Potty Training for puppys!
There are six times a puppy should be left outside for about 30 minutes to toilet:
- before going to bed for the night
- as soon as he wakes up
- after a nap during the day
- after eating
- after exuberant play
- After you return home from an outing.
Other points to remember:
If you have your puppy inside with you, be aware of where he is at all times. The puppy that disappears from your immediate area is a puppy up to mischief toileting or chewing.
Puppies should be confined to a sleeping area, preferably a crate that is just large enough for the puppy to turn around and sleep in. He should be placed in a bedroom with a family member. When the puppy cries, take him out to the designated area to toilet. As your puppy toilets, say “go potty,” “busy, busy” or “quick, quick.” Praise your puppy AFTER he has finished toileting. (No dog over eight months old should be left in a crate for more than eight hours. Remember to monitor your puppy while he is in the crate.)
An idea for a toileting area if space is limited is to place a box of sod on your patio. You can take the puppy to this area and train him to eliminate there as his designated area.
Alternate feeding in the areas in which you do not want your puppy to eliminate. Also, leave fresh drinking water in those areas. Puppies generally will not eliminate in those areas where they eat, drink or sleep.
Feeding your puppy a nutritious, well-balanced diet also helps because pups that are fed naturally will defecate less (about 25% less). Look for ingredients on your dog food package that contain real meat, less meat meal and little or no by products or grains.
Lavender oil also helps your puppy associate the smell with his den. Place a few drops of lavender oil in the water when washing his bedding. Place a few drops in the water of a spray bottle to spray everything in your house. Also, place some lavender oil in the water with which you mop your floors. Finally, take a towel that has been dipped in a lavender oil and water mixture and rub it all over your puppy. He will start to associate the lavender oil smell with his den. In this case, his den will be your entire house, not just his crate.
Keep things as simple as possible. Your puppy will make mistakes, but if you follow the above regime, mistakes will be at a minimum. If your puppy does make a mistake, simply sop up the urine with a sponge. Then, squeeze out the urine throughout your backyard where you want him to go. Be sure to clean the soiled area thoroughly so no odor is left to confuse him. You may also place his poop in areas where you want him to go (instead of just putting it in the garbage). Your puppy will soon associate those smells with the outside areas in which you want him to relieve himself.
Be patient and consistent.
NEVER BECOME PHYSICAL WITH YOUR PUPPY. YOU ARE HIS TEACHER
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Potty Training the adult dog
Do not allow your adult dog to be alone in the house (except when crated or confined to a small room such as a laundry room or bathroom) until he has established his outside toilet area. Even when you are home, your dog should be under strict supervision and confined to a certain area (such as the family room) unless he is with you. Note that older dogs mark their territories by urinating or defecating in strategic areas informing other dogs “this is my territory.” Even some dominant females do this. Do not confuse this with toileting in the wrong place. If your dog is marking, spray Bitter Apple in those spots to discourage marking.
There are six times a dog should be left outside to toilet:
- before going to bed for the night
- as soon as he wakes up
- after a nap during the day
- after eating
- after exuberant play
- after you return home from an outing.
If you want your dog to toilet in a specific area outside:
1. Lead him outside to the area designated for him, and praise him lavishly when he performs. Note that if you use command words (“go potty” or “busy busy”), he will soon learn to go on command – useful on wet days or when traveling. Just repeat the command when encouraging him to go.
2. Alternate feeding in the areas in which you do not want him to eliminate. Also, leave fresh drinking water in those areas. Dogs generally will not eliminate in those areas where they eat, drink or sleep. You may also try scatter feeding the dog’s food in those areas (instead of feeding directly from a bowl). It is entertaining for the dog and he will associate that area with a place where he can get food, not a place to toilet.
3. Feeding your dog a nutritious, well-balanced diet also helps because dogs that are fed naturally will defecate less (about 25% less). Look for ingredients on your dog food package that contain real meat, not “by products,” and not too much “meat meal” or grains.
4. Lavender oil also helps the dog associate the smell with his den. Place a few drops of lavender oil in the water when washing his bedding. Place a few drops in the water of a spray bottle to spray everything in your house. Also, place some lavender oil in the water with which you mop your floors. Finally, take a towel that has been dipped in a lavender oil and water mixture and rub it all over your dog. He will start to associate the lavender oil smell with his den. In this case, his den will be your entire house, not just his crate.
Your dog will make mistakes, but if you follow the above regime, mistakes will be at a minimum and eventually will be non-existent. If your dog relieves himself in an unacceptable area, you may correct him only if you catch him in the act. Never become physical by grabbing or dragging your dog. You are his teacher. Be patient and positive. If you catch him in the act, correct him with a growled BAH and immediately guide him to where you want him to go. Praise him lavishly as soon as he is there. He may not do anything at that point, but he will get the message. Then, back in the house, sop up the urine with a sponge and squeeze it out throughout your backyard where you want him to go. Be sure to clean the soiled area thoroughly so no odor is left to confuse him. You may also place his poop in areas where you want him to go (instead of just putting it in the garbage). Don’t expect perfection too soon. Expect him to make mistakes in the early stages of his training, and remember that the training is up to you.
Be patient and consistent. It may take two to three weeks (or longer) to toilet train your dog.
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Dog Safety wire
A running chain is simple to install. A ring at the end of the dog’s chain is passed over a long piece of strong wire or rope, which is then fastened between two posts or two walls, or a wall and a post. The ring slides up and down the wire or rope, according to the progress of the animal, and the dog can therefore get a considerable amount of exercise while still under control. Gauge 8 wire is suitable for very strong dogs and gauge 12 for average dogs.
In the case of a wire suspended from a wall, no “stop” is needed as there is nothing with which the dog can entangle itself . However, should the other end of the wire be attached to a post, then a “stop” is necessary.
Please note the use of a running wire is only recommended when there is no fenced yard and a pen is not an option. A dog should not be left on a running wire longer than 4 hours at any time. With 1 to 2 hours of absolute freedom given to the dog once off the running wire.
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Pool Safety
If your dog falls into a river or lake, his instinct will tell him to turn around and try to get out from the point he fell in. This may work well in nature, a lake or a river, but in a suburban swimming pool, your dog may drown if he adopts this instinctive action. Therefore, dog must be taught to exit a pool.
To teach a dog how to exit a pool, first attach a recall leash to his collar. Gently place the dog into the pool from the steps. The dog will instinctively turn around and get out from the point of entry – the steps. Place the dog in the pool from the steps several times. Once he realizes that he can scramble out via the steps, move to the other sides of the pool and again gently place the dog into the pool. Use the recall leash to guide the dog to the step area giving him as little help as possible.
Once the dog has oriented himself to the steps in relation to the house and he understands how to use the steps to exit the pool, the danger of drowning in the pool will be reduced.
Practice as much as possible with your dog, especially with pups. When the pool’s water level is full, your dog has a greater chance of being able to get out.
Make certain your dog does not become exhausted. Practice three or four entries and exits at any one time.
If your dog has year-round access to the pool area, for your dog’s safety, conduct pool safety in all types of weather, hot and cold.
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