Housetraining Your Puppy

A job that you must take on soon is to teach your puppy to go to the bathroom in the right place. You will have to create the opportunities for your puppy to go and then praise her and give her treats. If you do this repeatedly enough, it will become a habit. If you have a young puppy it may take her several months to become housebroken and until that happens, set up an area in the house where your puppy will stay when she is alone

To help your puppy, set up a regular schedule for sleeping and eating, followed by a stroll outside, as follows:

•  Always first thing in the morning

•  Always immediately after eating a meal

•  Always after she wakes up from a nap.

Set the frequency of the outings at first with a timer or a clock set at 30 minutes, and take your puppy out each time the bell rings. As she gets older, you can decrease the frequency of the outings. You only need to stay outside with her for a few minutes.

You will observe certain movements that show that she is about to go to the bathroom - learn to read her body language.  Often puppies will start circling or sniffing around, or holding their tail a certain way if you see your puppy doing what she does before she goes, get her outside FAST!  When she finally goes where you want, give her lots of praise and special food treats!

Praise - do not scold

Puppies have accidents and you should make sure that she is kept in an area where accidents don't cause lasting damage, such as a kitchen with a hard surface floor where clean ups are easy and complete.

Don't show anger if your puppy has an accident inside, but give her lots of praise and treats when she goes outside. This positive reinforcement will soon help her to understand which behavior works to her advantage.

NEVER yell at your dog, push her nose in her messes, or swat her if she has an accident. She needs time to learn. Remember that human babies don't learn to use the toilet until they are 2 years old or sometimes older. If you get angry, she may just learn not to do it in your presence and to a puppy this may mean that this is exactly the remedy not to do it in your presence. They may cower and appear to be "sorry" when you yell, but they are just reacting to your yelling, not to what they did ten minutes or an hour ago.

NEVER leave your pup unattended with full run of the house or in a non puppy-proofed room.  When you can't watch her, put your puppy in a puppy-safe dog run in a shady spot outside, with water and toys within her reach.

In the evening, clean the puppy's water and food bowls, and take her outside to relieve herself just before bedtime. DO NOT let her roam free during the night. She should stay either in her room or crate through the night, but not longer than the 6-7 hours during which they usually sleep.

ALWAYS make sure to clean up the areas in the house where your dog has already messed. Your dog will mess again if she can smell the areas. Use an enzyme-based detergent (like those sold in pet stores to clean up pet messes). Detergents that contain ammonia or vinegar react with urine and will make it smell more.

Going on Command

Use a phrase or a couple of words ("GO POTTY ", for example) consistently to get your dog to go to the bathroom at the time and place you want. Some dogs take longer than others to understand. Use it just like you use any verbal command like " SIT ," and then if she does, give her lots of praise and treats. Do never repeat a command two or three times in a row - your dog should know that a command is said once, and that she is expected to follow immediately. Use a happy tone of voice, never an angry yell. Also, if you catch the puppy in the act of "getting busy" in the correct spot, you can say "GET BUSY!! GOOD PUPPY!  GET BUSY!  GOOD, GOOD!!" so they associate that phrase with what they are doing.

The best way to bond and have fun with your dog is to take a training class. Make sure you like the trainer's approach and style, and the students (and their dogs) are really learning. Ask to visit a class to observe a trainer near you, ask your veterinarian, your pet supply store, your dog-owning neighbors or call (800) PET-DOGS (the association of Pet Dog Trainers.), or (212) 727-7257 (the American Dog Trainer's Network).

Training Your Dog

Dogs are intelligent and learn at any age. Puppies can start receiving obedience training at six months; however, it is never too late to start, and your older dog will also enjoy and benefit from training.

Teaching SIT

•  Put your dog or puppy on your left side.

•  Walk along with your dog, stop, and give the command "Sit !". Make sure you speak in a normal tone of voice don't yell.

•  Use your left hand to stroke his rear down until your dog or puppy is in a sitting position. Your right hand holds his head up and in position with the lead (leash)

•  With your left hand, guide his rear down into a sitting position.

•  Your right hand maintains his head up and in position with the lead.

•  When his rear end hits the floor and he's looking up at you, say "Good sit !"

Repeat twice, several times a day.

Teaching STAY

•  Your puppy or dog is on lead on your left side. Tell him now to "Stay!"

•  Once he sat, say "Stay ", and place the palm of your left hand in front of his muzzle.

•  Take one step away from him. Don't try to make him stay for more than a few seconds at first. If he moves, guide him back into position and start over. When he will stay for just a few seconds, praise with "Good stay!" , call him to you and show him how happy you are with his performance.

•  Slowly increase the time and distance you step away from him until he'll stay for at least three minutes. With practice you'll be able to go some distance before coming back.

Teaching DOWN

•  Have your puppy or dog sit on your left side.

•  Stand over or kneel beside him and take his front paws in your hands. Say "Down!" and gently move his paws out and down until he is in the down position. If you do this with your left arm stretched over his back and around his body, he shouldn't struggle against you.

•  Keep him in position for a few seconds, then release him and get him into sit position for another try.

•  Practice until he goes down on command without your having to move him. He should stay quietly until released, without any pressure of your hand on his back. After a few days, you should be able to stand and just say "Down!" to have him lie at your side.

Practicing COME

The most important call for your puppy or dog to learn is to respond to your call.

•  With your puppy or dog walking at your side, take a sudden step back and call your dog's name followed by "Come!" At the same time, snap the lead to turn him around and get him to head towards you.

•  Make this a fun practice. When he's facing you, keep walking backward, urging him along. The way to succeed with "Come! is to not allow it to turn into a power struggle.

•  When you have started to walk and first give your dog the "Come! command, he should immediately get into motion to join you and you should be happily encouraging him to do so. Don't call your dog to come in an angry voice, or he will associate coming to you with something negative.

Practicing HEEL

•  To begin heeling, put the dog on your left side and say "Heel!" as you take the first step. Step off with your left leg first this tells your dog that you are ready to go. At the same time, give a light snap on the leash to urge him to come along.

•  As you walk along, continue to urge him to walk at your left side, with his neck and shoulder aligned with your left leg.

•  When your dog is doing well, praise him with "Good Heel!" It takes a while for a dog to learn this one. Practice in brief but lengthening sessions two or more times daily until you have to give only one command as you start walking.