Puppy Housebreaking Rule #1: Want to know the key to housebreaking a puppy fast? Here it is: supervision. Supervising your puppy means you are watching them ALL the time. You know exactly what your puppy is doing at all times, and can prevent them from ever going potty inside. Each time your dog does their business inside, you've moved a step back instead of a step forward.
Puppy Housebreaking Rule #2: You must never punish a puppy for doing any behavior (including peeing or pooping on the carpet) UNLESS you catch them IN THE ACT of doing it. Dogs do not have the mental capacity to understand punishment that comes after the act is done. Even if it's only a few minutes later, their brains can't put the two pieces together.
If you find a mess on the floor when you get home, you need to resist the urge to scold your puppy, because they're not going to get it. They'll believe it's their current action that's being punished. If they're asleep in their bed and you yell at them, they'll assume sleeping in their bed is wrong.
Puppy Housebreaking Rule #3: Sooner or later, your puppy will probably have an accident. It's very likely even if you're doing everything right. When this happens, don't yell at your puppy.
Why not? Because this will make your puppy afraid of going potty in front of you, which will cause problems when you try to get them to go potty outside. They'll be too afraid to go potty with you around.
That doesn't mean you should just stand around and watch them pee on the floor either though. What you need to do is pick them up, sternly tell them 'No' in a low voice, and take them outside.
Prevention will do more for you than anything else. You need to watch your puppy closely throughout the day and keep your eye out for any signal of needing to go potty, such as such as sniffing the floor or turning in circles.
Keep in mind that puppies will need to go to the bathroom about 30-40 minutes after eating or drinking anything.
Follow the simple housebreaking rules in this article and your puppy will be housebroken in no time.
If you take just one single golden nugget from this article, let it be this: you can't correct your puppy unless you catch them in the act. If you can't see them, you can't catch them in the act. Supervise, supervise, supervise.
