People have been known to say Bichons, Shih-Tzu and other small dogs are impossible to housebreak. We disagree! We think if you can train an owner, you can train a puppy. The following are our suggestions to the best method of housebreaking a Fuzzypup!:

Please put your puppy on a feeding schedule. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mix about 1 tsp to 1 TBS canned puppy food with 1/4 - 1/3 cup dry Eagle Puppy Chow. (NOTE*  quality dog food is essential in housebreaking.  Poor quality dog food can cause digestive problems and make housebreaking a nightmare!   We have found  Eagle puppy chow to be our favorite.  Feel free to call 1-800-255-5959 to find a distributor in your area.)  By adding the canned to the dry, you will help puppy process his meal faster, and thus he will void regular.  A puppy that is a "nibbler" from free-feeding, is much harder to housebreak. 

NOTE:  A puppy that is not eating is a problem!   CALL US!!!  A puppy that does not eat for 12 hours will be sick, if he goes 48 he will be comatose and at 72 he will be dead!!!   Do what ever it takes to get your puppy to eat if he is not eating - use cottage cheese, yogurt, canned food, hamburger and rice, baby food, vanilla ice cream...

About 45 minutes after puppy eats, plan on taking him out (or to litter box) for him to void out his meal. Use a command each time you take him out so he knows the purpose of his visit to the outdoors (litter box). If he does not void right away, get him moving around by playing with him as this will help to get those bowels moving. If he does not void at this time, take him inside and put him in his kennel then allow another 10-15 minutes and try again. DO NOT LET PUPPY IN AND LOOSE IF HE HAS NOT GONE POTTY!  This will only allow him to void on your floor.  You will know in about a week of regular trips outside whether it takes him 30 minutes or 2.5 hour to void out his meal.   This void should be very consistent.

Plan on taking puppy out (or to litter box) every 2 hours regularly to go pee. Use same encouragement, and command. Also, when puppy first wakes up from a nap, or first thing in the morning, he will have to go. Quickly take him out to do so.

When you take puppy out to void, go with him. He wants to be with you, and if you just put him out and leave him, he will likely stand at the door waiting for you, then void the minute you let him in. You need to go with him, encourage him to void, and praise him when he does so.

Each time puppy voids as he should, give lots of excited praise, and a treat, so he knows he is doing as he should. NEVER EVER yell, beat, rub nose, etc. of a puppy who has an accident inside. He will just think he is not suppose to void, and have more accidents while trying not to do what it is normal for him to do. 

If puppy is doing the turn around in a circle thing, he either has to go potty, or is going to go to sleep. Give him the benefit of the doubt and take him out to go potty.

Take food and water up after dinner time.** This way puppy will go to bed with a mostly empty bladder and bowel. Remember, puppy will not have full control of his bladder or bowel until he is 16 weeks of age, so expect to get up sometime during the night. If you allow him to eat and drink into the evening, you will be up more, which is not good for him, or you. Keep your kennel close so you can hear him whine or make fuss when he has to go potty. He will not want to void where he is sleeping, so it is up to you to notice when he is telling you he has to go out. Beside the bed is a natural place for puppy to sleep, while you are training him. *note* if puppy is getting up multiple times in the evening, something is not right, call us!   **EXCEPTION**  Tiny Tots, need more nourishment due to size, please give them  a Tablespoon of yogurt or cottage cheese before they go to bed.   A puppy with too empty a tummy will throw up yellow bile. 

Use your crate wisely! It is the best training tool you will own. If you are going to be gone for an hour or two, put puppy in kennel while you are gone during the day. And always use it for bedtime. Make sure you did not just feed him though, or you are asking for an accident! If you are going to be gone for over 2 hours with a young puppy, do not use your kennel. It is physically impossible for him to hold it, and to ask him to do so could cause future health issues for him. In the case you are gone extended periods of time, and for those who work during the day, gate off a laundry or kitchen area where he can have his kennel or a soft bed to sleep in,  and a place to void.

Do not leave an un-housebroke puppy with the run of the house.  It is not fair to him or yourself as he will have accidents. It is up to you to encourage him with positive praise for what he does correctly and keep a consistent schedule until he is housebroke. If you are not consistent, your puppy will not know what to do, and you will find training difficult to impossible. Use a timer if needed as a reminder to you that it is potty time. And if you have children, make sure everyone is in on the schedule and everyone is doing the same thing training wise. DO NOT use multiple ways to train puppy. ie: litter box and outside. You will only confuse him. Puppies are very smart, and will learn quickly and easily if you use praise, treats and a structured schedule.

Remember, the hardest part of training a puppy, is training the owner. And we are here if things are not falling into place. Sherry's number is: 308-247-2378. Lean on her for advise when needed.

Lastly, and most important, keep in mind that even the best trained puppy will have a relapse from time to time. Don't expect perfection too soon, or you will stress yourself and your puppy.