Housebreaking Dogs and Puppies - A Step by Step Guide to Potty Training Your Dog or Puppy

If you're reading this I think it's safe to assume that you either currently own, or are about to buy, a dog or puppy and don't want to come home to nasty "surprises" on your living room floor. That's why I'm writing this step by step guide to potty training your adult dog or puppy.

Before I get into the details of how to do this I want to take a second to say that this is not a difficult thing to do. It's a pretty straight forward process and anybody can get great results! It DOES however require both consistancy and diligence on your part to make sure that your dog or puppy is really and truly housebroken.

It also helps to have a basic understanding of the way your dog thinks. They rely on instincts to tell them what to do, it's important that you understand this and not allow yourself to start attributing human feelings and motivations to them. They are pack animals. If you really want to understand your dog and effectively train him I suggest taking the time to really study pack behavior and animal instinct.

However, if you don't have the interest or time to dedicate to studying the things that drives your dog's behavior here's a quick run down of what you need to do to teach your dog to "go" outside.

1. Always watch your puppy for signs that he needs to eliminate. Things like sniffing around the floor are a sure sign that your puppy is looking for a good spot to go. As you go along you'll start to recognize the signs that your dog needs to go potty.

2. IMMEDIATELY take him outside as soon as you see that he needs to potty. Also designate a specific place in the yard for him to do his business, take him there and repeat a specific command like "Do it here." until he eliminates.

3. As soon as he eliminates give him lots of praise. This is positive enforcement and is extremely important to this whole process. We want the dog to know that when he does what we want him to do something pleasent happens.

4. We also want our dog to know that EVERY TIME he does something we don't want him to do, something unpleasent happens. This is why it's critically important to correct the dog when he has an "accident" in the house. If you have to go to work or leave for whatever reason and aren't able to supervise your dog you need to keep him in a crate inside or an enclosed dog run outside. Don't just leave your dog unsupervised outside while you're gone as this can lead to other problems.

When you give your dog a "correction" it has to be motivational or you might as well not bother. By motivational I mean something that gets his attention and makes him understand that he just did something wrong.

For this I highly recommend a pinch collar or an electronic shock collar for adult dogs. For a puppy it's enough to grab them by the scruff of the neck and give a vigorous shake and pinch.

It's critical that you administer the correction immediately after the dog does whatever you don't want him to do, in this case pottying in the house. Dogs have a very short term memory, if you don't correct him immediately he won't understand what he did wrong or why you're correcting him.

If you aren't physically close enough to perform the correction immediately you can buy yourself some time by yelling "NO NO NO NO NO" while you run to him. By doing this the dog will associate what he just did with the correction you give him once you get there. This will only buy you around 10-15 seconds, so you need to be quick.

NEVER under any circumstances physically strike your dog. It's abuse and can only damage your relationship with him. After all, you want a companion that you can love and who loves you, nobody loves somebody that beats them.

5. Set up a specific schedule for feeding and watering your dog and stick to it. Take him outside immediately afterwards and go to the designated spot. Keep repeating your "elimination command" until he goes and then praise him.

6. Accidents are going to happen. You might as well get used to that idea now. That's why I suggest investing in enzymatic cleaning agent. Your local pet store should have a selection of these available, pick one out and use it on the spots where your dog eliminates in the house.

I don't suggest using any of the home made cleansers you'll find all over the internet. The reason is they almost all make use of either water or amonia or fragrances. Water will only spread the stain out, amonia is created by the breakdown of the urine and can confuse the dog into thinking it's ok to go there agtain. Fragrances just cover up the problem for us, remember your dog's sence of smell is many times better than ours and he'll still smell the spot thru the fragrance and think it's ok to go there.

Enzymatic cleaners use enzymes to actually break down the stain on a molecular level. The enzymes actually "eat up" the stain and leave nothing behind for the dog to smell.

If the dog eliminates in the crate or dog run while you're away don't give a correction, he won't know why you're doing it anyway. Just take him outside and follow the advice in numbers 2 and 3 above. Then clean up the crate with soap and water and use your enzymatic cleaning agent to get rid of what's left over.

That about covers it. Just remember that you can do this, it just takes dedication and diligence on your part. Sure it's a bit of work, but the benefits far outweigh the trouble you'll have to go thru. You won't have to worry about your floors or furniture being ruined, your dog will know exactly what you expect of him and you'll both be happier as a result.

Now you can spend more time bonding and actually having fun with your dog!

Thanks for reading this article, I hope you found it usefull.

Tony Norton
Dog-Training-Resources-Online.com

Tony is the owner and editor of http://www.Dog-Training-Resources-Online.com

He's trained numerous dogs over the years for both himself and others. Please be sure to visit his website for great dog training tips and a free 7day course on training your own dog.

---

The Dreaded Vet Visit: 5 Ways to Comfort Your Dog

Uh-oh, it's that time again. The dreaded vet visit, and Barkley will be whimpering all the way. It's days like this when you wish your dog understood English, so you could tell him,... Read More

Stop! Dont Give Your Cat That Chocolate!

"Where's the harm? My cat seems to enjoy chocolate and it's only a small piece."Just because certain foods, such as chocolate, are enjoyed by us humans and are perfectly safe for us, it... Read More

Five Cat Food Factors That Discourage Feline UTD

One of the most common causes of Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is what your cat eats. A feline diet that is too high in carbohydrates and magnesium, and low in protein can... Read More

Why Exotic Pets Should Not Be Banned

We all know how special interest groups can blow things out of proportion ? like the nonexistent "Exotic Pet Crisis." If you listened to some animal rights groups, you'd think keeping exotic pets... Read More

Horse Training Techniques From The 1800s

Was he the world's greatest horse trainer of all time? Would his picture be in the horse trainer's Hall Of Fame? Perhaps.His name was Jesse Beery. Before he was twenty he became a... Read More

Dog Breath-It Doesnt HAVE to Be SO Bad!

While your friends and family are amazed that you're raising such an amazing dog, you notice that they flinch when the dog gets too close. They may shrug away or not bend down... Read More

Pet Memorial - In Remembrance of Our Special Pet Friends

Still remember that very moment when you first laid your eyes on your now, ever still most beloved pet? Feeling that very special bond between the both of you when you pick up... Read More

What Type Of Food Should You Really Feed Your Cat?

What should you feed your cat to make sure he or she will have the necessary nutrition? What is the ideal mix of food to help your cat live to the limit of... Read More

How to Make Your Cats Life, and YOUR Life, Happier - Training Your Cat

Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at your new furniture, and Kitty is sitting staring at you. Suddenly you realize how silly you look and how futile your scolding is.... Read More

Materials for Snake and other Reptile Cages

What kind of materials should you use when constructing a reptile cage? This question was posed to me once by someone wishing to build their own reptile cage. They were particularly asking about... Read More

New Pet Tag Services Provide A Sense Of Security

The greatest benefits of ownership is knowing that your property will be there when you need it, but ownership of a pet requires a different type of security measure. Because, pets are living... Read More

Horse Care & Training Tips

Do you own a horse? If so, then you have questions about the care, feeding, shoeing, cost, etc. of horse ownership. The least expense of owning a horse, is the actual purchase. Once... Read More

Media Influence on Public Perception of Exotic Cat Ownership

What makes something news? The fact that you take good care of your pets isn't newsworthy. Neither is your recent trip to the supermarket; If something is normal, it isn't news. Only aberrations... Read More

Basic Discus Fish Care

Are you thinking about getting some discus then and want to know a little about them. Have you been to the aquatics and seen some lovely colourful discus in there show tanks. A... Read More

Keeping Your Cat Healthy

Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other living thing, however, they can get sick and can... Read More

Train Your Buddy To ?Walk? & ?Dance? - Warning: Not All Dogs Can Do It!

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that put an abnormal strain upon the muscles of the back and hind legs and most dogs require considerable practice before they gain sufficient... Read More

Dog Training For Beginners

Training a dog is a fairly difficult task. Some find it to be very frustrating and simply send there dog or puppy to a professional trainer. Now if you have a dog that... Read More

How To Stop Your Cat Scratching Your Furniture - Forever!

Your cat scratching at your furniture can not only leave you out of pocket but also very frustrated and annoyed at your cat for being such a bad little kitty. Cats need to... Read More

Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...

Potty Training Your Puppy:Make sure you feed your dog at regular times every day as this makes bathroom breaks regular as well. Feed your puppy 2-3 times a day.As soon as he is... Read More

Lyme Disease in Dogs

It is hard to get an early diagnosis of lyme disease in animals including your own dog. The first sign of lyme disease in humans is a rash, well; animals do not develop... Read More

Dogs - Mans Best Friend

Dogs have been known as man's best friend for decades. Owning a dog can be a positive, enjoyable experience for the entire family. Keep in mind however, that the decision to own a... Read More

Thinking of Getting a Lhasa Apso Dog?

One of the cutest looking dogs around is the Lhasa Apso. The puppies especially are just irresistible but before one decides to purchase a Lhasa just because the kids are begging for one,... Read More

Helping Your Pets Cope With The Stress Caused By Loud Noise

Which is the noisiest species of all? Nope, not the lions, or the elephants, or the geese? it's us, humans. Our voices were not enough, we started making music and creating musical instruments... Read More

The Importance of a Plan When Building a Reptile Cage

Would you put together a model plane without looking at the finished plane picture or looking at the plans? Does a builder build a house without a plan?The answer to these is pretty... Read More

Introducing a Cat to Your Children

Are cats and children a good mix?So, you had a cat in the family when you were a kid. And you are thinking that the addition of a cat into your home would... Read More

Does The World Need More Cats?

Aren't they cute? Yes, they are! A nest of meowing and crawling little kittens leaves only the fiercest cat hater indifferent. But does the world need more cats?A cat is the second most... Read More

The Background and Use of Clicker Training For Dogs

Presently, and throughout the 1990s a phenomena swept through the dog-lover's community. It was called "Clicker Training," and was implemented to teach dogs (along with horses and cats) that certain behaviors would be... Read More

Christmas Gifts For Cat Lovers

The act of offering Christmas gifts is always enhanced if you take some trouble in matching the gift with the recipient.Sometimes, though, it is not as easy as it may seem, especially if... Read More

West Highland White Terrier - Westie Grooming

Westie Grooming ? When your west highland white terrier becomes part of your family, it deserves the care love and support that is given to all members of your family.As part of the... Read More