Dog Housetraining Tips – What 3 Vets Say
Crate training is a powerful tool in housebreaking your puppy, according to Dr. Chris Cauble of PetsDoc.com.
“Keeping your pup in a confined space, such as a large box, letting him out to urinate and defecate every few hours is the essence of crate training,” Dr. Cauble says.
“This simulates a wild wolf den where the pups never soil the space they live in.”
Dog Housetraining Tips From Vets
Time the trips outside with your puppy’s needs.
The goal of dog housetraining, he says, is to reward good pet behavior (in other words, not soiling the crate) instead of punishing for accidents: going outside is OK, but going inside isn’t.
“If you are away for long periods, you cannot blame your pup for accidents if he is left inside,” Dr. Cauble says, adding that installing doggy doors or placing newspaper (or Wee Wee Pads) on the floor may be helpful for those times when you will be gone for a long time.
The ultimate secret to housebreaking your dog? Reward, don’t punish. “Over 95 percent of house-training comprises rewarding the dog for eliminating in the right place,” says Dr. Ian Dunbar, TV host and author. “If you regularly take your dog to its doggy toilet area and praise it upon completion, the problem will be resolved in short order.”
Of course you might be wondering, How can I know ahead of time when my pup needs to pee so I can quickly scoot him out of the house? “Puppies generally need to go to the toilet soon after waking, after meals or after play. These are the times the puppy should be taken out to eliminate, as well as whenever it starts to circle or sniff,” Dr. Dunbar advises.
Don’t Reprimand
And what should you do if you don’t catch the puppy in the act during a mistake? Do not reprimand the dog or try to show your dog the wet spot (or especially don’t rub the puppy’s nose in it). “Simply clean up the mess and continue with the program,” the vet says.
Dr. Carol Osborne, in her book “Dr. Carol’s Naturally Healthy Dogs,” advises that it’s crucial to completely get rid of the stench of your dog’s urine or feces in your house after a mistake. Don’t use an ammonia-type cleaner to clean up the urine, she says. Instead, use an enzymatic cleaner like Elim-Odor on the soiled area.
She stresses that you should always be at the dog’s side during bathroom breaks. “Take the puppy out on a leash through the same door to the same spot every time, and when it does its business, reward with praise, she says. If you do allow your dog to go out unsupervised, you’ll regret it: “She will go out, come in and urinate on the floor right in front of you,” Dr. Osborne predicts.
“What 3 Vets Say,” a regular feature at PetsAdviser.com, is merely a small sampling of general opinions, NOT medical advice for your pet. These veterinarians are not affiliated with this website; their comments are culled from various online and print sources. For specific health advice about your own pet, always consult your veterinarian.
Email this!Incoming search terms for this article:
- pet dog urinate bed day time
- dipping a dogs nose house training
- dog house training tips
- should you show your dog urine
- should i set the alarm to get up in the night to let my dog out to the toilet while house training
- should I rub puppys nose in poo uk
- rub puppy nose in wee
- puppy wee right in front of me
- pet house training tips
- tips for vets
March 28th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Please do not be tempted to train your puppy to eliminate in the house. It must be taken into your garden/yard every hour, after it eats or drinks and when it wakes up after a nap. You should also take it out just before you go to bed, every time you see it eliminate you must praise your puppy. I use a catch phrase when my puppy has a pee, I say “get one” while it is urinating and “big job” when it passes faeces. If you do this your dog will pee on command when it is older. (Unless it’s bladder is empty)
You should set your alarm and try to take your puppy out about twice during the night. If like me you are a heavy sleeper and you don’t trust yourself to wake up, take the lazy way out. My puppy’s sleep in the laundry room until they are toilet trained, during the day I dip newspapers into the urine which it has passed in the garden and put these on top of a thick pad of newspaper at night, they are drawn to this because of the smell and they will pee on this during the night. Nevertheless I go to bed very late and get up very early when I have a puppy.