HOUSE TRAINING AND AREAS OF CONFINEMENT
For the safety of your puppy, fit him with a quality collar or harness and leash.
Being at home is the key to successful potty training. You must be patient and remember
the puppy is a baby. It will take time for your puppy to control the urge to eliminate
at will, and to learn the appropriate place to go potty.
When you get home with your new puppy, immediately take him outside to go potty. The sooner
the puppy learns the appropriate place to go potty, the better, and don’t forget to
praise your puppy for his success. Dogs love to please their owner!
If you have an escape proof fenced yard with plenty of shade, the puppy can be outside part of
the time during nice weather. That way, he will get used to going potty outside from the beginning.
If you do not have a fenced yard, you must take the puppy outside often (every hour or two)
especially after eating and sleeping.
THE "SPOT"
Dogs have a very short intestinal tract, and will eliminate often. When puppies look for a place to go
potty, they sniff to find their “spot”, and the puppy will usually turn in circles before
having a bowel movement. When you see the “signs”, take the puppy out QUICKLY.
He will identify his "spot" by the odor. Do not destroy the odor in
the area where you DO want him to go. Dogs have a powerful nose, so clean
up any areas that you DO NOT want him to go with the vinegar solution or an
odor eliminator, so he won't reuse that area.
CRATE TRAINING
If the weather is too cold, or too hot, you may want to crate train inside the
house. A dog will seldom dirty his bed (den) or feeding area. That is the
idea behind the crate training.
The crate should be comfortable and have a folded sheet, thick towel, or other
washable material fitted to cover the bottom of the crate. It should be large
enough for the puppy to comfortably stand up, turn around, and lie down in,
but not so large that the puppy can go to the back of it and use it for a
potty. If the puppy has an accident in the crate, take him outside immediately,
and clean out the crate thoroughly with a solution of equal parts of water
and vinegar or with an odor eliminator. After each feeding, you can let him
play for a while outside the crate. Watch the puppy closely, and you will
know about how long it takes before he goes potty. That way, you will know
when to take him back outside. Remember, when you are not watching the puppy,
put him back in the crate.
PAPER TRAINING
If you work outside the home, and are gone for most of the day, you can paper-train
your puppy. The puppy should be confined to an area in a bathroom or service
porch, etc. You must cover the entire floor area with paper . Always leave
a little soiled paper, so they will be able to identify their "spot".
As the puppy chooses his spot, you can have a smaller area with paper. Remember,
once you paper train, it may be difficult to change this habit.
If you must be away from home most of the day, it is important to ask someone
else to take the puppy outside for exercise while you are away.
THE DOGGY DOOR
The doggy door is another option for training the puppy to go outside. The ideal
doggy door area has a limited confined inside area with access to a fenced
in yard or another confined outside area.
Puppies usually learn quickly to use a doggy door. To help the puppy learn, always
help him go in and out a few times. The doggy door may also be left open a
few inches to help the puppy learn more quickly. To prop open a door that
opens on the side, use a piece of plastic or metal pipe (about one-inch) suspended
down from above the door to prop it open. Drill a hole about an inch from
the top end of the pipe, and attach a wire through the hole and secure well.
The other end of the wire should be firmly attached to an object above the
door. The top of the pipe should be above the door and should be long enough
to go at least half way down through the doorway. If the pipe method is used,
make sure to attach the wire securely and cut close, so it will not harm the
puppy. A C-clamp may also be attached at different positions on the top or
upper side of the door, depending on the type of door and how much you want
to leave the door open. Always inspect the pipe or clamp to make sure they
are working as intended. After the puppy has learned to use the door, the
pipe or clamp may be removed. Make absolutely sure he knows how to use the
door before trusting him to go in and out without help.
PINCH COLLAR
If the puppy still resists potty training after three months of age, you can
try using a pinch (spike) collar. A short lead is placed on the pinch collar,
so you can jerk it to “pinch” the puppy if he has an accident.
Immediately after an accident, you should jerk on the lead and take the puppy
outside saying NO, NO, NO all the way out the door. Do this EVERY TIME he
has an accident in the house. This pinch is similar to how the mother dog
disciplines her puppy with a pinch-nip at the neck. To learn more about the
use of the pinch collar, you can purchase a video from Dogproblems.com -
Housebreaking in a Hurry.
CONFINEMENT AREA IN THE HOUSE
After the puppy is housebroken, you may allow him free access to the house while
you are there. A dog should have a specified area as "his" when
you are away from home. This will prevent mischief making while you are away.
The area should be comfortable and quiet with feed, water, toys, and play
area. This will prevent the bad habits of chewing on unacceptable things,
or going potty of the floor, because he was left alone.
I hope these tips will help you train your puppy. Remember, your puppy is a
baby, and needs time, love, and patience for potty training. Do not punish
his accidents, and always praise his success.
