Every new puppy owner's first priority is housebreaking. I suggest you replace the word "breaking" with "training." However, I will occasionally utilize it in my work because that is how most people speak. Doesn't the word 'breaking' make you think of teaching your dog something? The term "training" serves as a reminder that this is a learning process for both you and your dog. There are five essential principles to instruct:
- Teach your dog where you would like it to defecate.
- Teach your puppy not to defecate in areas you do not want it to.
- Teach your puppy to "hold it" when it cannot reach the bathroom.
- Train your dog to alert you when it has to use the restroom.
- Teach your dog a phrase or term for when it must eliminate.
Housebreaking a puppy is comparable to toilet training a toddler. If you would not do something with a child, please refrain from doing it with your dog. This procedure is straightforward unless you choose to make it tough. Punishment has no place in house training and will only make the process more difficult and more time-consuming.
For the sake of clarity, this essay will presume that you are teaching your puppy outside. For indoor training, simply replace "potty area" with "outdoor."
Equipment
Begin by obtaining the necessary equipment. Consider for a minute your area of expertise. Does utilizing the right tools make things simpler?
You will require:
- High-quality dog food
- collar with a buckle or a harness
- 3-4 foot lightweight, non-retractable leash
- 15-foot cotton web non-retractable long line
- Typically a cage or exercise pen is the largest space that your puppy will not soil or chew.
- A location to exercise your dog for outdoor training Two dog litter boxes or two frames that hold potty pads and a good supply of potty pads for indoor training
- Small, easily-digested snacks
- vacuum cleaner
- A great deal of patience
- Having a sense of humor
Consider the following before you begin:
- Schedule your puppy's meals. What enters must exit! The erratic elimination schedule of a dog that feeds constantly. A feeding plan helps you to anticipate when your puppy will need to defecate.
- A little wire crate next to your bed is the perfect spot for your puppy to sleep. It is a good idea to place a larger dog cage in the main living area of your home. If you must leave your puppy for more than four hours, you should consider utilizing an indoor playpen.
- Choose a passphrase that is acceptable to the entire family. I use the phrase "be quick" with my pets. You may alternatively say "business," "go to the bathroom," or "water the lawn." The only requirement is that you must feel safe speaking it in public!
The Five Concepts of Housetraining Your Puppy
Let's explore the five ideas involved in housebreaking a dog. It is essential to educate your dog on these five ideas! There is no particular order in which to teach these:
- The first is how to train your dog to eliminate outside. Determine the designated toilet place and carry your dog there routinely. Remember to say "outside" while going outdoors and "inside" when entering the inside restroom area. Give your dog its treat five seconds after it has completed defecating.
- The second notion is instructing your dog where he or she should not defecate. Avoid scaring and/or disciplining your dog. Fearless redirection is the quickest path to success.
- The next principle is how to train your dog to hold an object. Use confinement to teach your dog this when you cannot supervise it. Utilize your dog's leash (safely) indoors when you can monitor its behavior.
- The fourth notion is to train your puppy to let you know when it has to use the bathroom. Instead of barking, whining, or scratching the door, I propose teaching your puppy to ring a bell.
- The final principle is how to train a cue phrase so that your puppy will experience the desire to defecate when you want it to.
You will discover that all five elements work together to educate your dog on your expectations with patience. There is no such thing as a partly house-trained dog, in my opinion. Either your puppy is housetrained, or it is not. You may use these five ideas to train a puppy or an adult dog, provided the dog has a healthy mind and body. However, it is far quicker and easier to teach these ideas to puppies!
