Housebreaking 

Beginning the Journey to success

~Mottos to live when housebreaking the Weimaraner 

  • Freedom is Earned
  • Get it done--reap the benefits
  • Every accident that happens is on you!
  • Good habits are easier to form than bad ones to break

The Puppy is Home
          ~ It Begins!

You have waited with bated breath for this moment. It is perfectly natural to want to celebrate and to play with the pup. Nevertheless, the moment they arrive the training process must begin. You are establishing expectations, the pecking order as well as beginning a relationship. 

The Honeymoon
       ~the lay of land

A typical pup may well seem drugged or extremely fearful of the new surroundings. The laying low approach probably means the pups is pinning down the lay of the land. Remember nothing is the same. It would; however, be a mistake to misjudge the Weimaraner pup. Too often folks cater to them cajoling them to be more engaged. This response works to the pup's advantage. They are smarter than you would think, very shortly the chess match will begin. Knowing they can tug on your heartstrings and, in turn, manipulate you, works for them; not so much for you. 

The two week honeymoon period is not indicative of what is to come. At least not in the first few months of your relationship. Delusions of grandeur and a gung-ho attitude about your smart Weimaraner are best reserved for later. The patting on the back and dog savvy smiling attitude may all too soon give way to pup's resistance. 

A person who can be a matter of fact rather than emotionally driven is going to fair better. Truth be told, the training process as the pup are going to benefit the most from this approach. There is nothing wrong with being excited and turning cartwheels in your heart. Letting your excitement and positive feelings run things may well not turn out as expected. The Weimaraner will soon be able to use your feelings to pull you the direction they want things to go.

Being upbeat and positive are always a positive thing. You want to be that way in your approach; however, you do not want to let your feelings run things. Not only can these be used against you, but there will be times when you are frustrated, discouraged, and possibly even angry. This roller coaster of feeling driven by the outcome or experience of the moment can fuel the bad behaviors we are working so hard to avoid. Why mention this here? Well, it is important to get off to the right approach. From day one, you are laying the foundation. What happens from here on out will rest on the foundation you lay in the first couple of weeks. Ideally, you get this right now. Then you are not starting over later and settling for less than you would have if you would have understood the Weimaraner. Beyond understanding the breed, we all have our abilities and shortcomings. All of this plays into the final destination. 
​Each of us and every pup is unique. Our homes are set up with varied configurations too! The variances can present with the unexpected. If possible, set up your play area near the door to the yard. 

The OwyheeStar pup is set up to housebreak.

When you follow through the pup will quickly discover what you want. The trick is building the respectful relationship and getting them to want to comply with your expectations. The smart Weimaraner can learn the ropes in quick order. Compliance and the desire to please are never more important than with the concrete thinking Weimaraner. Housebreaking requires you to follow through without fail until they get them to embrace the idea to go potty outside. If you drop the ball or fail to get the idea across the outcome will not be the desired one. The Weimaraner, who decides on the inside potty, is usually the one that will put on the skids when faced with unfavorable weather. 

There are many approaches to housebreaking; however, every successful one depends upon you. Nothing is more important than keeping your undivided attention on the pup when they are outside of the crate. Whenever they are playing or running free, they need to be under your constant and full attention. Otherwise bad things happen--potty accidents occur. Every accident is a setback. Inside potty accidents are on you and not the pup. Two main approaches that assist in housebreaking the pup are 1. Using the crate when you cannot watch them. 2. Tie them to a pant loop or belt. The vast majority of the OwyheeStar puppy clients find they have the housebreaking done in two to three weeks. While you are anxious to have this pup running around your feet and playing in the house, ten minutes is a long time for the active pup. Somehow you must develop a sense of what the pup is doing. Are they circling--pick them up and rush for the yard. Use a good enzyme based cleaning product if they have an accident. A smell that is left is an invitation for a future deposit. 

It's all New to them!

Arrange your play area close to the potty yard so they have easy access to their yard. There is no one way to do things. Everyone's household is configured differently. Your lifestyle is unique. Shela's workstation has a clear shot to the back door. It is only about ten steps from the computer. Therefore, if Shela is training a pup while working at the computer, a  puppy crate is close to her left foot. This way the pup can see her and is aware of her working next to them while they sleep. The moment they wake she stops working and takes them to the backyard. 

freedom is earned!

The pup has not earned the freedom to roam around the house and explore. Keep them in an area where you are a few feet from them so when they start to circle you can pick them up to rush out to the yard. We like to use a small crate next to our workstation if they are sleeping. When they wake up, they will need to be taken outside immediately. Accidents happen for two reasons--lack of supervision and underestimating how often the pup needs to potty. A young pup has a small bladder. It is a fact that if they are active and playing they may have went potty ten minutes ago, but the urge may suddenly appear again. 

Accidents do happen. We suggest you avoid as many as possible. The concrete-thinking Weimaraner can all too soon make inside potty habitual. We don't want that! Nonetheless, when one occurs take them out to the yard. Clean the spot well (get rid of the scent) and avoid that area for a bit if possible. Don't make a big deal out of it, but do make a big deal of out of them doing their job in the right place. 

Bells

Consider hanging a bell at the door. Ring it each time you and the pup exit to the yard. Yes, this method works. Soon the pup will be ringing the bell to go outside. Play near the door with the bell. If you consistently gingle the bell each time you take them to the yard--they will soon learn to ring the bell when they need to go outside. 

Buy a housebreaking Bell for your door!