With most breeds, if done properly, house-breaking should take no more than a few days (maybe less).
First, do NOT get a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old, nor one that was separated from its mother before 8 weeks. Important. Not ONE day before 8 weeks. (That’s only peripherally related to house-breaking, but more important for other behavioral issues.)
Bring the puppy home on a day when you have at least a few days to NEVER leave the puppy alone. Those first few days can be essential to your relationship with the dog for the rest of her life.
Before you bring her home, figure out a place where you WANT her to go. It is much easier to train her to go where you want than to train her to not go where you don’t want her to go. Do not put newspaper down inside your house, for her to use as a toilet, unless you really want to teach her to pee inside. (The downright stupidest training aid ever.)
The first few days you have her, take her to her pee spot at least every couple hours, including shortly after she eats. When she goes, praise her profusely. (Most everyone will naturally use a high voice when praising. That’s a good thing. High pitched noises is what her mother used to communicate with her.) Be happy when you do it. She will know you are happy.
If she doesn’t go, and it’s been less than a few hours, it is possible (though unlikely) that she just doesn’t have to. Take her back inside and watch her like a hawk. If she squats inside, pick her up immediately and take her outside to her pee spot and repeat instructions above.
At 8 weeks old she should be ok for 6 hours or so at night, but not much more than that. Make sure she goes at least once after her evening meal, and no water after she goes the last time before bed time. Rinse and repeat for 3 days.
Every time she successfully pees in the house without you catching her in the act and moving her to the right spot will extend the time it takes to permanently house-break her. If you catch her the first time, take her outside and she pees outside, it may be the last time she ever pees in the house.
If you get frustrated because she hasn’t gone for awhile and you just know she needs to, roll her over on her back and shake her tummy. That will make her go. But don’t do this unless its been at least a few hours since she went last.
If you get a dachshund or a small terrier, these instructions probably won’t work. So don’t get one.
As far as crating, eh. A lot of trainers sware by it. If you can make it work, it sure is convenient. But I have seen some recommended methods out there that I just hate. Some are very acceptable.
