Canine Pet Care
Housebreaking Your Puppy
Housebreaking begins as soon as the puppy enters their new home. How long the training period must continue depends on both the puppy and the owner. Some pups learn sooner than others. Every dog wants to please their master, but a puppy's memory is short, and patience and unrelaxing supervision must be the watchwords.
Generally, it is easier to train the puppy to go outside from the start as opposed to paper training. If the puppy is initially trained to go on paper, this will have to be "unlearned" to teach them to go outside. The following guidelines should be followed while attempting to house-break your puppy:
- Provide the puppy with an enclosed bed, crate, or cage. This structure should be slightly larger than the puppy with room for food and water dishes and a playtoy for positive reinforcement. If the area in the crate is too large, the puppy may use the corner rather than go outside. If it is the appropriate size. the puppy will prefer to go outside rather than soil his bed. Airline kennels or portable cages work well as a training bed for puppies.
- Initially, the puppy should be in the crate or cage at any time he is not being closely observed. If the puppy is given free access of the entire house he will have accidents and destructive chewing may become a problem. A washable towel or blanket may be placed in the floor of the cage or crate and the puppy should be trained to sleep in this area to prevent accidents at night.
- An outside spot should be chosen where the dog can go indefinitely without being disturbed or disturbing others. An area at the back of the yard or behind the garage may be satisfactory. To teach the puppy to associate this spot with their toilet habits, several stools and some rags or newspapers soaked in the puppy's urine can be placed there.
- The FIRST thing in the morning the puppy should be lifted from the bed and taken to the selected place. Let them sniff about the moment they have relieved themself, pat them and IMMEDIATELY bring them into the house. Do not let them play about. The toilet period and the play period should be definitely separate in the puppy's routine.
- They should be rushed to the selected spot immediately after each meal or nap, at one or two hour intervals, between, and the last thing at night. As soon as they relieve themself, they should again be complimented and hurried into the house. Regularity of timing is of the utmost importance.
- When taken out to play, it is well to leave the house by another door and to avoid taking them near their toilet spot. Never play with the puppy until after they have been taken out.
- Watch for their signals of sniffing and running about in circles and rush them outdoors. There will, of course, be some "accidents" in the house. Never let one of these slip by unnoticed. In no uncertain terms let the puppy know that you are displeased. Do not whip them, but immediately scold them and rush them outdoors. You may also use Elimin-Odor Pet Accident which will eliminate the odor and prevent the pet from returning to the same spot
- The apartment dweller who is unable to take the puppy outdoors frequently and quickly, can train it to newspaper placed at some convenient place on a washable, hard surface. Be warned, however, that once the paper habit is established, it is difficult to change
- The goal of this training period is to be able to give the puppy free access to the house and the puppy will go to the door and "ask" to go outside. After one to two weeks of training, the puppy may be gradually be given more freedom. If accidents or destructive behavior occurs the puppy should be returned to the crate when not observed. GOOD LUCK!
The Doctors And Staff Of Moffett Road Veterinary Clinic
