Positive Dog Training Blog

Posts Tagged ‘potty training’

I have read article after article on how to house train a dog. I read somewhere once that its the number one reason for getting rid of dogs. Its funny, with kids, we know it will take a long time to get them to understand going on the potty, but somehow we don’t extend the same grace to puppies.

House training a dog has a lot of variables including the size of the dog and sometimes even the breed. If you think about house training a yorkie, they have little bladders and need to go more often versus a larger dog. Retriever and other breeds who love water will drink and drink and that can cause issues with house training a dog.

My advice, keep it simple.

1) Train the dog to ring bells to let you know they have to potty outside.
2) Put them on a schedule.
3) Reward them for pottying outside, I like to use cheerios for this.
4) Keep a record of the accidents and potty schedule.
5) Don’t punish them for pottying inside, just work on watching them closer.
6) Limit their access to the house – i give access one room at a time as they gain reliability.

My last two pups had less than 3 accidents while teaching them to be house trained using the above method.

Happy house training!

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Step 1- be in charge.

Step 2- stay consistent.

Step 3- meet their physical and emotional needs.

Sounds easy right? It is actually.  I spoke with a nice guy yesterday who had done his research and his reading.  He read books by Ian Dunbar, Patricia McConnell – great authors which you can purchase at www.DogWise.com.  What did he learn?  Force isn’t required with puppies.

To meet goal #1, be in charge, start by having your pup follow you around (not the other way) with a lead or some cheerio rewards. Ask for sits before petting, playing, going outside, coming out of hte crate, eating dinner – its the easy way to teach “please”.

Goal #2, consistency.  Make  up rules, whatever they are, and follow them 100% of the time.  If you give in 1 out of 10 times then the dog learns that there is a chance to get away with whatever it is.  Lets say its jumping. The dog jumps, you ignore the pup for 30 seconds.  Every time! that means if you are sitting on the floor, standing, outside, 100% consistency.

Goal #3,meeting their needs.  Often times people think this means exercise, exercise. It doesn’t! Puppies do not need to run that much, or walk that much.  10 minutes two times a day is typically adequate for a young puppy (under  14 weeks).  Meeting their needs means exposing them to new things daily, challenging their every sense and  giving them mental stimulation.  Make them use their brains – try buster cubes, kongs, hide and seek, find it, or learn a new trick. My favorite game is called 101 things to do with a box. More  about that one later!

Good luck and happy dog training.

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