So you have finally brought home the puppy you have always wanted. Once the excitement wears off, you will quickly remember that Cocker Spaniel potty training is extremely important. If you do not properly train your puppy, the entire house could end up needing the carpets replaced or the wood floors sanded and re-stained. That is certainly not something that you want to go through.

One of the first things you will want to do is to make sure that everyone in the family is on the same page regarding the training. There has to be one method for training and one way to handle corrections. This is the only way to make sure that your little puppy is able to potty train quickly. For example, everyone needs to know that you are using positive reinforcement, not negative reinforcement. Cocker Spaniels are happy pups by nature. They like to play so patience will be required. The Cocker responds very favorably to positive, gentle and sensitive handling.

Decide whether or not you want to teach your puppy to use a puppy pee pad in the house or whether you would like the puppy to be trained to go outside. Cocker Spaniel potty training is easy to do, once you know what it is that you are trying to achieve exactly. You also have to make sure that you are always being consistent. You want to make sure that you are staying on top of the training process in order to not cause delays.

When your puppy goes to the bathroom in the right location, make sure that you are offering positive reinforcement in the form of a treat or lots of verbal praise. When your puppy starts to have an accident, simply pick him up and place him in the designated spot where it is okay for him to eliminate. Eventually, your puppy is going to catch on and will learn where it is his can go in order to please you.

Here Are a Few Tips and Things to Look for in Cocker Spaniel Potty Training

1) Be aware of your cockers body language, watch for signs that suggest your dog is getting anxious by roaming around in circles or sniffing from spot to spot. An erratic behavior is also a good signal to look for.

2) Puppies need to go potty more often. Take the pup to the desired spot for potty as soon as it wakes up, right after a short nap, after meals, after play time, after being crated and just before you retire for the day.

3) Cocker Spaniels are a gentle and sensitive breed by nature. During cocker spaniel potty training they respond best to positive reinforcement. Praise your dog after it has emptied itself. Reward him with a treat right after. Be consistent and your puppy will associate good behavior with the treat and praise.

4) Signal training to alert you when your pup wants to go out can be accomplished my hanging a bell or chime at his or her level on the way out to the potty area. Ring the bell or chime with its paw. Then go out quickly. The pup will learn this little trick fast. Just be consistent.

5) Do not let your dog roam the entire house during cocker spaniel potty training. This will make it easier for you to spot signals the dog may be exhibiting and avoid accidents.

6) It is very rare that a Cocker Spaniel will go against its house training. Medical problems and or health issues can lead to unexpected accidents.

7) Cocker Spaniels don't like being along. If you do not crate your dog while you are away for three to four hours you can expect to come home to a soiled area. This is mainly due to separation anxiety. Sometime leaving a radio turned on helps while you are away.

Living in a high rise has its own challenge. You can teach a small dog to go potty in a litter box. Use the same tips as above for being aware when Mother Nature is calling. Stay with your Cocker until it has emptied itself. Reward your dog with treat and plenty of praise.

9) Puppies need to go more often than adult dogs. Take the pup to the designated area after napping, eating, drinking, playing and after waking up in the morning. The pup will soon get the idea. Don't forget to associate good manners with plenty of praise and a treat.

10) If you have an older dog with a potty problem, it is best to start from the beginning and retrain your dog. Be on the lookout for signals that indicate that you dog may want to relive its self. Keep the dog under close watch for signals.

11) Consistency and positive reinforcement will work wonders and make you the proud owner of well heaved house broken Cocker Spaniel. Remember all family members must be on the same page with the Cocker Spaniel potty training.

12) Don't expect an overnight miracle and you won't be disappointed. Potty training can take months to deeply embed the behavior. You should start to see results in as little as two weeks. Being consistent will shorten the time. If you waffle on the training it will take longer.

Positive Crate Training for House breaking

There is also the option of crate training for Cocker Spaniel potty training. With the right size crate, you will find that your puppy will not go to the bathroom in the crate. This is because he does not want to go where he sleeps. As soon as you take your puppy out of the crate, take him to the spot where he is allowed to go. Stay there until he does and then when he does, make sure that you are giving him a lot of extra praise. It is important to make sure that you are always keeping the crate as a positive place for your puppy to be. Never send your Cocker Spaniel to the crate as a punishment as this could cause him a lot of emotional distress that will make the entire training process just that much harder.

Getting Help with Cocker Spaniel Potty Training

If all else fails, you might want to consider seeking a little additional help. There are plenty of places that offer house breaking classes for a reasonable price. Even though this is something that you can still master on your own, it might be a little easier to get that tiny bit of additional help. Depending on the personality of your dog and how consistent you are with the Cocker Spaniel potty training, your puppy could be trained in a matter of a couple of weeks. The less consistent you are with the training, the longer the entire process will take.