Puppy House Training Tips 1

Puppy house training tips
House training a puppy is very important for the well being of both the
puppy and the owner. The number one reason that dogs are
surrender to animal shelters is problems with inappropriate
elimination, so it is easy to see why proper house training is such an
important consideration.
It is important to establish proper toilet habits when the puppy is
young, since these habits can last a lifetime, and be very hard to break
once they are established. It is very important for the owner to house
break the puppy properly. In most cases, true house training cannot
begin until the puppy is six months old. Puppies younger than this
generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true
house training.
Puppies younger than six months should be confined to a small, puppy
proofed room when the owner cannot supervise them. The entire floor
of the room should be covered with newspapers or similar absorbent
materials, and the paper changed every time it is soiled. As the puppy
gets older, the amount of paper used can be reduced as the puppy
begins to establish a preferred toilet area. It is this preferred toilet
area that will form the basis of later house training.
The Do's of House Training Your Puppy:
? Always provide the puppy with constant, unrestricted access to
the established toilet area.
? When you are at home, take the puppy to the toilet area every
45 minutes.
? When you are not at home or cannot supervise the puppy, you
must be sure the puppy cannot make a mistake. This means
confining the puppy to a small area that has been thoroughly
puppy proofed. Puppy proofing a room is very similar to baby
proofing a room, since puppies chew on everything.
? Always provide a toilet area that does not resemble anything in
your home. Training the puppy to eliminate on concrete,
blacktop, grass or dirt is a good idea. The puppy should never
be encouraged to eliminate on anything that resembles the
hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may encounter in a home.
? Praise and reward your puppy every time he eliminates in the
established toilet area. The puppy must learn to associate
toileting in the established areas with good things, like treats,
toys and praise from his owner.
? Always keep a set schedule when feeding your puppy, and
provide constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. A
consistent feeding schedule equals a consistent toilet schedule.
? Using a crate can be a big help in helping a puppy develop self
control. The concept behind crate training is that the puppy will
not want to toilet in his bed area.
? And finally, it is important to be patient when house training a
puppy. House training can take as long as several months, but
it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain
a problem dog.

The Don'ts of House Training Your Puppy
? Never reprimand or punish the puppy for mistakes. Punishing
the puppy will only cause fear and confusion.
? Do not leave food out for the puppy all night long. Keep to a set
feeding schedule in order to make the dog's toilet schedule as
consistent as possible.
? Do not give the puppy the run of the house until he has been
thoroughly house trained.

House training is not always the easiest thing to do, and some dogs
tend to be much easier to house train than others. It is important,
however to be patient, consistent and loving as you train your dog. A
rushed, frightened or intimidated dog will not be able to learn the
important lessons of house training. Once you have gained your
puppy's love and respect, however, you will find that house training
your puppy is easier than you ever expected.