HOUSE TRAINING :- Lets save the floors
A puppy has an instinct that kicks in at about three weeks of age, not to soil his own space. An instinct that is encouraged by the breeder initially by defining living and toilet area. So given time a puppy recognising your home as his living area would naturally toilet train himself. Breeders encourage the instinct by introducing a toilet area within the whelping enviroment, we are merely going to speed up the house training process.
To start with, lets get rid of an old myth that by rubbing your puppies nose in his mess you will teach him it is bad. All you are effectively doing with this cruel form of punnishment is stressing him out about a natural bodily function . The result of the stress more accidents ..fact not myth!
HOUSE TRAINING IS THE FIRST THING YOU WILL TEACH YOUR PUPPY/DOG AND MAY WELL BE THE TRAINING THAT FASHIONS YOUR WHOLE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
All training is a joint deal , a deal between you and your dog, both have your roles to play. With house training your role is to be alert for signs and put into place routines that will help him get it right, his role is to get it right with your help and support.
Over the years, I have tested many of the different techniques that have come onto the market and have found that a natural approach works the best. When we welcome a new dog to our home the first area, (we literally get out of the car and walk straight there) I introduce them to is the garden. We will all stay in the garden until the puppy has both urinated and emptied his bowls to which he will get a round of applause (which the neighbours by the way think is hysterical) and a treat. It shows him clearly where he can go. But it does not end there in the first few days I try to keep him in sight at all times looking for signs that he may want to relieve himself sniffing, circling, whining starting to squat. The first sign he gives that he wants to go to the toilet I encourage him to follow me to the garden. In the first days these trips to the garden are always supervised with calls of “ wee wee” (I use that for both bodily functions if you are wondering, could never bring myself to say “poo poo” lol) . I’ll be honest in the early days most of these trips are fruitless but when successful they are followed with lots of praise and a treat. If an accident occurs it is not mentioned, it is cleaned up and he is popped in the garden.
NOTE: IF AN ACCIDENT DOES OCCUR BE VERY THOROUGH IN CLEANING UP JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS CLEAN AND SMELLS CLEAN TO YOU DOES NOT MEAN IT IS. A DOGS SENSE OF SMELL IS FAR SUPERIOR TO OURS AND WHEN WALKING OVER THE SPOT AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE IT ONLY TAKES THE VERY SLIGHTEST SMELL OF A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT AND YOUR PUPPY WILL AUTOMATICALLY URINATE OR FOUL. I HAVE HAD PEOPLE COMPLAIN TO ME OVER THE YEARS THAT THE PUPPY HAS ADOPTED A SPECIFIC AREA IN THE HOUSE TO TOILET. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WHERE THE AREA STILL HAS THE TRACE OF TOILET THE PUPPY IDENTIFIES ON SMELL AS THE PLACE TO GO.
Specific routines that help aid the process:
When your puppy wakes from a nap put him straight out into the garden.
When your puppy has taken a drink put him striaght out into the garden.
When your puppy has had a meal put him straight out into the garden.
Last thing at night pop your puppy into the garden.
After any play pop him into the garden
A puppy has an instinct that kicks in at about three weeks of age, not to soil his own space. An instinct that is encouraged by the breeder initially by defining living and toilet area. So given time a puppy recognising your home as his living area would naturally toilet train himself. Breeders encourage the instinct by introducing a toilet area within the whelping enviroment, we are merely going to speed up the house training process.
To start with, lets get rid of an old myth that by rubbing your puppies nose in his mess you will teach him it is bad. All you are effectively doing with this cruel form of punnishment is stressing him out about a natural bodily function . The result of the stress more accidents ..fact not myth!
HOUSE TRAINING IS THE FIRST THING YOU WILL TEACH YOUR PUPPY/DOG AND MAY WELL BE THE TRAINING THAT FASHIONS YOUR WHOLE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
All training is a joint deal , a deal between you and your dog, both have your roles to play. With house training your role is to be alert for signs and put into place routines that will help him get it right, his role is to get it right with your help and support.
Over the years, I have tested many of the different techniques that have come onto the market and have found that a natural approach works the best. When we welcome a new dog to our home the first area, (we literally get out of the car and walk straight there) I introduce them to is the garden. We will all stay in the garden until the puppy has both urinated and emptied his bowls to which he will get a round of applause (which the neighbours by the way think is hysterical) and a treat. It shows him clearly where he can go. But it does not end there in the first few days I try to keep him in sight at all times looking for signs that he may want to relieve himself sniffing, circling, whining starting to squat. The first sign he gives that he wants to go to the toilet I encourage him to follow me to the garden. In the first days these trips to the garden are always supervised with calls of “ wee wee” (I use that for both bodily functions if you are wondering, could never bring myself to say “poo poo” lol) . I’ll be honest in the early days most of these trips are fruitless but when successful they are followed with lots of praise and a treat. If an accident occurs it is not mentioned, it is cleaned up and he is popped in the garden.
NOTE: IF AN ACCIDENT DOES OCCUR BE VERY THOROUGH IN CLEANING UP JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS CLEAN AND SMELLS CLEAN TO YOU DOES NOT MEAN IT IS. A DOGS SENSE OF SMELL IS FAR SUPERIOR TO OURS AND WHEN WALKING OVER THE SPOT AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE IT ONLY TAKES THE VERY SLIGHTEST SMELL OF A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT AND YOUR PUPPY WILL AUTOMATICALLY URINATE OR FOUL. I HAVE HAD PEOPLE COMPLAIN TO ME OVER THE YEARS THAT THE PUPPY HAS ADOPTED A SPECIFIC AREA IN THE HOUSE TO TOILET. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WHERE THE AREA STILL HAS THE TRACE OF TOILET THE PUPPY IDENTIFIES ON SMELL AS THE PLACE TO GO.
Specific routines that help aid the process:
When your puppy wakes from a nap put him straight out into the garden.
When your puppy has taken a drink put him striaght out into the garden.
When your puppy has had a meal put him straight out into the garden.
Last thing at night pop your puppy into the garden.
After any play pop him into the garden
A rule of thumb is that puppies should be popped into the garden every hour for a few minutes, with you standing with them issuing the key phrase to encourage them to relieve themselves..When put in the garden, if possible, stand with him until he has gone so that you can give praise and give a treat. Wherever possible, give the puppy immediate access to the garden (i.e. leave the back door open) and you stick to a routine and the five golden rules. The day will quickly come when you look out and see that without asking the little man has thrown himself over the step and taken himself off into the garden, that is a great day. But it does not mean you can give up the routine. It is just an indication that it is working.
At times when you have to go out dont just think “oh let the toilet training go i’ll just have to clean up when i get back” confine your puppy to a small area, such as a utility room or a puppy pen. Ensure that it is big enough for him to be able to stretch out on a blanket and have a bowl of fresh water placed inside. At a corner, place some paper or a puppy training pad for him to use. Always remember to leave a toy to prevent boredom for young puppies are always driven by their basic instincts. A kong ball is great as he will try to extract the food which will keep him occupied for a couple of hours.
Tip: only use puppy training pad/paper for when you are out of the house, dont use it when you are at home . For the simple reason that by keep leaving paper on the floor you are condoning puppies going to the toilet in the house and this can make the process of house training drawn out.
Remember, as your puppy gets older, his ability to hold himself will grow. When taken to the garden always encourage the puppy to go to the same area it will help him recognise what is expected of him and by ensuring that you clean the area whenever he has performed will discourage him from going to a cleaner area of the garden.
Note, that by using a key word when your puppy gets older if you need him to relive himself ,say before a long car trip ,the key word will help him know what you want of him to do at a relevant time and place.
If your puppy forgets himself and starts to go in the house, call him, shout or run to the door encouraging him to follow. The idea behind getting his attention is that it should have the effect of making him shut his bowels. You need to get his attention quickly but at the same time not scare him as if you make him nervous it could have the effect of making matters worse.
When you first go to bed if your puppy cries for you, you should ignore him, however, during the night if your puppy cries don’t ignore him he may be telling you he needs to relieve himself and you dont want to give him the message that he will be ignored as this will have the effect of just encouraging him to go indoors. But, when you go to him do not cuddle/play or talk to him just encourage him to follow you outside, we don’t want him to get the idea that the early hours of the morning are a good time to play. When you get outside just say “wee wee” and praise him if he goes.
By following this simple system I have had puppies and previously unhouse trained dogs clean in five days , remember the rules and be patient - good luck .
Ps If anyone is brave enough to to tell a funny house breaking story, I will reveal something that happened to my husband when we were house breaking our puppy Bodi, something I said I would never tell lol.
At times when you have to go out dont just think “oh let the toilet training go i’ll just have to clean up when i get back” confine your puppy to a small area, such as a utility room or a puppy pen. Ensure that it is big enough for him to be able to stretch out on a blanket and have a bowl of fresh water placed inside. At a corner, place some paper or a puppy training pad for him to use. Always remember to leave a toy to prevent boredom for young puppies are always driven by their basic instincts. A kong ball is great as he will try to extract the food which will keep him occupied for a couple of hours.
Tip: only use puppy training pad/paper for when you are out of the house, dont use it when you are at home . For the simple reason that by keep leaving paper on the floor you are condoning puppies going to the toilet in the house and this can make the process of house training drawn out.
Remember, as your puppy gets older, his ability to hold himself will grow. When taken to the garden always encourage the puppy to go to the same area it will help him recognise what is expected of him and by ensuring that you clean the area whenever he has performed will discourage him from going to a cleaner area of the garden.
Note, that by using a key word when your puppy gets older if you need him to relive himself ,say before a long car trip ,the key word will help him know what you want of him to do at a relevant time and place.
If your puppy forgets himself and starts to go in the house, call him, shout or run to the door encouraging him to follow. The idea behind getting his attention is that it should have the effect of making him shut his bowels. You need to get his attention quickly but at the same time not scare him as if you make him nervous it could have the effect of making matters worse.
When you first go to bed if your puppy cries for you, you should ignore him, however, during the night if your puppy cries don’t ignore him he may be telling you he needs to relieve himself and you dont want to give him the message that he will be ignored as this will have the effect of just encouraging him to go indoors. But, when you go to him do not cuddle/play or talk to him just encourage him to follow you outside, we don’t want him to get the idea that the early hours of the morning are a good time to play. When you get outside just say “wee wee” and praise him if he goes.
By following this simple system I have had puppies and previously unhouse trained dogs clean in five days , remember the rules and be patient - good luck .
Ps If anyone is brave enough to to tell a funny house breaking story, I will reveal something that happened to my husband when we were house breaking our puppy Bodi, something I said I would never tell lol.
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