| Potty Training A Puppy: 6 Tips For House Training Your New Puppy |
| Written by Christine Andrews | ||||||||
| Tuesday, 27 January 2009 | ||||||||
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Most new dog owners don't look forward to the task of house training a puppy. It can be pretty confusing when you hear different advice from almost everyone you talk to.
Most new dog owners don't look forward to the task of house training a puppy. It can be pretty confusing when you hear different advice from almost everyone you talk to. Don't despair. I've got six tips that you can use to make the house training process a lot easier on you and your new puppy. Tip #1: Feed Your Puppy At The Same Times Each Day A lot of dog owners prefer free feeding to set feeding times. Free feeding means leaving a bowl of food out all day so your dog can eat whenever he gets hungry. This can work well with older dogs, but when you're house training a new puppy or dog it's much better to feed him a specific times, following a set schedule. Dogs are like us. After eating, they usually need to go potty. With a consistent meal schedule, you'll have a lot more control over when he needs to go potty. This means a lot fewer accidents for your new puppy. Tip #2: Have a Consistent Potty Schedule Although you'll be taking your puppy outside right after eating, you will also need to take him outside as often as possible during the day. If your schedule means you can only take him out 3 or 4 times a day, be sure you do it at the same times each day. Having a schedule helps you remember to take him out during the day. And this routine gives your new puppy a sense of security. Without a schedule, puppies tend to become anxious. Anxiety will cause digestive problems in your puppy, and that will make house training harder on both of you. Tip #3: Pick a "Potty" Command To Use - Then Use It Every Time He Goes Potty Pick a command word that you are comfortable using -- no matter where you are or who you're with. Here are a few common commands: "potty" "go potty" "go peepee" and "tinkle." Once you decide on a command to use, you should say it every time you want your puppy to go potty. At first, don't ever say it until you are in the exact spot you want him to go. As he gets older, you'll be able to open the door and say "go potty" - or whatever command you are using- and he'll run over to the right place and go potty all by himself. Tip #4: When Your Dog Has An Accident, Don't Scold Or Yell At Him You have to be realistic. Every new puppy will have accidents - some more than others. When it happens, it's important to remain calm. You shouldn't yell at him and under no circumstance should you rub his nose in it. This is an "old-school" technique that we now know does NOT work. It just confuses your puppy. The truth is, making him feel bad about his mistake isn't going to make training faster or easier. Your dog can't help himself. If he's had an accident, it's probably because you didn't stick to a schedule or weren't paying attention to him. The best way to achieve success is to teach him that when he goes potty in the right place, good things happen. That brings us to Tip #5 Tip #5: Praise and Reward Him When He Gets It Right You probably haven't started obedience training, but this is a good time to learn about positive reinforcement. Every time your puppy does what you've asked him to do, you should praise and reward him. This includes potty training. It's a good habit to combine sincere praise with some kind of reward. Rewards can be showing him love and affection, giving him a tasty treat, or spending a few minutes playing with him. Whatever you choose, it's vital that your puppy is rewarded immediately so he remembers that going potty means getting a reward. To start, be sure to praise him verbally while he's actually going potty. Use a friendly, happy voice and say "Good boy! Good potty!" As soon as he's finished, immediately give him the reward. You can toss his favorite ball for a game of fetch, or if you're on a walk, bounce it and let him catch it. You could also give him a treat or belly rub. Just remember, you must reward your puppy immediately. Getting praise and a treat will make your puppy happy. He'll quickly connect going potty on command with happiness and joy. Tip #6: Use Crate Training To Reduce Accidents It's beyond the scope of this article to explain crate training in detail, but there are some great reasons to consider it - especially when potty training your new puppy Crate training lets you put your puppy in his crate when you aren't able to watch him. Since dogs don't like to soil their "dens" your puppy will naturally wait until you let him out to go potty. Your job is to be sure you don't leave him in the crate for too long and to immediately take him out to go potty when you let him out. The best part is that he'll usually have to go -- and, with your help, he'll always be going when and where you want him to go! Your new puppy is going to love you unconditionally. In return, you should do your best to train him properly so he's always a joy to be around. Potty training a puppy is a very important step in raising a dog that's happy, healthy, and easy to love. About the Author: To get more tips on potty training a puppy, crate training a puppy, and so much more, visit www.TheSmartDogOwner.com This comprehensive, easy-to-follow training program shows you just how easy it is to raise a puppy that is healthy, happy and fun to be around! Views: 331
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