10 Housebreaking Tips
Dogs of any age can be successfully housebroken. Some dogs take to it
quickly, and others, bless them, need a bit more patience and a stricter
routine. Whether you have a very young puppy, or an adult that needs a "refresher
course" in housebreaking, the technique is the same.
If you've just brought a puppy home, and he's between the age of 8 and
12 weeks old, that's an ideal time to begin housebreaking, keeping in mind
that young puppies are physically unable to develop good bladder control
until their bodies are more mature. A reasonable length of time to expect
a new puppy to hold his bladder is only a couple hours until he's more than
12 weeks, in which case he can be expected to hold for 3-4 hours. Then at
5 to 6 months of age, they can go for 4-6 hours. And finally, up to one
year old, 6-8 hours. A healthy adult dog can hold his bladder for up to
8 hours, but needs to work his way up slowly to that length of time. If
you work away from home, it's a good idea to make a schedule to get away
once or twice a day to let the puppy out. Trade off with a spouse, neighbor,
or pet-care service until your puppy or dog can hold it all day.
The best asset when housebreaking a puppy or dog is crate-training. When
a dog or puppy is crate-trained, he's more likely to sleep, and therefore
is less likely to get into trouble or have an accident on the carpet. Read
the tips on crate-training, if you're interested
in learning more about it. I'm well aware that many people are opposed to
confinement of animals, so it's up to each individual whether or not to
crate-train. I'd like to assure you, however, that crate-training is neither
cruel nor unhealthy when done properly. These tips will work whether you've
decided you're for or against crate-training your dog or puppy:
1. Keep your dog on a strict feeding, exercise, and "potty"
schedule while housebreaking. The more regular his schedule, the easier
it is for a dog to adjust. Feed twice a day while training a puppy, once
or twice a day for adult dogs. Allow plenty of fresh, clean water at all
times (except when crated). A play or exercise session shortly following
a meal is usually all a dog needs to get the urge to urinate or defecate.
If your puppy doesn't "go" when taken out after a meal, bring
him in. Allow a few minutes to relax (keep an eye on him, this is when 99%
of all "accidents" happen), then take him out again and this time
wait until he goes. Relaxing after a play or exercise session (following
a meal) is the ideal time!
2. Do not switch your dog's food or feed table scraps. Only feed regular
dog or puppy food and dog biscuits. Table scraps, extra treats, or a
change in diet can upset a dog's digestive tract, and may cause diarrhea.
Rawhide chews, pigs ears, etc., can have the same effect. Save those for
after he's housebroken, or days when you can be there and let him out more
frequently.
3. Dogs do not have accidents on purpose. Never lose your temper or
punish a dog for an accident. I cannot stress this enough. Never, never,
never punish a dog for an accident. Not only does the dog not correlate
his action with your anger, it also adds stress to the situation, and stress
greatly increases the time it takes to housebreak properly. If you find
an accident, simply clean it up. Do NOT yell or rub the dog's nose in his
own waste! If you're lucky enough to catch a dog in the act of an accident,
simply stomp your foot, shout HEY! to distract him, and take him QUICKLY
outside to finish the job. Do not strike, scold, get angry, or otherwise
punish or frighten him. Stay outside with him until he finishes his job,
and then (this is tough to get used to) PRAISE him!
4. Thoroughly clean accident spots with enzymatic solution. Enzymatic
solutions like Nature's Miracle and Simple Solution (available at pet supply
stores) work great to remove the odor and stain from carpets and floors.
Dogs will not be tempted to use the same spot, once the odor is gone. Follow
package instructions carefully. The organisms in enzymatic solution will
completely break down a stain, so there is no odor left!
5. Keep the yard clean. Many dogs develop fastidious habits, and
will only "go" in a yard that's kept clean. If the yard is dirty,
or the grass is too long, some dogs will prefer the carpets indoors.
6. TAKE the dog out to do his business while housebreaking, don't
just LET him out. This way, you can monitor his "potty" behavior.
You'll know for sure if he's gone. You can praise them for going... praise
is the BEST thing to encourage a dog to housebreak. And it's a good time
to check for anything unusual (like worms in puppies, diarrhea, constipation,
straining).
7. Always praise your dog for going in the proper place. Praise
is the key to any type of training, including housebreaking. It cements
your expectations into the dog's head. Since positive reinforcement has
a much higher success rate in training than negative reinforcement, this
is what will give your dog the incentive to housebreak. Praise him also
for going to the door when you go to open it. At the door, ask him "Do
you want out?" then say "GOOD dog!" and take him out. He'll
soon get the idea, and will eventually "ask" to be let out.
8. Keep your eye on your dog while indoors. Don't assume that
your dog is staying out of trouble on his own. Monitor his activities closely
until he's well trained. If you're the type of person that gets busy and
forgets the dog momentarily, I suggest an "umbilical" or leash
(attached to your belt) while training, so the dog can't wander off and
get into trouble. Whenever your dog begins to pace, wander, sniff, or act
anxious, take him OUT. Crate-training comes in handy when you need to put
him in a safe place for a short time while attending to other things. Or,
if you can enclose them in the kitchen or some other non-carpeted room with
a baby gate, that's also an option. Just make sure there are no hazards
such as non-edibles, gas lines, or electrical cords they can chew on if
bored.
9. Give your dog a cue so he knows when to go. If you plan to
travel with your dog, or even if you're a busy person that doesn't have
time to wait for a dog that takes his sweet time, a cue is a helpful command
to teach the dog. Dogs that travel often have a hard time understanding
where it's okay to go and not to go. Also, dogs that dawdle can be a real
pain when you're in a hurry. Teaching a cue will help in both situations.
Early on in training, watch your dog or puppy when outside. As soon as the
dog begins to go, repeat a cue over and over such as a quiet "do your
business", "go potty", a clicking with your tongue, or whatever.
It doesn't really matter what cue you use, as long as it's the same each
time. When they're done, praise them. Then, each time your dog goes, repeat
this same cue, following with praise. He will soon associate the cue with
the urge, and you can eventually use it as a command to tell the dog what
you want him to do.
10. Be patient. Don't rush the puppy when training, keep everything
happy and easy, allow plenty of time, and never lose your patience. If this
means you have to get up a half-hour earlier for a few months, then it's
worth it. Keep your sense of humor and never forget to praise your dog.
You cannot praise too much! Really let them know you're happy when they
do something right, even if it's only a little thing. |