Posted on Leave a comment

Advanced dog training exercises

Coming when called is a vital skill that every dog must learn, both for its own safety and that of those around it.  A disobedient dog that refuses to come when called could easily be hit by a car, get into a fight with another dog, or suffer a variety of other bad experiences.  A well trained dog that comes when called can safely be taken out to play in the local park, at the beach, on the walking or hiking trail, or anywhere else the owner and dog may wish to go.

Basic training to come when called is relatively easy and straightforward and involves providing praise, treats and other perks when the dog does as his owner wants.  After these basic come when called training exercises are mastered, there are a number of fun exercises that can be introduced to challenge the dog and pique its interest.

Making training into a fun game is one of the best ways to motivate dog and handler alike.  It is easy for training sessions to become routine and boring and it is important to keep them from degenerating into this state. 

Before beginning any food based training exercise, it is important to make sure that the dog is properly motivated and ready to respond to treat based training.  Testing the dog is simply a matter of taking a piece of his regular food and waving it in front of the dog’s nose.  If the dog shows great enthusiasm for the food, it is ready to start the training.  If not, it is best to wait until the dog is in a more receptive mood.

The treats that work best for treat based training games like hide and seek are cut up quarter inch or smaller pieces of chicken, cheese or liver.  In other words, something your dog will love.  It is best to use very small pieces to avoid overfeeding the dog during the training sessions.

One great game for you and another family member or friend to play with your dog is simply back and forth recall.  This is a great exercise for teaching your dog to come whenever it is called by a member of the family. Dogs often learn to only respond to one person and this can be a problem when other people are watching the dog.  That is one reason why professional dog trainers always insist on working with the owner as well as the dog.  A well trained dog must learn to respond to whoever is in charge, not just the owner or usual handler.

In the back and forth recall game, two or more people stand approximately ten yards apart, in a safe place like a fenced in garden.  One person calls the dog and asks him to sit and say until another person asks the dog to come.  When the dog responds to the command to come, it is rewarded with a treat.  Most dogs respond wonderfully to this exercise and love playing this game.  When playing the back and forth recall game, it is important that only the person who called the dog be allowed to give the dog a treat. 

After the dog has mastered the back and forth recall game, the humans in the game can start to spread further out, thus turning the back and forth recall game into a fun game of hide and seek.  The hide and seek game starts with two or more people in the center room of the house.  Every time they call the dog to come, they spread out further away from where they started.  As the game continues, one person will be at one end of the house, while another may be at the opposite end.  What makes the hide and seek game so much fun for the dog is that he must seek out the person to get the treat, instead of simply running up to a person in plain sight.  This type of seeking behavior appeals to many of the dog’s natural instincts.  After all, dogs are naturally hunting animals and seeking out food is second nature to them.

Posted on Leave a comment

Dog training – reward training basics

Training with treats and other food based rewards is a great way to motivate your dog and speed the training process along.  Most dogs are highly motivated by food rewards and treat training using this kind of positive reinforcement is used to train all sorts of animals, including tigers, lions, elephants and even house cats.

Before you begin a treat based training session, however, it is a good idea to test the dog to make sure that food will motivate him through the session.  Begin around the dog’s regular meal time by taking a piece of its food and waving it in front of the dog’s nose.  If the dog shows an enthusiasm for the food, now is a great time to start the training.  If the dog shows little interest, or none at all, it may be best to put off the training until another time.  Don’t be afraid to delay the start of meal time in order to pique the dog’s interest in training.  The advantages of proper training will far outweigh any delay in feeding.

It is generally best to get the dog used to regular feedings, instead of leaving food out all the time.  Not only does free feeding encourage the dog to overeat and increase the chances of obesity, but a free fed dog may never be fully motivated in reward based training.

The come when called command

Once your dog has shown interest in the food offered to it, it is time to begin the training.  Since you already got your dog’s undivided attention by showing it food, now is a great time to start.  Give the dog a few pieces of food right away, then back up a few steps.  While holding the food in your hand, so “come here”.  When the dog comes to you, praise him effusively and give him a few pieces of food. 

After the dog is coming to you easily, add a sit command and hold the collar before you give the food.  After the sit command is mastered, other commands and even some tricks can be added.  Food based positive reinforcement training is the best way to teach a variety of important behaviours.

One good exercise is the sit, stay, come when called exercise.  This exercise can begin with the owner walking the dog, then stopping and asking the dog to sit.  After the dog is sitting quietly, the owner backs away and asks the dog to stay.  Ideally the dog should continue to stay until called by the owner, even if the lead is dropped.  At the end of the exercise, the owner calls the dog.  When the dog comes to the owner, it receives food and praise from the owner.  This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog is reliably coming when called.

It is important to keep the training sessions short, especially in the beginning, to keep the dog from becoming bored and from consuming its entire meal in the form of treats.  After the dog has been responding regularly, the treats and food rewards can be slowly reduced.  It is important to still provide these food rewards, but it may no longer be necessary to provide as many.  After awhile, as well, it will not be necessary to give the dog treats every single time he responds as requested.  In general, it should only be necessary for the dog to receive a food treat one out of every five times he comes on demand.  The other four successes can be rewarded with praise and scratches.

Once the dog understands the basics of the “come here” exercise, the basic exercise can be expanded and many games can be created.  These types of games can be great fun for owner and dog alike, as well as a great learning experience.  Some off lead work can be introduced as well, but it is always best to start with the dog in a safe environment, such as a fenced back garden.  For variety, you can try taking the dog to other safe environments, such as a friend’s house, a neighbours fenced garden or a local dog park.  Try turning the dog loose in these safe places and practice the come when called exercise.  Always praise the dog extensively, scratch him behind the ears and tell him what a good dog he is.  The goal should be to make coming to the owner a more pleasant experience than whatever the dog was doing before he was called.

Posted on Leave a comment

Dog training issues – refusing to come when called

Many dog owners fail to recognize the importance of having a dog that comes when called until there is a problem, such as the collar or lead breaking, or the dog tearing free to chase a person or another animal.  These situations can be dangerous for the dog, the owner and other members of the community.  In areas where there is a lot of vehicular traffic, the situation could even prove fatal to the dog.

Unfortunately, many well meaning owners sabotage this important part of their dog’s training by allowing it to run off lead and unattended.  Whether the dog is allowed to run in the park, on the beach, or just play with other dogs, this teaches the dog that there are many fun things that do not involve its owner.  In fact, from the dog’s perspective at least, these fun times are often ruined by the appearance of the owner.

Look at things from the dog’s perspective for a moment.  You – the dog – are having a ton of fun running on the beach with all your doggy friends and suddenly here comes this human to take you away from the fun.  When you see the dog’s point of view it is easy to see how the appearance of the owner and the lead can be seen as a negative.

This negative perception causes many dogs to delay this outcome by refusing to come when they are called.  From the dog’s point of view, this makes perfect sense, since every minute of delay means another minute of romping on the beach or in the park.  In other words, the dog has learned that the most rewarding thing to do is to ignore the calls of its owner.  While this may seem like a good idea to the dog, it is definitely not a good thing from the owner’s perspective.

For dogs who have not yet learned this type of avoidance behavior, it is best to prevent it from happening by supervising the dog at play and making the time you spend with your dog as much, or more, fun, as the time it spends alone or with other dogs.

For dogs that have already learned the value of ignoring their owner, some retraining is definitely in order.  It is vital that every dog respond to the “come here” command, for the safety of both humans and dogs alike.

One thing to avoid is following the “come here” command with unpleasant activities.  Calling the dog and then immediately giving him a bath, clipping his nails, taking him to the vet, etc. will quickly teach the dog that coming to the owner has negative consequences.  It is best to ask the dog to come and then play with him, feed him, walk him or engage in other fun activities.  If you do need to take your dog to the vet, bathe him, etc. make sure that you to allow some time to pass so the dog does not associate the “come here” command with the bad experience.

It is important to remember that dogs are constantly learning, whether a formal training session is in process or not.  Your dog is always learning something from you, whether good or bad.  It is therefore important to make every interaction with your dog a positive one.

When teaching the dog to come on command, it is vital that the dog be consistently rewarded every single time he does as the owner wants.  A reward can be as simple as a pat on the head, a “good boy” or a scratch behind the ears.  Of course, treat based rewards are appreciated as well, and many dogs are highly food motivated and respond quickly to this type of training.  The key is to be consistent.  The dog should get some kind of reward, whether it be praise, a toy, or a treat, every time he appears at the owners side when called.

Posted on Leave a comment

Training the dog to come when it is called

Training a dog to come when it is called is a vital and potentially lifesaving, part of any successful dog training program.  All properly trained dogs must learn to respond instantly to the owner’s voice and the sooner this lesson is learned the better.

The advantages of teaching a dog to come when called are obvious.  For starters, coming when called will help you regain control of the dog in case of collar break, snapped lead or other similar equipment failure.  This is particularly important when you are out with your dog, especially in an area with lots of traffic.  It is vital that the dog responds to your voice and returns to your side, even in the absence of collar and lead and even if there are lots of other things competing for its attention.

Coming when called is also a vital skill for every working dog.  Whether the dog’s job is herding sheep, guarding livestock, or sniffing out bombs and drugs at the airport, the working dog must be under total control at all times, whether on lead or off.

Even if your dog’s only job is being a loyal companion, it is still vital that he learn this important basic obedience exercise.  After the first obedience lessons, such as heeling, stopping on command, sitting on command, etc. have been learned, it is time to start incorporating the come when called lessons into the daily training sessions.

One note about dog training – it is all too easy for training sessions to become dull and routine for both handler and dog.  A bored dog will not be receptive to learning, just as a bored handler will not be a good teacher.  It is important, therefore, to always incorporate fun things and play into every training session.  Incorporating a few minutes of play time before the lesson begins can do wonders for the attitude of dog and human alike.  Likewise, ending each training session with a few minutes of free play time is a great way to end on a positive note and to help the dog associate obedience training with fun and not drudgery.

The command to stay and the command to come when called are often combined in obedience training lessons and they do go naturally together.  Start with the dog on a loose lead, ask the dog to sit and then slowly back away.  If the dog begins to get up and follow you, return to the dog and ask him to sit again.  Continue this process until you can reach the end of the lead without the dog getting up.

After you can successfully reach the end of the lead on a consistent basis, try dropping the lead altogether.  Of course you will want to do this in a controlled environment like a fenced in garden.  After the dog has mastered the stay command, it is time to add the come when called command.

Take up the lead again and with the dog on the end of the lead say “come” or “come here”. It is often helpful to use a lure when teaching this behavior.  The lure provides a visible item for the dog to focus on.  Teaching the dog to come to the lure is a good first step in training the dog to come when called.

Repeat this procedure many times until the dog will consistently stay and then come when called.  After the dog has mastered coming when called while attached to the lead, slowly start introducing the concept when the lead is removed.  As before, these training sessions should only take place in a controlled, safe environment, such as a fenced in front or back garden.

A well trained, obedient dog should respond to the call to return to its owner no matter where it is and no matter what distractions may occur.  It is therefore necessary to test the dog with distractions of your own.

If you have a neighbor, preferably one with a dog of his own, try having him come over with the dog.  Have him and the dog, stand just outside the fenced in area and repeat the come when called exercise with your dog off the lead.  If he becomes distracted by the other dog, put the lead back on and repeat the process.  The goal is to have your dog consistently pay attention to your commands, no matter what distractions may present themselves.

Posted on Leave a comment

Obedience training and your dog

Obedience training is one of the most important and most effective things any owner can do for his or her dog.  A properly obedience trained dog is a happy, productive and safe member of the family, while a untrained dog can be destructive and even dangerous.

Dogs are designed by nature to follow leaders and to look for that leadership.   As pack animals, dogs naturally follow the directions of their pack leader. In the absence of a strong leader, the dog may assume this role itself.  Dogs that think of themselves as the leader of their human pack can become uncooperative, destructive and even dangerous.

Proper obedience training opens up important lines of communication between handler and dog.  The basis of any obedience training program is to gain the cooperation and respect of the animal.  This respect cannot be exerted through rough handling methods or mistreatment.  It must instead be earned through leadership and proper training techniques.

Basic obedience training consists of teaching the dog what to do and what not to do.  When it comes to desired behaviors, it is important for the dog to learn and respond to basic commands, such as heeling when walking, stopping on command, sitting when directed, coming when called and staying where the handler directs.

The list of what not to do is also important when it comes to obedience training.  Some of the don’ts of obedience training include – not jumping up on people, not forging ahead when walking and, not chewing the furniture or your property and not getting out of control when exposed to novel situations.

In essence, obedience training involves establishing the social hierarchy that is so important to dogs as pack animals.  When your dog follows your obedience commands, such as – come, stay, sit, heel, etc., he or she is showing compliance and submissiveness.  This is the same type of behavior a submissive member of a wild dog pack would show to the alpha dog in that pack.

As with any type of dog training, it is important that obedience training sessions be fun and rewarding for both dog and handler.  A happy, healthy dog will be best able to learn and keeping the dog happy during the training sessions will make life easier for both yourself and your dog.  Obedience training has many benefits for the dog as well as the handler.  For one thing, a well trained, obedient dog can be permitted a larger amount of freedom than an untrained dog.  For instance, a dog that has been properly trained to come when called can safely enjoy some off leash play time at the local park.

There is always a debate over whether it is easier to obedience train puppies or older dogs.  The fact is that both puppies and older dogs can be successfully trained to be willing, obedient companions.  It is generally easier to train puppies and young dogs than it is to retrain dogs that have developed behavior problems.  Even problem dogs, however, can be successfully retrained using basic obedience training and control concepts.

When obedience training puppies, however, it is important to remember that puppies generally have a shorter attention span than to do full grown dogs.  It is important, therefore to keep training sessions short in the beginning.  It is also important to incorporate lots of play with other puppies, dogs and other animals, as well as lots of different people.  Proper socialization is very important to creating a safe, healthy and happy companion dog.

There are many obedience training classes held in all parts of the country, and new puppy and dog owners are encouraged to enroll in one of these classes.  Not only do puppy kindergarten and dog obedience classes provide important structure for the dogs, but it provides important chances for properly socialization the puppy as well.

Posted on Leave a comment

Dog training basics – preventing unwanted urination

Problems with inappropriate urination are some of the most commonly encountered by dog owners.  As a matter of fact, inappropriate urination and defecation is the most frequently cited reason that owners surrender their animals to shelters.

Before you can address problems with inappropriate urination, it is important to understand the basis of the problem.   There are several reasons why dogs lose control of their bladders and it is important to know the root cause of the problem before it can be properly addressed.

Problem Number1 – Excitement Urination

Dogs often urinate when they become overly excited and dogs that are otherwise perfectly housebroken sometimes show their excitement by dribbling urine when greeting you excitedly.  It is normal for some dogs to urinate when they get excited and this can be a particular problem for many older dogs.

A lot of excitement induced urination occurs in young puppies and it is caused by a lack of bladder control.  The puppy may not even know he is urinating and punishment will simply confuse him.  Becoming angry with the puppy will quickly cause excitement urination to morph into submissive urination, thus compounding the problem.  As the puppy gets older and develops better bladder control, this type of excitement urination should disappear.

The best cure for excitement urination is prevention.  Preventing your dog from becoming over excited is the best way to control this problem behavior.  If your dog is excited by a particular stimulus or situation, it is important to repeatedly expose him to that situation until it no longer causes excessive excitement.

Problem Number 2 – Submissive Urination

Submissive urination is a natural part of pack behavior among animals like dogs and wolves.  The submissive member of the pack shows his or her submissiveness by lowering itself and urinating.  Since dogs are pack animals, they may show their submissiveness to their owner, who they regard as the pack leader, by exhibiting this submissive urination.

Dogs who exhibit submissive urination are usually showing their insecurity.  Unsociaized and previously abused dogs often exhibit submissive urination.  These dogs need to be shown that there are more appropriate ways to express their submissive status, such as shaking hands or licking the owner’s hand.

The best way to deal with submissive urination problems is often to ignore the urination.  Trying to reassure the dog can give the mistaken impression that you approve of the behavior, while scolding the dog can make the submissive urination worse.

Correcting problems with submissive urination should be directed at building the dog’s confidence and teaching him other ways to show his respect.  Teaching the dog to lift his paw, sit on command, or similar obedience commands, is a great way to direct the dog’s respect in a more appropriate direction.

Problems with urination are not always easy to deal with, but it is important to be consistent and to always reward acceptable behavior on the part of the dog.  When urination problems do occur, it is always a good idea to first rule out any medical conditions that could be causing those problems.  Medical issues like bladder infections can be the root cause of problems with unwanted urination.

After any medical problems have been ruled out, it is important to determine what is causing the problem, and treat it appropriately.  While it can be tempting to punish the dog for inappropriate elimination, doing so will only confuse and further intimidate him.

Posted on Leave a comment

Dog Training – Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety, also known in the dog training world as owner absent misbehavior, is one of the most frequently encountered problems in the world of dog training.  Separation anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, including chewing, destroying the owner’s property, excessive barking, self destructive behavior and inappropriate urination and defecation.

Dogs suffering from separation anxiety often whine, bark, cry, howl, dig, chew and scratch at the door the entire time their family members are away.  Well meaning owners often unwittingly encourage this misbehavior by rushing home to reassure the dog, but it is important for the well being of both dog and owner that the dog learn to deal with extended periods of separation.

How the owner leaves the house can often contribute to separation anxiety issues.  A long and drawn out period of farewell can make matters worse by making the dog feel even more isolated when the owner finally leaves.  These long types of farewells can get the dog excited, and then leave him with lots of excess energy and no way to work it off.  These excited, isolated dogs often work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up a favorite rug or piece of furniture.

Excess energy is often mistaken for separation anxiety, since results are often the same.  If you think that excess amounts of energy may be the problem, try giving your dog more exercise to see if that eliminates the problem.

If separation anxiety is truly the problem, it is important to address the root causes of that anxiety.  In order to prevent separation anxiety from occurring, it is important for the dog to feel happy, safe, secure and comfortable while the owner is away for the day.  It is important, for instance, to give the dog plenty of things to keep it busy while you are away.  This means providing it with lots of toys, such as balls or chew toys.  A pet companion is often effective at relieving separation anxiety as well.  Giving the dog a playmate, such as another dog or a cat, is a great way for busy pet parents and pets alike to cope with the stress of being left alone.

Setting aside scheduled play times, during which the pet is given your undivided attention, is another great way to alleviate boredom and separation anxiety.  Playing with the dog and providing it with sufficient attention and exercise, is a proven way to avoid a stressed and anxious dog.  A happy dog that has been well exercised and well conditioned will generally sleep the day away happily and patiently wait for the return of its owner. It is important to schedule one of these daily play sessions before you leave the house each day.  It is important to give the dog a few minutes to settle down after playtime before you leave.

For dogs that are already experiencing separation anxiety and associated misbehaviors, it is important to get him accustomed to your leaving gradually.  Be sure to practice leaving and returning at irregular intervals, several times during the day.  Doing so will get your dog accustomed to your deparartures and help him realize that you are not leaving him forever.  Dogs that have been previously lost, or those that have been surrendered to shelters and readopted, often have the worst problems with separation anxiety.  Part of treating this problem is teaching the dog that your leaving is not permanent.

Posted on Leave a comment

Training your new puppy – eliminating bad habits

Anyone who owns a dog or puppy will eventually run into the need to eliminate unwanted habits.  While most dogs are eager to please their owners and smart enough to do what is asked of them, it is important for the owner to properly communicate just what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

 Each type of unacceptable behavior requires its own specific cures, and in most cases the cures will need to be tailored to fit the specific personality of the dog.  Every breed of dog has its own unique personality characteristics and every individual within that breed has his or her own unique personality.

 Whining, howling and excessive barking

 Let’s start with one of the most frequently encountered problem behaviours in both dogs and puppies.  While some barking and other vocalizing is perfectly normal, in many cases barking, howling and whining can become problematic.  This is particularly important for those living in flats, apartment buildings, or in closely spaced homes.  Fielding complaints about barking is not the best way for you and your dog to meet the neighbours.

 Some tips of dealing with excessive whining, barking and howling include:

 Ø  If your puppy or dog is howling or whining while confined to its crate, immediately take it to its toilet area.  Most puppies and dogs will whine when they need to do their business.

Ø  It is important to teach a dog or a puppy to accept being alone.  Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety and these stressed dogs can exhibit all sorts of destructive and annoying behaviors.  It is important to accustom the puppy to being left on its own, even when the owner is at home.

Ø  It is important to teach a dog or a puppy to accept being alone.  Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety and these stressed dogs can exhibit all sorts of destructive and annoying behaviors.  It is important to accustom the puppy to being left on its own, even when the owner is at home.

Ø  Always strive to make the puppy or dog as comfortable as possible.  Always attend to the physical and psychological needs of the dog by providing food, water and toys.

Ø  If the dog is whining, check for obvious reasons first.  Is the water dish empty?  Is the dog showing signs of illness?  Has his or her favorite toy rolled under the furniture?  Is the temperature of the room too hot or too cold?

Ø  Do not reward the puppy or dog for whining.  If the dog whines when left alone, for instance, it would be a mistake to go to the dog every time it whines.

Ø  After you have ensured that the dog’s physical needs are being met and that discomfort is not responsible for the whining, do not hesitate to reprimand the dog for inappropriate behaviour.

Problem Chewing

 

Puppies naturally chew and they tend to explore their world using their mouths and teeth.  While chewing may be normal, however, it is not acceptable, and it is important to nip any chewing problems in the bud to prevent the chewing puppy from growing into a chewing dog.

 Providing a variety of chew toys is important when teaching a puppy what is appropriate to chew and what is not.  Providing a variety of attractive chew toys is a good way to keep the puppy entertained and to keep his teeth and gums exercised.  Scented or flavored toys are great choices for most puppies. 

The puppy should be encouraged to play with these chosen toys, and the puppy should be effusively praised every time he or she plays with or chews these toys.

Another great strategy is to encourage the puppy to get a toy every time he or she greets you.  Every time the puppy greets you or a member of your family, teach him to get one of his toys.

It is also important to exercise good housekeeping techniques when training a puppy not to chew on inappropriate items.  Keeping the area to which the puppy has access free and clean is important.  Keeping items out of reach of the puppy will go a long way toward discouraging inappropriate chewing.  Try to keep the puppy’s area free of shoes, rubbish and other items and always make sure that the area has been properly puppy proofed.

If the puppy does pick up an inappropriate item like a shoe, distract the puppy and quickly replace the item with one of its toys.  After the puppy has taken the toy, praise it for playing with and chewing that toy.

If the puppy does pick up an inappropriate item like a shoe, distract the puppy and quickly replace the item with one of its toys.  After the puppy has taken the toy, praise it for playing with and chewing that toy.

Try booby trapping items the dog should avoid by spraying them with bitter apple, Tabasco sauce or other nasty tasting but non-toxic items.

 

 

Posted on Leave a comment

Puppy house training tips

House training a puppy is very important for the well being of both the puppy and the owner.  The number one reason that dogs are surrender to animal shelters is problems with inappropriate elimination, so it is easy to see why proper house training is such an important consideration.

It is important to establish proper toilet habits when the puppy is young, since these habits can last a lifetime and be very hard to break once they are established.  It is very important for the owner to house break the puppy properly.  In most cases, true house training cannot begin until the puppy is six months old. Puppies younger than this generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true house training.

Puppies younger than six months should be confined to a small, puppy proofed room when the owner cannot supervise them.  The entire floor of the room should be covered with newspapers or similar absorbent materials and the paper changed every time it is soiled.  As the puppy gets older, the amount of paper used can be reduced as the puppy begins to establish a preferred toilet area.  It is this preferred toilet area that will form the basis of later house training.

The Do’s of House Training Your Puppy:

 

Ø  Always provide the puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the established toilet area. 

Ø  When you are at home, take the puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes.

Ø  When you are not at home or cannot supervise the puppy, you must be sure the puppy cannot make a mistake.  This means confining the puppy to a small area that has been thoroughly puppy proofed.  Puppy proofing a room is very similar to baby proofing a room, since puppies chew on everything.

Ø  Always provide a toilet area that does not resemble anything in your home.  Training the puppy to eliminate on concrete, blacktop, grass or dirt is a good idea.  The puppy should never be encouraged to eliminate on anything that resembles the hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may encounter in a home.

Ø  Praise and reward your puppy every time he eliminates in the established toilet area.  The puppy must learn to associate toileting in the established areas with good things, like treats, toys and praise from his owner.

Ø  Always keep a set schedule when feeding your puppy, and provide constant access to fresh, clean drinking water.  A consistent feeding schedule equals a consistent toilet schedule.

Ø  Using a crate can be a big help in helping a puppy develop self control.  The concept behind crate training is that the puppy will not want to toilet in his bed area.

Ø  And finally, it is important to be patient when house training a puppy.  House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem dog.

 

The Don’ts of House Training Your Puppy

 

Ø  Never reprimand or punish the puppy for mistakes.  Punishing the puppy will only cause fear and confusion.

Ø  Do not leave food out for the puppy all night long.  Keep to a set feeding schedule in order to make the dog’s toilet schedule as consistent as possible.

Ø  Do not give the puppy the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.

 

House training is not always the easiest thing to do and some dogs tend to be much easier to house train than others.  It is important, however to be patient, consistent and loving as you train your dog.  A rushed, frightened or intimidated dog will not be able to learn the important lessons of house training.  Once you have gained your puppy’s love and respect, however, you will find that house training your puppy is easier than you ever expected.

 

 

 

Posted on Leave a comment

House training your dog

House training is one of the most important elements of creating a well trained dog and trusted family member.  Problems with house training and similar issues are the number one reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters, so properly house training your dog can literally save his or her life.

House training a puppy does not need to be difficult, but it is important to take the process seriously, plan ahead and take things slowly.  Some dogs will be easier to house break than others, so it important to work with your dog.  Rushing the process can be counterproductive and cause you to have to start all over again.

When it comes to house training a new puppy, it is important to know what to expect.  Unless the owner is able to supervise the puppy round the clock, it is difficult to complete the house training process until the dog is at least six months old.  It is important to know this ahead of time so you can be prepared.  Young puppies have bodies that are constantly changing and growing, and puppies younger than six months often have not developed the bowel and bladder control they will need to be properly house trained.

When the owner is not at home, the puppy should be confined to a small room and the entire floor should be covered with paper.  Of course it is important to puppy-proof the room, that is removing any items on which the puppy could be injured.  In the beginning, the puppy will most likely eliminate anywhere within the room.  In addition, the puppy will probably play with the papers, chew them, etc.  This is perfectly normal and should not be grounds for punishment or distress.  Cleaning up each day should simply be part of the routine of living with a new puppy.  Simply clean up the soiled papers and put down new ones each day.

Time for paper training

During the time that the puppy is confined in its little den, it will begin to develop the habit of eliminating on paper.  After a little time has passed, the puppy will begin to exhibit a preferred place to eliminate.  After this preferred spot has been established, the area that is papered should be slowly diminished.  The first papers to be removed should be those that are furthest away from the “toilet”.  Eventually, the owner will have to lay down only a few papers.  If the puppy ever misses those papers, it means that the papered area has been reduced too much and too soon. 

After the puppy is reliability doing its business only on the papers that have been left, the papers can be slowly and gradually moved to a location of your choice.  The papers should be moved only gradually, as little as an inch a day.  If the puppy misses the papers, again it means that they have been moved too soon and too far.  In this case it will be necessary to go back a few steps and start over.  It is important not to become discouraged.  The puppy will eventually understand the concept, and you will be able to choose your puppies toilet area and move on to the next step.

House training when the owner is home

Obviously the more time you can spend with your puppy the faster the house training will go.  The objective should be to take the puppy to the toilet area every time he needs to do his business.  In most cases this will be either every 45 minutes, right after each play session, after he first wakes up or right after he eats or drinks.  It is important to provide effusive praise for the puppy when he eliminates in the established toilet area. 

As the puppy becomes more used to using his toilet area and as he develops improved bladder and bowel control, he will be able to begin spending more and more time outside his den with his owner in the rest of the home.  It is important to begin this process by allowing the puppy access to one room at a time.  It is also important to allow the puppy in the extra room only when he can be supervised.  When you must leave the room, be sure to put the puppy back in his den.