I've just become a new dog owner, a purebred Springer Spaniel has joined our family. He is 8 months old and came from a very good home where he was house-trained. The first week we had him, he did not wet or BM in our house at all, now we are into the second week and he is doing both during various times of the day. I do not yet have a pen to discipline this behavior and don't want to see it get too much out of control. Is a pen necessary at this age? Is the dog maybe stressed in his new environment? This is all so new to me, but I don't want to get discouraged because of the number of accidents he is all of sudden having. For your information, I am home all day and gets lots of exercise outdoors and walks. Thank you for any tips you might have! - Kim A., Ontario, Canada

Your pup is lucky to have you around all day. You can not overdo getting him out every chance you get. Housebreaking is simply prevention. The more you prevent, the quicker it becomes part of the dog. When he is indoors, keep him near you so you can interrupt his movement. Use a leash to control his movements, put up a puppy gate in the doorway. When you can't keep him near, put him in a crate. Feed him scheduled meals and allow 20 - 30 minutes per feeding. Restrict his water to only what he needs, not what he wants. Housebreaking is simple in theory - PREVENT - but is a nightmare in practice. Don't get frustrated and impatient. Once you have a house trained dog, you will appreciate all the effort. Hang in there.

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