Housebreaking and crate training are the first forms of training that you will need to implement with your new puppy, and both can prove to be challenging. Don't be discouraged – we've have some great tips to help you along the way!

One of the most common methods of housebreaking is to crate train your puppy. When you use the crate training method, you are taking advantage of the puppy's animal instinct to not use the bathroom in their living quarters. When dogs or wolves made their homes in caves or other areas of protection, one of the worst things they could do was urinate or defecate in that area. A puppy's crate is a lot like its den – it should be a haven away from the world.

It's a good idea to go ahead and purchase a crate before bringing your new puppy home. It doesn't really matter what kind of crate you buy, but you should remember to purchase one that will be large enough for the dog when it matures. There should be just enough room for the animal to stand up, turn around, and lie down – no more and no less. You can use dividers to make the area smaller while the puppy is still young, because too much room gives the puppy a chance to use the restroom in one end of the crate.

One of the most important aspects of house training is keeping the puppy on a schedule. Puppies, like children, thrive when they have structure in their lives. This means that there should be a set time for feeding, going to the bathroom, taking walks, and going to bed. Having a schedule can speed up the time it takes to housebreak a puppy. Remember that the puppy wants to please you, so praise him when he gets it right. 

Here are some helpful tips to remember:

• Consistency in training is the key to success.
• Puppies usually must relieve themselves within five minutes of awakening and within five minutes of eating.
• To begin potty training, you will need to choose a command word.
• Every time the puppy is outside, the command must be repeated until the puppy relieves itself. At this point, the puppy must be praised in warm tones, but not so excitedly that it forgets what it is doing and stops. Teaching a puppy to relieve itself on command is very helpful and time-efficient when traveling, visiting, or attending shows.
• Potty training pads may also be purchased from the pet store. These help with house training by focusing the puppy through scent to one area alone, when relief inside the house is necessary. Tacking them to the ground in the backyard with a tent stake is helpful to teach puppy to relieve itself in only area. Newspapers may also be used in the same manner – a newspaper on which the puppy has urinated can be left down by the door to the backyard, or staked in the yard. When the puppy is able to smell where it has already gone, it will quickly learn to head directly to the same spot. It is not necessary to leave a soiled paper down after the puppy has learned that there is one spot inside the house (on the pad/paper) that is “acceptable,” or when it has learned to go outside.
• Some clues that the puppy is about to go:
• A “busy” attitude
• Nose to the ground
• Fast-walking sniffing
• Pacing with great concentration
• At this point, immediately pick the puppy up, go outside, and speaking in a monotone voice, repetitiously command the word chosen for relief. The puppy must enthusiastically be praised once successful.
• Always remember that it is necessary to put the puppy out at these times:
• Directly after awakening
• Immediately after eating
• Whenever the puppy displays an about-to-go attitude
• How to handle accidents:
• Never call the puppy to the scene of the “crime”
• Always pick up the puppy and carry it to the “spot”
• If there is only one puppy in the household, you do not have to catch the puppy in the “act” of an error (although it is best to do so)
• Your vocal tones will need to change to one of “horror” about what the puppy has done
• Simple yet strongly different tonal quality changes are more effective for training then yelling
• No puppy should be struck for having an accident, because this can cause the puppy to cower and may irreversibly change the puppy's personality
• If the puppy must be physically reprimanded for an offense, tapping it on the side of the muzzle with one hand while holding its head near the nape firmly with the other, coupled with strong vocal changes, is normally sufficient punishment
• “No!” in a firm tone is a strong reprimand. If a puppy constantly hears its name in conjunction with “No!” it will think that its name is “Puppy-No!”
• Puppies need encouragement and praise in order to be well-rounded animals. Owners should be attentive to their puppies, praising them when they are well-behaved, not just paying attention to them when they are in error. This is called “positive reinforcement.”
• The first and one of the most important commands a puppy can learn is to come to the owner when called. A puppy that has been called to a crime scene, one in which the puppy has been punished, will prove reluctant to respond in a positive manner when it has known only negativity from its owner. Puppies need to be called in a pleasant, somewhat excited tone of voice, first their name, then the command to come. At the exact same time, especially during early training, owners should lightly clap their hands or pat the ground invitingly. As soon as the puppy comes, you must give a good physical reward, lavish petting in addition to excited tonal qualities of verbal praise.