House Training Mistakes Puppy Owners Can Avoid

As a new dog owner you probably have not taken a canine training class, or studied the latest puppy training techniques available.

New puppy owners should not have to go to such lengths to teach their pups the basics. But like all unknown territories, it is easy for novice puppy owners to find lots of ways to mess up simple puppy training. Especially when it comes to the process of housetraining.

Below are a few common mistakes that many people make and which you should aim to avoid:

1. Irregular schedule: Dogs thrive on repetitiveness and a routine schedule. If you fail to follow a schedule when it comes to taking your puppy to the bathroom, feeding and bedtime, it can cause a disruption in the learning process.

For example, it’s Sunday morning and your puppy is waiting for you at the door to go to the bathroom at 7:00 AM (his usual morning potty time) and you feel like sleeping in. Do not be surprised if you wake up to a puddle of pee, or a stinky pile of poop on the kitchen floor! Adhering to a schedule is absolutely critical to successfully house train your puppy.

2. Ignoring crate training: Crate training is a safe and effective way to housetrain any puppy. Not only does it work well, but it is not the cruel training protocol that many people think it is. Placing your puppy in a crate when you are not able to watch over him, will help your dog to develop control over its bladder.

3. Disciplining your puppy after the dirty deed has been done: In other words, if you continually yell and discipline your puppy after he has made a mistake, while not actually in the moment of the act, he will not have the slightest clue as to why he is being punished. This type of harassment will only cause your puppy to be scared of you. Only correct him when you catch him doing something wrong, never after.

4. Not cleaning up accidents when they happen: I realize that it may get a little tiring when you constantly have to clean up your new puppy’s poop and pee, but it’s an unfortunate part of the deal you made when you decided to bring home a new dog, especially a brand-new puppy.

Do not make the mistake of getting lazy and leaving his wastes to sit on the floor for any length of time. This can signal to your dog that it is okay to use the bathroom on the floor and he will continue to do so, in the same spot.