POTTY TRAINING/CRATE TRAINING YOUR NEW PUPPY

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Crate training will make potty training much easier and your puppy can avoid accidents around the house. He or she could still have accidents but at least they will be manageable and easier to prevent in the future.  If you want the puppy to sleep with you, of course, that is up to you and I understand some people prefer this and most dogs probably do as well. However, it is safer for the puppy to be put in his or her crate next to your bed or in an adjacent room at night till at least four months of age. This will facilitate potty training and allow your puppy to strengthen their bladder muscle with better success and ease.

 

Here are some ideas on how to best use your crate with your new puppy:

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- Place the crate in a popular place in your home, wherever you spend the most time

- Keep the door open, when you are home, let your puppy explore in and out of it.

- Encourage your puppy to go inside the crate, place treats inside of it.

-You want your puppy to want to go inside it's crate and it will if it always gets praised and treats for doing so. Allow your pup sufficient time to warm up to the crate without being enclosed in it.

-When you have to leave make sure puppy is safely put away inside his crate.  Be patient, crate training is important and the results will pay off.

Your puppy might cry at night in their crate in the beginning, so you can possibly anticipate a few sleepless nights. However, since our puppies were introduced to the crate at seven weeks of age, they do adjust very quickly in their new homes. If your puppy takes a bit longer than most,  don't get frustrated, just understand that it is away from it's mom and litter mates and is undergoing a big adjustment. Do not take the puppy out if he cries, this will just prolong his crying and train your pup to cry more. If they cry for more than 10 minutes, take them out to go to the bathroom once. 

- Understand there there can be piddles. Potty training takes just a little while, but soon your Golden will get the hang of it. The first step is to always keep an eye on your pup. You can usually tell when he/she is about to piddle (usually they sniff around quite a bit and walk around in the same spot). As soon as you see the signs, bring them outside to the area where you would like them to go. Your puppy has a very small bladder, so take them to that spot at least once every hour (except during bedtime). If they do go, praise them; the more exaggerated the better and give a treat. Be sure to feed your puppy at least two hours or more before going to bed, and of course take them out right before bedtime. 

There are several good training videos, books, etc. on potty training.

 

If you have another dog at home, depending on his temperament, you may want to introduce them in a neutral environment and then take them home together. For the first several weeks, never leave the puppy alone with your other dog(s). There are many good links on introducing new puppies.