Housebreaking - Tops On The List?
Housebreaking a puppy is one of the more challenging aspects of owning a dog. Many owners become very frustrated when their new little four legged bundle of joy constantly messes in the house and doesn’t seem to get the concept of going outside. What many people don’t realize is that, despite their best efforts, they are actually making the whole housebreaking routine much more difficult for their puppy.
• Watch them - Being consistent, watching your puppy for signs of anxiety that can signal the need to go outside are key factors in effective housebreaking and training.
• Remember bladder size - The first thing that new puppy owners need to keep in mind is that puppies, regardless of their actual size or weight, have very small bladders and relatively poor control of their bowels. It is therefore essential that the owner manage and carefully schedule feeding times so that they can monitor the puppy for approximately 30 minutes after eating.
• Know the danger times - Most puppies are going to have to go to the bathroom between 10 and 20 minutes after they eat, drink or exercise. In addition they typically have to urinate almost immediately after waking up, even if they just had a short nap. Knowing your puppy’s individual timing for bathroom breaks after these activities will make housebreaking much easier.
• Try crate training - Crate training is an excellent way to help your puppy understand about the housebreaking routine. Crate training is not a form of punishment; rather it provides your puppy with their own space and comfortable den to rest in after eating. Encourage the puppy to spend time in the crate and don’t use it as a time-out if they have done something wrong. The crate should only be seen as a comforting and positive space. Since the puppy sees this as his or her den area, they will not mess in the crate, however owners have to give the puppy enough opportunities to get outside or to the paper or potty area. Housebreaking using a crate works with all breeds and there are many different sizes of crates available.
• Be consistent - If you are paper training or even litter box training your puppy as an alternative to full housebreaking, be sure to be consistent in how you are training. Reward the puppy for using the designated space and avoid changing the location of the paper or litter box until the puppy is consistently using the space as the toilet area. Many owners of the toy breeds prefer paper or litter box training as an alternative to going outside. Keep in mind that a puppy or dog will not use a litter box like a cat and it will need to be cleaned after each use.
• Try puppy pads - Puppy pads are a good option with housebreaking if you have to leave the puppy alone in the house for longer than you know they can go between trips outside. There are several different types, some which have a chemical treatment that attracts the puppy to use the pad. Make sure the puppy pad is placed on a non-fabric type of surface as there is the chance they may leak or the puppy may somehow tear through the pad.
• Never punish - Housebreaking a puppy should never include punishment if the puppy makes a mistake or has an accident. Owners need to clean the mess up completely and make sure that the puppy has more frequent trips outdoors to prevent further accidents.
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