Housebreaking Your Dog Made Easy
There’s no greater feeling than bringing home a new puppy for the first time and watching your children’s reaction. The delight may fade somewhat, once you appreciate how much work is involved, particularly in relation to house-training your puppy. There are a few things to consider as you work toward establishing bathroom routines for your new dog.
1. Watch your puppy for signs of fidgeting, indicating he has to go outside. Try to intercept him before he starts to get into position to go to the bathroom so he can get used to going out the door before he eliminates. Try to get him into the habit of standing by the back door when he needs to go out so you realize it before he has an accident inside the house.
2. Puppies need to get into good habits, and part of this process involves going out frequently. This could prove annoying in the middle of the night, but it is a necessity for the first few months until your pet is used to waiting until morning to go to the bathroom. As he matures, the need to go out frequently will diminish. In time, your puppy will get used to “holding it in” throughout the entire night.
3. Go to a particular spot in the yard and don’t leave until your puppy goes to the bathroom. This will get him used to going in this location and will make clean-up easier if waste is stored in one designated area. It will also be helpful to know where the “land mines” are as you mow the lawn in the summer.
4. Every time your puppy goes to the bathroom outside, reward him with a dog treat. Studies suggest that positive reinforcement is a more powerful tool in training your dog to go to the bathroom outside. Hitting and yelling at your dog, or other such negative methods, actually make matters worse, since your dog will only become confused and frightened.
5. Let your puppy sleep in a crate, since he won’t soil where he sleeps. In most cases, dogs do tend to feel comforted by a space that is enclosed, and will get used to the fact that it is his bed. Over time, you may decide to allow him to sleep elsewhere in the home, perhaps on a pillow in the corner of your bedroom. For now, as he gets used to not eliminating indoors, keep him in the crate.
If you remember only one thing about housetraining a puppy, it’s that you must always be consistent. Creating the routines your puppy will get used to is crucial so that he learns that it’s not acceptable to go to the bathroom inside the house. You may find housebreaking to be taxing, but once you’ve accomplished it, you’ll be glad you did. Your house will be cleaner, and your puppy will no longer need to go out at night to use the bathroom.