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House Breaking
Housebreaking can be
challenging but can also be rewarding when done
successfully. The following will help you understand
the habits of your
puppy and assist you in
teaching him where to urinate and defecate. Having a
routine is very important. Constant supervision when
you are at home and confinement when you are not
will have most puppies housebroken within 12 weeks.
A new
puppy in you home will need
time to adjust. This can take up to three months,
depending on the
puppy’s age and level of
confidence. Every
puppy is unique and will
respond differently to having new family and to
living in a new home (indoors and outdoors) and
getting used to a new routine. Factors that will
affect your
puppy’s behavior include
changes in diet, exercise, anxiety, and
excitability.
Taking Your
Puppy Potty
Start by only taking your
puppy outdoors when it is
time to potty. If you have to wait for an extended
period of time or walk a long way, carry your
puppy or walk quickly,
giving no time for your
puppy to stop. Go to the
spot you have chosen for his potty place, use a
verbal command of your choice and repeat it over and
over till you have success. Do not let your
puppy leave his potty
place. After the
puppy relieves himself,
immediately reward your
puppy with plenty of praise
and a treat. Give your
puppy only about 10 minutes
to relieve himself. After your
puppy does his business,
you can then go for a walk or have some playtime. If
your
puppy does not go or does
not completely empty out, return him to his crate
and try to take him out again in about a half an
hour.
Whenever a
puppy drinks or eats his
digestive system begins a process that often ends up
with elimination. Shortly after finishing his meal,
your puppy will have to relieve himself. This an be
anywhere within about 30 minutes. So when he is done
eating, do not let him roam around the house and do
not let him out of your sight. Watch for signs that
your
puppy has to relieve
himself such as intense sniffing, pacing back and
forth, and/or circling.
By feeding your
puppy at the same time each
day, you will be able to see a clear pattern of
behavior develop. The number of meals per day that
you feed your
puppy will figure into the
total number of times you can expect to have to take
him out to relieve himself. Feeding a highly
digestible, premium formula food helps in getting
and keeping your
puppy on a schedule. Young
and or small
puppies need to be fed more
often than older and or larger
puppies.
Suggested Feeding Schedule:
-
Puppies 7 months to
adult - 2 times a day
-
Puppies 3 to 6 months -
3 times a day
-
Very young or small
puppies - 4 times a day
Puppies generally need to
urinate after waking from a nap or from an overnight
sleep. Again, supervision is critical. If you do not
see your
puppy wake up, you may miss
seeing him relieve himself. Always be ready to take
your
puppy outdoors. Vigorous
play can also stimulate a
puppy to urinate. A
puppy may have trouble
controlling the urge. Your
puppy may squat suddenly,
urinate and then resume play. Watch him carefully
because he may give little or no warning. Typically
a
puppy has the capability of
holding one hour for every month of age.
Some
puppies and dogs use urine
and feces to make their territorial boundaries. This
type of soling (not related to normal elimination)
can happen during the night if you sleep away from
your
puppy or when you leave
your
puppy alone in the house. Dogs
are social. Some
puppies become stressed and
anxious when separated from their family. Males that
are not neutered often lift their leg indoors, not
because they have to go, but rather as a way of
posting a “No Trespassing” sign. It is important to
get a male
puppy neutered before he
reaches sexual maturity. It is recommended neutering
be done by 6 months of age, but be sure to consult
with your veterinarian. Waiting to neuter until one
or more years of age may not correct what has become
a habit in marking their territory. There are also
health benefits to neutering as well.
Caught You In The Act
If you catch your
puppy in the act of
eliminating in an inappropriate place, a deep firm
“NO” is all that is needed to communicate your
displeasure. If you succeeded in interrupting the
act, take your
puppy outdoors quickly and
clean up when you get back. Hitting your
puppy or rubbing his face
in his feces is not necessary. Tactics using
intimidation work against relationships based on
mutual trust and respect. Puppies
like to be praised and want to please their
masters. Supervision and consistency are
critical. Your
puppy is always learning,
even when you are not actively teaching. A
puppy that is not closely
monitored ( you will find more accidents than you
see happen) may become confused thinking he may
eliminate indoors because sometimes he gets yelled
at and sometimes he doesn't. A
puppy that is closely
monitored understands quickly what he may and may
not do and generally becomes reliable much more
quickly.
When your
puppy is very young and he
has an accident inside, all you can do is clean it
up and vow to be more diligent in
watching. Correcting your
puppy is useless because he
does not remember doing it. Once your
puppy is older, recognizes
his smell, and remembers the command you use for
elimination, you can take him to the accident and
firmly scold him and reinforce verbally that he
“goes potty outside”. When you cannot supervise your
puppy, he should be crated
or confined to a small
dog proofed area.
Clean Up
All accidents should be cleaned
with a commercial odor neutralizer. This type of
product, which is available in pet stores and
catalogs, breaks down the organic matter that causes
the odor. Typical household cleaners will not
neutralize the odor. If there is any residual odor
left after cleaning, there is a good chance that
your
puppy will return to the
spot. Be sure to follow the product label.
Paper Training/Litterboxes
If you are considering paper
training, think about what the end result is that
you want for your
puppy. Teaching your
puppy to eliminate indoors
can cause confusion when he is away from
home. Unless your
puppy is carefully trained
to respond to a specific set of cues, he may have
indoor accidents where you are visiting. Males that
are not neutered are particularly difficult to train
because they want to lift their leg and leave their
scent in many different places. Males that are not
neutered must be trained to use only indoor scent
post. Some people are experimenting with litter
boxes. However, it may work very well at home, but
if you want your
puppy to travel with you,
you may have problems when away from home.
Crate – Security For You
Puppy
Many people associate kennel
crates with imprisonment or punishment. However,
puppies view these as a
personal den or safe haven. Crates minimize the
stress and activity that comes with being left alone
and having to deal with a large area. A
puppy that is in a crate
cannot pace back and forth or dart from window to
window. A
puppy can not work himself
into a frenzy that may include chewing and
ransacking. These type of activities also lead to
indoor accidents. Puppies
are much more content when they feel secure. Having
his own personal “house” when you are away will give
your
puppy the security he
needs. This also assures you that he is behaving and
you will be happy to see each other when your arrive
home.
Puppies will try very hard
not to eliminate in their quarters. They like to
have clean beds. This is the reason it is very
successful to use crate training as part of your
housebreaking. Most
puppies enjoy tight spaces
with little headroom. However, some
puppies need room to
sprawl. Notice how your
puppy uses space when he is
let loose in a room The size of the crate is very
important. You may need to experiment. If your
puppy soils the crate
daily, it is probably too big. If your
puppy can curl up in one
corner and soil in the other corner, the crate is
definitely too big. Do not put any absorbent
bedding in the crate until you are sure that your
puppy can control himself
and keep it clean and dry. If your
puppy continues to soil it,
make sure that you are following the correct
schedule and the
puppy has been fully
exercised before being crated. Do not be late in
getting your
puppy out to eliminate. A
puppy that is forced to
soil his crate is a very unhappy
puppy.
Introduce your
puppy to the crate
slowly. Feed him in it, put his toys in it, and hide
his treats inside it. It should be fun to go
inside. Put a chew toy inside, close the door and
stay close by. Talk to your
puppy, laugh, and then let
him out with a big “Hooray”. Increase the length of
time your
puppy is in the crate in
small increments. Also distance yourself. Sit across
the room and then sit in the next room If he begins
to whine, a sharply spoken “Quiet” is necessary. If
he quiets, wait a moment or so and then let him
out. As long as he complains he stay. Do not reward
a tantrum with freedom. If you have introduced the
crate correctly, and taken the time to make it fun,
your
puppy will be complaining
not because he does not like his accommodations, but
because he can not be with you when he wants
to. (Note- in rare cases some
puppies will not accept
being crated. For whatever reason, they become
extremely anxious if confined. Some make every
effort to escape. Some signs of stress include
incessant barking, shaking, trembling, extreme
salivation and lathering. In most cases, the crate
will continually be soiled. If your puppy becomes
hysterical, do not force the issue. Some
puppies just can not be
trained using crates).
Feeding And Watering
We have provided you with feed
from Eukanuba. If you choose to switch your
puppy
to a different food, we recommend that you make the
change gradually over a period of 7 to 10
days. Start with the food we sent for a few
days. After about 3 or 4 days you may begin
lessening the amount of the old food and increase
the amount of the new food. Continue the switch
gradually until only the new food is being
used. Remember to provide your
puppy with fresh water at
all times. Usually
puppies need to stay on
puppy food for about one
year of age. Always be sure to consult with your
veterinarian.
Other Things to Remember
The younger you start to trim
your
puppies nails the
better. Your
puppy will become
accustomed to having you work with his nails.
Remember to keep the hair
trimmed around your
puppies eyes. This will
help prevent getting eye infections because of
overgrowth of hair around their eyes.
Begin bathing your
puppy every few weeks with
an appropriate
puppy or
dog
shampoo. Human shampoos are not balanced for the
skin pH of
dogs and
puppies.
It is important to start
brushing your
puppies teeth when your
puppy is young. Again the
younger you begin working with your
puppy he will be accustomed
to having his teeth brushed. Start with a toothpaste
that is flavored for dogs. Do not use human
toothpaste because it is not meant to be
swallowed. Note – some toy breeds such as
Maltese do not lose their
baby teeth as they should. These may need to be
removed at the time of spay/neuter to prevent dental
problems. Again consult with your veterinarian.
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