House training is one of the biggest behavior problems for new dog owners. Sometimes, if the dog is not properly trained as a puppy, the problem can persist for years. This article describes seven steps anyone with a difficult problem can follow.

Good management skills is the first step to house breaking your dog. You have to make sure you catch your dog in the act. If you can't watch your dog, then a crate is an excellent management tool. I also use baby gates and x-pens to help manage the dog's behavior. This allows you to keep a close eye on your dog as your dog is going through the process.

The next step is to teach your dog a cue or a signal to let you know when they need to go out. A simple way to do this is to put a bell on your door. Tie a string to the bell and hang it off the knob. Put a little peanut butter on the bell. This way when your dog touches the bell with his nose, you can open the door and let your dog out. By doing this on a consistent basis, your dog will start to learn that if she touches the bell, you will let her out.

It's important to make sure you properly clean up after your dog. You want to clean with a product that is made of natural enzymes. Most cleaning products have ammonia in them. Ammonia will smell like urine to your dog. Your dog will try to cover the strange urine with his own.

It's important to get a complete vet check. Make sure your dog is not suffering from any physical problems. If your dog has a urinary tract infection or a bladder infection, no amount of training with help. Rule out any health problems.

Once you rule out any physical problems teach your dog to eliminate on command. This is done by taking your dog outside on a leash and giving your dog a command as they are sniffing and thinking about going. Say "Get busy" or "Hurry up" as your dog is getting ready to go. As soon as your dog starts to go, don't say anything until your dog has gone. The second your dog is done, quickly reward.

Once you have taught your dog a cue it's important to remember that dog training is all about influencing behavior. You have to catch your dog in the act and you have to reward your dog for going in the right place. Make sure that you go outside with your dog so you can be there to reward your dog.

I can't stress this point enough: Be careful with punishment. If you punish your dog too harshly for having an accident, you may teach your dog to hold it when you are close by. Your dog may refuse to go when you are around whether it is inside or outside. This can make the whole process much more difficult.

If you follow the steps in this article you can cure your dog's house training problem. I have to also add that patience, consistency and timing is crucial to successfully housebreaking your dog.