Potty Training Dog: Lessons that Work
If you need to potty train your dog, there are many techniques out there so it can be hard to know what will work best for you. It will be important to take different things into consideration such as your lifestyle, breed and age of dog, your dog’s personality and even your own personality.
Whether you have a new puppy or even an older dog who has not been properly trained before, training is possible. You can even train adults in the same way that you would train a new puppy or young dog. Since puppies and elderly dogs have limited bladder control, they need to be taken outside more often and it’s possible they will still have some accidents.
The best method for potty training dogs is to try to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. One way to do this is to set up a regular schedule. It’s a good idea to revolve it around your dog’s natural schedule.
Dogs usually need to go when they wake up in the mornings, when they wake up after a nap, about a half hour after eating and before they go to sleep at night or for a nap. You can help prevent accidents and establish a routine by taking your dog out to go during these times.
If you give your dog the opportunity to relieve himself in the proper place, this will cut down on the chance of accidents. Sometimes dogs are like small children who are potty training; you have to tell them to go or they become so preoccupied they forget and just go when the urge gets so strong they can’t hold it in.
During the training process, it’s part of your responsibility as the dog owner to tell him when to go. Don’t wait for your dog to tell you that he has to go. When you take your dog out and he uses the bathroom outside, offer him lots of praise and this will help him understand this is what you want him to do.
You, the owner, have a very important role in the training process. It’s important that you always remain calm, patient and give lots of positive reinforcement and praise for a job well done. This is how your dog will learn what you want from him.
When you catch your dog going in the house, punish it immediately. If time has elapsed between the incident, your dog may not understand. Anytime the dog was left along with no way out and he had to go, he probably thought he had no other choice. If you come back later and punish him, it’s only going to get him confused.
Never spank, slap or be physical with your dog if he goes in the house. When it comes to potty training a dog, this will just create stress and anxiety and make the process worse. The key to success is being as consistent as you possibly can with your dog and the whole training process.
On top of following these tips, you need to clear up all accidents immediately and thoroughly. Dog urine can leave a scent that is especially strong to dogs and will cause your dog to want to pee in the same place again and again. When you remove the scent completely, this problem is resolved.
