Doggie Business
Potty Training
Jack
Housetraining is one of the most important lessons your puppy will learn. Not only will it save your carpet, but it will teach you and your little one how to work together to make everyone happy.
Although potty training can be frustrating, keep in mind that a puppy is just a baby, so try and keep your temper in check. Puppies don’t know what you expect from them until you teach them. A dog’s life is simple, so keep your thinking and dog training techniques simple to have the most effect.
Positive reinforcement, patience and understanding are the essential rules to successfully potty training your puppy. Your dog is only a puppy for a few short months of its entire life, so make the best of this brief time if you want a better behaved, cleaner adult for years to come.
Schedule Setting a regular schedule is the key element to potty training. A schedule will establish a daily routine for your pup and make it easier for you to remember when to fulfill your training tasks.
Certain activities can trigger a need for bathroom time so you will need to take your puppy for a bathroom break within 5 – 15 minutes of the following events:
Make sure to be as consistent as possible with wake up time, dinnertime and bedtime to help your puppy adapt to the routine. Remember that very young pups, between 8 and 12 weeks of age, will probably not even be able to hold off going in the first 5 minutes of these trigger times, especially after waking up. If you’re too busy or can’t be there for one of the scheduled potty times, try to organize for someone else take your place. It is important to take advantage of these potty triggering activities to avoid accidents and be there to praise your puppy when he does his business in the right place.
Besides these specific potty times, there are other signs to watch for when a bathroom break is needed. Sniffing the floor, restlessness and returning to a previously soiled place in the house could be a good indication that it’s time for a trip to the yard. Puppies need to go frequently (sometimes as much as once an hour) so be prepared to invest some time in the beginning stages of training. It's a good idea to always have a dog collar and leash readily available during housetraining.
Potty Time
When it’s time to go outside, there are a few tips that will help your little one understand what you want him to do.
Take your puppy to a designated potty spot every time you want him to do his business. When you’re outside to play, go to a different area so your pup learns the difference between a "recreational trip" and a "business trip". If possible, it can be effective to leave the most recent waste in the potty spot so your pooch recognizes and remembers that it is the correct potty area.
Encourage your puppy by using the same one or two word command when visiting the potty spot, such as "hurry up" or "go potty". Be sure to praise him enthusiastically when he does his business in the designated area. You can even offer a small treat as a reward. Don’t forget that tiny puppies can have delicate digestive systems so a simple treat, like a Cheerio or a Corn Flake, works the best.
What to Avoid when Housetraining
Just as there are rules to abide by, there are certain things to avoid when housetraining your dog.
Never scold the puppy after finding an accident as he won’t understand what he’s getting in trouble for. Puppies live for the moment – scolding him after the incident has already taken place will leave your puppy thinking that he’s being punished for whatever he happens to be doing when you find the accident. The same rule applies for rubbing your puppy’s nose in the mess. There are only negative responses from this treatment and may result in your pup trying to hide from you when he goes potty.
Allowing free access to the whole household should be delayed until your canine knows how to behave indoors. Limiting the areas your puppy can explore also limits the areas for him to leave his mark. It also ensures that he is always safe and within view so you will notice when it’s time for an excursion to the potty spot.
Stick to a feeding schedule and avoid leaving a full food bowl within easy access of your pup. A constantly full food dish means your puppy will be indulging without your knowledge and you’ll miss the scheduled bathroom breaks after eating. Although meals should be on a set schedule, a fresh bowl of water should be readily available at all times.
Don’t change your puppy’s type of dog food or standard diet abruptly, as this often leads to upset tummies and unavoidable accidents. Another dietary no-no is late night snacks as this can alter your puppy’s digestion and, again, result in accidents.
Accidents Happen Be prepared
You can follow every housetraining rule religiously, but there will always be accidents.
Since you should always have one eye on your puppy in the beginning stages of housetraining, the best time to teach him how to go outside is when you catch him in the act. If you see him starting to get to business, say “no” in a stern voice to make him stop momentarily. Take the opportunity to carry him to the designated potty spot outside to finish his work where you can immediately praise and reward him afterwards.
If you’re too late to catch your puppy in the act and the mess has been made, there is a somewhat unpleasant way to turn the mistake into a lesson. Use a paper towel to either pick up the stool or soak up the wetness and take the mess to the designated potty area. Show this to your puppy and, as mentioned earlier, leave it there if possible to remind him what that area is to be used for. Again, do not scold your puppy after finding the accident as it will only set back your training efforts. Invest in a good quality odour neutralizer to clean the scene of the accident in your house so your pup won’t be tempted to repeat the mistake.
Some indoor accidents aren’t really accidents but the result of biology. Dogs are pack animals and have instinctive urges to mark their territory. Unfortunately, your dog’s “territory” may be your brand new couch or carpet. As puppies get a little bit older, they may be tempted to engage in this behaviour if they are not spayed or neutered. You may be more likely to see territory marking if you have a strange dog or animal visit your house. There is no way to train your puppy out of this instinct, but when dogs are spayed or neutered it isn’t usually a problem.
People Training
Potty training is more than teaching your puppy – you need to learn a few lessons as well. Puppies are keen to learn and please their owners, so take care to learn your part and your little one will return the favour.
As training progresses, be aware of any subtle changes in your puppy’s behaviour that may be a way of communicating that "it’s time". You will get better at reading these signals as your puppy grows and you both get practice. Each dog is different, so the language your dog uses to communicate with you will be unique. Some dogs circle in front of the door while others will sit at your feet and whine. There are even stories of some dogs who will ring a bell hanging from the door knob or stare you down in your sleep until you wake up to let them out.
House Happy Puppy
A housetrained puppy is a happy puppy. The work you put into training your pooch will return to you double fold as the years progress. Besides the obvious benefit of a mess-free house, your potty training sessions will help develop a smart dog willing to listen and learn the many other lessons of life. Housetraining is the first step down a long road with your lifelong companion so be sure to get started on the right foot and enjoy it while it lasts. Happy training!
Although potty training can be frustrating, keep in mind that a puppy is just a baby, so try and keep your temper in check. Puppies don’t know what you expect from them until you teach them. A dog’s life is simple, so keep your thinking and dog training techniques simple to have the most effect.
Positive reinforcement, patience and understanding are the essential rules to successfully potty training your puppy. Your dog is only a puppy for a few short months of its entire life, so make the best of this brief time if you want a better behaved, cleaner adult for years to come.
Schedule Setting a regular schedule is the key element to potty training. A schedule will establish a daily routine for your pup and make it easier for you to remember when to fulfill your training tasks.
Certain activities can trigger a need for bathroom time so you will need to take your puppy for a bathroom break within 5 – 15 minutes of the following events:
- waking up in the morning
- after eating
- after naptime
- after playtime
- bedtime
Make sure to be as consistent as possible with wake up time, dinnertime and bedtime to help your puppy adapt to the routine. Remember that very young pups, between 8 and 12 weeks of age, will probably not even be able to hold off going in the first 5 minutes of these trigger times, especially after waking up. If you’re too busy or can’t be there for one of the scheduled potty times, try to organize for someone else take your place. It is important to take advantage of these potty triggering activities to avoid accidents and be there to praise your puppy when he does his business in the right place.
Besides these specific potty times, there are other signs to watch for when a bathroom break is needed. Sniffing the floor, restlessness and returning to a previously soiled place in the house could be a good indication that it’s time for a trip to the yard. Puppies need to go frequently (sometimes as much as once an hour) so be prepared to invest some time in the beginning stages of training. It's a good idea to always have a dog collar and leash readily available during housetraining.
Potty Time
When it’s time to go outside, there are a few tips that will help your little one understand what you want him to do.
Take your puppy to a designated potty spot every time you want him to do his business. When you’re outside to play, go to a different area so your pup learns the difference between a "recreational trip" and a "business trip". If possible, it can be effective to leave the most recent waste in the potty spot so your pooch recognizes and remembers that it is the correct potty area.
Encourage your puppy by using the same one or two word command when visiting the potty spot, such as "hurry up" or "go potty". Be sure to praise him enthusiastically when he does his business in the designated area. You can even offer a small treat as a reward. Don’t forget that tiny puppies can have delicate digestive systems so a simple treat, like a Cheerio or a Corn Flake, works the best.
What to Avoid when Housetraining
Just as there are rules to abide by, there are certain things to avoid when housetraining your dog.
Never scold the puppy after finding an accident as he won’t understand what he’s getting in trouble for. Puppies live for the moment – scolding him after the incident has already taken place will leave your puppy thinking that he’s being punished for whatever he happens to be doing when you find the accident. The same rule applies for rubbing your puppy’s nose in the mess. There are only negative responses from this treatment and may result in your pup trying to hide from you when he goes potty.
Allowing free access to the whole household should be delayed until your canine knows how to behave indoors. Limiting the areas your puppy can explore also limits the areas for him to leave his mark. It also ensures that he is always safe and within view so you will notice when it’s time for an excursion to the potty spot.
Stick to a feeding schedule and avoid leaving a full food bowl within easy access of your pup. A constantly full food dish means your puppy will be indulging without your knowledge and you’ll miss the scheduled bathroom breaks after eating. Although meals should be on a set schedule, a fresh bowl of water should be readily available at all times.
Don’t change your puppy’s type of dog food or standard diet abruptly, as this often leads to upset tummies and unavoidable accidents. Another dietary no-no is late night snacks as this can alter your puppy’s digestion and, again, result in accidents.
Accidents Happen Be prepared
You can follow every housetraining rule religiously, but there will always be accidents.
Since you should always have one eye on your puppy in the beginning stages of housetraining, the best time to teach him how to go outside is when you catch him in the act. If you see him starting to get to business, say “no” in a stern voice to make him stop momentarily. Take the opportunity to carry him to the designated potty spot outside to finish his work where you can immediately praise and reward him afterwards.
If you’re too late to catch your puppy in the act and the mess has been made, there is a somewhat unpleasant way to turn the mistake into a lesson. Use a paper towel to either pick up the stool or soak up the wetness and take the mess to the designated potty area. Show this to your puppy and, as mentioned earlier, leave it there if possible to remind him what that area is to be used for. Again, do not scold your puppy after finding the accident as it will only set back your training efforts. Invest in a good quality odour neutralizer to clean the scene of the accident in your house so your pup won’t be tempted to repeat the mistake.
Some indoor accidents aren’t really accidents but the result of biology. Dogs are pack animals and have instinctive urges to mark their territory. Unfortunately, your dog’s “territory” may be your brand new couch or carpet. As puppies get a little bit older, they may be tempted to engage in this behaviour if they are not spayed or neutered. You may be more likely to see territory marking if you have a strange dog or animal visit your house. There is no way to train your puppy out of this instinct, but when dogs are spayed or neutered it isn’t usually a problem.
People Training
Potty training is more than teaching your puppy – you need to learn a few lessons as well. Puppies are keen to learn and please their owners, so take care to learn your part and your little one will return the favour.
As training progresses, be aware of any subtle changes in your puppy’s behaviour that may be a way of communicating that "it’s time". You will get better at reading these signals as your puppy grows and you both get practice. Each dog is different, so the language your dog uses to communicate with you will be unique. Some dogs circle in front of the door while others will sit at your feet and whine. There are even stories of some dogs who will ring a bell hanging from the door knob or stare you down in your sleep until you wake up to let them out.
House Happy Puppy
A housetrained puppy is a happy puppy. The work you put into training your pooch will return to you double fold as the years progress. Besides the obvious benefit of a mess-free house, your potty training sessions will help develop a smart dog willing to listen and learn the many other lessons of life. Housetraining is the first step down a long road with your lifelong companion so be sure to get started on the right foot and enjoy it while it lasts. Happy training!
