A glimpse of what your life is going to look like for the next 6 months, it does get better month by month. Are you ready for this?
Someone has to be available to take the puppy out at about midnight and then again at about 5:00 a.m. everyday. Plus other times throughout the day. From about 8 wks. to 16 wks.
5:00/6:00 a.m. or when puppy wakes up, carry puppy from crate to outside right away. Use a command word to go potty (I use “do your business”). After puppy does its business PRAISE BIG TIME! Not before. Then bring it back in. Give the puppy sometime to go, it can take them a while, especially to poop. Stay calm and quiet, outside of using the potty phrase a few times. Don’t play with them until after they have done their business. You want them to associate going outside with going to the bathroom. Repeat throughout the day.
6:15 a.m. OR when brought in give water and let the puppy play for a few mins. before feeding. I find they are too excited to eat right away.
Play with and watch for behavior to have to go potty again afterwards, then take outside right away.
8:00/9:00 a.m. crate time or when falls asleep. Always take outside to potty before putting in the crate.
CRATE TRAINING: When puppy starts to get sleepy or falls asleep put the puppy in the crate. Watch to see when puppy starts to wake up and take out of crate while they are calm (before they have the chance to go ballistic in their crate). Give the puppy food and treats in the crate with the door left open. Practice putting the puppy in and out of the crate all day every day until the puppy gets used to it. Put the puppy in the crate even when you are home. You don’t want the puppy to relate the crate to you leaving the house and them being left alone.
11:00 a.m. or when wakes up, take puppy out and start routine over again, i.e. water, feed, play.
Puppy needs an hour out of the crate at noon on working days!! They have to be fed lunch up until 6 months of age and given time to eliminate, play and tire themselves out before putting back in the crate.
1:00 pm. Back in crate for nap.
4:00 p.m. Out of crate. Routine again i.e. water, feed, play.
They can now stay out for the evening until bedtime. If they start to fall asleep put back in crate but wake back up at 11:00 p.m./midnight for the last potty break.
No food or water after 8:00 p.m. You can give an ice cube if they seem thirsty.
11:00 p.m./midnight take out for last time potty break. Then put in crate beside you, if the puppy fusses give them time to settle down. If they fuss in the middle of the night just put your hand beside the crate and let the puppy smell you, stay calm and just say shush….. if they go back to sleep, so do you. If the puppy won`t settle they might have to go outside to potty. If this is the case, carry the puppy outside remain calm, once potty is done carry back into house and put right back in crate and go back to sleep. The puppy should be able to get through most of the night (midnight till 5:00/6:00 a.m. in a week).
The most important thing is to get the puppy on a schedule. This includes weekends! Once older and house trained they can spend less time in the crate.
These times are approximate, of course the puppy will have to adapt to your schedule. Just remember they are babies and need lots of time outside of the crate to wear themselves out. A tired dog is a happy dog and a happy owner.