How to Housebreak a Puppy or Older Dog
There's no such thing as an almost housebroken dog. Either he is or he isn't. Saying a dog is almost housebroken is like saying your wife is almost pregnant. When a dog is housebroken, he never uses the house for his toilet.
Many people do not understand why their dog does not know what to do when taken outside. Just turning a dog out in the backyard by himself a few times a day is not the way to house train a dog.
Merely taking him outside also does not mean he knows what he's being taken outside for. The biggest problem between the dog and the owner is that the dog would love to please, but he doesn't know how to communicate with you.
Housebreaking in theory is very simple. It is finding a means of preventing the puppy from doing his duties in the house and only giving him the opportunity to do it outside. It also means that the dog learns to communicate with you about going when told to go and about letting you know when he has to go outside.
A dog is a creature of habit and because he learns by association, if his training is consistent, he will quickly learn there is no other place to relieve himself other than outdoors.
We take advantage of a very natural instinct of the dog: his desire to keep his sleeping quarters clean (i.e., not to mess his bed). We offer a dog a den in the form of a dog crate. This becomes his bed that he cannot get out of. If the dog crate is the right size, he will not soil it. Puppies may not initially like it (some will scream their heads off) but within a few days, they will accept it without a problem.
Dogs are and always have been den and pack animals. Canines naturally and instinctively prefer the shelter of a den. In the wild, the young are raised in dens. They spend a great part of their first year very close to their den. In homes, dogs often choose their den. They will get under a desk, behind a couch, in a closet, etc.
A dog crate is a perfect, natural bed for the dog and a safe, natural spot to put the pet whenever necessary for the dog's safety or the owner's peace of mind.
If you are appalled by the idea of confining him to a cage, let me dispel any idea of cruelty. You are actually catering to a very natural desire on the part of the dog. In his wild state, where does a dog bed down for the night? Does he lie down in the middle of an open field where other animals can pounce on him? No! He finds a cave or trunk of a tree where he has a feeling of security - a sense of protection. The correct use of a crate merely satisfies the dog's basic need to feel safe, protected, snug, and secure.
Now with this said, some puppies will scream their living heads off and others for a couple of days when you put them in the crate. The question you need to answer is, "Would I rather get the dog used to the crate or would I rather clean up dog crap on my rug"? An easy question to answer.
Pups do get over the fact that screaming gets them nowhere, as long as you ignore it and DO NOT TAKE THEM OUT OF THE CRATE WHEN THEY ARE SCREAMING. If it bothers you, put the crate in the basement or the garage or leave the house for a few hours. Trust me, it will stop when it gets tired. Those who give in create their own problems