House-Training
  Potty training a cat is usually very easy. Just place a litterbox, with cat litter, in an out-of-the-way place, place your cat in it to let the cat feel the litter, and you will find the cat using it in no time. Probably because there is no place in the house the cat likes better. Just remember to keep the litterbox clean (clean it daily), and don't place the cat's food and water nearby nor within sight of the litterbox.
  House-training a puppy, on the other hand, can be one of the most time consuming aspects of training him, but its rewards will be valued by you and your family for the rest of the dog's days as a member of the family. Sure, it takes a few weeks of your time and a lot of patience, but it's better than cleaning up every day for years to come.
  Your puppy wants to be clean, because canines and wolves are naturally clean animals. The way to house-training success is to follow carefully and patiently the program explained here—
  CONFINEMENT is the first rule of house-training. Carried out properly, your dog won't mind being locked up for a spell. Don't worry – you are not putting your dog in jail – you are just making it easier for him to learn and draw on his natural instincts.
  Dogs are by nature den animals – they sleep, give birth and raise puppies in dens. From the day they are born, puppies learn not to eliminate in the den. Mamma-dog lets them know quite definately that 'going in the den' is a No-no! A crate serves as a subsititute den, and it should be big enough for your puppy to stand up and turn around, but not so big that he can sleep at one end and eliminate at the other end.
  But this doesn't mean your puppy should be locked up all the time. That would be cruel. For a puppy, 2 or 3 hours maximum. For dogs over 9 months, no more than 5 or 6 hours.
  Never use the crate – his den – as a form of punishment. It should be associated only with good things – toys, treats and affection from you.
  SCHEDULING comes next. The schedule you set up will depend on your work and sleeping patterns, but it should be a fixed schedule. A puppy will naturally eat, eliminate, play and sleep, in that order. Make provision for this and house-training becomes easier. Allow your puppy to eliminate immediately after he eats, in a place you have designated and to which he has regular access. If that means taking him for a walk, make sure you do it consistently, after every meal. Praise him lavishly when he does it right.
  Here are a few hints about CORRECTING a dog when he has not done as he should—

• Never hit your dog and rub his nose in it – you only make him more difficult to handle.
• Never call your dog to you to punish him – he'll learn not to come when called.
• Never punish him for an accident that happened hours before – he won't remember and will begin to be wary of you.