Every dog has to be house trained preferably when it is still a puppy to be classified as a sociable family pet, this process has to be taught to the dog and to the owner, if it is their first puppy, it can be a steep learning curve for both dog and owner but it just and to the bonding process so take time to enjoy it.
The first tip to keep in mind is to make the process enjoyable for the dog and yourself, make sure it is an enjoyable process. Be persistent and patient.
The breed of dog also determines how easy this process will be, some dogs cannot stand messy environments or are more inclined to please their owner, so they will take up training very quickly, while for some others the process will be more challenging and in some instances may even require specialist training to grasp it, but the good news is that most dogs can be house trained.
It is important to know all there is to know about your breed of dog, by talking to ,your local kennel club, breeders, veterinarians and other owners of your breed of dog
And read books on your breed; remember if your dog is a mix, you must research all the identifiable breeds it is mixed with.
Methods employed to house train dogs include
1/ the crate method
As the name implies , it means the dog is periodically placed in a crate which is specially designed for dogs, I must add, these periods of crating should be employed when you cannot keep an eye on the dog, you need to control the dogs behaviour or when you need to go out for a very short time, or take the dog on a short journey , it is a place for the dog to feel safe and its major advantage to you the dog owner is you can restrict the dog from soiling certain areas of the house while the dog is in training, stop the dog from destroying and chewing on property while training. And can be helpful when the dog is in transit.
Remember before crating the dog lead him to the designated toilet training area and give it enough time to do its business before you set off.
Your dog should get plenty of time outside the crate and plenty of exercise; the dog should spend no more than two hours at a time in the crate
2/ Paper Training Method
Place down some paper mats which are specially designed for training dogs and have a special scent which draws the dog to it. Remember to praise the dog and give it a treat when it uses the paper correctly.
With this method it is important not to train your dog outdoors and indoors at the same time and not to feed your dog in the same area as where you place the training paper and most definitely do not play with the dog in the same area. This method is more suitable for small dogs or young dogs because as they get older and bigger their urine gets too heavy and seeps through the paper mat.
3/ Litter Box Method
This is recommended only for very small dogs and puppies less than six months old.
The process is the same as above and it is very important to praise and reward the dog when thy use the designated area.
Proper command and language
The use of proper language and command to your dog is very important at the training stage .a single command that means one thing only should be use to express your wish for your dog to execute a certain behaviour, an example is if you say “doodle time” to express your wish for your dog to do its business , then stick to that command only for this action as another word will confuse the dog, a correctional command like “no” said firmly is enough to correct your dog.
Routine is important
Having a routine for your dog is very important as this establishes a regular pattern for the dog to follow an importantly it expects this and will learn to hold on to its needs till the time is right, this also has to be done properly, as understanding your dogs needs will help, example, most puppies will have a bowel movement after food, so give it enough time to have one when you take it out after a meal.
Remember if you keep a routine the dog will wait, and in time remind you when it is time but if it has an emergency it will also let you know, please do not ignore it as is will have an accident.