How Long Does it Take to Housebreak a Dog
You have a new dog or puppy and are left with the difficult task of having to housebreak it. All dog owners know how frustrating a task it can be. The early stages of housebreaking are characterized by an owner taking their young dog outside every two hours, hoping that they eliminate and when they fail to, knowing that you will have to go right back outside soon to try again. Tedious and time consuming activities such as these are met with the even more frustrating possibility of your dog having accidents in your home. After cleaning up all the mess and attempting to remain patient with your new puppy, there may come a time when you break down and ask, "How long is this going to take?!" Unfortunately, the answer to that question is neither easy, nor exact.
Housebreaking a dog can take anywhere from several weeks to several months. There are some dog owners who share tales of 8 week old puppies that no longer have any indoor accidents. One can also find an equal amount of stories that describe a painful process that has taken them up to 8 months, before their dog was completely housebroken.
Generally, a properly trained puppy can be expected to be trained within the first few months of being in a new home. It must be repeatedly stressed however, that this is the most general of estimations and dogs can take longer or a shorter time to complete the process.
There can be a variety of factors that go into the time it takes to successfully housebreak a dog. A lot of the determining factors have to do with your dog's age. Younger puppies aren't capable of restraining their elimination due to the lack of muscle development. With time however, these muscles will develop, which makes housebreaking easier. The usual age for muscles to develop to allow for control of urination is about 8 weeks. A dog's temperament also has a lot to do with how long it will take to successfully housebreak a dog. Some dogs are more naturally apt at understanding the concept and following the owner's guidance, while others may take double, or triple that time. The key to speeding up the process is to pick a training method and remain constant throughout the dog's housebreaking phase. An owner who is patient, consistent and practices reward and praise with their dog is more successful than an owner who does not.
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