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HOUSETRAINING
The key
to housetraining your puppy is to prevent accidents inside and
to reward successful elimination outside. Crate training is
a wonderful aid to housetraining because dogs will typically
not soil their sleeping area. To properly crate train your puppy,
refer to the crate
training write-up.
When housetraining a puppy it is important that you take her
outside at the times she is most likely to eliminate.
These times
include:
1. first thing in the morning
2. after each meal
3. after play time
4. when coming out of her crate
5. once an hour when you are home
Go out with your puppy each time so that you can provide feedback
when she eliminates.
Choose an
area outside where you will take the puppy each time, keep this
area fairly small and use it each and every time you take your
puppy out. Pace back and forth for a maximum of 5 minutes. Do
not interact with the puppy. If she eliminates, provide huge
praise and a food treat when she finishes. If she does not’t
eliminate, go back into the house and either put her in her
crate or supervise her by keeping her leash on. Try again in
a half hour. When she eventually eliminates, pour on the praise
and goodies. Only when you know she is “empty”, can you allow
her more freedom when you go back inside the house. You can
give your puppy a command for eliminating outside for example
"go potty" so the dog associates this command with eliminating.
It makes for quick potty breaks later down the line!
When inside
the house your puppy should be supervised at all times. Learn
the signals that indicate she needs to eliminate (circling,
restlessness, sniffing). Whenever you see these behaviors, say
“want to go out” and take her outside.
If you catch your puppy starting to eliminate in the house,
interrupt her with a sharp sound (clap your hands). Then urgently
say “outside” and take the puppy out. Stay outside for 5 minutes
and praise and treat her if she finishes eliminating.
If the puppy
has an accident in the house and you did not see it happen,
you must not punish her for it because she will not connect
the accident with the punishment. This will only cause your
puppy to be afraid of you. Simply clean it up (with an odor
neutralizer) and pay better attention next time.
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