for you. There they can teach 90% of the dogs and 75% of the people. That tells you something, doesn't it?