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Supreme Being
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Last Login: 8/14/2010 3:40:30 PM
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| What's the best way to potty train a puppy?
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Supreme Being
Group: Experienced Dog Owner
Last Login: 8/5/2011 10:39:15 PM
Posts: 3,705,
Visits: 1,089
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Potty Training is at the top of every dog owner’s to do list. It also one of the easier things to achieve, as long as you do the following.
Set Up a Safe Area for your Puppy
Crates and playpens are popular training tools, but any room can work. Set up the puppy’s area with toys, bedding, water and puppy pads.
This is the area the puppy will stay in when you can’t supervise him. Make sure it’s ok for him to eliminate in this room – select a spot with easy to clean surfaces and remove anything he could ruin.
Set a Potty Schedule
When you’re home take him out every hour. Give him 3-5 minutes to eliminate. If he hasn’t by then, bring him back inside and check back in 20 minutes.
Also take your puppy outside after he’s been asleep, after he’s been playing, and 25-30 minutes after he’s eaten.
Puppies have a 45 minute bladder capacity at three weeks, 75 minute capacity at eight weeks and 90 minutes at twelve weeks.
Lavish Praise on Him
Take the really super good treats with you when you take him outside. When he goes, praise him and give him 3-4 of the great treats. Do this each time he goes to the bathroom outside.
Introduce the Go Potty Command
Once he’s started eliminating outside on a consistent basis, introduce the command. Begin by telling him “Good potty” after he’s eliminated and then begin giving him the command when you first get outside.
Remember to lavish praise and treats on him.
Restrict His Access Inside
Don’t let him wander the house when you aren’t around to watch him. Only bring him into the main areas when you can supervise and after he’s eliminated outside. This prevents him from making any potting training mistakes.
If you see him starting to eliminate, hurry him outside and then praise him when he goes there.
Enzymatic Cleaner
Clean any spots where a mistake occurs thoroughly, using an enzymatic cleaner to get everything out.
Walk
If you want, you can add a walk in as a reward for eliminating outside. After he goes, praise him and take him for a walk. If you consistently take him for a walk after he poops, he’ll quickly learn to go and he’ll get this taken care of before you walk him.
Don’t Punish Mistakes
If you discover that he’s eliminated inside, clean it up thoroughly and move on. If you were supervising him you would have been able to hustle him outside. If he was in his area it wouldn’t be a problem.
If he was somewhere he shouldn’t be without supervision, that mistake is yours.
Additionally, punishing him makes it harder to potty train him because he may become wary of going in front of you and increases the odds that he’ll eliminate in places that are out of sight.
By following these steps you’ll be on your way to successfully potty training your puppy. For additional help getting your puppy trained, please check out our Bright Start Puppy Program.
Dogs that potty in the house are also likely to...
Jonathan Dakins
Online Dog Training
Dog Academy Store
Email: jon@dogacademy.com
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