5 Vital Tips for Housebreaking Puppies in the Winter
Housebreaking puppies in the winter is similar in puppy training technique to housebreaking your puppy during more weather-friendly times of the year. We have housebroken and raised our puppies through harsh Iowa winters. Not only did our dogs come through just fine, they also happen to love winter weather, love fresh snow “ice cream” and can’t get enough of chasing snowflakes.
If you plan on getting a puppy in the winter, you don’t really have anything to worry about, but you do want to pay attention to a few important points.
First, never leave your puppy alone outside in winter weather. When you take it outdoors to relieve itself, be sure to be there with it until it is ready to come inside. This is actually good advice for any time of year but particularly so for the winter.
Second, if you see your dog showing signs of discomfort, take it inside and let it warm up. What are some of the signs? Tale down and ears pulled back, dog lifting up its paws, noticeable shivering. Always keep a sharp eye on your puppy when outside.
Third, puppies are much more sensitive to cold weather and harsh weather conditions. You must never leave a puppy out in cold weather for long periods of time. When housbreaking a puppy in the winter, it is important to know that they are much more susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite.
Hypothermia is a condition of too little warmth (hypo=not enough or under and thermia=heat). The puppy’s body temperature falls too low to keep it warm. If you see your puppy start to shiver, take it inside immediately and warm it up. A rule of thumb to follow is that if you are cold so is your puppy. Take it inside.
Frostbite is tissue damage to the skin due to cold. You will notice damaged skin turn pale or white. The most vulnerable areas will be the webbing between toes, the ears, and possibly the tail area.
When housebreaking your puppy, follow these basic guidelines, and you won’t go wrong:
- start puppy housebreaking around 8 weeks old
- establish a regular schedule
- take your puppy outside when it looks like it wants to go
- take the puppy outside approximately every two hours
- always stay outside with your puppy
Follow these tips, and both you and your dog will come through the cold weather just fine, and your dog will use its new housebreaking training during the more clement months of the year.
