House training is the first thing your new puppy must learn. The toileting process a puppy learns in the first few months as a member of your household will last a lifetime so its important to do it right the first time. House training issues are the number one reason why dogs are taken to animal shelters so lets begin.
Its important to understand that your puppy probably wont be completely trained until hes about 6 months old. Thats because young puppies lack the bladder and bowel control that they need to be reliably left alone for long periods of time.
It is also important for you to be available to supervise your new puppy but we all know that life happens. If you cant be available for a period of time, confine your puppy to a small puppy-proof room. The entire floor should be covered with newspaper or some absorbent, disposable material. At first, your puppy will go everywhere in the room. As he gets older he will favor one area. Slowly reduce the area covered in papers until the puppy eventually goes only on the toilet papers. The floor in the puppy-proof room should not resemble other floor areas in the house like carpet or hardwood. Once your...