Puppies are cute, and they are a favorite choice when a family is looking to get a new pet. Dogs can quickly become a part of the family, but are not quite as able to care for themselves as other types of pets. Cat use a litter box, and easily learn this in most cases. Sometimes, house training a puppy can be a long process with a lot of little messes to clean up before the puppy learns when and where to go to the bathroom. Make sure you make time for proper dog training so that you do not spend time cleaning up messes for a very long time.
House training a puppy may not be that hard if you have gotten an older puppy. You may find that they are already trained, or they are almost there. It depends on where you get your new dog. Most that come from a shelter are at least partially trained, but that is not always the case. If you have gotten that dog as soon as they are old enough to leave the company of their mother, you may have to do all of the house training on your own. Be sure to ask if they do not let you know where your new pet stands in this area. Be prepared to do it on your own.
The first step in house training a puppy is to get comfortable with your dog. You will want to be ready to handle what comes out of his or her bottom. You should invest in some gloves if you feel that you are really squeamish in this area. It is possible to clean up mistakes without gloves, but if you worry a lot, gloves can help give you a bit of reassurance that you are not getting waste on your hands. You will also want to have what are called puppy pads, or a good supply of newspaper. The pads are better, but newspaper will work.
You can expect quite a few accidents when you first start house training a puppy. They have no idea what is expected of them right away, so they do not know that they are doing something wrong. Do not use something to hit them when they have gone in the wrong place. This teaches them to fear you, not respect you, and that is not something you want. Find tips for gently reminding them of where they are supposed to go. If you have the time, the best way to do this is to watch them for when they start to go, and then to move them directly to the right area. They learn quickly this way.
There are going to be times when you have trouble house training a puppy. Some just do not get it as quickly as others. When this happens, you want to see what you can find to help you out. There are some great resources and books that you can find online. Most books will be about overall dog training or dog behavior. These books can be very helpful when house training a dog, but are also going to be useful for other behavior problems that you may experience throughout the life of your new pet.