can anyone give me some good advice on how to house train my 8 wk old dashund.?

Question

I would like to know what procedure is best if you have a format that has worked for you as far as praise when they do good a good punishment so that they wont do it again things of that nature.

Answer 1

Good luck with that one. I don't think I've ever met a dachshund that was 100% potty trained.

Here's what I do (I have two, had three..the male wouldn't housebreak at all so he lives with another family now)

First of all, crate train your dogs. If they aren't used to it, they'll complain at first but soon it will be their favorite place. Dogs are den living animals and the crate becomes their den. They won't soil in their crate so it begins the process of teaching them to hold it.

The crate also keeps your dog from getting into trouble and puppies can be really destructive!

Your dog should sleep in the crate. Be prepared to let her out once during the night for a few more weeks until she has enough bladder control to go all night.

When you let the pup out of the crate, take them outside to where you want them to go and tell them to "go potty" (or whatever phrase you have chosen). It is best if you can put the dog on the leash and walk them out. There is some belief that small dogs are harder to train because we carry them out. Of course I had to carry my pups because I'm on a hill and they couldn't manage the stairs to the grass!

Anyhow...

Next - Don't leave pup unattended at all. If you cannot watch pup, pup needs to be back in the crate, or otherwise confined to a relatively small area. I actually installed eye loops in my baseboard in the kitchen so I can tie them down inside.

If you work all day, you may have to compromise until the dog can go all day by creating an indoor, contained play area with a puppy pad. Be careful if you let them have outdoor access as doxies will dig under the fence and pups are prey for hawks. I buried one of those invisble fence wires under my fences and front property line to teach mine not to stray...anyhow

Your first plan of defense is a good offense. You want to limit opportunities for failure. Thus taking pup out after removing her from the crate, 15 mins after eating or drinking or a heart round of play is important. Heap lots of praise when they fulfill the potty command.

If you aren't leaving pup unattended, then you should be watching should any accidents occur. Scold pup (don't hit) and immediately take them to the potty spot in your yard. You will need to use an enzyme cleaner to fully remove any pee odor or the dog will think that carpet is a good place to go.

You can also do all of the above with a puppy potty box (like a cat box). I had one when we were in an apt.

Lastly..they hate getting their little tummies wet when it rains so I physically go outside with my dogs and stand there. Maybe someday I won't have to.

Good luck. Other than the potty thing, they are great dogs.

Answer 2

Consistency is the key! It is a lot of hard work to house train. You need alot of pacients. Go into it expecting accidents, and don't punish your dog for them. Its is best to use positive reinforcement. Only reward the dog for going outside or in the designated area. One way to get your dog on track fast is to set a timer for say every 15 minutes, when the dog is successfully in not having accidents between that time then raise the time window to every 30 minutes. Then soon the dog will understand that outside is the place to do its business. You will be able to see signs in your dogs behavior that will let you know when its time to let it go potty. However you decide to train your dog just be consistent with the routine and please don't punish the dog for accidents this will only create problems in the end. Every dog is different. My one dog trained in a week and the other trained in 4 months! Good luck to you.

Answer 3

Dogs don't learn through punishment - they just learn to be afraid of you. Dog's learn best through motivation, which means that positive, reward based training is the best, in particular, clicker training is the best way to teach. Join yahoo group Clicker Solutions to learn about it. Buy Dr. Ian Dunbar's book Everything you need to know before and after you get your puppy.

Answer 4

Good Luck because weiner dogs are the hardest breed to potty train!!

Answer 5

Kennel training is best. Dogs do not like to mess in their sleeping area. He should be starting vaccines at this time and your vet can thoroughly explain kennel training.

Answer 6

my dog is a wiemaraner and she was 8 wks when ww got her we put her in obedience trianig it sorta worked but that's cuz she's a crazy hyper wiemaraner

Answer 7

Here is an article from my website that will help.

Puppy Training Tips: Potty Training

Establishing a routine with your dog is essential to good training. Your routine should include feeding times, bathroom breaks, playtimes, training and timeouts. Having a young pup is just like having a small child when it comes to potty training. Young pups, just like young children have very underdeveloped bladders. A young child does not necessarily know when they need to go to the bathroom until they are doing it. The same thing applies to your young pup. If only it was as easy to control your pups peeing on the floor as it is to control your child’s peeing on the floor. Your child generally wears a diaper if they are not potty trained, but putting a diaper on your pup is very impractical and darn near impossible. How long do you think a diaper would actually last on your pup’s backside before it is ripped off and shredded? If your pup is anything like mine, about 30 seconds. There is an easy way to know when your pup may need to go to the bathroom. Depending on your pup’s water intake, and amount of exercise, this chart can help you keep your floors and carpets protected from your pets bathroom habits. Approximate age to hours your pup is able to hold their bladders starting at 8 weeks of age, (General time your pup will enter your home to begin your lives together.) 8 -12 weeks of age (2 - 3 months of age) = 30 mins 12 - 16 weeks of age (3 - 4 months of age) = 45 mins to 1 hour 16 - 24 weeks of age (4 - 6 months of age) = 11/2 to 3 hours 24 - 36 weeks of age (6 - 9 months of age) = 31/2 to 6 hours 36 + weeks of age (9 months to 1 year+) = 6 to 10 hours These times may vary with your dog. Different breeds mature at different times in their life. A small breed dog matures faster than a large breed dog, so your large breed dog may need more frequent ‘bathroom-breaks’. It is always a good practice to take your pup out every 30mins to 1hour when you are home, even when they are older. Repeatedly letting your dog out will solidify your training efforts. When training your pup to go to the bathroom outside it is good to establish a routine as well as some familiar words to coach your pup into the right behavior. Every time you take your pup outside to go to the bathroom use the same spot as much as possible. The familiar smell of their urine will help them recognize that this is the spot to ‘go’. When you take your pup outside to 'go', say to your pup, "Go pee." or some other similar phrase over and over again until they actually start to go. With using this phrase over and over again the dog comes to realize that this word means to 'go pee' and you will have a dog that will pee almost on command. When they start to 'go' use the phrase again with a 'good dog' added. Give your pup lots of praise when they are done and possibly a treat. Praise is one of the most useful training tools you can use. Dogs respond better to praise than yelling. Just like us, dogs like to be praised for something they do right and strive to achieve praise. With established potty times, using the 'go pee' words and lots of praise your pup will come to understand where it is acceptable to 'go pee' and where it is not. This will make your life a lot easier and your bond between you and your dog will grow stronger. You should never give your pup the full run of the house, even when you are home, and never when your not home. Set up a medium to large crate for your pup in your house. If you don’t have a crate, a bathroom or laundry room will do, any place in the house that has easy to clean floors. Place towels or blankets, food and water bowls, a few toys and newspaper or absorbent ‘doggy’ pads in your dogs space. This area should be warm and inviting to your dog. Just like us, your dog needs its own area to relax. Giving them this space gives your dog a place to go when things become stressful for them, like when you have company over that may be to loud for them. This will also restrict the area your pup has to make a mess. It is against a dog’s nature to urinate or defecate in the same area they sleep in. Give your dog a big enough space so that they can ‘do their business’ away from their sleeping area. Some people take their pups out for long walks to tire them out before they leave them home alone. Extra exercise requires extra water intake, which will increase your pups urination and accidents in the home when left alone. If you feel the need to exercise your pup before you go out, do this a good hour and a half to two hours before you plan to leave. Let your pup out a few times before you leave to make sure they have emptied their bladder as much as possible. Remember your pup will have accidents, but with a little time and effort you will have a happy new addition to your family and a clean comfortable home. By: Sarah Hill – Owner: Top Knot Professional Grooming