How Long will it Take to House Train my Mastiff Puppy?
by admin ~ October 8th, 2008Q: I have a 10 week old great dane-mastiff mix puppy. How long should I realistically expect it to take to house train my puppy?
A: Housebreaking a new dog or puppy depends largely on how diligent you are about watching your puppy and working with him or her. I housetrained my last mastiff puppy in just a few weeks, but I basically take vacation time when we bring home a new dog so I can put in the time it takes to get them house trained right off the bat.
The key is to watch your great dane-mastiff puppy constantly and take them out to potty every 20-30 minutes, offering treats for going in the right spot. Puppies will also have to go outside right after waking up from a nap and 10-20 minutes after eating. Be proactive and take your puppy outside before he or she goes in the house, then give praise for going in the right spot.
Never hit a dog or a puppy, and don’t rub their nose in accidents as this does nothing but confuse and scare puppies. When you catch your puppy in the act of pottying inside, say “no” then take him or her immediately outside. Give a command, like “do your business,” then praise your puppy for going in the right spot by giving a treat immediately. Your puppy will soon associate pottying outside with getting treats and will want to do it more often. If you’re careful about watching your puppy at all times, you shouldn’t have a problem housebreaking in just a few weeks. If you let your puppy roam around the house unsupervised while you watch TV, you’re probably going to find it takes much longer to house train.
If you are able to install a doggie door, it may reduce the time it takes to house train your mastiff puppy. If your puppy is left alone while you’re at work, you can bump a crate up to the doggie door so your puppy can come in to sleep but must go out to potty. If you can’t install a doggie door or don’t have a fenced yard, you can train your dog to ring a bell that hangs from the door whenever he or she has to go out. Ask your obedience instructor for tips on training your puppy to do this.
This puppy care sheet also has some great tips on potty training that work for any breed: great dane puppy care sheet
