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The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training

#118 Don't take it personal

April 21, 2025 • Personable Pets Dog Training • Season 2 • Episode 118

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If you overreact when your puppy has a housetraining accident he probably won't learn to go outside next time - he will most likely learn to hide better next time.

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So let’s talk about what happens when we catch our puppy in the act of having a housetraining accident - our first instinct is to scold or punish them. It’s totally understandable—we’re frustrated and it feels like we need to do something to make it clear this behavior isn’t okay. But here’s the thing: punishing a puppy for having a housetraining accident almost never teaches them what we want them to do. Instead, it usually teaches them they should hide better next time.

Let’s break it down. Puppies are learning about the world from scratch, and house training is one of the biggest things they’re trying to figure out. When they have an accident in the house, it’s not because they’re being defiant or testing boundaries—it’s because their bladder control isn’t fully developed yet, they haven’t learned a routine, or maybe we just missed their signal.

Now, if we respond to a housetraining accident with yelling, scolding, or even physical punishment, what the puppy learns isn’t “oh, I should go outside to potty.” What they learn is: “dang, when I go to the bathroom in front of my person, bad things happen.” That’s a totally different message. The result? The next time they feel the urge, they’re more likely to sneak behind the couch or into another room where we can’t see them—because they’re scared of the consequences, not because they suddenly understand the concept of going outside.

This is how we end up with dogs that hide their accidents, or who seem to “know they did something wrong” just because they look guilty when we come in. But that look? That’s not guilt in the way we think of it—it’s fear. It’s a response to our tone, our body language, or past experiences of being punished after the fact.

Instead, the real key to house training is prevention and consistency. We want to set them up to succeed—by giving them frequent opportunities to go outside, especially after meals, naps, and play. We reward them enthusiastically when they go in the right place. And if they do have an accident? We clean it up without drama and make a mental note: “okay, next time, I’ll take them out a little sooner.” It’s less about punishing mistakes and more about catching them doing it right and reinforcing that.

So, the next time your puppy slips up, try to remember: they’re not trying to make you mad. They’re just learning, and our job is to be the calm, patient, and help them get it right—without fear, without punishment, and without pushing the problem into the shadows.