The Urban Dweller’s Guide to Puppy Potty Training
Puppy potty training is easy if you have ready access to a backyard or an open space where you can take your dog out to do his business. But if you live in a high-rise apartment in the heart of a busy city, you will have to find creative ways on how to go about puppy potty training.
It’s quite easy if your dog is of a small breed. You just have to provide him with a litterbox in one corner of the apartment and teach him to go there when the need arises. It is usually safe to let your dog use this system even until he becomes an adult. With larger dogs though, this probably is not the best approach.
Regardless of the size of your dog, litterbox training or paper training is still the first step that you have to take. Introduce him to the litterbox by using encouraging words, praise and treats. Don’t force him though — let him get acquainted with the box at his own pace.
If after a couple of days, your dog still seems reluctant to go into the litterbox, you may want to try changing the kind of litter in the box. Some dogs will have a natural aversion to some types of litter so you may have to experiment a little in order to find one that he finds acceptable.
It would also be advisable to protect your floor from the potential mess of scattered litter. Just lay down some paper or matting around the litterbox and you should be fine. If your dog lifts his leg to pee, you might also find that putting a section of a plastic bin around the side will help in protecting your walls.
During the initial stages of your puppy potty training, make sure that you clean the litterbox after each time the dog uses it. Once the dog becomes familiar with the box and its purpose, you can lessen the cleaning to once per day. You should also clean the litterbox entirely at least once a month — empty it and wash it thoroughly with soap and water.
As mentioned earlier, with smaller breeds, using a litterbox as a permanent puppy potty training option is perfectly fine. One of the downsides is that when your dog does not know any other place to potty, you may encounter difficulties when you take him to other places, such as on a vacation.
Another possible disadvantages of the litterbox puppy potty training method is that the dog may not be getting enough exercise, unlike when you take him out for walks to do his business. To remedy this problem, make sure you bring your dog out from time to time for a little outdoor exercise.
Puppy Housetraining Basics – The Importance of Patience and Vigilance
No matter how many puppy housetraining books you have read or videos you have watched, you won’t be able to succeed unless you are able to exercise patience and vigilance. These are two very important elements that will enable you to housetrain your dog in no time at all. For instance, during the few seconds before your dog does his business, he will do a pre-potty ritual of sniffing the ground, walking around in a circle once or twice and assuming the pottying position.
Once the pre-potty ritual has been completed, you should let the dog know that he can now start his business by giving a potty command. This could be something like “go potty” or “do your business”. Any command will do as long as you use the same phrase every time.
For your puppy housetraining to work, you should never utter the potty command when it is not time for your dog to potty. Also, in order to avoid confusion, you should choose a potty command that is not likely to be used by other members of the household for other purposes. This is why generic phrases like “hurry up” or “let’s go” should not be used.
As the days go by, your puppy will gradually figure out the link between the phrase and the action. So when he hears the command from you, he will know that he is expect to pee or poop even if he has not yet gone through his typical entire pre-potty routine.
Each time your dog potties on cue, make sure that you give him adequate but not excessive praise, as well as a small treat, before bringing him back into the house.
Being Vigilant is Key
From the moment you begin puppy housetraining, it is crucial that you keep an eye on your dog as much as possible, particularly when he is out of the crate. This is to ensure that no “accidents” go unnoticed and uncorrected.
If you see your doggy going potty the right way and at the right spot, give it some praise words and a treat. On the other hand, if it leaves you a present inside the house, immediately place him in his crate without a word and just clean up his mess.
Patience Leads to Success
Many dog owners easily become frustrated when their pet does not take to puppy housetraining right away. They end up yelling at their dogs or just giving up on the training. Keep in mind that this is a process that can take some time. By being patient and giving your dog time to adjust, you will be able to enjoy the rewards of a successful training within a few weeks.
