If you have a puppy, it’s certain that you’re aware of the fun and enjoyment they can bring, but you are probably also aware of the little accidents they can cause. It’s very essential that you train your puppy early to use the bathroom outside, so you can avoid them having to resort to relieving themselves inside the home.
Puppy Accidents
First, you should come up with a bathroom schedule for your puppy and stick with it. This will help cut down on accidents, as well as helping to build your puppy’s sense of accomplishment and confidence level.
It is important to keep track of how much and when you feed your puppy and how much they have to drink in order to monitor and know when they will have to go to the bathroom. You will begin to notice that the puppy can hold itself for more prolonged periods of time, which can earn them respect from their owner and rewards for doing a good job.
Dog Housebreaking Process
In order to help out the housebreaking process, you should develop a schedule for when your puppy receives food and water, when it goes out for walks, plays and goes to the bathroom. Try to plan for doing each activity at about the same time on a daily basis.
The reason for this, dogs learn best by having and following a schedule and react well to good habits that you can help them achieve. You should try to aim for adding a new routine or schedule on a regular basis. For example, puppies that are about two months old can only hold it for about two or three hours so you need to take it out at least one time during the night and when you housebreak your puppy, be sure to pay attention to how your puppy lets you know that he or she has to go outside to go to the bathroom.
The puppy may give you signals such as scratching at the ground or sniffing door, making whining sounds and other indicators that tell you it’s time to take them out. Once you are aware of the habits like that, you will know when it is time to take them out.
Be sure to take them out the same way every time in order to be consistent and don’t allow them to go out on their own. You want to be sure they pick the same spot every time when they are outside and make sure that you give them plenty of praise.
When your puppy looks like they are ready to go, keep encouraging them by saying “do it” or “hurry up”. Then quietly begin to start praising them after they go. When they start to eliminate make sure that you continue to praise until they are all done.
It is important to remember that it may take your puppy a little while to be able to go, and especially in the morning if they are trying to hold it overnight. When you are convinced that he or she is finished, then give them some positive praise and return back inside.
It is important to remember that there will still be some accidents that take place in the house and that is normal and nearly impossible to avoid. Even if you are irritated or frustrated with the accidents in your house, make sure that you do not punish your puppy!
This means, don’t rub their face or nose in the mess that they made because it’s already done and they will not understand because you did not catch them or scold them while they were doing it. So they won’t know what they did. This will confuse and intimidate your puppy, which isn’t what you want at a time like this.
However, if you do happen to catch the puppy in the act, then you should slap something in the house or make a clapping sound. Make some kind of loud noise so that you can interrupt the behavior. After that, pick your puppy up and take it outside to the soiling area.
When they’re done, praise him or her as usual. You should also clean up messes with a specially designed product that is used for cleaning pet accidents. Do not use normal household cleaners or any that contain ammonia, which are not capable of removing the odor?
Your puppy will probably go back to the area if it’s not properly cleaned up after the mess is made. You need to figure out where you went wrong in training your puppy. Ask yourself, did you ignore the schedule? Did you give him or her water late at night? Or did you ignore the signs that they needed to go out? If you can figure out what you may have done wrong can help them succeed.