Let him sleep but when he wakes be ready to move. This is the first lesson in housebreaking. As soon as your puppy is on his feet, pick him up and take him outside. Puppies urinate after play, naps and after they eat. Always pick him up. If you let him walk to the door he’ll go before you get outside.
As previously eluded to when you do get up your first job is to get puppy out of his crate and carry him outside. Don’t wait and don’t stop to clean anything up. After he has done his business, praise him as always, and then you can clean up his crate if needed.
The number one rule in housebreaking is: You must catch your dog in the act to issue a reprimand. Never, never, never punish after the fact. Reason: Your dog associates the reprimand with the last thing he did. When you come home, your dog comes to greet you. If there is a mess and you show your anger he will associate it with his greeting. Never take him to the spot to “show” him what he did because he has no idea what you’re talking about. He only knows you are mad. Instead, clean up the mess and move on.
This rule applies to all dog training; you must catch him digging in the flower bed, playing in the trash or chewing your shoes. If you do happen to catch him doing something, a sharp “NO!” is all that is needed. When done correctly his world will come to a screeching halt. If he needs to relieve himself, pick him up and take him outside. When you put him down, praise him, then let him wander around until he does his business, and then praise him again. If he has been chewing on something he shouldn’t, take the object away and give him one of his own toys to chew on. Again, praise him.
Think of your puppy as a new baby in the house, which he is. His crate is his playpen (safe place) and it is used only when you can’t be there with him, or you have things to do and cannot be as watchful as you should with a new pup. Get in the habit of saying “crate” when it’s time to go there and use the word ”no” when you catch your pup in the act of doing something he shouldn’t. And always, always praise him when he does good, even when he stops after a “no” command.