Puppy House Training

2006-09-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

Puppy house training tips by Peter Motley

Puppy house training is vital 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 well-chosen puppy house training is such an essential consideration.

It is important to establish correct toilet habits during which time the puppy is young, since these habits can last a lifetime, and be rather hard to break once they are established. It is very important for the owner to house break the puppy correctly. In majority of cases, appropriate puppy house training cannot commence until the puppy is six months old. Puppies younger than this as a rule lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true puppy house training.

Puppies younger than six months should be confined to a small, puppy-proofed room when the owner cannot watch over them. The complete floor of the room ought to be covered with newspapers or equivalent absorbent materials, and the paper changed every time it is soiled. As the puppy gets older, the quantity of paper used can be decreased as the puppy starts 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 Puppy House Training Your Puppy:
> Without exception provide the puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the established toilet area.

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

> While you are not at home or cannot watch over 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 comparable to baby proofing a room, since puppies chew on everything.

> At all times 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 in no way be encouraged to eliminate on anything that resembles the hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may encounter in a home.

> Compliment 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.

> Always stick to a set schedule when feeding your puppy, and arrange for constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. A consistent feeding schedule equals a consistent toilet schedule.

> Using a crate can be a major benefit in helping a puppy develop self-control. The idea behind crate training is that the puppy will not want to toilet in his bed area.

> And lastly, 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 properly the first time than to retrain a problem dog.

The Don'ts of Puppy House Training Your Puppy
> Under no circumstances reprimand or punish the puppy for mistakes. Punishing the puppy will only bring about fear and confusion.

> Do not leave food out for the puppy all night long. Stick to a set-feeding schedule in order to make the dog's toilet schedule as consistent as possible.

> Do not allow the puppy the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.

Puppy 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 vital, 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 hoped-for.

Peter Motley is the author of this article. Go get your Free dog training report and also find out how to magically transform your dog's behavior and learn the secrets that professional dog trainers use, check out:
Puppy House Training

Puppy House Training

2006-09-22T01:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new puppy house training blog.

I'll be posting articles and tips on puppy house training very soon so be sure to check back.

Thanks Peter