Training a Puppy
Housebreaking, Crate Training, Socialization
Everyone loves a puppy but when you are faced with the 24 hour challenges they can throw at you, training your puppy can seem frustrating and daunting. The good news is that puppies mature and grow up quickly and that there are tried and true training methods that will make this period of puppy development enjoyable and memorable. The following articles on Training Puppies can help you through this most important period of your dog's life. The Dog Squad offers a variety of Dog Obedience and Puppy Training Packages that can help your puppy become a well mannered dog.
Training a puppy to eliminate outside of your house is commonly called housebreaking, house training or potty training. The keys to successful puppy potty training are structure, schedule and vigilance with a large portion of patience. Dogs being creatures of habit will follow whatever we present to them as the way the world should be. Puppies by instinct are clean animals and if we keep their nest clean they rapidly learn how to eliminate outside.
Puppy House Training Structure
Structure refers to the puppy's supervision both in and out of the house. The quickest way to house train a puppy is to set the puppy up for success by preventing accidents from happening. By taking control of the puppy's structure and schedule we can shape his preference to eliminate where and when we want them to. There are four training aids that will help you establish the proper structure for a puppy. A leash, a crate, an exercise pen, and a 10 foot tether.
Using a Leash for Housebreaking a Puppy
A puppy should always be on a leash and always in sight of its owner. The biggest mistake owners make is letting their puppy run around the house freely inviting accidents to happen when out of their sight. Prevention is the most important factor in successful housebreaking. When the puppy can't be supervised then it should be in its crate or exercise pen. Also, a puppy should not be left unattended outside in the yard. There are too many things the puppy can get into and you do not want to come home to dug up plants, sprinkling systems and chewed up lawn furniture.
Using a Crate for Potty Training a Puppy
A puppy instinctually wants to keep her den clean and would prefer to eliminate away from where she sleeps and eats. This is why a crate is such a valuable training tool for housebreaking your puppy.
Using a Crate for Puppy Potty Training
Cruel or Humane?
When potty training a puppy or dog the crate is an essential tool. Most professional dog trainers and veterinarians recommend a crate for housebreaking a puppy or dog. While some may disagree, the crate is actually humane and the most effective training tool for potty training a puppy you can use. We as humans value our freedom and tend to project our human feelings onto our pets which results in the unfortunate conclusion by some that crate training is inhumane. However, most puppies and dogs look favorably upon a crate, especially when the owner introduces it properly and uses it judiciously.
The dog crate may be a cage to us but to the puppy it is his cozy den. If you observe puppies in the home they will try to find small spaces to curl up in, like going under tables, desks or even under beds to seek comfort and safety. Their ancestors, the wolf, live in under ground dens that protect them from the elements and predators. Dogs have this same natural denning instinct.
Today more people are aware of the benefits of using a crate when house training a puppy or even an older dog. The premise is that a dog or puppy will not eliminate where they sleep, and this along with a consistent feeding routine and potty schedule we can teach the puppy where and when it should potty quickly and painlessly.
There are other benefits to crate training your puppy at an early age. The crate can also be used to teach a puppy to be calm in the owner's absence. For example: If your dog or puppy starts barking or crying when you leave, you can use the crate to teach him to be calm while you are at home. Once there's a pattern of calm behavior when you are at home you can start leaving for short periods of time and then extend the time as your puppy learns how to handle your absence. Eventually the goal would be to wean your puppy away from the kennel when he has demonstrated that he can be trusted. This might take up to a year depending on your dog. Remember that the crate is not a puppy prison and should not be used as punishment. If you work during the day it is not advisable to leave your puppy in the crate all day.
A good dog trainer can coach you through this process and also help you recognize any early signs of anxiety or serious canine behavior problems that might be developing. Setting up a puppy training program and puppy safe environment in the right way can go a long way to preventing future dog behavior problems.
Kennels can also be used as a management tool for training dogs suffering from separation anxiety or other behavior problems. (This is the term for dogs that engage in destructive behavior when their owners are away.) Rather than letting the dog destroy his home or yard we can teach the dog to be calm in a confined space while we are away. The crate, if properly trained, can have a calming effect on the dog keeping him from acting out because of the anxiety associated with the owner's absence.
A crate is an excellent dog and puppy training tool, but it should not be over used or become a substitute for good dog training. Over use can damage your dog or puppy psychologically. Putting the dog into the kennel when you are frustrated or angry may solve the immediate problem, but in the long run you need to also teach your puppy some self control and manners. Along with exercise, training, play and affection the crate should be part of your puppy's daily routine. If you find yourself using the crate too much you may need help from a professional dog trainer to help you better manage your puppy's bad behavior.
The Three Biggest Mistakes Owners Make When House Training Their Puppy.
1. Not using a crate
2. Allowing free roaming
3. Inconsistent elimination and feeding schedule
The Guiding Principle for Successful Puppy Housebreaking
The major rule to remember for house training your puppy is, "DO NOT LET YOUR PUPPY GO IN THE HOUSE!" That's it in a nutshell. If you prevent accidents from happening you are 90% on the road to successful house training.
When will my puppy or dog be trustworthy?
As a general rule when your puppy is a least 6 months of age and has had no accidents in the house for at least a month or two you can then give your puppy more freedom in the house.
The Guiding Principle for Successful Puppy Housebreaking
The major rule to remember for house training your puppy is, "DO NOT LET YOUR PUPPY GO IN THE HOUSE!" That's it in a nutshell. If you prevent accidents from happening you are 90% on the road to successful house training.
When will my puppy or dog be trustworthy?
As a general rule when your puppy is a least 6 months of age and has had no accidents in the house for at least a month or two you can then give your puppy more freedom in the house.
