How to Potty Train Your Dog While Traveling
Potty training is a process that is usually done at home but it doesn’t have to stop when you have to travel with your dog. For example, if you are driving a long distance and you have to take your pet with you, you can take advantage of frequent stops to make sure that your dog’s potty training lessons will not be disrupted. Many travelers do take their dogs out for a short walk on stopovers, but this doesn’t mean that you should encourage your dog to mingle with other pups while on the road.
You also have to keep in mind that when you take your dog out for on-the-road potty training, there are some responsibilities that you have to take care of, starting with cleaning up after your pet. Most highway rest stops these days have an area specifically for pets but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to leave your pet’s poop just lying around the area. Use poop bags to properly dispose of your dog’s waste.
If you forget to bring poop bags with you, you might avail of some from dispensers in the rest stop. Better yet, just find any clean plastic bag that is big enough to contain the poop. Pick it up and throw it away in the nearest garbage can.
Potty Training While Camping
If you are taking your pet along with you when you go camping or traveling in your recreational vehicle, you have to familiarize yourself with the campsite’s rules regarding pets before taking your dog to do his business just anywhere in the area. If you can’t see where these rules are posted, it’s always safer to ask than be sorry later.
Bringing along a portable litter box might be a good idea for smaller dogs, allowing them to do their business in the vehicle without requiring you to make an emergency stopover. This will also eliminate the hassle of having to pick up your dog’s poop when he goes outdoors.
There are such litter boxes that you can buy from pet stores everywhere, but you can also be creative and save some money by finding your own improvised portable litter box. Generally, any plastic box with a lid would be suitable, especially those that are low-sided and can easily be stored under a cot in your RV or in the trunk of your car. If you bring along these boxes, you can continue potty training your dog wherever you may go.
Puppy Potty Training – How to Teach Them When and Where To Go
Dog crates are wonderful training tools, but you must remember that is not all there is to housetraining your puppy. You also need to teach your dog where to go to the bathroom and how to let you know that it needs to go outside. Your dog also needs a command to fallow that lets him know to go potty, something that will get him to do a job quicker and where you ask him to do it.
You can teach both of these rules immediately. Take your puppy to the place where you want it to relieve itself and give him time to sniff and circle around. If you have kids keep them in the house when you are doing this task. It is important to leave the dog alone when you are potty training it. This is not a time for games; let it concentrate on what it should be doing.
While your dog is relieving itself, tell it softly (but don’t interrupt), “Go Potty! Go Potty!” (You can choose what ever words you would like to say.) After the dog has gone to the bathroom, praise him more. Let him know that he is a good boy and he did something right.
Every time your puppy needs to go to the bathroom take it to this spot, and repeat the process every time. No matter how long the process takes, you must stick with it in order to potty train your dog. For some dogs this process may take several weeks before it knows where its potty spot is.
The most important thing is to go outside with the dog. If you let the dog out by itself, you have no way of telling weather or not it has actually gone potty. The dog may come right back in the house and relieve itself in the living room; it may even sneak off into a different room and relieve itself. If you send the dog outside you will have no success with teaching the dog a command, and you cannot praise it.
Walking Your Puppy
When you take your dogs on walks and you come to a spot where it would be okay for your dog to relieve itself, tell them they can relieve themselves here as well. Remember to praise your dog after it goes to the bathroom and always pick up after it. One of the most important things in teaching a dog their potty spots is choosing wisely where they can and can not go. Don’t let your dog use the bathroom in your neighbor’s yard or in the front yard of a business.
Make sure to practice housetraining in various locations. If you take your dog only to your backyard to relieve itself, they will take this command so seriously that they will not go to the bathroom anywhere else. If you travel with your dog, they might try to go without going to the bathroom for too long which can be harmful to them.
As your dog gets into the routine of going outside you will be able to ask him if he needs to go outside. They will often respond with a bark and walk towards the door. They may also sit at the door and repeatedly bark until you acknowledge them and let them out. As your dog gets older you will be able to let him out without having to watch him.
