Contrary to popular belief,
swatting your puppy on the behind with a newspaper when he
or she does his business where he's not supposed to is
not the answer to housebreaking your new puppy!
What are, you ask, the secrets to
house training puppies?
The three P's
-
Prevention, Praise and
Perseverance!
Just
like a brand new human baby needs diapers for the first few
years of it's life, puppies need a place to pee and poop
until their little puppy bladders can hold it like an adult
dog. Puppies have poor bladder and bowel control - having to
pee every few hours, and poop several times a day. Keeping
your puppy in an area with quick access to newspapers, a
puppy litter box,
puppy pee pads or the back yard is essential in the
first few months of your house training regimen. Accidents
are inevitable, so don't let puppy romp unsupervised in
areas where cleanup is difficult. Play with puppy where
there is no carpeting or furniture that can be soiled -
areas where flooring is linoleum, tile or well-sealed
hardwood are best. NEVER give puppy free reign of the house
- even when supervised. Watch carefully for signs of
impending peeing or pooping such as sniffing the floor,
moving in circles, or sudden disappearing acts. If you catch
puppy in the act - DO NOT SCOLD! - simply move puppy
outdoors or to his designated "bathroom area" - then clean
up the soiled area, using an
enzymatic cleaner specially created for pet odor cleanup.
You must completely eliminate the odor - or puppy may smell
it later and think it's a good place to go again. If puppy
finished doing his business where he is supposed to, praise
him lavishly! You can also offer him a tiny tidbit of his
regular kibble food as a reward.
Always feed your puppy a
high-quality puppy food, and stick to the same food at
all times. Feed your puppy on a regular schedule, and avoid
giving puppy table scraps or other such tidbits and treats
intended for humans. Don't switch between brands of food -
puppy's tummy is sensitive and delicate. Human food or
sudden changes in diet will likely give puppy diarrhea,
which will make your house training attempts very difficult.
After puppy eats, take him outdoors to the
area where you want him to eliminate. Come up with a command
that you will use when you want him to do his business.
Whether it's "hurry up", "Let's do it", "Do your business",
or whatever you choose, be consistent and use the same
command every time. If possible, remain there until puppy
completely eliminates, then follow with lots of praise and a
small treat of his regular puppy kibble.
If you haven't already done so, your new puppy
should be taken to your veterinarian for a well-puppy check
up. This will ensure that your puppy is in good health and
is free from conditions that might hinder your housebreaking
efforts, such as a bladder infection, parasites, fleas, etc.
Your veterinarian will likely want to vaccinate and de-worm
your puppy (unless your breeder has already done so) and put
him on a regular schedule of vaccinations, de-worming, flea
protection and heartworm preventive medications.
You should spend as much time with your puppy
as you possibly can, but when you can't directly supervise
your puppy, you should confine your puppy to a
comfortable crate or small pen. You should also place
puppy there at night when the family is asleep. Your puppy's
crate or pen should be his oasis - NEVER use a crate or pen
as punishment. DO NOT confine puppy for excessive lengths of
time. Puppies thrive on human companionship and can suffer
greatly from separation anxiety, which can occur when you
leave him alone too long or too often. In addition to being
cruel, long periods of isolation can cause your puppy to
misbehave by chewing, digging, barking excessively,
hyperactivity and even harming himself. The puppy's crate
should be used for dog naps, overnight and for short periods
of time when you must leave the house. If you have to be
away all day, you can hire a
caring pet sitter to drop in on your puppy to provide a
break for play, companionship, elimination and exercise.
Better yet, consider putting puppy in a Dog Daycare during
the day where puppy can play with other dogs and people.
Many
Dog
Daycares and Pet Sitters will assist in the early
training process for your puppy - be sure to ask!
Give puppy plenty of outdoor exercise! It's
good for both you - and puppy - and gives your puppy
lots of opportunity to pee and poop outdoors, where you want
the activity to eventually be limited to. Weather
permitting, your puppy should be taken for a short walk or
to play in your securely fenced back yard at least twice a
day for 20 minutes or more. Family members can take turns
exercising your puppy, or you can all participate at once.
Your puppy loves you and wants to make you
happy. You are his world! Lavish him with praise when he
does good, and you'll soon have a do-gooder puppy! When it
comes to house training your puppy, a little praise can go a
long way. Whenever puppy eliminates in the right place, make
sure he knows that you are very proud of him. Say "Good
Dog", "Way to Go", "Woo Hoo", "Yippee" or whatever you feel
comfortable with - and do it with feeling! Give puppy a tiny
treat of his regular dog kibble at the same time, and be
sure to reward him IMMEDIATELY after he does his business.
Don't worry what the neighbors will think of you jumping up
and down and whooping like a goofball - THEY don't have to
shampoo your carpets! This goes for any behavior you want
your puppy to repeat. Praise and a small treat are a great
way to positively reinforce your puppy's behavior.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and your puppy
won't be house trained in a week. Give it time and be
consistent. Make sure all members of the family have been
trained in the art of puppy housebreaking, and make sure
everyone follows the plan to avoid confusing your puppy.
In the event that you are unable to
successfully house train your puppy, despite your best
efforts, please consider consulting a professional dog
trainer or dog behavior specialist. They can help you
determine where your efforts are going wrong, or suggest and
help you implement other more intensive methods for
housebreaking your puppy.
Remember the commitment you made to your puppy
when you invited him to become a part of your family. You
wouldn't give away a baby or child for peeing on the carpet,
so why should your "baby" be any different? Puppies and even
older dogs CAN be housetrained! It just takes time, effort
and consistency from every member of the family.
