House Training Your Puppy
It’s hard to resist that adorable face staring at you from the kennel at a breeder’s house – until that same cute pup makes his first mess on your carpet! Puppy house training is usually the first step in establishing a proper relationship with your new dog, but it can also be a source of frustration to many dog owners. The good news is that there are some tried and true techniques that will have your dog going potty in the appropriate spot quickly and without the headache. Read on for tips for puppy house training that will make the first few weeks with your new pup a little easier to handle.
Crates have become a popular tool in puppy house training today for a number of good reasons. Dogs will generally refuse to go to the bathroom in the area where they sleep, so keeping your pup in a crate for a short period of time will teach him how to hold his urges until he is removed from the confinement. When you take your dog out of the crate, you can take him directly outdoors to do his business. Once he does, you can offer the positive reinforcement that will encourage him to use the backyard the next time around.
Using a crate for puppy house training will also provide a safe, comfortable place for your pet to sleep when you are not available to keep an eye on him. This is particularly useful for times when you will be asleep or away from home. Puppies that are left to their own devices can often become destructive, so a crate offers an environment where your dog cannot get into trouble or become injured when you are not watching him. Make sure that the initial time spent in the crate is short, and gradually extend the time as your dog gets more comfortable with his surroundings. No dog should be left in a crate for longer than six to eight hours at a stretch.
When your puppy does have an accident in the house, it is best to ignore the mess rather than put your pup’s nose in it or scold him. Take your puppy outside to show him the proper place to potty and then clean up the mess while your dog is not around to watch you. It is important to completely eliminate the smell while puppy house training, because a dog will return to the scent to potty again in the same spot. There are very good commercial cleaners on the market today that effectively clean up such messes.
Puppy house training is a process that requires plenty of time and patience, but it is far from impossible. With consistency and the help of a crate, your dog will learn the appropriate place to potty in no time. Puppy house training is the first step in raising a dog that is a pleasure to his entire family.
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