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Making sure your puppy’s nutritional needs are met should be your first priority. With a proper diet that keeps the puppy’s digestive system in good working order, the housebreaking training will work. But, if the puppy has a loose stool or diarrhea created by the food it eats, you will have a difficult time with the training and will never be able to get the puppy on a schedule.
It is important that the puppy gets all the food he needs for proper growth, but not be overfed. Do not give your dog table scraps during the training period. A dog’s stomach is very sensitive an changes in his diet will cause diarrhea. All dog food has to meet certain requirements as to content, but there is a vast difference in the foods available. Whenever possible, you should feed your puppy a premium puppy food that can be obtained from most pet shops. If you want to feed a mixture of canned and dry, use a mixture of one part canned food with two parts dry.
Whenever changing your puppy’s food, do it gradually over a 4 to 5 day period, being careful to mix a small amount of the new food with the old, increasing the amount of new food each day. If you want to change the food, do it before you start housebreaking your puppy.
SCHEDULES
By putting your puppy on a strict schedule of feeding, watering, and taking him out, you will condition the puppy’s internal clock to eliminate at certain times of the day, which will continue the rest of his life. It is important to understand when a dog naturally needs to eliminate, and as a general rule most puppies will fall within the following guideline:
After sleeping - After the puppy wakes up in the morning or from one of his frequent naps, he will need to go out.
After eating or drinking - Depending on the puppy’s size, how much he eats or drinks, and the frequency he eats or drinks, food will pass through him in approximately 3 to 6 hours.
Most dogs will have a need to relieve themselves within 30 minutes of eating or 20 minutes of drinking. A puppy does not have the size or muscle control to hold his bladder for very long and should be taken out almost immediately after eating or drinking.
Set up a schedule following the guidelines suggested above, and adjust it to your puppy’s needs. Over several days, keep a very accurate record of your puppy’s feeding, water and elimination to get a good feel of how the schedule should be adjusted. When setting up your schedule, remember that you need to take the puppy out first thing in the morning and that it should not be longer than 8 hours since the last time you took him out.
3 - 6 MONTHS OLD: 6 MONTHS - 1 YEAR OLD:
6:30 a.m. - Walk 6:30 a.m. - Walk
7:00 a.m. - Feed, water, walk 7:00 a.m. - Feed, water, walk
11:30 a.m. - Feed, water, walk 11:30 a.m. - Water, walk
5:00 p.m. - Feed, water, walk 5:00 p.m. - Feed, water, walk
7:30 p.m. - Water and walk 7:30 p.m. - Water and walk
10:30 p.m. - Walk 10:30 p.m. - Walk
Remember, whenever your puppy eliminates outside, lavish him with praise. When you are taking him for his walk, let him roam as he wants. This is not a training session for obedience. If you want him to eliminate in a specific area, then take him to that area and keep him there until he relieves himself.
If it is your desire to have your dog on a continuous feeding program, you can start if after you are sure the puppy is housebroken. Start when you are home and leave his food down so that you can watch him. If the puppy has an accident in the house, you may have to start by leaving the food down for only a couple of hours, then stretch the time as you go.
CONFINEMENT
Confinement to a crate or small area is imperative when you are not present (physically and mentally) with the puppy. Active puppies that drink a lot of water will naturally wet about every hour if not housebroken. When you are aware of the puppy, watch for signs that they need to relieve themselves, such as whining, turning in circles, sniffing for old signs, or trying to get outside.
Dogs instinctively will not soil the area in which they sleep and eat. Some puppies who have spent their lives in small run or cage have had no choice but to go against this instinct, but the instinct is still there. By confining your puppy whenever you are not there, you will prevent elimination in areas where the puppy will continue to go. If you don’t have a crate, use a small utility room or other small room that has a tile or linoleum floor. Be sure to put plenty of toys in with him to give him something to do. Remove anything that the puppy might be inclined to chew. If the puppy is going to be confined for a prolonged period, be sure to leave water for him. Do not put down newspaper.
A gate across a doorway is a very good way to confine the puppy. He is able to see other areas of the house and does not feel punished. Also, a used infant playpen from a thrift shop is an excellent and inexpensive temporary enclosure, and the puppy doesn’t feel as confined because he can see out. Whenever possible, it is important for the puppy to be able to be free in the house with the rest of the family. When allowing the puppy to run around, it is best to shut the doors to rooms you cannot observe to prevent the puppy from sneaking off to relieve himself or do other damage.
ODOR REMOVAL
A dog’s sense of smell is a strong motivator, and he will be drawn to areas where he has not relieved himself before. It is important to clean and remove any odors from areas where the puppy has had an accident. If you do not remove the odors, it will be almost impossible to complete the housebreaking process effectively. To properly clean accident areas, first blot or wipe up as much of the mess as possible with a dry towel. A mixture of 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 ammonia and 1/3 water will help remove odors and urine stains. Follow up with an odor neutralizer or remove from your pet shop. Be sure it is not just a product that masks the odor.
CHEWING
PREVENTION AND CORRECTION
Chewing is one of the most common and misunderstood problems faced by most people. Chewing is a natural, healthily instinct in dogs and is an enjoyable pastime. The solution is to guide your dog to his own toys and not your household furniture, television, carpet, car, neighborhood, or the whole city.
The most common reasons dog chew are boredom, stress, apprehension and teething in puppies. Other circumstances that can lead to destructive chewing are improper or no training and socialization, too much isolation, frustration at being confined, loneliness and tooth pain in older dogs. (A visit to the veterinarian will normally stop both the tooth pain and the chewing in this particular case).
When chewing becomes a habit and the favorite pastime of the dog, it can be hard to change. However, with proper guidance and training, this problem can be alleviated, and both you and your dog will have a much more enjoyable life together. As with most problems, the first step is proper basic obedience training, which helps build your dog’s confidence and gives you the ability to correct the dog for inappropriate behavior.
When faced with a chewing problem, don’t get frustrated and resort to excessive an inappropriate punishment, which can lead to further stress for the dog and often exasperate the problem. Take a little time to think about what is stimulating the dog to chew. A dog can only entertain himself in so many ways, such as playing with his toys, playing with another pet, chewing, digging, barking, and sleeping. He can’t pick up a book to watch a movie to pass the time.
Punishment only is ineffective for many reasons. It has to be accomplished when the chewing takes place, and often the problem occurs only when you are away or asleep. Punishing the dog for something after the fact only instills in the dog a fear of your coming home. The better method is a combination of punishment and reward training.
GETTING STARTED
What we want to accomplish is to teach the dog what is appropriate to chew on and not. The first thing we need to do is have a variety of toys with different textures for the dog to play with, such as rawhides, a very firm ball or a rubber squeaky toy. Something I have found that 90% of all dogs like, especially young dogs, is a stuffed animal. I have had many people tell me that their dog would destroy it very quickly, only to have them say a week later that it is one of the dog’s favorite toys. Dogs seem to take great comfort in their stuffed animal and will not only play with it, but want to have it near them when they sleep. Be sure, however, to remove any loose button-type eyes or noses, or get a toy in which these facial features are painted on the fabric rather than sewn on to prevent the possibility of choking should they come off the face and the dog decide they are a new form of doggie treat. Most stuffed animals sold by pet stores are sturdily constructed to withstand rugged use by your pet. If the toy becomes ripped and the stuffing start coming out, immediately take it away to prevent the dog from ingesting the contents.
By giving the dog a variety of toys and textures to play with, you give him numerous appropriate outlets to which he can direct his attention; then, if he gets bored with one toy, he can go to another. Remember, investing in a few toys for your dog is a lot cheaper than a new sofa. Even if your dog has not started chewing inappropriate articles, be sure to praise him when he chews his toys. You can count on the fact that the majority of dogs will start chewing on things they shouldn’t at some point in their lives.
Make sure your dog has plenty of opportunity to exercise each day. If left in the house all day, take him out each evening to play and run to expend some of his energy. Each morning when you take the dog out, give him a few minutes to run around. Regular training sessions not only give your dog a good physical workout, but also give him a good mental workout. One of the best benefits of regular training sessions is the bonding that takes place between you and your dog. You each get to instinctively know what the other wants and needs.
