Go Where All Dogs Go !
Puppies Need to be House Trained
T o boldly go where most dogs have gone before! Yep, that is the goal for house training a puppy. Outside. On a regular basis. On a regular schedule. For puppy parents, house training can certainly be a challenge, but can be accomplished with consistency and perseverance. Alike, But Different, Too Puppies share many of the same characteristics as human babies. Neither can control their bladders or bowel movements at first. While children get diapers, puppies depend on their canine mothers to clean up after them in their den. They go freely here and mom maintains the area by licking the young animals. Later, puppies will mimic mom’s behavior and begin to learn to go potty outside if they remain together. However, many pups might join a human family before this lesson is fully grasped and the puppy owner will need to do the training or reinforce the earlier instruction. Out and About and On the Spot Puppies need to be taught to poop and pee outside. This requires a consistent
schedule, planning and the big P word, patience. Success will go hand-in-hand with this attention to detail. Puppies are pooping and peeing machines and what goes in comes out very quickly. Since most puppies are still learning to control their bladders and bowel movements, they must go outside often, like every 30-45 minutes. This also means right after they wake up, after eating and drinking, and after vigorous play. Want to House Train Your Puppy? Establish a spot for your puppy to go outside so they make the association to the outside trips. Puppies need to experience the “light bulb over the head” moment at some point and understand, “Hey! This is where I do my duty!” Smell will make a big connection for the puppy. Carry your young charge to the “spot” if possible so you can establish the exact place to eliminate. Put the puppy on a leash, too, since they may wander or take off from the bathroom area. Many dog owners also work to associate certain words with potty breaks. They use words like “outside” for the trip, and then commands like
“go now” and “potty” when at the bathroom spot. A young dog should then be able to eliminate on request as he matures into an adult. Oscar-Winning Performance Don’t distract the youngster when he is training in the designated area. Stay silent as he scratches and smells and only react once he has accomplished his mission. When your puppy does his duty on the spot, praise him! Make him think he has just won an Oscar for Best Performance in a Yard! No kidding. You can never go wrong with treats, either. Dogs are anxious to please their people so a little attention will go a long way. A Watched Puppy is a Safe Puppy House training demands a watchful eye on the puppy at all times. Most likely, puppy owners will start to pick up subtle and obvious cues about the puppy’s need to head to the outside spot like scratching, whining, or moving in a circle. It is important to observe these signs and put the rapid transport system in place to get the fur baby outside in time. Distracted puppy parents will miss these hints and find unexpected urine and feces
Missouri Pet Breeders Association | Page 22
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