Potty training your puppy: a beginner's guide
I will teach you how to
potty train a puppy to go outside and do his business. I have trained a lot of
puppies over the years and I trust you will find this simple tutorial useful. I have heard dog owners ask:
how do I potty train a dog in 5 days? How to potty train a puppy fast?
Well, I won't be
showing you how to potty train a dog in 5 days or how to potty train a puppy
fast. I will be showing you how to
potty train your dog the right way (so,
whether it will take you 3, 5, 7 days or even more would be up to you and your
puppy).
Before I start, I’d like
to make a few assumptions.
First, I assume you have a puppy that needs
potty training (it could be yours or a friend's). Or maybe you are planning to
get a puppy soon.
Secondly, I assume that
you have little or no prior potty training experience.
Thirdly, I assume that
you are willing to buy all or some of the dog supplies that you might
require for the dog potty training exercise, or that you can make do with what
you already have.
Okay, enough assumptions,
let's leap over to fact.
The fact here is potty
training isn't the only behavioral training that your new puppy would require,
but I cannot cover everything you need to know about other behavior training
for your puppy on this post, that's why i am limiting the post to how to
potty train your puppy. I have also made available a free EBook on How
to Train a Puppy please contact us if you want it.
Now let's get down to
some business
Getting a new puppy is
as fun and interesting as it could be. You probably went to a breeder or pet
store or maybe just saw an ad on the Internet or the newspaper, for
puppies, and decided just to check it out. Before you knew it those little eyes
and fluffy puppy fur had your heart melting and you were headed home with him
or her in your arms. If you are like most new pet owners you had visions of
playing fetch with your dog, of watching him frolic at the lake, and of
cuddling up on cold nights.
However, you probably
failed to realize that the behaviors you dream of in a dog do not come
naturally. In fact, the more natural behaviors for most puppies include lovely
little things like chewing up your favorite shoes, barking every second of the
day, and peeing wherever they are when the mood strikes them. These behaviors
might seem cute at first or even manageable but, if left unchecked they can
lead to a very bad adult dog.
Now, the problem with
puppies that are not trained is that they grow into untrained dogs. An
untrained dog can be a nuisance. All of that cute little yipping can quickly
become loud barking that keeps you and your neighbors up for nights on end. The
little teeth marks in your shoes can turn into destroyed furniture and a
destroyed home before you know it. Likewise, those cute little puppy poops are
not so cute when the dog is 75 pounds and has the excrement to match.
I am pretty sure you won't
like to experience that. I will teach you how to potty train your puppy in 9
easy steps or modules.
Potty Training Your
Puppy
Basically, the most
important and perhaps first thing you need to do when you purchase a new puppy
is potty training. Your dog knows no difference between the inside of
your house and the backyard. As far as they are concerned there are very few
places that are not acceptable place to pee or poop. You probably have very
different ideas. It should be relatively easy for you to train your dog to go
outside if you are willing to follow the steps i will give here.
As you begin this
process you may have to cut those close and cuddly ties you have already
established with your puppy. To housebreak a puppy you will need to keep him
confined to a small area, not your lap, in the home. While this may seem like
punishment remember that dogs were once den dwelling animals. They like their crate
or dog house it makes them feel secure. They also want your praise, so
by training them you will be able to give them the praise that they desperately
want.
Now below are 9 easy
steps to potty train your puppy.
Step #1: Get Your Puppy
a House
One of the first things
to do if you want to potty train is to get a crate or kennel for your
puppy. When you are not actively engaged in playing with or walking your
puppy he should be in a crate. This includes overnight and while you are
not home. The puppy should not expect, nor should he be given free run of your
home. This will give him an early sense of dominance and make it harder to
train him. In addition, most dogs will not eliminate in their kennels, so you
reduce the risk of an in home accident. The crate should be large enough for
your dog to sit up, stand, and turn around. Too large of a crate is not going
to make your dog feel secure and too small will be uncomfortable. Since your
dog will likely get larger you may have to invest in successively larger
kennels. Maintain them well and you should be able to sell them online or at a
yard sale. Your local dog shelter would probably love a donation of an old
kennel if you are so inclined.
Step #2: The Puppy Needs
Good Company
It sucks to be lonely,
doesn't it? Perhaps your new puppy shares in that same school of thought. You
don't want to go on a vacation when you've just purchased a new puppy, who by
any means, not only need your time but deserves it as well. You must learn to
treat your pet like family! If you must go on that vacation, then have someone
(someone nice, i might add), to come over and watch your puppy while you are
away. I do recommend buying your puppy on a Friday so that you can have two
whole days to spend with it. Most of
your time should be spent around the house with your new dog making him feel
comfortable and getting him on a puppy schedule.
Step #3: Buy Dog
Training Supplies
Well, I did mention earlier
that you will need to purchase some dog supplies or make do with what you
already have. You will need treats, and
lots of them for potty training and other behavioral training. Buy a large
supply and a wide variety of treats. There are all sorts of different kinds
available in pet food stores, make sure to get ones that your little
puppy can handle chewing up. You might even cut up the treats into small, bite
sized pieces. There are treat bags that you can purchase that will clip
to your belt or pocket. You probably do not want to just keep them in your
pocket because the dog can smell them and will not leave you alone.
Step #4: Get a Stopwatch
or Timer
When it comes to potty
training you will also want a stopwatch or timer, if there is one on your oven
or cell phone that will also work fine. Some people, especially apartment
dwellers with small dogs use pee pee pads. It seems a little gross, but can be
a necessity if you live in an apartment where going downstairs constantly can
be a hassle. There are some good grass beds available that are an alternative
to pee pee pads. They are much more appealing to look at and to smell. This is
also a good choice if your puppy will use your balcony to relieve himself.
Neither of these is a good options if your puppy will eventually be a medium to
large sized dog. Big dogs equal big puddles and big poops, the pads and grass
beds are not large enough to handle it.
Step #5: Come up with a
Schedule
As we see in the
previous module, using pee pee pads or grass beds could work fine for a
while, but you need to be proactive about the whole process. If your puppy will
go on to be a large dog, you might as well get things right from the beginning.
You must come up with a schedule. The rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold it
for one hour for every month of age plus one hour. If your dog is two months old
he should be able to hold it for three hours. However, this does not mean you
should wait three hours before taking him out. Instead you should start feeding
and watering the dog at the same time every day. Some people choose to feed
dogs twice a day, some once. Your dog will let you know which it prefers. Each
time you feed the dog he should be given a set amount of time, maybe fifteen to
thirty minutes to eat and then the food should be taken away.
Step #6: Take Your Dog
Out Immediately after Eating
After the dog has eaten
he should immediately be taken out to go potty. YOU choose the area of your
lawn that you want him to use as a toilet and take him to that spot. Walk the
dog around the area and use a cue phrase that suits you, like “Go Potty” or “Do
Your Business.” These cues would be ingrained in your dog and he will react to
them throughout his life. Make sure that everyone in the household who will
take the dog out uses the same cue phrase.
Step #7: Keep the Clue
Phrase You Adopted
Keep using your cue
phrase while the puppy goes potty, until he is completely finished. Once he is
done praise him and give him affection and a small treat. If he does not go
potty within five minutes take him back inside and put him in his kennel. Wait
fifteen to twenty minutes and try it again. Don't forget to give the puppy a
little treat when he gets it right.
Step #8: Repeat &
Repeat
Throughout the day you
will need to repeat this process once every hour, even when your puppy has not
eaten. Each time your puppy has a successful potty venture praise him and allow
him to have some supervised play time around the house.
Step #9: Lock the Puppy
in its Kennel at Bedtime
At bedtime your puppy
should be locked in his kennel. While he is still young you might want to move
the kennel into your bedroom at night, to make both the puppy and yourself feel
more secure. Do not feed or give water to your puppy near bedtime and try to
get him to go potty before you turn in. However, when he is small you may want
to set an alarm to go off at least once during the night so that you may take
your puppy out to the potty area.
CONCLUSION
With few exceptions this
plan should work to have your puppy trained within a few days. If you still
have problems you may need to adjust your schedule so that it better suits the
dog’s needs. Remember that even the best trained dogs have accidents while they
are young, be patient. Keep a good supply of floor and carpet cleaner on hand
to deal with any messes the puppy might make in those first few years. Also,
don’t be mean or punish your puppy for accidents. They are just that,
accidents! He is not disobeying you on purpose. All he wants is your love and
approval, the more of it you are able to give to him the more he will behave in
a positive manner.
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