Most people dread toilet training their puppy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. You just have to use the right method. The first thing you need to realize is that puppies can't understand what you say. Some of my mates think the human word for mess is "bad dog". So don't shout. It only makes things worse. A puppy is too busy exploring the world to pay attention to what his back end is doing. You'll have to keep track of that for him.
Start out by limiting the potential for damage. Don't let your puppy wander freely about the house. Instead, set up a doggie zone in a room where the floor is easy to clean. Be sure to provide bedding, water and plenty of toys. The bed is important. We don't like to do our business where we sleep.
Now it's time to get to work. Pick a place for your dog to go. This can be a corner of the garden, or any other area that is easy to get to. Never play with your dog here. This spot is strictly for business.
Take your puppy to his toilet area several times a day. You can use a command to tell your dog what's wanted. This helps reinforce the right behavior. Be sure to say it when you first arrive at the toilet area and repeat it when the puppy does what you want. Young dogs can be slow on the uptake, but they eventually get the idea.
Praise your dog when he's finished, and take him back to his toys for some playtime. This makes toilet training just another part of the day rather than a stressful experience. Don't expect immediate success. Puppies don't have much control and accidents will happen. That's why you have a doggie zone.
Watch for signs that your puppy needs to go. This will be first thing in the morning, immediately after meals, and right before bedtime. Very young dogs should go to their toilet area every hour or two. To avoid nighttime accidents, take the puppy's water away when you go to bed and take the dog out once or twice during the night. Put the water back in the morning to avoid dehydration.
Puppies are babies, and they take a lot of work. The good news is we dogs grow up fast. It won't be long before your dog is as well trained as any other member of the family.
Start out by limiting the potential for damage. Don't let your puppy wander freely about the house. Instead, set up a doggie zone in a room where the floor is easy to clean. Be sure to provide bedding, water and plenty of toys. The bed is important. We don't like to do our business where we sleep.
Now it's time to get to work. Pick a place for your dog to go. This can be a corner of the garden, or any other area that is easy to get to. Never play with your dog here. This spot is strictly for business.
Take your puppy to his toilet area several times a day. You can use a command to tell your dog what's wanted. This helps reinforce the right behavior. Be sure to say it when you first arrive at the toilet area and repeat it when the puppy does what you want. Young dogs can be slow on the uptake, but they eventually get the idea.
Praise your dog when he's finished, and take him back to his toys for some playtime. This makes toilet training just another part of the day rather than a stressful experience. Don't expect immediate success. Puppies don't have much control and accidents will happen. That's why you have a doggie zone.
Watch for signs that your puppy needs to go. This will be first thing in the morning, immediately after meals, and right before bedtime. Very young dogs should go to their toilet area every hour or two. To avoid nighttime accidents, take the puppy's water away when you go to bed and take the dog out once or twice during the night. Put the water back in the morning to avoid dehydration.
Puppies are babies, and they take a lot of work. The good news is we dogs grow up fast. It won't be long before your dog is as well trained as any other member of the family.
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