There are lots of myths, urban legends and outdated advice surrounding house training on the Internet. Many involve potentially damaging ideas like correcting or punishing a puppy for an indoor elimination (teaches puppies and dogs to hide their elimination out of fear of reprisal).
Puppies don’t arrive preprogrammed for indoor human living. They have no idea what’s expected of them until someone takes the time to instruct them and reinforce what they’ve learned until lessons become habits.
House training a puppy or dog to eliminate outside is easier and faster than teaching them to eliminate inside on a “pee pad” (which look a lot like bath mats and throw rugsw to puppies and dogs, apparently).
A yard isn’t mandatory for outdoor house training. A balcony or patio with a grass pad designed for this purpose works beautifully. Not to mention the convenience of not having to go outside overnight during house training or inclement weather.
One thing I know for sure: the easier house training is on people, the more likely they’ll stick to a plan. The closer guardians stick to a plan, the more consistent their puppy’s learning is and the faster house training can be completed.
Beyond the location of where you want your pup to eliminate, house training requires 3 things to succeed: consistency, confinement and realistic expectations.
It’s not realistic to expect a puppy or dog to not eliminate for 6 or more hours during the day (overnight is different. Their bodily functions slow down at that time).
It’s virtually impossible to house train a puppy or dog who has free range indoors. Confinement is key to house training because puppies learn from their mothers not to soil the place they sleep in.
You don’t have to use a crate for house training success. Puppy pens and small areas without carpet can accomplish the same thing, when you cannot supervise your puppy.
It’s not realistic to depend on puppies and dogs who’re new to house training to signal their need to eliminate until after they’re house trained (no indoor elimination in 8 consecutive weeks).
Until then, a consistent potty schedule is your best house training tool. To make this as easy on the humans in your home as possible, I strongly recommend keeping a log of the timing of all meals and eliminations. Especially when multiple people are participating in house training, I find a log to be crucial in keeping everyone on the same training page.
In my Puppy Life Skills programs I recommend guardians begin with 30 minute elimination intervals, for the first few days. Because of my famous Coaching Approach®️ I’m uniquely able to help you make the program work for you in your home on your schedule through daily updates and communication. No other puppy training program I’m aware of offers this level of instruction and support.
The Santa Monica Dog Coach Puppy Life Skills house training goals are:
- Prevent indoor eliminations by managing the environment
- Inform and reinforce where and when you want your puppy to eliminate
- Teach your puppy’s body how to “hold it” and not eliminate the instant they feel an urge
- Teach your puppy how to signal their need to eliminate, so you always have the opportunity to avoid accidents
By the end of week one, puppies in my program are typically able to “hold it” up to an hour between eliminations. Most are also sleeping through the night without 2AM potty breaks.
The majority of Santa Monica Dog Coach Puppy Life Skills puppies are functionally house trained 2 weeks after they begin my program.
If you’re struggling with house training, I can help.
If you want to begin house training from the day your puppy or dog arrives, I can help.
To get started, send me an email and tell me about your pup and where you are in your house training journey.
Dee Green has been a professional dog trainer and canine behavior consultant for more than 20 years. She specializes in puppies up to 18 months, and fearful, anxious and reactive dogs of all ages.
©️Dee Green, 2025