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Rule #1: The key to housebreaking is scheduling. You're going to have to establish a firm routine and stick to it until your dog gets the hang of housebreaking. If she knows when to expect to be taken outside, she soon won't mind waiting until her next scheduled outing. But if she never knows when or whether she's going to get to go out, she may decide it's not worth her while to control herself.
Rule #2: What goes in must come out. In other words, if your dog is nibbling and sipping all day long, she's going to need to go to the bathroom all day long. So it's important that you schedule her food intake and keep snacks to a minimum, and you can even schedule her water intake at the beginning. Of course, if it's very hot or if your dog is getting lots of exercise, then she needs to have fresh water available to her all day long. But otherwise, you can give her periodic drinks throughout the day so that you'll know when she'll need to go out - probably about ten to thirty minutes after drinking or eating.
Rule #3: In housebreaking, timing is everything. Your dog is going to have accidents - count on it - and the only way you're going to teach her right from wrong is to catch her in the act and correct her. Correcting her after the fact won't do a bit of good, because she won't know what she did or why you're upset with her. And that's why it's so important that you supervise her scrupulously during these early days.
Rule #4: Cleanliness counts. Dogs will almost always return to spots that they've soiled before. So if your dog has one accident on the couch, she's likely to have another, unless you thoroughly disinfect and deodorize the area. And remember, her nose is a lot more sensitive than yours, so you're going to have to do some heavy-duty scrubbing to make sure that no traces remain. Your best bet is to use one of the commercial sprays or solutions designed for this very task.
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