puppies

House Training a Puppy

Just like potty training a toddler, house training a puppy requires patience, consistency and time. Did we mention patience? Puppies do not come equipped with an innate sense of where the appropriate place to go to the bathroom is. They simply know that when they have an urge, it is time to relieve themselves. It is your job, as the intelligent and kind dog owner, to teach your dog the proper place to potty and will need to be the number one task on your agenda for awhile. This is generally best done without too much anger, frustration and drama on your part. By remaining calm and staying consistent, house training your puppy may turn out to be a brief process with a happy ending.

What Not to Do
There are two schools of thought when it comes to puppy house training: one that works and one that doesn’t. Before we discuss the proper methods of house training puppies that are tried and true, let’s discuss what doesn’t work in this process. How many of you visualize puppy house training as chasing your pup about the house with a rolled up newspaper and rubbing his nose in his messes to show him the error of his ways? Guess what? This method of house training puppies will not work, and will often damage your relationship with your new dog – sometimes permanently.

The reason that punishment does not work is because your dog does not understand it. If you rub his nose in a mess that he made even five minutes ago, the only thing your actions will do is scare and intimidate your dog. He will not understand that you are unhappy about the fact that he made his mess in the house. He will only know that you are upset and angry with him. On the other hand, if you can actually catch your pup in the act, you can pick him up with a firm “no!” and take him outdoors to his appropriate spot. This action is an effective part of your puppy house training, since it is one that your pup will understand.

Watch For Signals
House training your puppy may also involve you becoming aware of your puppies habits. Watching for signals indicating that the puppy needs to go out can help prevent accidents and help to train your puppy faster. When anticipating the puppy’s need to relieve himself, you will be assisting them in getting use to going outside. When house training your puppy, watch for the clear signs that now is the time to go. Make sure to always praise your puppy when they have finished any training successfully. Positive reinforcement can be a quicker training tool then any other method.

Methods of House Training a Puppy
There are a number of methods that you can employ for house training your puppy. The first is to train him indoors first, and gradually work your way outside. This is done by confining your puppy to a particular area of the house, preferably a place that has a hard, easy to clean floor. Put some papers or a training pad down on the floor of that room. When you see your pup showing his “I have to go” signs, which might include sniffing the ground and running in circles, place the puppy on the papers where you want him to go. Each time he potties in the appropriate location, praise him with a “good dog.” When your dog gets the hang of the papers or pads, move them closer to the door. Eventually your pup will associate the urge to potty with the need to go outside.

Crate training is probably the most effective means of house training puppies. This has become a popular approach to house training a puppy in recent years for a number of reasons. First, confining your puppy will not only save your home and carpet when you are not around to watch your pup, it will also give your dog a safe place to hang out when you’re not available to him. It will also teach your puppy that when he feels the urge to “do his business,” he can hold the urge until he gets to the appropriate location. You see, most dogs will not eliminate in the same place that they sleep. So chances are good that your pup will do his absolute best not to soil his crate while he is inside. This is probably why house training a puppy using this method will often result in fewer accidents in the long run. Just make sure that your little fur ball goes out right before he gets placed in his crate, and as soon as he is released.

House training a puppy can be a challenge, but it is far from impossible. With consistent instruction on where he is to go, and plenty of praise when he makes the good choice, your little pup will get the house training down in no time at all. Puppies are anxious to please – all they need are clear instructions and plenty of positive reinforcement to know what’s expected of them.

Gift Items for Dog Lovers
Lots of gifts and other products for dog lovers, books, games, puzzles, magnetic poetry, t-shirts and more.

Dog Owner's Guide: Housetraining
This method of housetraining is focused on preventing “accidents” instead of waiting for accidents to happen. The goal is to make it easy for the puppy to do the right thing in the first place. Training in this way is faster and more effective than punishing the dog for mistakes. YOU play the most important part in the success or failure of this method — you must be patient, determined and reliable for it to work. If you already own an adult dog with housetraining problems, you can use this method to start fresh just as you would with a puppy.

Copyright 2008 BestSpringerSpaniels.com