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| Housetraining Your Puppy-Quick & Easy Method Must Read "Training" Page Before Using This Page Info!!: |
Potty Troubleshooting 1) pup does not "go" when placed in potty area: Remove pup from area after several minutes. Then hold puppy, have pup in your lap, or keep under constant supervision and restrained or confined for awhile in very small area (no more than roughly twice the size of the pup) then try again placing pup in the potty area. 2)won't poop in potty area, only pees some people may find this too unpleasant to do, but it works well. Take a paper match and wet or spit on the match head, insert the match head gently half way into the anus of the pup, this stimulates it to poop in minutes. If not, remove match! 2)plays with pants and shoes: Get up on a chair, so your feet are up off the ground or put pup a pen where you can stand right outside. 3)only "goes" in wrong place. Keep pup out of those areas. Do not allow any running around on the floor where there is no paper! Puppy must stay in confined area surrounded by newspaper everywhere but its bed. There should be virtually no opportunity for the puppy to make a mistake. Mistakes have far worse implications than cleaning up urine or poop. Each time a puppy is allowed (you allow it to happen by putting puppy on potty-forbidden surfaces) to make a mistake it is much more likely to do it again next time it is in that area. It is the same as giving permission and approval to potty on the bed, carpet, car seat, wherever it happens to go. Prevention is the key! Preventing is infinitely easier than correcting canine behavior. |
What can be expected of your puppy- No Bladder Control < 12 Weeks Very young pups need to pee as often as every 30-45 minutes and have little self-control. Puppies must be watched 100% when they are not on newspaper or outside, and kept within quick easy reach to snatch up and whisk to potty area. Never take your eyes off a youngster, even for a moment. Be poised to pounce at the slightest squat, quickly picking the baby up and carrying to the appointed spot. Young pups have almost no bladder control, even if they did know what was expected of them, so should not be corrected or reprimanded. Some Bladder Control > 16 Weeks By 4 months, puppies have more control and can "hold it" for a little while but aren't likely to hold it for more than a couple hours during the day, and only rarely all through the night. Ideally put pup in potty area every couple hours during day if possible. Crate pup at night, but only if pup will be put in potty area once in the middle of the night, or can hold it all night through. Never "force" the pup by leaving it too long, to soil its crate or any very small area. At this point, saying "no!" is appropriate if pup makes a mistake, but only if caught in the act; then quickly move pup to the potty area and say the potty word once or twice in hopes it has learned the word well enough to make the association. Then wait for a bit. If no results, don't repeat the word, just remove pup and try again later. If you are lucky, puppy will potty, possibly even in response to the word. If so, excitedly praise and give a treat. |
Set-Up For Puppy Left Alone All Day, Place to Eat, Sleep, Play and Potty Puppy 2 - 4 months: keep confined in a playpen, excersize pen, laundry room or bathroom covered with newspaper and securely non-tippable, bowls of food and water. If possible, put up a gate so puppy doesn't feel as isolated. Puppy-safe stuffed animal will be a doggy surrogate for very young pups. It should be at least the size of the pup with no chewable eyes, nose or other parts that could be swallowed Leave TV or radio on where pup can hear conversation. Puppy-safe chewies, or real bone with bit of meat on it, (too big to swallow), help to keep the pup occupied. A crate with a sofa type heavy fabric pillow wedged inside, or towel with a wire attaching it to the back inside of the crate, provides a good bed (den). It is important to have the bedding secured in the crate so it can't be pulled out and dragged through poop or pee. A bird or other animal within sight or earshot of the puppy will help keep it from feeling so alone. |
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Easy Housetraining: Yard or Indoors on Newspaper Teaching "Potty on Command" Decide on the permanent potty place, if outside, another potty place is needed indoors since young pups pee constantly, dozens of times a day. When puppy first awakens anytime sleeping for half an hour or more, and after eating, instantly place the pup in desired area, which should always have the same surface (paper, grass, gravel etc).Note: This is the surface a well trained puppy will tend to seek out in other settings as well, (when traveling, friends houses, in public) so keep that in mind. The pup should know words such as "good" for praise and have a tiny treat handy. Potty area should have some soiled newspaper always left as a scent reminder and stimulus to go potty. Since the pup must focus on scents, and its own body, say nothing and be still. Don't distract the pup from this focus. If pup starts to "go", stay still and quiet so as not to interrupt, till almost finished, then say the chosen word in the same moderate tone (for example "potty") which will always be the same. The goal is to have the puppy learn to potty on command. Note: we would usually say it at the beginning of the desired behavior but in this case do not want to interrupt the delicate business of getting the pup to "go". As time goes by, say the word sooner, gradually closer to starting to "go" as you think the pup gets the association. Back off to end again if it interrupts. Say it in a medium volume and tone. Praise immediately at the finish, and give a tiny treat. Give the treat only occasionally in this process, treat must be hidden, and not have a strong smell as that would distract, and that defeats the purpose. A treat must never become the focal point in learning, especially with housetraining. Nothing should take focus away from the "business". If treats become distracting, cease giving them. Be aware that your hands may carry the smell, if you aren't careful. It's preferable, though not always possible, to have the potty area reserved just for pottying and not be a play yard too. When "business" is completed leave the area. |
Preventing Potty Mistakes Carry around or hold puppy, If you cannot hold the pup, put puppy in its crate with a chewy or toy and then take it out and place in potty area after about an hour. Another option is to tie puppy to your leg or arm with a leash or not-easily-chewed cord. The length should at first be only about 2 feet .(or about double the puppy's size) this can be increased over time if pup isn't having accidents. Give pup something to play with or chew. Puppy is less likely to go in this small area but you still must be vigilant even so. Puppy will still pee if it really needs to. |
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Two Steps Forward, One Step Back As the puppy begins to potty appropriately, and isn't making any mistakes, gradually increase freedom. If a couple mistakes are made, promptly go back to restrictions again with no opportunity for mistakes, gradually working up to that same freedom level again. Each time mistakes accompany increased freedom, return to restrictions, if needed, keep the restrictions longer before allowing more freedom. Be absolutely certain to follow the instructions on timing, reinforcement, communication, consistency on the Training.page. |
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| Housebreaking The Adult Dog Use basically same methods as with a puppy. Adult dogs are much easier to pottytrain since they are typically able to hold their bladder for 6-8 hours. First, using a crate that is just big enough to stand and turn around in, accustom the dog to being crated by feeding in crate, giving bone or chewy and closing in crate for a gradually increasing time. Dog should be crated at night or tied on very short leash or chain within reach of you, or even tied to your wrist so it would awake you if moving around much. When dog is indoors, it should be either crated, tied to you, lying next to you or in your lap. Unlike a puppy, it is better to not have an adult dog potty inside in a confined area or pen unless that will be permanent. Males should wear diapers until definitely housebroken. Take dog outside to potty, or to the appointed potty area, every 2 to 4 hours through the day if possible. Use treats intermittently as a reward unless distracting. Always put in potty area instantly upon awakening, and after eating. Until dog is housetrained, do not keep potty area spotless or disinfected. Leave just enough waste in potty area for the odor to stimulate the dog to "go". |
| Other Options Litter boxes, Pee Pads, scent attractants, are other tools for housetraining. The pee pads can be great with a very young baby, but only if anchored down. For most pups pads must be covered with wire mesh, otherwise pups rip them up with great relish. These topics aren't covered here. |
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