Potty Training.......Be consistent! You need to take your dog outside to relieve himself first thing in the morning, after all meals, last thing before bedtime, and roughly every two-four hours in between and in the middle of the night. This sounds like a lot, but it is better to take him outside too often in the beginning than to let him make "mistakes" in the house. Be sure to immediately reward your dog for "going potty" outside.
1. STAY AT HOME AS MUCH AS POSIBLE FOR THOSE FIRST 3-4 MONTHS
2. BUY A PUPPY FROM A BREEDER THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED GOOD HABITS OR METHODS FOR EASY, POSITIVE POTTY TRAINING. WHATEVER THEY HAVE WENT POTTY *ON AND *WHERE AT THE BREEDERS HOME... MATTERS BEFORE *YOU GET THE PUPPY. A NEGATIVE START WILL NOT BE GOOD FOR YOUR NEW PUPPY, YOUR FAMILY OR YOUR HOME.
3. (IF YOU ARE USING PEE-PADS) PUT THE PEE-PADS BY THE DOOR THAT YOUR PUPPY GOES IN AND OUT OF TO GO POTTY. WHEN THE PUPPY GOES TO THE PADS AND PUTS ITS NOSE DOWN....THIS IS AN OPPURTUNITY.... LET THE PUPPY OUTSIDE... HURRY !!
4. KEEP IT SIMPLE. 1-3 WORD SENTENCES WHEN GOING OUTSIDE TO GO POTTY...LIKE "PEE-PEE", "LETS GO PEE-PEE", "LETS GO POTTY".
5. WHEN PUPPY SNIFFS THE GROUND OUTSIDE, QUICKLY PAT ITS HEAD, "GOOD PUPPY". JUST ONCE . YOU DONT WANT TO STOP ITS PROCESS OF GOING OR THINKING ABOUT GOING.
6. PLACE WHATEVER THE PUPPY WAS PEEING AND POOING ON AT ITS BIRTH HOME, OUT IN *YOUR YARD.
7. TREATS FOR *GOOD PUPPIES THAT HAVE USED THE BATHROOM OUTSIDE, NEED TO BE VERY VERY SMALL. YOU CANNOT FILL YOUR PUPPY UP WITH TREATS. TOO MANY TREATS ARE NOT NUTRITIONAL. SMALL TREATS CAN BE LITTLE PIECES OF LUNCH MEAT, OR CEREAL. REMEMBER...NO FOOD COLORING. TREATS AND DOGFOOD SHOULD NOT HAVE COLORS, LIKE RED, YELLOW, ORANGE, GREEN. NOT GOOD FOR TOY BREEDS...FOOD COLORING.
8. TAKING YOUR CURRENT DOG (IF YOU HAVE ONE) OUTSIDE TO GO POTTY WITH YOUR NEW PUPPY IS A BRIGHT IDEA!
9. ALWAYS OBSERVE YOUR PUPPY'S ACTIONS AFTER EATING, DRINKING, PLAYING AND NAPPING.....THESE ARE THE TIMES WHEN YOUR PUPPY MAY SNIFF THE FLOOR AND WALK IN CIRCLES....HURRY!! GET THEM OUTSIDE.
10. KEEP YOUR PUPPY IN CERTAIN AREAS OF YOUR HOME. A PUPPY SHOULD NEVER BE GIVEN FREE ROAM OF YOUR WHOLE HOUSE. A PUPPY IN A NEW HOME SHOULD HAVE 1 OR 2 ROOMS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO RUN FREE IN.
11. CRATE TRAINING WILL ASSIST YOU IN HOUSE BREAKING FASTER IF DONE PROPERLY.
12. WHEN PUPPY DOES PEE OR POO IN YOUR HOME, A THOROUGH CLEANING IS VERY IMPORTANT.
13. WHEN PUPPY USES THE BATHROOM IN YOUR HOME, YOU CAN ONLY CORRECT THE PUPPY IF YOU CATCH HIM OR HER IN THE ACT. NEVER OVER- PUNISH...FOR INSTANCE, YELL, SCREAM, HIT, SMACK, RUB ITS NOSE IN IT (EWWW!) OR TIE UP OUTSIDE AND LEAVE THE PUP ALONE. A PUPPY'S MEMORY IS VERY SHORT, THEY WILL FORGET WHAT THEY ARE IN TROUBLE FOR AND THEN JUST THINK YOU ARE AN ANGRY PERSON WITH ANGRY ENERGY AND THEN THINK THEY ARE A VICTIM FROM YOUR WRATH OF ANGER. SIMPLE WORDS LIKE... "BAD PUPPY" OR "NO, BAD PUPPY" IS ALL YOU NEED TO USE. USE A FIRM DISAPPOINTING VOICE WHILE TAKING THE PUPPY FROM THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT TO OUTSIDE. YOUR SCOLDING ENDS WHEN YOU GET TO THE DOOR WITH THE PUPPY. SCOLDING NEVER GOES BEYOND THE DOOR TO OUTSIDE. IF YOUR ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HIT AND RUB THEIR NOSE IN THEIR MISTAKES, IT WILL TAKE LONGER TO HOUSE BREAK YOUR NEW PUPPY. WAIT !! ... IN FACT, IF YOU ARE THIS TYPE OF PERSON, DONT BUY A PUPPY FROM US.
14. ALWAYS SAY "GOOD PUPPY" AND PAT THEIR HEAD WITH LOVE AFTER THE PUPPY HAS RELIEVED ITSELF OUTSIDE. NEVER GET OVER EXCITED OR GO OVER BOARD WITH PRAISE OR CHANGE YOUR VOICE WHEN PRAISING. YOU WILL CONFUSE YOUR PUPPY AND ALSO TAKE ITS MIND OFF WHAT IT WAS DOING THAT WAS SO GOOD. 15. DONT PUT PEE-PADS OR NEWSPAPER OR WOODCHIPS IN THEIR CRATE.16. REMEMBER POTTY TRAINING IS 3 DIFFERENT STAGES.
*A. GOING OUTSIDE AND LEARNING...WHAT AM I OUT HERE TO DO?? TAKES ABOUT 2-4 WEEKS ?
*B. LEARNING TO "HOLD IT", REMEMBER A PUPPY'S BLADDER GROWS AS IT GROWS. TOY BREEDS BLADDERS TAKE UP TO 5-6 MONTHS TO BE COMPLETELY DEVELOPED.
*C. LEARNING HOW TO TELL YOU THEY HAVE TO GO. SOME DOGS BARK, SOME DOGS SPIN IN A CIRCLE IN FRONT OF THE DOOR. DOGGY DOORS ARE GREAT IF YOUR YARD IS FENCED IN.
17. SOME PEOPLE SAY TO WALK YOUR PUPPY OUTSIDE AND NOT TO CARRY THEM OUT. BUT THIS IS HARD TO DO IF YOU'VE JUST CAUGHT YOUR PUPPY IN THE ACT OF GOING, OF COURSE YOU JUST WANT TO SWOOP HIM OR HER UP AND GET THEM OUTSIDE. SO I DONT KNOW IF WE TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE "WALK DONT CARRY". BUT LETS JUST SAY THAT CARRYING SHOULD STOP AT SOME POINT OF TIME. YOU DECIDE. IF YOU CAN ENCOURAGE YOUR PUPPY SOME HOW TO GO THRU THE DOOR TO OUTSIDE BY ITSELF, GREAT !!
18. WHEN FIRST GOING OUTSIDE TO GO POTTY, NEVER ACT EXCITED ABOUT IT, ITS *NOT PLAY TIME. ITS PEE-PEE TIME, A SERIOUS MATTER !
19. DONT CHANGE YOUR VOICE WHEN YOUR PUPPY DOES GOOD POTTY THINGS. ( the baby-squeaky voice will confuse your puppy, you know which one I am talking about !! Never baby your puppy. You'll make them think they are a victim ).
20. NEVER TIE YOUR PUPPY OUTSIDE TO GO POTTY WHEN ITS FIRST LEARNING ABOUT POTTY TRAINING,. C'MON NOW...DONT BE LAZY !!
21. NEVER LEAVE YOUR PUPPY OUTSIDE TO POTTY ALONE. EVEN IF YOUR YARD IS FENCED IN.
22. ANYONE THAT ENROLLS THEIR PUPPY IN A TRAINING OR OBEDIENT CLASS WILL HAVE A SMOOTHER AND FASTER HOUSEBREAKING EXPERIENCE.
23. ANYONE THAT WALKS AND EXERCISES THEIR PUPPY DAILY WILL ALSO HAVE A SMOOTHER AND FASTER HOUSEBREAKING EXPERIENCE.
24. HAVING REGULAR FEEDING TIMES, MEANING FEED THE SAME TIMES EVERYDAY WILL HELP YOU HOUSE BREAK FASTER.
Positive reinforcement is the best training tool. Remember using treats are good rewards but patting your pups head a few times and saying good boy or girl is best. Stroking, and caressing your pups ear areas when it does "good" is better than a treat. Always train using the same voice. Soft and pleased sounding when your puppy does good. Firm and disappoinment sounding when they do bad.
Most importantly, set your dog up for success. Be patient with mistakes as they are always bound to happen. Try to focus more on the positive accomplishments your dog is making instead of any negative occurrences. If you create an environment where your dog can succeed, your dog will flourish and become a happier, better adjusted member of your pack.
Remember all dogs need walked and exercised, if you want a well behaved doggy.
The importance of beginning to train your puppy as soon as he comes home cannot be over emphasized. Just a few minutes each day spent in fun interaction and training with your puppy will reap life long benefits. By learning how to interact with your puppy, and understanding how a dog's mind works, potential behavior problems will be avoided. Help your puppy understand what his boundaries are through obedience training. A well mannered puppy is one who will be loved by everyone and welcome anywhere! It will be helpful to you and your new puppy if you enroll in a puppy obedience class. This class will strengthen the bond between you and your puppy, teach you both about basic obedience and be a continued socialization opportunity for your puppy. This class can be started as soon as your puppy has complete his puppy shots (usually between 12 and 16 weeks). If you prefer, professional trainers can also do individual classes, or come to your home for private lessons.
