How to House Train Pit Bull Puppies

By Tippy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Newspapers
Potty training pads (optional)
Dog crate (optional)

Step 1:
Place newspapers in one area of your home where your pit bull puppy can easily reach them. You may begin doing this as early as 4 weeks old if you also have the mother and the rest of the litter. Make sure the newspapers are on a solid floor and not on carpet. You may place a potty training pad on top of the newspaper to provide a scent that attracts your puppy to that area, although he will often miss the pad.
Step 2:
Move puppy "accidents" to the newspaper. Your first inclination may be to wipe up a piddle or flush fecal matter immediately, but that won't help your pit bull puppy understand what you expect from him. Instead, place the wet paper towel or the bowel movement on the newspaper, take your puppy over and let him sniff it. Then praise him and reward him with a tickle behind his ears as if he actually chose that spot.
Step 3:
Clean up accidents thoroughly. Dogs form their toilet habits by sense of smell, and if the carpet smells like dog urine, your puppy will think it's the place to go. Use diluted household bleach on tile or linoleum and purchase a commercial carpet cleaner designed to neutralize the smell of pet accidents on carpet.
Step 4:
Use only rewards and positive reinforcement with your puppy. Although some dog lovers claim that pit bulls get a bum rap from society, the anatomy of their strong jaws makes it imperative that they be trained in a gentle manner as puppies in order to minimize any aggressive feelings when they are older.
Step 5:
Pay attention to the activities of your puppy. Immediately upon waking or right after he eats is the most likely time for him to use the bathroom. Place him on the newspapers or take him outside promptly to avoid an accident.
Step 6:
Put your pit bull puppy in a crate for naps and overnight sleeping. By the time he is 3 months old, your puppy can spend 30 minutes twice a day in his crate and up to 5 hours overnight as long as he has used the bathroom right before you put him in. Most puppies come to love their crates. Since dogs do not like to soil their bedding, your puppy will wait as long as he can before he has an accident in his crate. Do not leave your puppy in his crate longer than the recommended time.

Tips & Warnings

Because the pit bull breed is highly trainable, just providing newspapers, a potty training pad, a crate and consistent praise may be all he needs to learn acceptable toilet habits very quickly.
Never yell at your pit bull puppy or smack him for having an accident. He may develop aggression, and he is unlikely to respond by correcting his behavior. In fact, it may take much longer to housebreak him if you employ punishment. He will respond much better to praise and rewards for the correct behavior.Don't get mad at your puppy when you are lax in your housebreaking responsibility. If you don't take him out immediately upon waking or after he eats, you're asking for trouble.

Resources

Photo/Video Credit

Image, curtesy of Stock.xchng

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