Along with getting a good vet and taking out pet insurance, toilet training your puppy will be one of your top priorities.  If you’re lucky and you’ve bought your puppy from a kind breeder he’ll be partly toilet trained before you bring him home.  However, even if that is the case often in the whirl of strange scents and new surrounding the new frightened puppy can forget all his toilet etiquette and revert back to having accidents.  Be patient as the new sights and sounds will upset and confuse him initially.  He’s probably away from his mother for the first time as well as the rest of his litter.  There’ll be new people and possibly other pets to contend with which can lead to all too much excitement and many a puddle on your carpet.

The best way to approach this is to be prepared by putting down newspaper in the rooms he’s allowed to frequent.  As a puppy he’ll have a small bladder and the muscles within the bladder will still be strengthening and developing.  If he wants to go, it will be immediate.  Put the bulk of the paper near the back door to signal this is where he should go.

Keep your eyes peeled for him sniffing and circling.  This is typical pre-toilet dog behaviour and should signal you to grab him and put him on the paper.  If he does have an accident, don’t get angry and don’t smack him or try to rub his nose in it.  If you’re not quick enough to catch him in mid flow he’ll have no idea why you are angry with him and will get frightened and confused.  The more you catch him and place him on the paper the more he’ll start to cotton on.