The biggest concern of people who have adopted a new puppy is potty training. Traditionally, this involves leashing or chaining your puppy to go outside or teaching him to use a certain area in the yard. The trick is getting them to let you know when they have to go. The other problem is what happens when the puppy is left home alone for extended periods of time. There are a lot of accidents, which proves to be frustrating for everyone involved.

For owners of small breed dogs and those who live in apartments or have a confined area for the their puppy outside, however, there is another option. You can train your puppy to go in a designated spot in your house, even when you are not home. This method is called litter training and is similar to what cat owners use.

Your puppy is already adjusting to new surroundings and being away from his pack. You should introduce everything to him as slowly as you can so that he is comfortable and not scared by anything. When you introduce the crate to your puppy, for example, you should first get him used to being in it for short periods of time, without leaving him alone just yet. Place your hand in the crate and let him know that it is a safe place to be. Let him go in and out at his leisure at first and progress from there with short segments of time when he is left alone in the crate. Making him feel comfortable in his new surroundings will make it a smooth transition.

One key to training a new puppy is to provide consistent feedings. This will help in a number of ways. First, he will know when to expect his food. You will know when to expect him to have to go potty. Leaving a full bowl out all day will not allow you to have as much control over the situation. Once he has eaten, remove leftover food and take him to the spot you want him to go potty. He should be ready to use the litter box within 20 minutes after eating, so this is an important time to watch him carefully and help him succeed.