Bringing a new dog into
your home need not be the frustrating experience it
sometimes is. House training a new dog takes a lot of time
and energy, but there are several ways to make the training
easier on both of you. Below are seven tips to help you and
your puppy during this often difficult period.
First, it is important to set up a potty schedule:
Unfortunately, for the first few months your puppy has
limited bladder control and it is up to you to set the
schedule for potty breaks. In general, puppies have to
relieve themselves first thing in the morning and after
waking up from naps. They are also in need of the toilet
about a half an hour after eating and right before going to
bed at night. Other than those times, it is advisable to
take your puppy outside every hour or so.
The key to successful toilet training is prevention: Your
goal as a new puppy owner should be to prevent accidents
from happening. By keeping to the potty schedule as well as
looking for visual signs from your pup should help you
attain your goals. Anticipate his potty needs, and place him
outside in the appropriate area. Give him plenty of time to
finish relieving himself, and then praise him. Puppies will
usually have a bowel movement after meals, so make sure you
give him time to accomplish that. Some puppies manage to
finish quickly, while others take a little longer to find a
spot that pleases them. A little exercise works wonders so a
walk around the yard can often speed things up a bit for the
slower pup.
Purchase a crate and possibly a baby gate: Since you won’t
be able to keep a close watch over your puppy 24 hours a
day, you will need to create a safe place to keep him when
you can’t keep an eye on him. A dog crate is an excellent
place for your pup as it creates a snug area for him to call
his own. Most dogs will be reluctant to soil their sleeping
area, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that too much.
Baby gates also work as a way to keep the dog out of certain
areas of the house. Confining him to the kitchen while you
are away from the house will help make clean ups easier than
letting him run all over the carpet.
Feed your puppy dry dog food: Dry dog food is the better
choice for your puppy, as it is not saturated with liquid
like canned foods. Canned foods put extra fluids in your
puppy’s system, thus causing an increase in the need to
urinate.
Accidents should not be punished: If you catch your puppy
urinating on the floor, scoop him up immediately and place
him outside in the appropriate spot. Let him finish, and
then bring him back indoors. Screaming, spanking or rubbing
his nose in urine is not necessary and may even make the
problem worse. If you are certain your puppy has an
understanding of where the appropriate place to relieve
himself is located and he still goes in the house, scold him
for the mistake, but do not punish him.
Accidents should be thoroughly cleaned up. Dogs like to
return to the same spots to go potty, so it is necessary to
make sure you remove all traces of accident from your floor.
An enzyme based cleaner will get rid of the smell breaking
down the bacteria and ammonia of which urine odor is
comprised. Do not use ammonia-based cleaners, as they will
make the problem worse.
Above all, be patient: It will take time for your puppy to
become fully house trained. Do not expect immediate results.
If you get frustrated, your puppy will pick up on that and
it may impede the training process. Keep your cool, be
patient and know that eventually your efforts will pay off.
Although these tips at house training a dog are aimed at
training a puppy, it is possible to retrain an older dog.
Sometimes dogs will go through a phase of testing the
boundaries, so to speak, and you will need to be firm and
teach him that it is not okay to use the house as a bathroom
