Housebreaking Mini Schnauzer Puppies

Housebreaking a Miniature Schnauzer Puppy

If you've been following the crate training your dog guidelines, you are well on your way to housebreaking your new Miniature Schnauzer puppy.

But whether you have chosen to crate train your Schnauzer puppy or not, you can still follow these guidelines for paper training your new Miniature Schnauzer puppy.

The first step is to decide WHERE you want your Miniature Schnauzer puppy to eliminate. This will become his permanent potty spot. When you take your Miniature Schnauzer puppy out to potty, always use the same exit door and the same potty spot.

Remember, puppies are not able to hold it for very long!

During the times you allow your puppy to be lose in your home, it will be your responsibility to monitor him closely. Your new Miniature Schnauzer puppy is only in the learning stages of house training and you cannot expect him to know what to do. So watch for the common signs of pre-urination. These include: sniffing and circling in a particular spot, or suddenly disappearing out-of-sight.

As soon as you see one of these pre-urination acts begin, reprimand him with a loud and firm NO and quickly pick him up and take him outside. Use the potty command, and praise him when he finishes.

dog potty training tip: Never reprimand your Miniature Schnauzer puppy after the fact. Your puppy will not understand or be able to associate the reprimand with the act of urinating.

And rubbing your puppy's nose in urine soaked carpet does not work either. What you want to do is prevent the act of urinating inside your home by letting your puppy out to his potty area often and then using positive enforcement with treats and praises that he did the right thing by going outside. And only when necessary use firm NO verbal reprimands when he's caught in the act. Otherwise, your puppy may begin to fear you and you don't want that.

During the housebreaking training process, be sure to take your puppy outside often. And most importantly: after every meal, when he wakes from his naps, and after a few hours of indoor play. Always use the potty command and praise your Miniature Schnauzer puppy when he finishes!

Housebreaking Guidelines:

• Use your baby gate to section off a room in your home that has easy to clean floors, like the kitchen. (see puppy supplies checklist )

• Place the puppy crate or your puppy’s bed in the enclosed room to confine him to this one area of your house only.

• Take 2 or 3 of the puppy pee pads and prepare them as below:

Place the pee pads away from your Miniature Schnauzer's puppy crate or dog bed, as well as away from your Schnauzer's feeding and water bowls.

• puppy training tip: If possible, place one pee pad by the door leading to the designated outside potty spot.

Now, take a few pieces of the double stick tape and secure the pee pads to the floor. Next place a few sheets of the newspaper on top of the pads.

• Leave the crate door open
  
• Place your Miniature Schnauzer puppy in confined area
  
• Leave the area (go about your chores, to work, shopping, etc.)

Since it’s a puppy’s natural instinct not to mess in his own den, your Miniature Schnauzer puppy will leave his crate/bed and wander to the pee pads to do his business.

Upon your return, take your Miniature Schnauzer puppy outside, give the ‘potty’ command, and praise your dog after he relieves himself.

Cleaning Up: Since puppies like to re-urinate on top of lingering scents of urine, when you clean the puppy room, only clean the actual floor accidents – but leave the pads in place. Just remove the soiled newspapers that are on top and replace with new ones. This will leave some of the urine scent behind for them, as well as, save you some money on puppy pads! The plastic waterproof lining of the puppy pee pads will keep your floors clean.

Change the pads completely after a few days.

And that's it. Just keep at it. Be consistent and praise your Miniature Schnauzer puppy often.

2 Week Potty Training Re-cap & Tips

• Supervise your Miniature Schnauzer puppy closely
  
• Recognize the signs of pre-urination and get your puppy outside
  
• Use the same potty command like outside every time
  
• Praise your Miniature Schnauzer puppy ever time he relieves himself outside
  
• Reprimand your Miniature Schnauzer only if caught ‘in the act’ – use a stern NO - then take him outside
  
• Never reprimand your puppy after the fact
  
• Be consistent with potty training
  
• When away from home or busy - leave your Miniature Schnauzer puppy in confined area with access to pee pads
  
• Take your Miniature Schnauzer puppy outside every few hours and as soon as possible after naps, meals or play sessions, to relieve himself
  
• Get your Miniature Schnauzer on a regular feeding schedule
  
• Take away your Miniature Schnauzer's water dish at night

In a few weeks, once your Miniature Schnauzer's bladder is more developed, you will come home to nothing on the floor or pee pads and realize your Miniature Schnauzer puppy has held it all day! WooHoo!

SUCCESS

Always let your Miniature Schnauzer puppy outside to his potty area, the very first thing upon your return home: a nice walk would be great! And be sure to praise him after every successful potty break.

Use the same potty command, like outside, every time. Your Miniature Schnauzer will soon associate the word potty with going outside to relieve himself.

House training puppy tip: Make sure everyone in your household uses the same potty command word. Remember - Consistency is Key!

Even after your Miniature Schnauzer puppy is housebroken, you must continue to watch for the signals that he needs to go out (sniffing, circling, barking at the door, standing by the door, scratching at the door, etc).

Or, you can incorporate the use of the bell system.

Poochie BellsSimply place a string of bells at the designated exit door for your Miniature Schnauzer puppy to nudge. This will alert you he needs to go out. It usually takes just a few days to get the puppy to realize that 'ringing the bells' will get you to the door, to open it.

Always use the ‘potty’ command before you open the door and be consistent with your actions, too. (ie. always go to the door when your Miniature Schnauzer puppy rings the bell).

Housebreaking Accidents

It's bound to happen - your Miniature Schnauzer puppy has an 'accident'.

Do not use ammonia cleaners - ammonia breaks down to urea, which is a component of urine. *See Home Recipe for urine stain removal.

Continue to be consistent with your potty training and the accidents will be rare until they are no more! Soon, your Miniature Schnauzer puppy will come to view the whole house (and not just his crate) as his home and therefore will not 'potty' anywhere indoors.

Good Luck with whatever housebreaking method you choose and potty training your Miniature Schnauzer. And don't forget, I want to hear from you! So write and let me know about your puppy's housebreaking experience.

Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Series

• Miniature Schnauzer Names
• Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Supplies
• Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Training
• Crate Training your Miniature Schnauzer
  
  
  FURTHER DOG TRAINING INFO:
  
  
• House Training a Puppy
• Potty Training in 7 DAYS!
• Miniature Schnauzer Training

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