In the years that I have been helping the public with their puppies, house
training is probably the most widespread issue for dog owners. So what are the
secrets to getting a perfectly potty trained pup?
TOP TEN HOUSETRAINING MISTAKES
1. RUSHING IT- most pet owners expect their puppy to be totally potty trained
within a few weeks (or even a few days) of getting the puppy. The best way to
prepare for potty training your puppy is to commit the first year of their life
to making sure they are 100% potty trained. While most dogs do accomplish this
goal long before their 1st birthday, some puppies will take every bit of that
first year. How long it takes your puppy to learn potty training depends on a
few factors including where you got the dog, how they were facilitating house
training, how reliable and consistent you are, and genetics of the dog. I know a
year sounds like a long time but If we commit to a year, we will be thrilled
when it only takes 4 months. Besides, I would rather spend the first year
commited to potty training and enjoy 14 more years of accident-free living than
rush potty training and endure 14 more years of surprises when I come home from
work.
2. POTTY TRAINING OR BEHAVIORIAL?- This is the first evaluation dog owners
need to make when their dogs are having accidents in the house. Ask yourself
this question, do you believe the dog truly doesn’t understand the concept that
he is supposed to go outside, or does your dog have accidents when he is upset
with you? If he is having accidents as a way to get back at you, that is a
behavioral issue and needs to be addressed with formal training. *NOTE- just
because your dog acts sorry when you find the accident DOES NOT mean he knows he
shouldn't do it. It simply means he knows your upset, he may have no clue WHY
you are upset.
3. INDOOR POTTY TRAINING- This is going to upset some people but I believe
that the new forms of "indoor" potty training (potty pads, litter boxes, potty
patches, etc.), is confusing some of our puppies. Now don’t misunderstand me, I
am not saying you cannot choose one of these options or that they cannot learn
them. However, I am definitely saying it makes it more complicated for the dog
to learn, therefore taking more time, consistency, and patience. Think about the
difference between traditional house training and indoor potty training and
remember we have to communicate all of this non verbally. Traditional
housetraining: You do not potty inside, you potty outside. Indoor Housetraining:
You can potty outside, and inside, but only in designated areas. Oh, and those
designated areas look a lot like other household items like towels, newspapers,
door mats, etc. So before you decide indoor potty training would make your life
easier, consider the way sit will make it more difficult for your dog to
learn.
4. CRATE TRAINING- Not that long ago, crate training was very common when
getting a puppy. However, in the new days of dog ownership we are often told
that crates are cruel. I am here to tell you, dogs LOVE their crates. They are
den animals that draw a feeling of comfort and security from their "den" or
crate. (For more on this topic, watch for my upcoming blog entry "Crate
training: Puppy Prison or Pooch Palace?") Not only do they enjoy their crate, it
is also a very helpful building block for potty training. They have a natural
tendency toward not soiling their den. If you can start with that building
block, you can then very easily expand that idea to your entire house.
5. FENCED IN YARDS-While fenced in yards are a wonderful convenience when you
have a fully housetrained dog, they can wreak havoc on our housetraining by
making us lazy. Why would we take our pup out on a leash on that cold wet
morning when we have a fence to contain them? The answer is because without some
supervision and guidance, your puppy will spend the next 15 minutes playing in
the yard instead of pottying. You will invite him back in and be astounded when
he almost immediately has an accident. In the beginning stages of his training,
he needs to go out on a lead, take care of business, and then can be let off
leash to play. This not only avoids accidents in the house but it also teaches
your dog to get their business taken care of quickly so they can play. (Not
unlike asking your kids to do their homework before playing video games).
6. WHEN TO REWARD?- So you are taking your puppy out on a leash like a good
owner right? Did you remember to put a treat in your pocket? While some decide
a "Good Boy" is sufficient, treats can give incentive to the dog to go. But
more important than which type of reward you choose is when they get said
reward. Many owners take the dog out, it potties, they return inside to the
cookie jar and he gets rewarded. What do you think the dog is associating the
treat with? Going inside. So you are teaching your dog that all he wants to do
when you send him outside is come back inside.
7. SUPERVISION- Because discipline can get "hairy"( we will cover discipline
in a moment) potty training needs to be as close to error free learning as
possible, so supervision is KEY. Until dogs are 100% potty trained they must be
100% supervised when loose in the house. Until dogs are 100% potty trained they
must be 100% supervised when loose in the house. Until dogs are 100% potty
trained they must be 100% supervised when loose in the house. Sorry, just wanted
to make sure you understood how important this point is. Next time you are
outside, count how long it takes your puppy to pee from the time it squats until
the time it stops peeing. It will probably be around 5 seconds.This means that
even if your puppy wanders into an adjacent room for 5 SECONDS ONLY, he could
have an accident that you wont discover until later. What if you never discover
that little pee spot he made under your bed? He just learned that it is
acceptable to go in the house( at least under your bed) because there were no
consequences for his actions. Lack of supervision undoes all the hard work you
have been doing potty training your puppy.
8. FREE FEED- Even if you have that special puppy who only eats his fill and
no more, you must not leave food out all the time for him to nibble at. Dogs
have what is called a gastrocolic reflex. That is a fancy way of saying that
after they eat, they feel the need to go to the bathroom, even if they only
chomped a few kernels. This is why scheduled feeding times are so important when
potty training. If they have a scheduled time to eat, you can be sure to take
them out afterward. If they are free to graze on their dog food whenever they
wish, when do you take them outside?
9. RECOGNIZING WHEN TO TAKE THEM OUTSIDE- In order to achieve error free
learning, we need to be able to recognize when they are about to go, intervene
and get them to the correct area to go (outside). In order to do this we must
not only take them out at certain times that the will probably need to go, but
also watch them for signs that they might need to go. First, you should always
take your puppy out and give it the chance to go potty: when they wake up, when
they eat, when they drink, when they play very hard, and when you get them out
of their crate. Outside of those, you should watch your puppy for signs it needs
to go including circling, sniffing, or stopping and hunching over. Once your pup
has begun to learn the importance of making it outside, he will begin to try to
"tell" you he needs to go. It is very important that we do not let them down
when they try to tell us, or they will no longer care where they go because they
assume you no longer care either. Your dog will try one of two methods: go to
the door, or come to you. If they come to you, you simply have to make sure you
are paying attention to them. However, if they go to the door, you MUST find a
way to be notified of this. My house is small enough that I can see the door my
dogs go to from just about anywhere. However, if you have a larger house, you
may want to train your dog to ring a bell to let you know he is sitting at the
door. Otherwise you might find the accident right by the door because they were
waiting on you to come open the door!
10. DISCIPLINE- Possibly the most difficult aspect of potty training is when
and how to address the mistakes they do have. Our goal as their trainer is to
have error free learning because anytime you discipline them for going to the
bathroom you run the risk of your puppy becoming ashamed to go in front of you.
This does not teach them to go outside, it teaches them to hide from you when
they need to go. Not only will they start having accidents in rooms you are not
in very often, but they will have stage fright when you go outside with them.
These side effects make potty training VERY difficult. How we handle accidents
depend on where the puppy is in the act of pottying.
If you catch the dog right BEFORE it starts to go, say "Eh!" or "No!" loudly, get the puppy outside, and as he finishes going outside, praise him. This gives him the contrast he needs (inside=bad, outside=good).
If he is already pottying when you see him, follow the above steps and take him outside even if he is finished going. Then put him in his crate while you clean up the mess, when you get him back out of his crate take him outside again and try to get him to potty outside before he is allowed to run around inside again.
If you find an accident he has already made and you don't know how long it has been there clean it up. Don't address the dog at all but realize that YOU just messed up by not supervising your puppy well enough and you just un-did some of the training you have been working so hard on.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE TRIED ALL THESE METHODS AND HOUSETRAINING IS STILL NOT WORKING, OR IF YOU FEEL YOUR DOG'S ISSUES ARE BEHAVIORAL I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS. GIVE ME A CALL!
785.408.6127
training is probably the most widespread issue for dog owners. So what are the
secrets to getting a perfectly potty trained pup?
TOP TEN HOUSETRAINING MISTAKES
1. RUSHING IT- most pet owners expect their puppy to be totally potty trained
within a few weeks (or even a few days) of getting the puppy. The best way to
prepare for potty training your puppy is to commit the first year of their life
to making sure they are 100% potty trained. While most dogs do accomplish this
goal long before their 1st birthday, some puppies will take every bit of that
first year. How long it takes your puppy to learn potty training depends on a
few factors including where you got the dog, how they were facilitating house
training, how reliable and consistent you are, and genetics of the dog. I know a
year sounds like a long time but If we commit to a year, we will be thrilled
when it only takes 4 months. Besides, I would rather spend the first year
commited to potty training and enjoy 14 more years of accident-free living than
rush potty training and endure 14 more years of surprises when I come home from
work.
2. POTTY TRAINING OR BEHAVIORIAL?- This is the first evaluation dog owners
need to make when their dogs are having accidents in the house. Ask yourself
this question, do you believe the dog truly doesn’t understand the concept that
he is supposed to go outside, or does your dog have accidents when he is upset
with you? If he is having accidents as a way to get back at you, that is a
behavioral issue and needs to be addressed with formal training. *NOTE- just
because your dog acts sorry when you find the accident DOES NOT mean he knows he
shouldn't do it. It simply means he knows your upset, he may have no clue WHY
you are upset.
3. INDOOR POTTY TRAINING- This is going to upset some people but I believe
that the new forms of "indoor" potty training (potty pads, litter boxes, potty
patches, etc.), is confusing some of our puppies. Now don’t misunderstand me, I
am not saying you cannot choose one of these options or that they cannot learn
them. However, I am definitely saying it makes it more complicated for the dog
to learn, therefore taking more time, consistency, and patience. Think about the
difference between traditional house training and indoor potty training and
remember we have to communicate all of this non verbally. Traditional
housetraining: You do not potty inside, you potty outside. Indoor Housetraining:
You can potty outside, and inside, but only in designated areas. Oh, and those
designated areas look a lot like other household items like towels, newspapers,
door mats, etc. So before you decide indoor potty training would make your life
easier, consider the way sit will make it more difficult for your dog to
learn.
4. CRATE TRAINING- Not that long ago, crate training was very common when
getting a puppy. However, in the new days of dog ownership we are often told
that crates are cruel. I am here to tell you, dogs LOVE their crates. They are
den animals that draw a feeling of comfort and security from their "den" or
crate. (For more on this topic, watch for my upcoming blog entry "Crate
training: Puppy Prison or Pooch Palace?") Not only do they enjoy their crate, it
is also a very helpful building block for potty training. They have a natural
tendency toward not soiling their den. If you can start with that building
block, you can then very easily expand that idea to your entire house.
5. FENCED IN YARDS-While fenced in yards are a wonderful convenience when you
have a fully housetrained dog, they can wreak havoc on our housetraining by
making us lazy. Why would we take our pup out on a leash on that cold wet
morning when we have a fence to contain them? The answer is because without some
supervision and guidance, your puppy will spend the next 15 minutes playing in
the yard instead of pottying. You will invite him back in and be astounded when
he almost immediately has an accident. In the beginning stages of his training,
he needs to go out on a lead, take care of business, and then can be let off
leash to play. This not only avoids accidents in the house but it also teaches
your dog to get their business taken care of quickly so they can play. (Not
unlike asking your kids to do their homework before playing video games).
6. WHEN TO REWARD?- So you are taking your puppy out on a leash like a good
owner right? Did you remember to put a treat in your pocket? While some decide
a "Good Boy" is sufficient, treats can give incentive to the dog to go. But
more important than which type of reward you choose is when they get said
reward. Many owners take the dog out, it potties, they return inside to the
cookie jar and he gets rewarded. What do you think the dog is associating the
treat with? Going inside. So you are teaching your dog that all he wants to do
when you send him outside is come back inside.
7. SUPERVISION- Because discipline can get "hairy"( we will cover discipline
in a moment) potty training needs to be as close to error free learning as
possible, so supervision is KEY. Until dogs are 100% potty trained they must be
100% supervised when loose in the house. Until dogs are 100% potty trained they
must be 100% supervised when loose in the house. Until dogs are 100% potty
trained they must be 100% supervised when loose in the house. Sorry, just wanted
to make sure you understood how important this point is. Next time you are
outside, count how long it takes your puppy to pee from the time it squats until
the time it stops peeing. It will probably be around 5 seconds.This means that
even if your puppy wanders into an adjacent room for 5 SECONDS ONLY, he could
have an accident that you wont discover until later. What if you never discover
that little pee spot he made under your bed? He just learned that it is
acceptable to go in the house( at least under your bed) because there were no
consequences for his actions. Lack of supervision undoes all the hard work you
have been doing potty training your puppy.
8. FREE FEED- Even if you have that special puppy who only eats his fill and
no more, you must not leave food out all the time for him to nibble at. Dogs
have what is called a gastrocolic reflex. That is a fancy way of saying that
after they eat, they feel the need to go to the bathroom, even if they only
chomped a few kernels. This is why scheduled feeding times are so important when
potty training. If they have a scheduled time to eat, you can be sure to take
them out afterward. If they are free to graze on their dog food whenever they
wish, when do you take them outside?
9. RECOGNIZING WHEN TO TAKE THEM OUTSIDE- In order to achieve error free
learning, we need to be able to recognize when they are about to go, intervene
and get them to the correct area to go (outside). In order to do this we must
not only take them out at certain times that the will probably need to go, but
also watch them for signs that they might need to go. First, you should always
take your puppy out and give it the chance to go potty: when they wake up, when
they eat, when they drink, when they play very hard, and when you get them out
of their crate. Outside of those, you should watch your puppy for signs it needs
to go including circling, sniffing, or stopping and hunching over. Once your pup
has begun to learn the importance of making it outside, he will begin to try to
"tell" you he needs to go. It is very important that we do not let them down
when they try to tell us, or they will no longer care where they go because they
assume you no longer care either. Your dog will try one of two methods: go to
the door, or come to you. If they come to you, you simply have to make sure you
are paying attention to them. However, if they go to the door, you MUST find a
way to be notified of this. My house is small enough that I can see the door my
dogs go to from just about anywhere. However, if you have a larger house, you
may want to train your dog to ring a bell to let you know he is sitting at the
door. Otherwise you might find the accident right by the door because they were
waiting on you to come open the door!
10. DISCIPLINE- Possibly the most difficult aspect of potty training is when
and how to address the mistakes they do have. Our goal as their trainer is to
have error free learning because anytime you discipline them for going to the
bathroom you run the risk of your puppy becoming ashamed to go in front of you.
This does not teach them to go outside, it teaches them to hide from you when
they need to go. Not only will they start having accidents in rooms you are not
in very often, but they will have stage fright when you go outside with them.
These side effects make potty training VERY difficult. How we handle accidents
depend on where the puppy is in the act of pottying.
If you catch the dog right BEFORE it starts to go, say "Eh!" or "No!" loudly, get the puppy outside, and as he finishes going outside, praise him. This gives him the contrast he needs (inside=bad, outside=good).
If he is already pottying when you see him, follow the above steps and take him outside even if he is finished going. Then put him in his crate while you clean up the mess, when you get him back out of his crate take him outside again and try to get him to potty outside before he is allowed to run around inside again.
If you find an accident he has already made and you don't know how long it has been there clean it up. Don't address the dog at all but realize that YOU just messed up by not supervising your puppy well enough and you just un-did some of the training you have been working so hard on.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE TRIED ALL THESE METHODS AND HOUSETRAINING IS STILL NOT WORKING, OR IF YOU FEEL YOUR DOG'S ISSUES ARE BEHAVIORAL I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS. GIVE ME A CALL!
785.408.6127
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