Monday, August 30, 2010

How To Housebreak Your Puppy

By Givianis Dorrell

One of the initial situations that you must learn to deal with when purchasing a new puppy is house training. This is an effort to train the puppy to use the bathroom outside instead of inside. Most people find this process frustrating. However, if you have the patience and prepare properly, you can get the job done without too much trouble. You might be interested in some info on housebreaking a puppy.

There is no shortage of ideas and opinions on this subject. Some techniques are useful, while other are not. Often, these myths are cruel and ineffective. Take a look at some information and techniques that have been proven to be effective much of the time. Understand, however, that your success will depend on many variables.

You need to have realistic expectations with this process. Understand that puppies are very immature and simply have a tough time controlling their bowels and bladder. For this reason accidents are often unintentional and can continue after the puppy has learned its responsibility. Be prepared for this with patience and understanding. Make sure that you are consistent with your technique and approach to this process, or your puppy will only get more confused.

You must begin developing a schedule that you can stick too. Expect to take the dog outside as soon as you wake up in the morning and immediately after the puppy eats. These are typical times that a dog needs to go and need to be worked into the schedule. Between these times, take the dog out every couple of hours or so. Developing this schedule will help the puppy to develop a sense of rhythm about going outside to relieve itself.

Watch your dog for typical signs that they need to go, including sniffing, pacing, and circling an area of the floor. If you catch them doing this, take them outside. When you catch the puppy in the middle of an accident, firmly tell him "no" and quickly take the puppy outside. Remember that you should never hit the dog and avoid other cruel tactics that simply do not work. Also remember that you should not punish a dog for using the bathroom inside if you did no specifically catch the dog in the middle of the act. If you take action after the fact, the dog will simply have no clue why it is being punished.

Two key items you may need are puppy pads and kennels. Kennels are ideal for times when you must leave the house. Dogs will not want to relieve themselves in such a confined space, encouraging them to wait until you get home to go to the bathroom. However, the puppy may have no choice but to use the bathroom if you are gone for too long. Puppy pads are great for avoiding messes. They are also good for teaching the dog to go to the door when it needs to relieve itself. Try slowly moving the pads toward the appropriate door over time. The dog will learn to go to the door when it needs to go outside.

Housebreaking a puppy is a tough task, but it is very achievable. Preparation and anticipation are key. By understanding when puppies typically need to relieve themselves, you can set up a schedule to aid you and the dog. Utilize a kennel when you must leave the house, and use puppy pads to avoid messes and teach the dog to migrate towards the door. In time, the puppy will learn these important lessons.

About the Author:

>
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

0 comments: