In all probability, you have already purchased a puppy from a dog breeder. However, just freezing upon the right breed may not be enough. Getting a new dog home brings with it a spate of responsibilities, challenges, and need for care. It’s a big decision that can impact your life in different ways. In other words, there’s a lot that goes into being dog ready and the process from start to finish can be a cumbersome one. In addition to the expenses related to dog ownership, you have to think about the best methods of getting your dog housetrained. The act of housetraining is also a challenging one and requires oodles of patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. The ultimate goal for housetraining lies in building a strong bond with your pet and instilling good habits from the word go.
In what follows below, you can get a fair idea about housetraining your dog or puppy. While some pets take no longer than 4-6 months to get things underway, others may require over a year or more to get trained. The idea is to be consistent and patient to establish new and desirable habits in your pet. Read on for more on how to housetrain dogs and puppies the right way.
Potty Training
Experts recommend the triggering off of house training of puppies when they are barely between 12 to 16 weeks of age. Even at this tender age, puppies have adequate control of their bowel movements and bladder to hold on when needed. Luke Stevens from Puppy Joy says that when potty training your puppy, you should reward him every time he goes outside with vocal praise and either a puppy treat or a rub down. Giving small rewards and praises goes a long way in housetraining pets as they feel appreciated and get encouraged to repeat their behavior.
However, there’s no rule of the thumb when it comes to housetraining puppies. Each dog has different traits and habits that have to be conditioned and molded accordingly. For instance, if you have purchased a dog belonging to a comparatively smaller breed then it would have a higher metabolism and a smaller bladder. This, in turn, would necessitate more trips outdoors for providing relief to your dog. The previous living conditions of your puppy can be another predictor of how the process of housetraining should be planned to give the best results. In some cases, puppies have some old habits in place that need to be broken before the new and healthier ones can be instilled.
When to Start Training Your Puppy to Be House Friendly?
Is your new pup 12 weeks of age or more? Has he been relieving himself in the cage and eating his waste(possibly)? If yes, then it may take a bit longer to housetrain your pet. Rewards and encouragement will also have to be included in the process of reshaping the behavioral pattern of your dog.
Steps involved in Housetraining Dogs
As per expert recommendation, it is best to confine your new dog to a designated space. This may mean that you keep him on a leash, or in a room or crate. As and when the pup starts understanding that it has to step outdoors for relief, and does the act without messing up your living spaces, you can start letting it out gradually.
The following steps are to be followed when you start the housetraining procedure.
- Chalk out a regular and well-spread out feeding schedule for your dog. Remember to give no in-between meals snacks or treats to maintain discipline.
- You may want to take your puppy outdoors once he wakes up; post that, keep taking him out every 30 minutes or so to ensure full relief. Besides, remember to take your puppy out for a walk after every meal or once he awakes from a nap. Also, make sure that the dog is led outdoors before retiring for the day, or when you intend to leave him alone for a few nights.
- The puppy is best taken to the same spot every time to urinate or release bowels; the odors would prompt him to go to the same spot time and again; thereby enabling proper house training.
- When you lead your pup outside, do not walk back as he will try to follow you. Stay there until the act is done or he is completely housetrained.
Use a Carton or Crate for Housetraining Your Pup
A crate or carton can serve as a good tool for house training your puppy. However, this would be impactful for short term purposes only. The carton will keep reminding your pup about where to go in case there’s an urge or he is finding it tough to hold on. The crate has to be aired and the pup let out frequently to maintain proper hygiene. The crate chosen by you for this act has to be big enough to allow adequate movement to the pup to turn around, stand up, lie down, etc. However, it should not be so large that a corner can be used by him for relieving purposes.
In case the crate is being used for two hours or more at a stretch it becomes important to ensure that the pup gets freshwater; you may want to invest in a dispenser to attach to a part of the crate for meeting this end. Also, if you are using a crate and are at times away from home, then someone has to be present to take the dog out of the crate for at least the first few months. The break is best given in the middle of the day to enable proper housetraining.
Look Out for Signs from Pups
As per experienced dog breeders and owners, there are several signs to show that your puppy wants to relieve itself. Circling, sniffing, barking, and whining are just a few of these many signals that should alert you to take your dog outdoors. You may want to get in touch with your preferred dog breeders to get more ideas about house training and the appropriate ways of going about the act.