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Method for House training Puppies
House training puppies is not rocket science; patience,
understanding and perseverance will go a long way
in getting puppy potty trained. Rubbing a puppy's
nose in a mess is an inappropriate way to house
train. Using ample amounts of supervision and positive
reinforcement will insure that you continue to develop
a positive relationship with your pup. The best
way to toilet train a puppy rapidly is to use a
crate and supervise the pup at all time when she
is not in the cage. You should be anticipating the
pups needs and preventing him from eliminating inside.
Remember he is still a little baby and if he makes
a mistake it is your responsibility and not his
fault.
Starting Off On the Right Track
The first course of action in housetraining is to
promote the desired behavior. You need to:
• Designate an appropriate elimination area
outdoors
• Frequently guide your dog there to do his
business
• Heartily praise him when he goes
By occasionally giving a food reward immediately
after your dog finishes, you can encourage him to
eliminate in the desired area. The odor left from
previous visits to that area will quickly mark it
as the place for the pup to do his business.
Timing Is Critical!
A six- to eight-week old puppy should be taken outdoors
every one to three hours. Older puppies can generally
wait longer between outings. Most puppies should
be taken out:
• After waking in the morning
• After naps
• After meals
• After playing or training
• After being left alone
• Immediately before being put to bed
Eliminating On Command
To avoid spending a lot of time waiting for your
puppy to get the job done, you may want to teach
him to eliminate on command. Each time he is in
the act of eliminating, simply repeat a unique command,
such as "hurry up" or "potty",
in an upbeat tone of voice. After a few weeks of
training, you will notice that when you say the
command your puppy will begin pre-elimination sniffing,
circling, and then eliminate shortly after you give
the command. Be sure to praise him for his accomplishments.
Feeding Schedules
Most puppies will eliminate within an hour after
eating. Once you take control of your puppy's feeding
schedule, you will have some control over when he
needs to eliminate.
• Schedule your puppy's dinner times so that
you will be available to let him out after eating.
• Avoid giving your puppy a large meal just
prior to confining him or he may have to eliminate
when you are not around to take him out. Schedule
feeding two to three times daily on a consistent
schedule.
• Have food available for only 30 to 40 minutes,
then remove it.
• The last feeding of the day should be completed
several hours before he is confined for the night.
By controlling the feeding schedule, exercise sessions,
confinement periods, and trips outdoors to the elimination
area, your puppy will quickly develop a reliable
schedule for eliminating.
Expect Some Mistakes
Left on his own, the untrained puppy is very likely
to make a mistake. Close supervision is a very important
part of training. Do not consider your puppy housetrained
until he has gone at least four consecutive weeks
without eliminating in the house. For older dogs,
this period should be even longer. Until then:
• Your puppy should constantly be within eyesight
• Baby gates can be helpful to control movement
throughout the house and to aid supervision
• Keep them in the crate when unsupervised.
When you are away from home, sleeping, or if you
are just too busy to closely monitor your pet's
activities, confine him to a small, safe area in
the home.
Nervous Wetting
If your puppy squats and urinates when he greets
you, he may have a problem called submissive urination.
Dogs and puppies that urinate during greetings are
very sensitive and should never be scolded when
they do this, since punishment inevitably makes
the problem worse.
Most young puppies will grow out of this behavior
if you are calm, quiet, and avoid reaching toward
the head during greetings. Another helpful approach
is to calmly ask your dog to sit for a very tasty
treat each time someone greets him.
Direct Him Away from Problem
Areas
Urine and fecal odor should be thoroughly removed
to keep your dog from returning to areas of the
home where he made a mess.
• Be sure to use a good commercial product
manufactured specifically to clean up doggy odors.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for usage.
• If a carpeted area has been soaked with
urine, be sure to saturate it with the clean up
product and not merely spray the surface.
• Rooms in the home where your dog has had
frequent mistakes should be closed off for several
months. He should only be allowed to enter when
accompanied by a family member.
Don't Make Things Worse
It is a rare dog or puppy that can be housetrained
without making an occasional mess, so you need to
be ready to handle the inevitable problems.
• Do not rely on harsh punishment to correct
mistakes. This approach usually does not work, and
may actually delay training.
• An appropriate correction consists of simply
providing a moderate, startling distraction. You
should only do this when you see your dog in the
act of eliminating in the wrong place.
• A sharp noise, such as a loud "No"
or a quick stomp on the floor, is all that is usually
needed to stop the behavior. Just do not be too
loud or your pet may learn to avoid eliminating
in front of you, even outdoors.
Practice Patience
Do not continue to scold or correct your dog after
he has stopped soiling. When he stops, quickly take
him outdoors so that he will finish in the appropriate
area and be praised.
Never rub your dog's nose in a mess. There is absolutely
no way this will help training, and may actually
make him afraid of you.
The basic principles of housetraining are pretty
simple, but a fair amount of patience is required.
The most challenging part is always keeping an eye
on your active dog or puppy. If you maintain control,
take your dog outdoors frequently, and consistently
praise the desirable behavior, soon you should have
a house trained canine companion.
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