puppies may associate being able to relieve themselves on any papers left on the floor anywhere and any time. For some pet parents, creating a “sod box” works better. This involves a small, plastic container like a children’s pool in the indoor spot. Inside the container, place sod and dog-litter products from a pet supply store. If you have to clean up an accident outside the area, put the dirty paper towels and rags inside it to help the puppy recognize the urine/ feces smell and associate it with the right potty spot. Find a Way Be aware, many adult dogs that are confined all day inside may have accidents because of the length of time between bathroom trips. Finding a way to allow your canine to relieve itself during the day, whether via dog walker or friend, would be a kind gesture for your pet. Imagine not being able to go to the bathroom all day yourself, and the need seems more important. House training a puppy combines consistency, perseverance, and long- term responsibility for pet parents. It is doable. Scores of pet owners have survived the process! Training can be accomplished in days or months, depending on the animal and the instruction. In the end, puppy parents don’t need a degree in rocket science to master house training, just a lot of love and patience. Article gathered from https://www. lambertvetsupply.com/blogs/news/ go-where-all-dogs-go-puppies- need-to- be-house- trained
rubbing a dog’s nose in the mess “so he remembers” does not work. Neither does scolding and yelling. Puppies will not associate any of this with their misplaced elimination. Instead, they will be confused and fearful, making the housebreaking routine longer. Busy, Busy, Busy So you live in an apartment and/ or work full-time and can’t be home to supervise 24/7? Many people fall in this category. House training your puppy will take an additional approach and may last longer, but is still doable. Several options exist, including possibly placing the youngster in a dog care facility where the staff can monitor and work on bathroom training. Some people hire a dog sitter/walker to come into their home and continue the house training. Perhaps a trusted neighbor or relative lives close enough to devote the time necessary for training.
in the house. Because of this potential problem, many experts suggest using a crate/carrier to help supervise a curious puppy when he is not being monitored. Time in the carrier should be limited to only a couple of hours usually, except for nighttime sleep or extended naps. The proper-sized carrier will help reinforce not to soil an area the puppy spends time in and also give them a quiet, safe place to rest and have some down time. Dogs are clean by nature so in the correct-sized kennel, a puppy will not want to sleep in his mess. Never put food or water in the crate. Make it a sleeping/quiet space. Removing his access to water a couple of hours before bedtime will also help prevent an accident in the carrier. Confinement after an accident should not be used as punishment. This sends a mixed message to the young pup as they try to figure out this whole bathroom business. Oops! They Did It Again! Speaking of oops and unexpected pee and poop, accidents will happen. Often. Don’t make a big deal out of it, but do make a big deal of cleaning up the mess. Use odor-removing disinfectants so your puppy is not encouraged to return to the scene of the crime and become a repeat offender due to the smell. If this happens, a more thorough cleaning might be necessary and the area may need to be sealed off with a chair or such to make using the spot again difficult. If you catch a puppy in the act, interrupt him immediately. Startle him and give him the “outside” command as you intervene and take him outside to the correct spot. The old myth about
A Lot of “Paperwork” If none of these methods fit your
budget or lifestyle, puppy owners can designate a small area like a bathroom, mud room, or kitchen as the “indoor spot”. This can even be enclosed with a wire or plastic confinement pen. Areas with vinyl floor covering work best and a tarp or plastic can be placed on the floor first, followed by newspaper or pet pads. Initially, the entire area is covered. As the puppy gets better at controlling his urination and bowel movements, the paper/ pad covered area should become smaller and smaller until it can vanish entirely. Of course, when puppy and owner are home together, the outside house training should continue until this mission is accomplished. One glitch with the paper elimination route means
Missouri Pet Breeders Association | Page 23
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog