any advice on potty training a puppy?

Question

just got 8 week old today and want to end up with a good, obediant dog...

Answer 1

Hi Cincibengalfan!
Just like babies, puppies have no control of when or where they "unleash their goods". Having a puppy urinate inside your house is definitely not going to make you happy and it won't do any good for your puppy when you get mad with him/her.

It's not too difficult to correctly potty train your puppy, however keep in mind the process can take anything up to 1 year.

So how exactly do you potty train your puppy? Read on to find out the basic techniques and a lot of useful advice. Look article: http://www.askedweb.com/askedweb/Potty_Training_Basics/

Jason Homan

Answer 2

For potty training:

Buy "wee wee pads" to housebreak your puppy at Petsmart or Petco. There is also "wee wee" drops that you can purchase in a bottle. The drops have a faint urine smell, but it's a housebreaking aid that trains your puppy to go in one spot.

On crate training:

Crate training can be a helpful asset, but if used too often, it will teach your puppy that the crate is a punishment device. Only use it when you are: Traveling and nobody's home for a few hours, at night when they are supposed to be sleeping - this prevents you from stepping on your pet at night or when they get into things, or when there are guests over who are not too keen with dogs.

I advise that you get a dog run (a place where your dog can excercise), a room divider, or a big gated playpen, when guests are over.

My advice is to enroll in puppy training classes. I took my German Shepherd to the private training sessions at Petco Obedience school and got great results. You can also purchase a Cesar Milan book or dvd training set at your local bookstore if you run out of options.

Read up on it and remember that your puppy will grow to be a loving part of your family in the next 17 years or up!!!

Also learn some tips from the post above me. That person knows what they're talking about too.

Answer 3

I would recommend crate training. Not only is the crate a great place for your puppy to go for safety and comfort, but it's also a great training tool for potty training since dogs won't mess inside their den.

Leerburg has a great article on crate training that is well written and informative. (The site in general has a lot of useful things to say about dogs.)

http://www.leerburg.com/housebrk.htm

Answer 4

Routine is the most important aspect of training. From the beginning, feed 4 times per day, at the same times, and put the bowl up in 5 minutes, or when finished.

A puppy will need to go just minutes after eating, so whisk him outside, and stay with him until he 'goes'..Give him lots of praise when he does his job, play a few minutes, and come back in..

If you can spread down a bag of sand, from a garden center, it will give him a good place to go, so you can kind of aim him there, and not just all over your yard..

He should only need to go poop after eating, and perhaps at bedtime..

However, he will need water down at all times, and need to pee frequently..so, outside every other hour for that..and keep a close eye on him..He will need to go during active play, and every time he wakes from a nap..If you watch him, you will see him acting restless, and sniffing the floor, etc when he needs to go..at first, peeing may be just a matter of pausing, and uh-oh, there it is..He won't even be aware...So its important to never scold him for peeing...this is what makes traumatized pups that refuse to pee outside, or try to hide it in the house..as they get scolded for it, and it becomes a traumatic event..
Keep the product, Nature's Miracle, on hand, for instant cleaning of pee spots...or ask your pet supply which enzyme cleaner they recommend..

Puppies physiology only allows them to hold pee for about 1 hour per month of age...so expecting any more is unrealistic..a good reason for a playpen or crate at night.. He may hold it through the night, but is likely to need to pee at least once during the night..You can remove the water a couple of hours before bedtime..

By following a routine, and being ever watchful for the first few days, you can have him petty well trained in just a couple of weeks..or less

I house-train all of my pups before they ever leave my home, and I do it an entire litter at a time..it normally takes about 4-5 days, with very few accidents, before they are asking to be let out..
But, if you hang a little bell on the door, or a desk bell on the floor, and show him you are ringing the bell each time you take him out, he is likely to begin ringing the bell when he needs to go..Just be very vigilant, and yet stay relaxed..an accident doesn't mean failure..
Remember, it takes forever to potty train a human baby, and it is so nice that puppies can learn it so much faster, but they are still allowed to be babies, and don't deserve to be stressed about the training...
If you have important areas to keep clean, just keep him away from those areas until he is a bit older..

I recommend using a soft step-in type harness for the walking and leash training, as it is less frightening and stressful..eventually, as trust is developed, you can switch to a collar..but a soft harness takes the fear away from the beginning...Walking stimulates the bowels to move, more so than just putting the dog out..

Answer 5

Check out this page for your potty training issues - http://www.squidoo.com/puppy-housetraining/

And for your other puppy training tasks have a look here - http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/how-to-train-a-puppy.html

Good luck with your young pup.

Answer 6

You take him out every 1.5 hrs for the whole weekend - round the clock - and praise him when he goes (you go out with him) and then you are done.
You have a responsible puppy who will not mess in your house.

That's how I trained my puppy.
Oh thanks for reminding me. I also used crate training. & if he messed in there I scrubbed it down & washed it immediately so that it was nice and clean for him.

Answer 7

It's called HOUSEBREAKING,for starters. "Potty training"is for BABIES!

See the big "search box" at the top of the page?
There are a HUNDRED housebreaking questions here PER DAY!! READ THEM!

GET A CRATE & USE IT!

Answer 8

what i did with my dog taffy, was let her go in the house.when she went to the bathroom somewhere i would tell her to come her and i would scold her gently soon she/he will learn.....my dog now stretches at the door when she wants to go out....... when she wants to come in and we are not paying attention she would get the idea and actuality open the door to come in! so let her do her business then when she does scold her gently... take her nose slightly put it in the waste and tell her no... not to mean because she wont like you anymore..... no no just kidding... try it! it works!

Answer 9

A puppy is like a baby. He will relieve himself anywhere, anytime. Because a newly adopted adult dog is unfamiliar with your home, he may not understand where he should "go"! Housetraining, or teaching your dog to go outside to relieve himself, is an important lesson your dog must learn.
It is up to you, the new parent, to housetrain your new puppy or dog with patience, love and understanding.
CRATE TRAINING
In the wild, wolves live in a den or cave. It is important the entire wolf pack keep this area clean. The same idea works with your family pet. Your dog’s crate is his home, his bedroom. It is likely that your dog will not like to soil his bed. Therefore, he will wait until he is let out to do his business.
HOUSETRAINING WITH YOUR CRATE
On average, puppies can hold their bladders one hour for every month they have been alive, plus one hour. For example, if you have a three month old puppy, he can wait 3 + 1 = 4 hours. If you work longer than this, the best solution is to have someone (a neighbour, a relative, a dog walker) come in at an appropriate time to let your dog out.

100 PER CENT SUPERVISION
Supervision is the key to housetraining! While you are at home, your dog must be supervised. Whether you are watching television, making dinner, on the phone or on the computer, your puppy must be watched. While it sounds like an impossible task, it isn’t. Keeping the crate in a social part of the house makes it easier. Using a house lead – a small, thin lead with a little clip on it – also helps immensely. Outside, you put a lead on your dog so you can control him. If the lead is removed after returning home, control is lost. For example, when watching television, have the lead tied to a couch leg. Your dog can have his blanket and toys with him. He’ll feel safe and comfortable. The majority of accidents happen when your pup wanders off and you haven’t noticed. You don’t want him to sneak off into the kitchen and find a puddle a short time later. If your pup is kept from wandering, the possibility of an accident is diminished because he will not eliminate where he is sitting. 100 per cent supervision means ensuring your dog is playing with you, in his crate, outside or on his house lead.

SCHEDULING
In the morning, take your dog outside. He should urinate and possibly have a bowel movement. Spend about five to seven minutes with him and then bring him in. Do not play with him yet. Feed him breakfast, either in the crate or with the lead, and supervise it. If your pup did not have a bowel movement earlier, take him back outside about 15 minutes after he has eaten. Use the lead to keep your pup moving along while outside. Otherwise, he may start sniffing, stopping and playing to avoid the job at hand. You can say “hurry up” and your dog will begin to associate these words with the task at hand. Praise him excessively when he has eliminated. Bring him back in the house and place him in his crate if you are going to work. Continue to supervise him with the crate or the lead if you are home. When returning after being out, go directly to the crate, let him out, praise him and put him back in. Feed him his meal, take him outside 15 minutes after he has eaten, praise him after he eliminates, and bring him back in. Continue to follow the same steps consistently.

While you are home, you should take your pup outside on a regular basis. Even if your pup is in a crate or on a house lead, he still needs the opportunity to eliminate. Also, be careful what you wish for! A pup who barks to go outside may be cute and clever now. However, you must try not to fall into the habit of leaping up every time your dog wants in or out. It is a very submissive gesture on your part. Have your pup wait a moment or two.

Setting up a schedule is also a good idea. If your pup is under four months of age, take him out for five minutes every hour on the hour. If your pup is over four months old, take him out every second hour on the hour. The schedule will help you remember when to take him out. Go out for five minutes only. It provides the opportunity to eliminate even if your pup may not need to go. Take your dog out after active play and also after napping. If an accident occurs, you may have forgotten to take him out .

FEEDING TIME
Having a puppy drink a lot of water and then placing him in his crate is much more unkind than letting him be a bit thirsty for an hour or two. Adult dogs should have access to drinking water at all times. However, this is not the case for untrained pups. Most parents will not allow their children to drink a big glass of water before going to bed. Avoid setting your pup up for failure. Restrict his water intake to three or four drinks daily and make sure you remove the water dish about three hours before bedtime. This will help your dog sleep more comfortably.

If it is a hot evening, supply your pup with a few ice cubes. They will enter your dog’s system at a slower pace. When feeding your pup, provide a high-quality food that is a good source of protein. The food must be concentrated so your puppy’s body doesn’t require much of it. If you feed less, your puppy eliminates less. Food is directly related to how well puppies do in their housetraining.

EXERCISE
It is important that your pup gets a lot of exercise, especially while crate training. You can play fetch, chase or hide and seek in your home. You can call ‘come’ at the same time to provide further training. Anyway you do it, your pup needs to be able to run and play.

Some good books on training are:
Purely Positive Training: Companion To Competition
by Sheila Booth
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With
by Clarice Rutherford and David H Neil