Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Puppy Training Tips For Housebreaking

By T Clancy

New puppies are filled with so much energy and provide tons of entertainment for the family they become a part of. It's a good idea to start training your puppy as soon as you get him, in order to make sure that he becomes a well-adjusted member to the family. There's nothing more frustrating than an unruly ball of fur that turns into a very large unruly ball of fur. The puppy training tips described below should provide some helpful guidelines to getting started with various types of training.

Housebreaking: Using a crate is the most desired way to start with housebreaking a puppy, since it's easier to keep track of his whereabouts when he's in the crate. This should be an area filled with toys and a comfortable bed for him to nap on. Try taking him outside every hour to relieve himself, until you know how long his breaks are between bathroom needs. It's a good idea to give him a break from the kennel every couple of hours, just to have a chance to romp around the house. The crate method is great for the evenings too, since puppies will usually whine when they need to go to the bathroom in the night when they are crated.

The most common sign of a puppy looking for a bathroom area is when his nose goes to the ground. He will usually do a bit of searching before he relieves himself, but it doesn't take long. Being able to spot him when he first starts looking will give you a few seconds to scoop him up and take him outside. After he's done his relieving outdoors, praise him and bring him back inside.

For people who are a bit busier or during the nighttime when the puppy can't be watched all evening, using a crate for housebreaking is the way to go. This area should be comfortable and have lots of toys for him to play with. Don't leave him in here for longer than an hour at a time at first.

Once you figure out his bathroom pattern, then you can adjust the amount of time in the kennel. It's a good idea to let him out every two hours or so to play, even if he doesn't need to use the bathroom. Dogs usually won't make a mess where they sleep, so be prepared for some whining in the night when he needs to relieve himself.

Chewing: Puppies enjoy trying out their new teeth on a number of items, they don't necessarily know the difference between their toys and your shoes. This may take some time for him to figure out. Having a variety of toys placed around the house will make this type of training easier. If you catch the pup chewing on something he isn't supposed to be chewing, then tell him no as you take it away from him. Be sure to give him one of his own toys after you've taken the other item away.

You will need to replace this item with a toy of his own, so he knows that chewing is okay, but only on his toys. For new puppy teeth, having a clean sock with crushed ice in it is a great chew toy. This can be kept in the freezer when not in use and provided when there seems to be an excessive amount of chewing going on.

Having a routine to housebreaking and consistency to monitoring chewing are going to make these puppy training tips more effective. This will may be a very trying process for most new dog owners, but having a well-behaved puppy will make life less complicated for both owner and puppy.

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