What You Need To Know About Housebreaking Your Puppy In Cold Weather
Is housebreaking puppies in the winter significantly more difficult than at any other time of the year? Should the onset of winter make you think twice about bringing home a new puppy? In my opinion, the answer is a solid "no!" The essentials of housebreaking a new puppy remain the same. Our (my wife and I) dogs have been received housebreaking training during the winter and did just fine. In fact, they love the winter, but you, as owner, must take certain precautions due to the nature of the season.
There really is not a great deal to worry about. However, if you live in an extreme weather environment, then yes, you do have make allowances. You must be sure to pay attention to a few, very important common sense points.
First, never turn your puppy outside by itself. That is particularly true for a very young puppy, but regardless, never leave your puppy unaccompanied. Stay outside with your pet until it ready to come inside.
The second main point to keep in mind is that puppies are much more vulnerable to cold weather than adult dogs. Because of this, the timing of when you take your puppy outside is important, and so you want to observe your dog carefully and notice when it looks as if it may need to go outside. This is important as puppies are especially sensitive to frostbite and hypothermia.
Hypothermia simply means not enough heat. In other words, exposure to extreme cold over too long a period of time can lead to a condition where your puppy's body can no longer warm itself. If you see your dog begin to shiver or show other signs of discomfort, take it inside immediately.
Frostbite occurs after prolonged exposure to freezing cold. In this case, the cold damages the skin, and you can identify frostbite when you see tissue turning white or pale. The parts of dog most susceptible are the ears, tail area, and the webbing between the toes.
Here are a few fundamentals to keep in mind when housebreaking during the winter:
(1)Most puppies are ready for housebreaking around 8 weeks. (2)Set up a schedule and stick to it. (3)If you see your puppy acting as if it wants to go to the bathroom, take it outside. (4)Expect to take your puppy outside every two hours. (5)Take it outside shortly after feeding. (6)Never leave your puppy outside alone. (7)In harsh weather, keep outside time to a minimum.
If you pay attention to the tips above, you should have no trouble housebreaking your puppy during the winter. Both you and your new pet will make it through just fine, and your puppy will continue to use the lessons it learned in the more agreeable times of the year.
There really is not a great deal to worry about. However, if you live in an extreme weather environment, then yes, you do have make allowances. You must be sure to pay attention to a few, very important common sense points.
First, never turn your puppy outside by itself. That is particularly true for a very young puppy, but regardless, never leave your puppy unaccompanied. Stay outside with your pet until it ready to come inside.
The second main point to keep in mind is that puppies are much more vulnerable to cold weather than adult dogs. Because of this, the timing of when you take your puppy outside is important, and so you want to observe your dog carefully and notice when it looks as if it may need to go outside. This is important as puppies are especially sensitive to frostbite and hypothermia.
Hypothermia simply means not enough heat. In other words, exposure to extreme cold over too long a period of time can lead to a condition where your puppy's body can no longer warm itself. If you see your dog begin to shiver or show other signs of discomfort, take it inside immediately.
Frostbite occurs after prolonged exposure to freezing cold. In this case, the cold damages the skin, and you can identify frostbite when you see tissue turning white or pale. The parts of dog most susceptible are the ears, tail area, and the webbing between the toes.
Here are a few fundamentals to keep in mind when housebreaking during the winter:
(1)Most puppies are ready for housebreaking around 8 weeks. (2)Set up a schedule and stick to it. (3)If you see your puppy acting as if it wants to go to the bathroom, take it outside. (4)Expect to take your puppy outside every two hours. (5)Take it outside shortly after feeding. (6)Never leave your puppy outside alone. (7)In harsh weather, keep outside time to a minimum.
If you pay attention to the tips above, you should have no trouble housebreaking your puppy during the winter. Both you and your new pet will make it through just fine, and your puppy will continue to use the lessons it learned in the more agreeable times of the year.
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