Use these tips when house training your new puppy, and soon everyone in the household can breathe a sigh of relief knowing there are no longer any unpleasant messes to clean up and puppy has finally understood that urinating and defecating in the house are big no-nos.
To get to that stage in puppy training requires lots of patience, a positive attitude, and close supervision. It may take a while, but all puppies learn eventually. Take heart!
Keep These General Rules in Mind
The length of time it takes to train a dog depends on his age, his breed, and any previous training he has had.
The rough rule of the thumb is that it takes anywhere from eight to twelve months to be able to relax and thoroughly trust your dog to wait until he is outside before he eliminates.
- Always reward his good behavior:
- Praise him
- Give him a small treat
- Play with him
- Never punish his mistakes:
- If he has an accident, don’t rub his face in his waste. It doesn’t work and he won’t understand why you are doing it.
- Don’t bother swatting him with a rolled-up newspaper or displaying anger for the same reasons even though you may see other people try to train their dogs using these tactics. It has been proven that none of these reactions hasten the training process.
- If you find evidence of a mess in the house that occurred without your knowing, it is pointless to take your dog to the spot, show him, and scold him. He won’t understand what you mean.
- When you take him outside, always take him to the same place. The odors in that spot will remind him of what he does when he is taken there, and will stimulate his urge to eliminate. When he does, you can praise and/or reward him, which will reinforce the idea that he has done what you want him to do.
- In early days when he has frequent accidents in the house, clean these areas very thoroughly. If any odors remain, he will be drawn to those same places when he gets the urge rather than demonstrate in some way that he needs to go outside to his “spot.”
- After he is house trained, keep a close eye on him in other houses. He can’t generalize and it will take a while to teach him that he is not supposed to eliminate in any house, not just his own.
Try This Easy Training Routine
- Feed your puppy at the same time each day.
- Take him outside at regular intervals: first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and before he is left alone. Also, take him out every hour, after every meal, after napping, and after playing.
- Watch puppy for signs that he needs to go outside: pacing, whining, circling, sniffing, attempting to leave the room, and standing in front of the door. Take him outside to his spot whenever you suspect he needs to go.
- Reward him with praise or a treat whenever he eliminates outside.
- If he starts to eliminate in the house, clap your hands twice, loudly, to startle and stop him from finishing, and then quickly take him outside to his spot to complete the job. When he does, praise and reward him.
It takes time and patience to house train a new puppy, but it is an important part of responsible dog ownership and, in time, you and puppy will succeed.
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