If there is one thing that all dog owners can relate to it is the experience of taking a puppy that has no clue about the proper area to use the bathroom in and then training him to be a responsible pet to use the bathroom in the appropriate place and at the appropriate times.
Housetraining a dog is also the most common area where many dog owners initiate the wrong kinds of training protocols. It is this situation where people could use just a few common sense tips to get their dogs quickly introduced to the proper way to use the bathroom.
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that all animals have a natural instinct to avoid soiling the very place in which they sleep and eat. Of course brand new puppies may not get it right away, but it doesn’t take long for them to realize that they do not want to urinate or create stools where they live and play.
Here are a few housebreaking tips that you can use today which will help get your puppy on his way to being properly trained when he has to use the bathroom:
1. When you wake up in the morning, avoid praising or greeting your puppy until he has used the bathroom. This will develop into a routine for him and once he realizes that he gets a lot of loving attention and praise after he uses the bathroom in the morning, this pattern will stick in his head and he will understand what to do in order to get what he wants, which is your praise!
2. When you start to bring your puppy outside or wherever it is you want him to use the bathroom at, stick to using just one command each time you lead him to the potty area. For example, I use the words “Go pee pee”.
3. Whatever route you take when you leave him from the house to his potty area, use this same path every single time you take him to use the bathroom. This will help create a pattern so that he understands that it is time to go to the bathroom when you are walking him through the same route.
4. And of course, it should go without saying that you need to use a lot of praise and loving caresses when your puppy properly uses the bathroom in the designated area. You must help him associate housebreaking with a positive experience and showering him with love and affection is the right way to do it.
Dog Poop Catcher
Sure you can scoop it, you can bag it, you can even compost it but can you catch it? Yes, you can! A dog waste catcher allows you to catch the poop before it hits the ground.
These units usually consist of a collapsible frame that folds out to create a circular shape onto which you can wrap a plastic bag. Simply put it beneath your dog as she’s doing her stuff and wrap it up when she’s done. If you want to go a little lower-tech, you always can use a paper plate.
Port-a-Potty
If you live in an apartment or have a terrace or small yard (or if you just want your pooch to potty in a specific area), try a portable potty. All kinds of these potties are cropping up on the market. You can even get them with real sod-replacement service.
Some models come with fake grass and a litter system beneath them; some include a built-in fire hydrant and white picket fence; others have clear walls for males that like to life a leg when the tinkle.
When choosing a potty, it’s critical that you choose one to match the size of your dog. Even if you have a small space, try not to skimp on size. Your medium-sized dog may not want to use a Chihuahua-sized patch of grass!
Litter Box Decisions
Small-dog owners may be interested in litter training their dogs, and indeed, this has proven successful for some. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to use a litter box.
1) Do you have a small dog? It is much easier for a small dog to use a litter box than a large dog, and to scoop out their smaller feces.
2) If you have a small dog, do you travel a lot with her? If so, litter boxes are great ways to avoid extra stops, and they provide your dog with a familiar place to eliminate once you arrive at your destination.
3) Do you have a health reason for wanting to litter train? Is your mobility restricted in any way by physical limitations that would make it easier for you to litter train your dog than to walk her?
4) Do you live in a city – in an apartment on a high floor, which makes it difficult for you to get your dog outside in time to eliminate?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, consult your veterinarian to make sure there are no health roadblocks for your dog – then get to training!
Let’s face it, as a new dog owner you probably have not taken a canine training class or have studied up on the latest puppy training techniques that are available.
That’s okay! New puppy owners should not have to go to such lengths just to teach their pups the basics. But like all territories unknown, it is quite easy for novice puppy owners to find lots of ways to mess up simple puppy training, especially when it comes to the process of housetraining.
But you do not have to be one of these novices. To help guide your way towards proper housetraining with your new puppy, below are a few common mistakes that many people make, those of which you should aim to prevent:
1. Irregular schedule: Dogs thrive on repetitiveness and a routine schedule. If you fail to follow a schedule when it comes to taking your puppy to go to the bathroom, feeding times, and even bedtime, this can cause a disruption in the learning process.
For example, let’s say it’s Sunday morning and even though your puppy is waiting for you at the door to go to the bathroom at 7:00 AM (his usual morning potty time), and you feel like sleeping in, do not be surprised if you wake up to a puddle of pee or a stinky pile of poop on the kitchen floor. Adhering to a schedule is absolutely critical to successfully housetrain your puppy.
2. Ignoring crate training: Crate training is a safe and effective way to housetrain any puppy. Not only does it work well, but it is not the cruel training protocol that many people think it is. Placing your puppy in a crate when you are not able to watch over him will help your dog to develop control over its bladder.
3. Disciplining your puppy after the dirty deed has been done: In other words, if you continually yell and discipline your puppy after he has made a mistake, while not actually in the moment of the act, he will not have the slightest clue as to why he is being punished. This type of harassment will only cause your puppy to be scared of you. Only correct him when you catch him doing something wrong, never after.
4. Not cleaning up accidents when the happen: I realize that it may get a little tiring when you constantly have to clean up your new puppy’s poop and pee, but it’s an unfortunate part of the deal you made when you decided to bring home a new dog, especially a brand-new puppy.
Do not make the mistake of getting lazy and leaving his wastes to sit on the floor for any length of time. This can signal to your dog that it is okay to use the bathroom on the floor and he will continue to do so, typically in the same spot.
Housetraining is perhaps the most obvious example of why it’s a good idea to train puppies. Nobody wants stains on the carpet or the smell of pee and poop permeating the house. Yet housetraining is often overlooked or undertaken in a haphazard manner when it should instead be the cornerstone of the training process. Starting early is key, especially with toy breeds, which often have a reputation for being difficult to housetrain.
It’s essential to take puppies outside on a regular schedule so they learn to anticipate potty time and hold their urine or stool until then. If you’re not consistent about when you take a puppy out, it’s more likely to have accidents in the house and that’s not good.
After a puppy has the habit of peeing in the wrong place, it’s hard to change its mind, says Stanley Kissinger, a Yorkshire Terrier breeder in Virginia Beach, Virginia. But once the pup gets the idea, it’s extremely easy to train.
With that in mind, take your puppy out early and often. Physiologically, the puppy won’t be able to hold its urine for long periods until it’s older, but it can learn that outdoors is the place to go.
Establish good habits by taking your puppy out on a leash and giving it plenty of time to sniff around and find just the right spot. Keep its mind on business by repeating the words Go Potty in a friendly tone. Stanley says that, As soon as it potties, be happy and express that joy to the puppy. Take the pup back into the house immediately so it knows it was outside for that one purpose. It registers in its memory after several repeated events.
A Quick Word About Lifestyle Changes
Taking on the responsibility of raising and housetraining a puppy may necessitate certain lifestyle changes, particularly for single people. If you work outside the home and like to push that snooze button to the limit, brace yourself – you’ll need to get up at least a half hour earlier to allow time for your puppy to potty and play before you leave.
Should distance permit, your formerly errand-filled lunch hour now becomes time to go let your puppy out for a potty break. Moreover, forget that after-work drink with a coworker; you’ll need to rush home to tend to your puppy.
When proximity prevents you from going home at lunch or during periods when overtime crops up, you must make alternative arrangements for getting your puppy out. Hire a pet-sitting or walking service, or enlist the aid of neighbors willing to help. Whichever the case, it is imperative that your puppy gets out to potty and play during the day.
The X-Pen
An X-pen (or exercise pen) is a series of gates that snap together to become a sort of open-top cage that has a lot more room than a crate. Most trainers don’t advocate using X-pens as a housetraining device unless you’re going to put a crate inside of it and use a small area as a potty spot with a pee pad or newspaper.
However, that’s not a permanent solution to housetraining because presumably you’ll want your pup to only potty outside. X-pens are good for confinement in the same way that you’d use a baby gate to restrict your dog to an area that can be easily cleaned in case of an accident.
The Ever Trusting Pee Pad
Pee pads are a staple for small dogs, those that live in apartments, or incontinent dogs. Essentially, these are the same pads that hospitals and nursing homes use for their bed-ridden patients, just packaged differently. Some pads come infused with a scent that attracts the puppy to the pad.
Pee pads can be very helpful, particularly for people who are unable to take a puppy out frequently. The pads encourage a puppy to use one place for elimination and can be moved close to the door that will be used to go out for bathroom duties. Over a period of time, the pad can be moved outside if your ultimate goal is to have your pup use a yard.
Here are a few times when choosing pee pads:
1) Look for a brand with the best liquid-retaining properties.
2) Choose a size large enough for your dog.
3) Look for a brand that locks in moisture to prevent tracking.
Fan Of The Pan?
A few years ago, litter boxes came into vogue for potty training small dogs, especially those that live in apartments. Litter boxes can be effective but some dogs would rather play in the litter or eat it instead of doing their business there.
However, some dogs will use the litter box appropriately, making potty duties very easy on an owner just clean the box, add new litter, and you’re done. These boxes tend to work well with dogs that weigh less than 10 pounds.
Look for a dog-specific box because cat boxes aren’t tall enough for dogs, especially males that like to lift a leg. Using a litter box won’t untrain your dog from going outside; it will just give him an option if he has a tiny bladder.