how to potty train a dog – Potty Training Puppies – Best Approaches, Tips & Techniques

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 2:43 pm

Potty Training Puppies - Best Approaches, Tips & Techniques

Potty training puppies is one of the most important jobs dog owners have. It’s an essential skill your dog should learn very early in life, especially if you want your own life as its owner to be a lot less stressful.

Of course, the first thing you should realize before training is that your puppy is a baby. It doesn’t have full control over its own bowel movements, and it will need time and practice before it learns when and where to do its business.

In addition, your puppy’s learning capability is determined by its breed – some dog breeds are just naturally easier to potty train than others. On average, it may take around two to three weeks before your puppy is fully potty-trained.

Here’s a list of the essential guidelines for puppy potty training:

1. Start early – Potty training should start the moment you get your puppy home. When you let your dog out into the house, confine it to areas with washable flooring and don’t let it near carpeted rooms. During the instances that you can’t watch your puppy, keep it in a confined area or large box at all times, without exception.

2. Proper feeding – Feeding must take place at the same times every day. Developing a routine is essential here. You should typically give your puppy its food and water at least four hours before bedtime and then withdraw its water bowl two hours before bedtime. Feed your puppy dry food in order to keep its stools dry.

3. Regular potty walks – Set a regular schedule for taking your puppy outside. The recommended times are: first thing in the morning, ten to fifteen minutes after every meal or drink, every time it wakes from a long nap or ends an active play session, and last thing at night. Do not play with your puppy until it has defecated. If there is no action after ten minutes take the puppy back inside. Wait around ten minutes and then take it out again to do its business.

4. Punishment – Never, ever scold or punish your puppy if you don’t catch it in the act. Dogs have no way of knowing what you’re angry at them for unless you’re actually scolding them while they’re doing it. If you see your puppy starting to urinate or defecate in the house, say “No!”, pick it up, and take it out to finish its business. Never ye
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ll at your puppy or get angry at it for these accidents. Instead, accept some of the blame; you should have been watching your dog better.

5. Rewards – Every time your puppy poops in the proper place, praise it using an approving tone, petting, and gestures, and reward it with a little playtime together. Praise always, always works better than any form of punishment.

6. Cleanliness – Keep your puppy’s box or living area clean by removing its stools everyday. Your dog dislikes stepping in them as much as you do.

Puppy potty training doesn’t have to be hard, or messy, or a constant daily struggle. Don’t view the activity as a tedious, menial obligation or the downside of owning a puppy.

Instead, look at it as one of the first bonding experiences between you and your pet. Just a slight shift in your mindset will make the whole experience a lot easier and happier, resulting in a healthier and more loving relationship with your canine companion.

By: Anita G. Watson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Anita Watson is passionate dog owner with years of experience in helping people raise and train their dogs, using real methods that work fast. Visit Raise a Loving Dog for more great tips and advice on potty training puppies.

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No Dog training means more to most new puppy owners than that first important lesson: Not in the House!

Teaching your Dog to go to the toilet outside the home, not in it, usually starts between six and eight weeks of age. Dogs as young as four weeks old, have been started on the house training, but at such a young age, a puppy is unlikely to have enough muscle control.

Like any dog training, the trainer’s patience is as important as the dog's temperament. 'Sit', 'stay' and other behaviours can often be learned in a few days. 'Potty' training can take weeks - sometimes as short as two, often a month or more.

As with other learned behaviours, you should look for signs of the impending action, then enforce and direct them with a voice command followed by praise. In this case the technique works to the trainer's advantage, since all dogs will naturally go to the toilet. The trick is to get them to do it when and where you want!

Look for signs such as circling or squatting, then pick up the pup, say 'outside' and hurry outside. The puppy may circle some more, but will often squat immediately. As it begins, say “quickly” (or some other phrase) in a clear, firm (but not angry) voice. Wait until the puppy finished and give lots of praise.

You won't always be able to catch the puppy about to begin, but don't become angry or impatient when the dog goes to the toilet indoors. It takes time for the dog to learn to tell you it's time to 'go outside'. It also takes time for the muscles needed to control bladder and bowels to develop.

Young dogs need to go to the toilet every 2-3 hours, on average. If you haven't spotted evacuation behaviour within that time, take the dog outside anyway. Issue the command 'quickly” and wait. At first, usually, the dog will have no clue what you want.

Again, even when outside, it helps to wait and watch for the desired behaviour then issue the command. That helps the dog associate the command with the behaviour. If the dog hasn't gone after a few minutes and a few 'quickly' commands, take it back inside for an hour. Of course, if you spot the pre-toilet behaviour in less time, go outside again immediately.

Dogs have a surprising ability to quickly learn what their 'alpha' (the leader of the pack) wants. This is almost always accomplished by associating a verbal command with behaviour, followed by praise. Punishment is usually counter-productive, and nowhere more so than in toilet training. Never rub a dog's nose in waste.

Paper and/or crate training is preferred by some. A pup can be trained to go on a newspaper, or on one of the chemically treated puppy pads designed for the purpose. Some small breeds that live all day in the home may not need to go outside at all.

The technique has a couple of down sides however. Unlike cats, dogs will rarely go in a perfumed litter box. Newspapers (even with the top layer removed after the dog goes) will eventually create an unpleasant smell in the house.

Also, long before the odour becomes unattractive to humans, dogs can smell their own distinctive aroma. They don't find it unattractive - quite the opposite. And that's the problem.

Dogs that are paper trained will often prefer to eliminate indoors. Sometimes they'll miss the paper by only an inch, creating a mess to clean up.

Once the odour is in the carpet, the dog will often seek that spot out as its proper 'place to go'. This makes training the dog to go to the toilet outside even more difficult. Best to suffer a few accidents than to create a hard-to-overcome habit.

Patience, praise and consistency are the keys to any dog training. Elimination training is the first test for you and your dog.

About The Author

Terry King runs Parcel Pets - http://www.pets2home.co.uk/cat--Training-Aids--TRAINING_AIDS.html - a leading UK pet supplies web site and has had pets all his life. He lives with his wife Louise, dog Sam, Cat Sabrina and 5 fish!

Discover the Potty Training Secrets that "Will Have Your Dog Potty Trained Within Just 7 Days!"