Puppy Proofing Your Home
Prior to bringing your puppy home, plan to take one or two weeks off of
work, so you have uninterrupted time to focus on the puppy -- and, in particular, puppy potty training. Otherwise, it
will take much longer to housebreak your pup. You will need to "puppy proof" your house. Puppies are
like babies; they want to explore every corner of your house and they want to put everything into their mouths. A good
rule to follow is that anything that is not safe for children is not safe for pets.
Puppies learn new skills at different rates. It will take time for your puppy to develop a firm understanding
of where it's acceptable to potty and where it is not. It will take time for your pup to consistently understand
that the entire house is the den, an area not to be soiled.
Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently, sometimes as often as once
an hour. There will be many accidents, especially at first. Never lose your temper at the puppy and always use
simple, consistent one or two word commands. If you do not, your pup could become frightened and confused about what
you expect.
Puppy Potty
Training - First Steps
The first step in potty training requires that you learn the clues that indicate your puppy needs to potty. These
clues are restlessness, sniffing the floor, or returning to a previously soiled spot. Your pup will need to potty about
5-20 minutes after eating, sleeping, or playing. When you take your puppy outside to potty, go to the same spot each
time and don't play. You want your puppy to focus on one thing only during puppy potty training -- going in the
right area. As soon as your puppy goes potty, praise enthusiastically. Give your puppy a small food treat to reinforce
the positive behavior. While your puppy is going potty, praise very softly so you don't interrupt the behavior.
Be enthusiastic after your puppy is done.
While
you're potty training, you must keep the puppy close to you always, so that the puppy does not have the opportunity to
fail. This means starting the puppy out in a small area of the house and following the puppy nonstop. Alternatively,
attach one end of a leash to the puppy and the other end to you, so that the puppy is no farther away from you than the end
of the leash.
When you are not able to watch
the puppy, put the puppy into a kennel; or, if you have a fenced yard and the weather is good, you can put the puppy outside.
However, putting the puppy outside when you aren't watching means you lose the opportunity to reward. The
kennel is a preferable training tool. A young pup 7-9 weeks old should be in a kennel for no more than two hours at
a time. A puppy cannot control itself for longer than that.
Accidents During Puppy Potty
Training
If you catch your puppy in the act of going
potty in the house, you can do one of two things. The most common advice is to correct with a firm, "no" and immediately
take the puppy to the proper toilet area. This may not effectively discourage the puppy from going indoors. What often
happens instead is that puppies learn to make sure you aren't watching when they go indoors, so they go behind the couch,
in a closet, etc.
Newer understanding of dog behavior says that instead of punishing on the spot, you do everything you can to prevent
indoor accidents. If they happen, ignore them. You don't want to give the dog any attention for this mistake. Simply put
the puppy in its kennel or outside when he/she is finished; say nothing and clean up the mess thoroughly using an enzymatic
cleaner. Then redouble your efforts to get the puppy out before there is an accident.
Rubbing Nose?
Don't ever
hit a puppy for accidents. You'll frighten or confuse the puppy if you do so. Never punish a puppy after the fact.
Remember, a puppy thinks it is being punished for whatever it is doing at the time of your correction.
The same thinking applies to rubbing a puppy's nose in his or her mistakes -- don't do it. The pup
is not capable of making the reasoning leap that this is an area previously soiled and that is why you are punishing.
Dogs are oriented to the present.
What Happens During Training When Your Puppy Does Not Potty?
If you take your puppy outside and nothing happens, return the puppy to
the kennel for 5-15 minutes. Then take the puppy outside again for a few minutes. Repeat this cycle until the
puppy goes potty. As soon as that happens, the puppy can stay outside the kennel. This kind of routine helps the
puppy focus on going when you want the puppy to go.
The Leash, Outside and Puppy Potty Training
As your puppy starts to get the routine, begin training to also go potty
while on the leash, in areas other than your yard, and on varied surfaces. When you travel, your puppy will have the
confidence and experience to go wherever you need the puppy to go.
You
and your dog will make lots of mistakes during this time. Your puppy will do fine as long as you strive to be as consistent
as possible. Your occasional training errors and frustrations will not permanently scar your dog. Dogs are quite
resilient. And so are you!
Crate Training
Crate training is not putting your dog/puppy in a "cage" or "jail" and you are not being cruel
if you follow these tips. Dogs feel secure in small, enclosed spaces, like a den. Dog crates make excellent dens.
A crate offers your dog security, a den with a roof, and a place to call his very own where he can go to get away from it
all. It is also a safe place for him to stay when you're away or when you cannot watch him.
There are basically just a few steps in crate training and they are as follows:
1. Choose a
crate the same size as your puppy/dog. He should only have enough room to stand up, turn around and lie down. His
crate is for sleeping or for a safe place to be when you cannot be with him.
2. Use a single-word command
for your dog to enter his crate and throw in a treat or piece of kibble. When he enters, praise him and close the crate
door. Gradually increase the time he spends in the crate before you let him out. Remember, your dog still needs
time to play and eliminate. Maintain a regular schedule of trips outdoors, so as not to confine him too long.
3.
As a general guide, your puppy can stay in his crate comfortably for several hours, depending on his age. Take his age
in months, add 1, and that's how many hours he should be able to stay in his crate (up to about 8 hours). For example,
a 2-month old puppy should be comfortable in his crate for about 3 hours.
4. Providing your dog
or puppy with a crate that is way too large may allow him to relieve himself in one end and sleep in the other. Placing
food or water in his crate will allow him to fill up his bladder and bowel and he will have no choice, but to relieve himself
in his crate. Make sure you take your dog or puppy outdoors to eliminate on a regular schedule and especially prior
to being left for prolonged periods of time. Always take your dog outside on a leash to the same area in your backyard
to eliminate so you can praise him when his job is finished. This will take the guesswork out of his visits to the backyard.
Feeding
Your Puppy
Some dog owners forget that dogs require a variety of foods to ensure the consumption of nutritionally balanced
meals. A quality dog food has a proper balance of all the nutrients a dog requires together with a high level of palatability.
Adding human food to a nutritionally balanced commercial dog food may upset the nutrient balance of your dog’s
diet. Ideally, table scraps should not be fed. You may also be creating behavior problems. Your dog may
begin to steal food from the table or the food preparation area. Try feeding your dog at regularly scheduled times,
such as when the family is having breakfast or dinner. Feed only enough to maintain your dog in good body condition.
Ignore its coaxing for additional food, or give hugs instead.
Microchipping
Over 20 million pets are lost every year. A registered microchip gives
a pet the very best chance of a safe return home. The chip is lifetime insurance that almost guarantees the pet will
not be euthanized or put up for adoption if he is lost.
Microchip
recovery networks handle well over 1000 recovery calls every day and are responsible for the safe return of millions of pets.
