Dog Obedience Training Ideas

Puppy House Training
House training a puppy requires you to be consistent, vigilant, and patient.  Realistic expectations are also a must.  Although the ideal is to make it through puppy house training without any soiling accidents, that is highly unlikely.

Puppies are physically incapable of delaying urination beyond a certain amount of time.  When they are young, they may need to urinate every hour and no amount of scolding will change that.  The following are tips on how to start house training a puppy:

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Supervision is Needed During Puppy Potty Training
In order to minimize accidents during puppy potty training, constant supervision is necessary, both indoors and out.  Be on the lookout for signs that the puppy needs to eliminate.  Some signs are obvious, such as pawing at the door, or barking.  Some are subtle, such as circling, sniffing, squatting, or general restlessness.

Keep the puppy nearby so that he may be taken out as soon as it is clear he needs to go.  Tethering the puppy, either to a piece of furniture or to the owner is one solution.  However, puppies can quickly get into trouble by winding themselves up on a leash, so a tether is only viable when constant supervision is possible.

Confinement Is Necessary During Puppy Potty Training
The puppy should not be allowed to roam at will. Freedom in the house and yard should only be allowed once he has successfully mastered puppy potty training.

Choose an area of your house that can be sectioned off with a baby gate.  A portion of a laundry room or bathroom is ideal.  The area should be large enough for him to inhabit – (standing, lying down, turning around) – but not so large that there is room for him to use it as a potty as well.  A dog’s instinct prohibits him from soiling his den.  You will use that instinct to your advantage, but also realize how distressed he will feel if he can’t hold back any longer, and must eliminate on his bedding.

Crate training the puppy is another excellent way of confining him to one particular area.   Take him to his designated potty spot the moment he is released from the cage.

If the puppy must be left in his confined area for an extended period, a box filled with dirt may be provided for emergencies.  This will mimic the outdoor potty spot, but it should be removed promptly when the owner returns.

Ongoing Training  is Needed During Puppy Potty Training
Establish a routine to potty train puppy, and then stick to it.  Puppies, like babies, respond well to a regular schedule.  The more consistent the training schedule, the sooner your puppy will learn what constitutes acceptable behavior.  It may take several weeks to successfully house train your puppy.  The timeframe will vary according to the breed of dog.

Training should be taken in steps, so as not to confuse the youngster.  Some owners like to teach their puppy to jangle a bell attached to the doorknob when he needs to go outside, but that should be considered phase two of the puppy house training program.

When puppy house training is done correctly, the groundwork will be laid for further dog obedience training, and a positive relationship between dog and owner will be established.

Positive Encouragement is Needed During Puppy Potty Training
Start house training a puppy by rewarding him each time he successfully eliminates in the designated potty spot.  Be sure to give the treat immediately, while outdoors, so that he associates the reward with his accomplishment, and thereby learns what is expected of him.

Click Here to Start House Training a Puppy

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