House Training Your Dog in 9 Easy Steps

House training your dog or puppy can go smoothly if you know what to do and you are consistent. Follow these 9 steps to accelerate the learning process.

Choose where you would like your pup to potty. You can create a designated potty spot in your yard. I like areas of mulch or pine straw as it is easier to pick up the solid waste and I like my grassy areas potty free. Make sure it is quick and easy to get to so your pup can make it there in a hurry.
Teach your dog two potty commands (one for pee and one for poop) such as “go pee pee” and “get busy”. They should not sound alike so the dog knows which action you would like them to take. Repeat the appropriate command while the pup is eliminating.
As soon as the pup finishes praise them with enthusiasm, pet, love and treat them if you like.
When you take your dog out to potty do not engage them in play or other activities. This helps them to learn that potty time is just that. Puppies get distracted easily by sticks, leaves, stones, squirrel! These are all distractions. Calmly and quietly get them back to the business at hand. Stay quiet and calm so they can focus.
If an accident occurs inside just clean up and go about your business. Punishing the dog after the event will only hinder their progress. Supervision is the key to preventing accidents indoors. If they have pooped in the house take the poop outside to their potty spot. The scent of their elimination will help them to know that this is the place for potty. However do not allow the potty area to get so soiled that they don’t want to go there.
When you can’t supervise, place your puppy in a crate or small restricted area. Restricting their movement helps to create an environment where the puppy does not have to potty as much.
Taking your puppy out to potty frequently, and gradually building up the time in between potty outings as your puppy grows and has better control is all part of the process. Puppies have to potty after they have played, slept, walked, trained, ate/drank or any amount of moving around the house.
Walking your dog helps them to eliminate more fully which makes house training your dog easier. This activity moves the fluids and solids through their body so they get it all out. Just taking the pup out, seeing that they peed or pooped and then bringing them back inside usually results in the dog going potty in the house 10-20 minutes later (much to the owners surprise and frustration).
Key elements to housetraining are exercise, supervision, confinement/crating and consistency. As well as generous praise/rewards when they potty outside.