Housebreaking a new puppy is the only way you can reliably allow your pet to live in the house without it turning into a smelling dog bathroom. This is why the newspapers on the floor in the bathroom is NOT a good idea. Nothing that encourages your pet to relieve himself anywhere inside the home is a good idea.

The piddle pads, newspapers etc. idea is based on the concept that you should have a place for the dog to go while limiting their inside access. While this is not the best option, if you don't have access to any outdoors area, this may be the only way to limit puppies bathroom potty business to one area of the house.

The absolute best thing you can do for your new pup is to give him a place of his own. We're not talking fancy doghouse here but just somewhere that he can feel safe and secure.... a dog crate is the perfect place for them.

A dog crate limits puppy access to the rest of the house when you're not watching. This is important especially when first housebreaking him.

Next, it offers your puppy a place to call his own. Oftentimes all the new smells and activities are simply overwhelming to a little puppy and they need to be secure and comfortable. Having a dog crate that is a place he can call home will make everyones life much easier.

The reason is that when a pack animal like a dog recognizes a den or "his home" they don't relieve themselves in it. They're interested in keeping "thier place" as clean as possible and soiling it is only by accident. Crate training allows for effective control of your pup until such time as they have good control of their bowels and understand that the right place to go to the bathroom is outside!

So crate training is based on your dogs natural instincts while piddle pads and newspapers encourage the pup to go in the very place where you don't want them to go, namely inside your home.

Potty training for puppy dogs is best done using the crate training method to keep your pup from becoming confused.