{{short description|Act of training an animal to excrete in a designated area}} {{about|animal training|comparable training of small children|toilet training|the crime of housebreaking|burglary}} {{Redirect|House training|the episode of TV series House|House (season 3)}} {{how-to|date=April 2023}} thumb|A dog trained to urinate outdoors rather than in its human owners' house '''Housebreaking''' (American English) or '''house-training''' (British English) is the process of training a domesticated animal that lives with its human owners in a house or other residence to excrete (urinate and defecate) outdoors, or in a designated indoor area (such as an absorbent pad or a litter box), rather than to follow its instinctive behaviour randomly inside the house.
Around 840 million cats and dogs alone are owned as pets around the globe;<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dog and cat pet population worldwide 2018|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1044386/dog-and-cat-pet-population-worldwide/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Statista|language=en}}</ref> and in the United States, seventy percent of households own a pet.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pet Industry Market Size & Ownership Statistics|url=https://www.americanpetproducts.org/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=American Pet Products Association}}</ref> The process requires patience and consistence from the human. Accidents are a part of the process, and if the pet's owner reacts negatively, it could be discouraged, and the success of the training might be delayed.
== Dogs == The first step in housebreaking a puppy is creating a routine or schedule.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2024-12-04|title=Canine elimination behavior and training methods|url=https://www.woofz.com/blog/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy/|access-date=2025-12-19|website=WFZ Journal }}</ref> Young puppies are not able to control their bladder as well as older dogs, and they should be taken out frequently. A commonly cited guideline is that puppies can hold their bladder for approximately one hour per month of age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-housetrain-your-dog-or-puppy|title=How to housetrain your dog or puppy|website=The Humane Society of the United States|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref> When taken outside, puppies are typically brought to the same designated area to reinforce the association with elimination. Verbal cues are commonly used during elimination to support later recall of the behavior. Positive reinforcement following outdoor elimination further strengthens appropriate toileting habits.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2024-03-15|title=House-training puppies for outdoor elimination|url=https://www.woofz.com/blog/how-to-train-dog-to-pee-outside/|access-date=2025-12-19|website=WFZ Journal }}</ref> Older dogs may also require comparable levels of training and supervision when introduced to a new environment.<ref>{{Cite web|last=PAWS|title=Re-Housetraining Your Adult Dog|url=https://www.paws.org/resources/re-housetraining-your-adult-dog/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=PAWS|language=en}}</ref>
Punitive training methods are associated with increased anxiety and confusion in dogs and may hinder the house-training process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://petfulness.com/how-to-potty-train-your-puppy-easily-without-punishment/|title=How to potty train your puppy easily, without punishment|website=Petfulness|date=May 2024|language=en|access-date=2024-05-05}}</ref>
Crate training is commonly used to manage house-training when regular outdoor access is not possible, taking advantage of dogs' natural tendency to avoid soiling their resting area.
One important part of housebreaking a pet, and dogs in particular, is to have preparations in place for periods of one's absence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How to housetrain your dog or puppy|url=https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-housetrain-your-dog-or-puppy|access-date=2020-11-11|website=The Humane Society of the United States|language=en}}</ref> Many pet owners focus a lot of their energies into housebreaking their pet and then have the results of their efforts undone when they are away from their pet. If another person cares for a pet when its owner is away, and has been accustomed to a particular place in the home as its toilet, its good toilet discipline is likely to last.
== Cats == thumb|213x213px|A cat prefers its litter box to be in a quiet, undisturbed area of the home Housebreaking a kitten is different from housebreaking a puppy. A kitten's toilet area would be a litter box inside the house, rather than a particular spot outside the house.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Litter Box Training Your New Kitten {{!}} Feline Behavioral Health |url=https://www.tvmf.org/articles/litter-box-training-new-kitten/ |access-date=2026-02-25 |website=TVMF |language=en-US}}</ref> A cat's instinct is to excrete within a substrate, and then to scratch and dig to hide the excretion. Litter boxes support this natural behavior.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.texvetpets.org/article/litter-box-training-new-kitten/|title=Litter Box Training Your New Kitten {{!}} Feline Behavioral Health|last=Ramdas|first=Kira|website=TexVetPets|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref> There are several varieties of substrate for litter boxes, but according to most veterinarians, cats prefer a scent-free clumping clay substrate.<ref name=":0" /> Litter boxes, too, are available in different sizes and design - small, big, with walls, with a lid - and choosing a suitable one is important. Where the litter box will be located also matters: it should be in a quiet area so that the kitten would not feel agitated by the setting of its toilet area.
To introduce the kitten to its toilet area and acquaint it with the substrate, it should be placed in the prepared litter box. The kitten should be placed in the litter box again after it has eaten, as that is when its urge to excrete is the strongest.<ref name=":0" /> Most kittens take to litter boxes immediately if the substrate is to their liking. However, cats have different preferences, and some cats may prefer separate litter boxes for urine and feces.
While many people train their cat to use a litter box, cats can also be housebroken like a dog.<ref name="7step">{{Cite web|date=2016-10-07|title=7 Steps to Housebreak a Cat|url=https://animalpath.org/how-to-housebreak-a-cat/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Animalpath.org|language=en-US}}</ref> However, this process requires more careful effort, and success depends also on the age of the cat.<ref name="7step" /> <ref>{{Cite web|title=Master Dog London|url=https://www.master.dog/|access-date=2020-12-11|website=Master.dog|language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== *Crate training *Litter box
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Dog nav}}
Category:Dog training Category:Cats as pets Category:Urine Category:Feces