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If you are planning to get a new puppy or you have recently purchased one, you may be worrying about how difficult it will be to house train your new puppy. Believe it or not, house training a dog really does not have to be difficult. As a general rule, most dogs are actually quite clean animals, and it is in their nature to want to keep their living space clean. You can take advantage of their natural instincts while you are house training a dog, and with just a few short steps training your new puppy can be a cinch.
The first thing that you need to do when you are house training a dog is to establish an area for your new puppy to live in. Make it a small place where there is not a great deal of room and get him used to the idea that this is where he lives. Place his bed, food, and water in this area so he knows that this is his living area. It is important that you train him that this is where he lives and that you also establish regular feeding times as well.
The next step when you are house training a dog is to set up an area where he can go to the bathroom. This needs to be somewhere other than his living area, and you need to be sure that you take him to this area each time he has to go to the bathroom. After a few times, your dog will soon associate this place with where he is allowed to use the bathroom, and in no time, your dog will start to go there on his own.
When you are house training a dog and you have established the area where your dog can use the bathroom, then you can start allowing him to have greater freedom while he is in the house. You need to be patient in this process.It is important while you are house training a dog that you do not let him roam the house when you are not around to supervise. There may be accidents and you need to reinforce where the bathroom area for him is when the accident happens. Only after you have fully finished house training a dog should you allow him access to various areas of the house when you are not around. Always start off step by step, and do not give up even the initial period the dog is not cooperative.
Last of all, when you are house training a dog, using positive reinforcement is very important. Just like human being, reward is something that can show them that they are doing the right thing. When you reward your dog for going to the bathroom in the appropriate place, you can make the training process even faster. So, as you can see, house training a dog does not have to be difficult; in fact, it can be quite simple.
Ethan Edison
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/house-training-a-dog-is-not-difficult-410626.html
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am having a difficult time house training a 3 month old cockapoo puppy. Any suggestions?
you should take him outside every 1hr.
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We use crate training because it works. Crate should only be big enough to lay, sit, and stand and turn around in. Dogs do not like to mess in their own beds. Take dog outside. If she doesn't go, but her in crate and try again in an hour. If she goes, praise her like crazy. Also, she is then allowed to be out of the crate for an hour. Then back outside. Repeat as above. Also, he must be taken out after eating or playing. Keep her in crate at night also, taking her out first thing. I usually have them trained inside of 2 weeks.
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A puppy is like a baby. He will relieve himself anywhere, anytime. Because a newly adopted adult dog is unfamiliar with your home, he may not understand where he should "go"! Housetraining, or teaching your dog to go outside to relieve himself, is an important lesson your dog must learn.
It is up to you, the new parent, to housetrain your new puppy or dog with patience, love and understanding.
CRATE TRAINING
In the wild, wolves live in a den or cave. It is important the entire wolf pack keep this area clean. The same idea works with your family pet. Your dog’s crate is his home, his bedroom. It is likely that your dog will not like to soil his bed. Therefore, he will wait until he is let out to do his business.
HOUSETRAINING WITH YOUR CRATE
On average, puppies can hold their bladders one hour for every month they have been alive, plus one hour. For example, if you have a three month old puppy, he can wait 3 + 1 = 4 hours. If you work longer than this, the best solution is to have someone (a neighbour, a relative, a dog walker) come in at an appropriate time to let your dog out.
100 PER CENT SUPERVISION
Supervision is the key to housetraining! While you are at home, your dog must be supervised. Whether you are watching television, making dinner, on the phone or on the computer, your puppy must be watched. While it sounds like an impossible task, it isn’t. Keeping the crate in a social part of the house makes it easier. Using a house lead – a small, thin lead with a little clip on it – also helps immensely. Outside, you put a lead on your dog so you can control him. If the lead is removed after returning home, control is lost. For example, when watching television, have the lead tied to a couch leg. Your dog can have his blanket and toys with him. He’ll feel safe and comfortable. The majority of accidents happen when your pup wanders off and you haven’t noticed. You don’t want him to sneak off into the kitchen and find a puddle a short time later. If your pup is kept from wandering, the possibility of an accident is diminished because he will not eliminate where he is sitting. 100 per cent supervision means ensuring your dog is playing with you, in his crate, outside or on his house lead.
SCHEDULING
In the morning, take your dog outside. He should urinate and possibly have a bowel movement. Spend about five to seven minutes with him and then bring him in. Do not play with him yet. Feed him breakfast, either in the crate or with the lead, and supervise it. If your pup did not have a bowel movement earlier, take him back outside about 15 minutes after he has eaten. Use the lead to keep your pup moving along while outside. Otherwise, he may start sniffing, stopping and playing to avoid the job at hand. You can say “hurry up” and your dog will begin to associate these words with the task at hand. Praise him excessively when he has eliminated. Bring him back in the house and place him in his crate if you are going to work. Continue to supervise him with the crate or the lead if you are home. When returning after being out, go directly to the crate, let him out, praise him and put him back in. Feed him his meal, take him outside 15 minutes after he has eaten, praise him after he eliminates, and bring him back in. Continue to follow the same steps consistently.
While you are home, you should take your pup outside on a regular basis. Even if your pup is in a crate or on a house lead, he still needs the opportunity to eliminate. Also, be careful what you wish for! A pup who barks to go outside may be cute and clever now. However, you must try not to fall into the habit of leaping up every time your dog wants in or out. It is a very submissive gesture on your part. Have your pup wait a moment or two.
Setting up a schedule is also a good idea. If your pup is under four months of age, take him out for five minutes every hour on the hour. If your pup is over four months old, take him out every second hour on the hour. The schedule will help you remember when to take him out. Go out for five minutes only. It provides the opportunity to eliminate even if your pup may not need to go. Take your dog out after active play and also after napping. If an accident occurs, you may have forgotten to take him out .
FEEDING TIME
Having a puppy drink a lot of water and then placing him in his crate is much more unkind than letting him be a bit thirsty for an hour or two. Adult dogs should have access to drinking water at all times. However, this is not the case for untrained pups. Most parents will not allow their children to drink a big glass of water before going to bed. Avoid setting your pup up for failure. Restrict his water intake to three or four drinks daily and make sure you remove the water dish about three hours before bedtime. This will help your dog sleep more comfortably.
If it is a hot evening, supply your pup with a few ice cubes. They will enter your dog’s system at a slower pace. When feeding your pup, provide a high-quality food that is a good source of protein. The food must be concentrated so your puppy’s body doesn’t require much of it. If you feed less, your puppy eliminates less. Food is directly related to how well puppies do in their housetraining.
EXERCISE
It is important that your pup gets a lot of exercise, especially while crate training. You can play fetch, chase or hide and seek in your home. You can call ‘come’ at the same time to provide further training. Anyway you do it, your pup needs to be able to run and play.
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