House Training a Dog
House training is usually the first thing owners teach their new dogs, with training beginning as soon as a puppy starts solid food. While the time it takes to house train dogs varied, dedicating yourself to the task, following some basic rules and guidelines, and keeping a positive outlook all contribute to a swift and successful experience.
Preventing accidents is one of the most important strategies involved in house training. To avoid accidents, do not let your puppy roam freely inside until it is fully house trained. If you cannot watch your dog attentively, put it outside, place it in a crate designed for training or confine it to a room with newspapers on the floor so that it can relieve itself.
Crates are especially useful in house training, since dogs generally refuse to relieve themselves in the same place as they sleep. By taking your dog out of its crate to eliminate, praising it as it does and then returning it to the crate, you reinforce the notion of going outside every time your dog needs to relieve itself.
Unlike most adult dogs, puppies cannot wait when they need to eliminate. Since this need is most pressing as soon as puppies wake up and immediately after they eat, it is essential to take them out at these times. Puppies usually need to eliminate at night as well. Putting newspaper down by the outside door is a useful approach if you are unwilling or unable to take your puppy out during the night.
In addition to learning about your dog’s needs, it is also important to recognize related clues. When a dog sniffs the carpet, walks in circles and begins to squat, it sends a clear signal that it needs to eliminate. A puppy communicates the same message at nigh time by crying or going to the door that leads outside.
Never punish your puppy for mistakes made while being house trained. If you catch your puppy in the process of relieving itself in the house, a mild verbal correction followed by a trip outside will suffice. Lavish and enthusiastic praise each time your dog eliminates outside helps to send a strong message about which behavior is better.
If your dog eliminates inside, but you only discover the evidence later, simply vow to be more vigilant. Attempting to correct the behavior after the fact will only confused your puppy, since dogs associate punishment and reward with the act that immediately precedes it. Be sure to clean the area thoroughly with enzyme-based cleaners (not ammonia), removing all traces of the scent so that your dog will not return to that spot the next time.
When taking your dog outside, bring it to the same spot each time. The familiar smell will help to remind your dog about the purpose of the trip. By repeating a specific phrase, such as “hurry up” or “do your duty” each time your dog begins to urinate or defecate, you can also train tour dog to eliminate on cue. This is especially helpful before going for a drive or taking your dog out in cold weather.