Puppy House Training, 7 Easy Steps!

December 17, 2008 by Tracy
Filed under Adolescent Dogs, Dog Ownership, Dog Training, House Training

Puppy house training is really simple if you follow these 7 easy steps:

Crate train your pup: feed pup in crate and have special toy for crate this creates a pleasant experience with the crate. It also keeps the pup out of trouble and safe. It also prepares your pup to travel, or go to the vet, or be boarded and accept being confined.
Keep a schedule and write down when you take your pup outside and what he does. After a week you will know what times you can eliminate taking the pup out because he doesn’t go potty at that time most days.
Don’t leave food and water down for your pup. Give food and water at specific times. Once your pup can be trusted you may leave the water down. No water after 7pm at night unless really hot weather or you think the pup needs it, but don’t let the pup have a bowl full just enough to do the job.
Prime times to take your pup outside to go potty: first thing in the morning, 5-20 minutes after eating, after excitement or play time, waking up from a nap, just before going to bed at night, and at first once or twice during the night.
Confine the pup to the crate when you can’t watch him. Only give the pup one room in the house like kitchen, laundry room, with easy floors to clean if he has an accident. If you want the pup with you in other rooms after the pup is collar and leash trained, pin or tie the leash to your clothing so you can keep an eye on your pup and avoid accidents. Make sure your pup gets lots of good attention and exercise.
Learn your pups body language just before he starts to go potty, this will give you a heads up. Only stay outside with your pup for about five minutes. If he doesn’t go potty take the pup inside and confine him but watch him. I would put him back into his crate. In one to five minutes I would take him outside again. If he doesn’t go potty in five minutes bring him inside and put him back into the crate. When he does go potty outside bring him inside and let the pup have supervised free time. He will soon get the message. I suggest you use verbal and food rewards for the pup as he is going potty softly praise him and instantly give him a small food treat as a reward for going potty outside. Tell him what a good pup he is.
Be consistent, be patient, and don’t give your pup too much freedom too soon. Let the pup prove himself and earn the privilege of being allowed into another room. ALWAYS supervise your pup. If you let your pup have too much space too fast it could stress him and cause accidents.

TIPS:

Most pups can hold it for one hour for every month of age: four month old pup can usually hold it for four hours, give or take a little. This is just a guide.

If you use one word for going pee and another word for going poop and say the word softly as you pup is getting ready to relieve himself, during the process, and stop saying the word when he finishes, you will train him to go on command. He will associate the word with the action of the sphincter muscles.

Most pups go pee in one place and then move to another area to go poop. So give him a big enough area outside to be able to do this. If you only want the pup using the whole yard use tent stakes and white string to rope off the area that you want him to use. That will give your pup a visual of the spot. Always take him to that area to relieve himself. Down the road you will be able to remove the stakes and the string.

Next we will discuss basic obedience for your pup. Remember they start learning at three weeks of age. Repeated behavior becomes learned behavior. Shaping behavior is much easier then changing behavior.

To find out more about how to do puppy testing and get you’re free Puppy Testing PDF go to http://www.simpledogtrainingsecrets.com/puppy.html

Tracy Lenderink, “Master In Creating A Bridge of Knowledge Between The Animal and Human Spirit”
http:www.simpledogtrainingsecrets.com

I wish everyone a Blessed and Wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season!

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