House training your family pet can be a challenge and frustrating experience for everyone including your pet. As a family it is critical to be consistent and remain focused on the task one day at a time.
Being successful is a primary goal for any dog and when you give your dog positive reinforcement for eliminating outside each time they will learn from your positive experience. To be successful, I have created some really simple steps for you to achieve your goal and to have a dog in your home that looks forward to going outside to potty. The first goal as a family you need to establish an area outside to be taken to eliminate.Q
Always take him to that same place immediately after waking up in the morning, fifteen minutes after he has eaten and ten minutes before retiring for the night. Depending on your dogs age you may need to take him out much more frequently than that.
If left alone during the day and no one is able to take him outside to eliminate, a crate is recommended. The crate must be big enough that he can stand and turn around inside the crate. The crate should NOT have a blanket or bed for him to lay on. When he is placed in the crate it is always a fun time with excitement and a
treat. If your dog is not crate trained already start with slow time intervals and build on it.
NEVER use the crate for punishment when he has eliminated in the house. When you leave for the day or evening, place him inside his crate. When you place him in the crate remove his water and food bowl thirty minutes before you will leave the house. Make being placed into the crate fun, exciting and rewarding with a special toy. Keep this toy separate and only available to him when it is crate time. It has been proven that dogs rely on their crates as their den and their safety zone. He will not eliminate in the crate unless it is absolutely necessary.
When you are home and able to take him outside always take him out the same door and on a leash until he has had no accidents in the home. It is recommended that you start by taking them out every thirty minutes initially.
This is where the routine is important. Set a timer in the home and when the timer goes off, he goes outside.
When you take your dog outside to potty, potty is the primary goal. Once they have eliminated then they can engage in playtime. Take him to the same location and on the same walk routine. If he eliminates outside be sure to praise and reward him with a treat and tell him “good boy” immediately after he does it. Important not to interrupt his elimination ever, even if you catch
him in the house. This may create a behavior of your dog that he will hide to eliminate or will not eliminate in front of you on a walk.
Until your dog is house trained, never allow him to roam freely in the home. Once he has eliminated outside you can allow him to roam in the home with you. This allows you to keep an eye on him and when he begins to circle or places his nose to the floor…”Let’s go outside and go potty!!” with a happy excited voice. Your dog is ready to eliminate. Another sign of body language is when them hump there back as if they are going to squat.
If he has an accident in the home never scold him for an accident in the home. Take him outside immediately and do not draw any attention to the elimination in the home. Drawing attention is rewarding the behavior either in a positive or negative manner. Once he has been outside clean the area with a neutralizing cleaner. Do not
use a soap based cleaner this will maintain the ammonia in the urine on the surface.
You can find neutralizing cleaners at the local pet store. House training your pet can be very frustrating but it also can be a very rewarding
process when it is done with consistency and with rewards.
During your house training experience if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Mark at Tuxedo’s K9 Training Camp, Inc at info@Tuxedosk9.com. Good Luck with your house training and as the weather get’s warmer it is always easier for the dog too.
