Housebreaking Your Dog-Potty Training Canine Style

Puppies are a bundle of newfound joy. You've prepared thehouse, and even bought him a new rubber chew toy.However, with all the joy your new pet brings, he also bringsalong with him his natural behaviors and instincts. It's nowyour job to begin training and molding him into the furrycompanion you've always wanted. It's not quite time foradventure or obedience school. It's time for potty training!

Just for starters, let's reiterate what pet experts back 100% ofthe time: never hit or abuse your puppy in any way. It willhave a detrimental affect on his future behavior, his trust inyou, and his ability to socialize with other dogs and humans.

With that said, you should not expect your new dog to befully housetrained until he's about six months old, especiallyif you're not home to oversee his training every hour ofevery day.

There are a couple of different tried and true options tochoose from when house training a puppy. One is commonlyreferred to as the "passive" option, or the newspaper option.The other option is considered the "active" approach, whereyou attempt to teach your new puppy when and where tocontrol his bowel movements from the confines of a puppycrate.

The newspaper option is great for those with the necessaryfloor space, workers and/or apartment dwellers. Start out bydesignating a puppy room. If you don't have the space, andyou still want to opt this route, create a room. Choose asmall area (perhaps a tiled laundry room) and puppy proofit. In other words, don't allow the puppy access to anycleaners, wires or sharp objects. And, don't put your puppyinto a closet or dark room. Be sure the room has windows(which you can crack open for air movement). Line thefloor with newspaper. Put his bed, toys, food and waterbowl in the room. At first, he'll go to the bathroom all overthe place. Give the process plenty of time.

Optimistically, no matter where your puppy eliminates, itwill be on the newspaper. Over time he'll slowly choose onespot (most likely based on scent). Then, gradually move thenewspapers less and less on the floor until the spot where heusually eliminates is left covered. This process could take afew months. Move the paper inward only an inch or twoevery couple of days. If your puppy has an accident,remember, it's your fault. Most likely, you've moved thepapers too quickly.

Crate training, as stated, is called the "active" approachbecause you really have to have an open schedule withplenty of patience and fortitude to make it work. Figure thatyou're going to have to take your dog out of the crate/cageabout every forty-five to fifty minutes each hour of the daywhen you first begin.

If this is all viable, then make sure that you buy a puppycrate and not a dog cage that will be much to big. Buy apuppy cage for a puppy and later a dog cage when hebecomes full-grown. Your dog should have enough space tobe comfortable when sleeping, but not enough to have roomto defecate in an extra corner.

Every forty-five minutes you should take your puppyoutdoors on a leash to walk around and hopefully eliminate.He should do so within ten minutes. When he does go,praise the puppy by petting and saying, "Good boy" or"Good" plus his name. Once inside, allow the puppy tohave supervised indoor playtime with a treat or two. If thepuppy doesn't go to the bathroom outdoors, be sure to puthim back in his cage and repeat the process a little later. Ifthe puppy jitters around like he has to go to the bathroom,take him back outdoors. Expect accidents until he learns theprocedure.

While both procedures take ample time and patience, theywill work. The choice is yours. Give the puppy time tobecome familiar with his routine, you as his owner and hisenvironment. The best thing to do is to richly award hissuccessful attempts and never scold him for accidents.

About the Author:
Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at Dog Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers.

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