Housebreaking your dog

Potty training is one of the first tasks that every new dog owner will undertake in the introduction of their puppy to its new home.

While some dog breeds can be housebroken in a very short amount of time, other breeds can be quite challenging. But, remember that every puppy WILL conquer housebreaking, although at a different rate.

Whether your dog is a puppy or an adult dog new to your home, the process is the same:

• 1. Every few hours, take the dog outside to a place you designate as a "bathroom" area.
• 2. 30 minutes after the dog or puppy eats, do the same.
• 3. Stay in this bathroom area, and praise the dog lavishly when they relieve themselves in the right spot.
• 4. If the dog doesn't use the bathroom when you've taken them outside to the appropriate spot, try again 15 minutes later. Continue doing this until they've actually used the bathroom spot.

Training should only take approximately two weeks to establish as a routine if you meet the following requirements:

• 1.You are consistent and committed
• 2.You are prepared to train your pet from the moment you take possession (i.e. have a leash, a collar, a designated area, and are prepared to maintain a schedule).

Retraining a dog that has already established bad habits can take six weeks or more. Dogs are creatures of habit and once they develop a habit, breaking it can be a long, frustrating process. Your dog needs guidance and encouragement from you to develop a toilet habit you can live with.

As soon as possible, take your new puppy to the vet for a complete check-up. This will assure you that you have obtained a healthy pup and would alert you to any medical complications that can make house training more difficult. Situations such as intestinal upset, intestinal parasites and urinary tract infections can make house training difficult and almost impossible.

Designated "toilet" area

When you consider some of the things your dog or puppy is willing to roll in or put in his mouth, it's a bit hard to believe they are picky and specific about their toilet areas. Dogs will go to great lengths to avoid soiling near where they eat and/or sleep. That means any accidents an un-housebroken dog has will be far from its food dish and bed. To a dog, however, "far" can mean about 6-10 feet. This leaves lots of "fair game" space in your home unless you guide the dog to suitable spots.

You can use this information to your advantage. You can use a crate as her bed, and when you cannot be watching her for a long time, you can leave her in the crate (See Crate Training tips). You can be sure she won’t pee there (unless you leave her for too long).

The designated toilet area can be as general as outside of the house or as specific as a particular corner of the backyard. You must have a specific plan as to what the designated area is going to be. You cannot teach the dog what is acceptable if you are uncertain.

How quickly your dog becomes housebroken depends partly on their personality, but mostly on your diligence in taking them outside at the right time. If your puppy is less than four months old, you should plan on getting up during the night to take it outside. Puppies over four months of age can usually "hold it" through the night, but if your dog cries to be let out, it is best to get up and let them tend to the urge. It is vital that you give your dog every chance to succeed during this time. Positive reinforcement of the proper behavior is the fastest way to teach your dog anything.

How to handle "accidents"

Accidents happen, and when they do, your response will affect how quickly your dog learns to "go" outside. If you catch your dog in mid-squat, clap your hands or call their name loudly to distract them. Once you have their attention, quietly and calmly take them outside. Be sure to praise your dog or puppy well when they finish relieving themselves outside properly.

If you find a wet spot or droppings on the floor when your dog is not around, simply clean it up. If your dog approaches to investigate what you are doing, ignore them. Don't talk to or pet the dog at this moment, because it could be interpreted as praise. Above all else, avoid yelling or physically punishing the dog because they won't make the connection between their mess and your anger.

Your attitude is one of the most important ingredients in house training your dog. Your puppy does not know what is wrong. If there is a mistake tell him "no" but do not discipline too severely. You only want him to know that you are displeased, you do not want the pup to feel that you are the source of pain. When the pup has done well, pat him, praise him, and let the dog know that you are very pleased. The pup will want to do things that please you. House training can be a foundation for all future training. You may use affection and praise as a reward for proper response and the word "NO!" to signal displeasure. This will guide the dog and show him what you want from him.

Potty Training Tips

Animal behaviorists have learned a lot about dogs over the last couple of decades, and there are many tips available that will make housebreaking your dog or puppy a less frustrating task.

• Teach a specific word (command): Each time you want your new puppy to poop or urinate, try to repeat the same word over when he's about to do it. You can use whatever words you want, like "go poop" or "go potty". By repeating the same words each time, it will become another command for your puppy, and she will be able to do it when you mention the command.
• Look for signs: When the dog is inside, watch closely for any signs of needing to "go". You can't really expect your puppy to knock on the door when he wants to go outside to pee. The best thing of course is to have a dog door so your puppy can go outside herself, but if this option is not possible, try to observe what your puppy does before he pees, and take him outside as soon as you see the sign. A dog will circle and sniff areas when they're about to relieve themselves.
• Mark her spot: Take her to the same spot every time. If you have had other dogs, or talked with other dog owners, you know that when a dog go pee on one spot on the carpet, they go back exactly at the same place over and over. Why? Because they recognize the smell, and it tells them to go back there. Now, knowing this, you need to do two things: take your dog outside for its pee/poop, and take her exactly at the same place each day. Your puppy will recognize her smell and know she has to pee there. Second, if your puppy pees somewhere inside, by accident, make sure you clean the floor or the carpet thoroughly so the smell really goes away. At first, I used windex to clean a pee spot but it did not work. My puppy kept going back. A friend of mine gave me a bottle of pet odor remover and it is the only stuff that worked well in my house. This is where you realize it is true that a dog's sense of smell is so much more developed then ours!
• Confine your puppy for the night: Usually, your puppy will not pee in its own bed, so it is better to confine her in a box or a crate that does not have a lot of space around her dog bed (See Crate Training tips). Make sure you take your puppy out first thing in the morning though, and not at 10am! Your puppy might not be able to hold all night, but she will learn quickly that she has to do it outside.
• After this: Take your puppy out right after a nap or before you play with her. Your puppy needs to pee or poop in those situations.
• No liquids before bed: Just like you would do with your kids (and yourself probably!), stop giving water to your puppy a few hours before sleep time. This is a great way to avoid night pee, but cannot be applied if it is very hot in your area and your dog might get dehydrated. If it is the case, leave water out all night.
• Praise good conduct: If your puppy poops or pees in the right spot, tell her! Use your happy voice, your puppy will know she did it right and will want to do it right the next time.

Puppies are warm, fuzzy creatures that grow up to be man and woman's best friend. While they are still young, they must be trained to do, and not do, some things. One of their needs is to be paper-trained. You can start to train them when they reach six to eight weeks of age.

practice, practice, practice!