90% of dog owners let their dogs stay inside the house. If your dog is going to live inside your home, then housetraining is a must.

There are some steps you should take to ensure house training success for your furry bundle of joy. Keep these tips in mind when house-training your dog.

Establish a routine

Housetraining is all about consistency. You want to keep the dog on a consistent eating schedule and bring them out of the house about 15-30 minutes after meals to eliminate. Also make sure to take the dog out first thing in the morning and before going to bed. The more consistent you are, the easier it is for Fido to learn the acceptable behavior.

Be patient

It usually takes about 4 to 6 months for a puppy to be fully house-trained. For some, it may take longer. The process of housetraining often brings on feelings of frustration, especially when it’s not progressing as fast as you had hoped. Housetraining calls for plenty of patience, commitment and vigilance. Don’t give up on your pup so easily.

Positive reinforcement

Praise your puppy right after she finishes. This is important so she can associate the act with praise. The more times she is praised or rewarded, the quicker will she learn.

Timing is also important. Be sure not to praise the dog while she eliminates. If you do so, they may stop in the middle of eliminating.

Accidents happen

Never punish your dog, even if you catch her in the act of a potty training mistake. Scolding and punishing will only instil fear in your pet. They don’t understand why you’re angry. Some dogs would eliminate in hidden areas because of fear that you would punish them. Training is more effective than punishing your dog for committing mistakes.