Dog Training Basics

Archive for May 26th, 2009

Getting a puppy isn’t just fun and games, there is a certain amount of responsibility in maintaining them with perhaps none more frustrating than potty training puppies. It is not as if you can tell them to use the bathroom whenever they feel like doing their business, even if you could, good luck in getting them to flush the toilet afterwards.

No worries though because there are certain steps you can follow in making sure that your puppies relieve themselves when you want them to and where you want them to and it doesn't involve the use of hypnosis or acquiring the services of a snake charmer. You might even be surprised as to how easy potty training a puppy is. Simply how easy? Well easy enough to summarize in three steps:

Three Steps in Potty Training a Puppy

1. Schedule the meals to influence the call of nature - There is a certain amount of time a puppies digestive system takes to complete its cycle and get from meal to waste. The amount of time it takes your puppy to relieve itself after a full meal varies from puppy to puppy so you should monitor this time. It may take several monitoring sessions to determine the average amount of time but once you get it then proceed to step two.

2. Will you potty train inside or out - Make a decision about whether you want your puppy to do its business in doors or out of doors. One thing to keep in mind is what is important and convenient for you because you can go either way. It doesn't matter if you are potty training puppies inside or outside, you would still have to clean up after them.

3. Paper or plastic - If you're going to train your puppies to do its business indoors then you need a liberal amount of newspaper and scent spray which is available in most pet stores.

a. Whenever your puppy needs to relieve itself lay down a generous stack of newspapers and spray a small amount of scent spray on it.

b. Restrict the puppy within the newspaper covered area and wait until it relieves itself. Immediately after it does, let your puppy smell the scent on the newspaper.

c. Do step b again and again until your puppy gets used to the newspaper or the scent and then it will look for one or the other the next time it needs to relieve itself.

You can train the puppy to do its business outdoors by simply taking it out for a walk. Your puppy will eventually find a location after a while and assume the position. Don't forget, as a responsible dog owner, that you need to clean up after your puppy. Sooner or later when the puppy gets used to this system it will show signs of wanting to go outside when it feels the urge to commune with nature.

And there you have it three sure fire easy steps for potty training puppies. It doesn't cost much; it doesn't take rocket science, not even awkwardly expensive gadgets - just a good amount of patience.

If you would like to stop dog digging, it is important to know why your dog does this. There are several different reasons that this could be occurring.

There is a possibility that your dog has buried something in the ground, or is burying things. Some dogs such as the terrier breed have an instinct to dig. Sometimes a dog can feel too hot and digging will help them cool down. If you can understand why your dog digs, you can come up with a better solution to the problem.

A dog being bored is also a really big reason behind digging. Is your dog kept outdoors frequently? If this is the situation, boredom may be the reason for your dog digging. For instance, consider what a youngster would get into if they were simply left outdoors. Many children would find ways to keep occupied, such as digging and playing in the mud.

Dogs are very similar in this regard. They love to have their feet in the dirt. It is a fun thing that keeps them occupied. In order to stop dog digging, it is necessary to provide them with something to occupy their time with.

Some breeds like to dig more than others, and if you have one of these breeds you may have a tougher time to change them. Providing a certain area for your dog to dig can help a dog who is a digging breed.

Giving your dog a special place to dig to their heart’s content is one possible solution. You can still permit your dog to do what it does, without your garden becoming ruined!

Providing the pet something to do can help him or her to stop digging. Giving a dog a designed area to dig, and keeping the dog occupied is important to solving a digging problem.

When you can not be at home spending time with them, fun toys can keep your dog occupied. In a short period of time you can stop your dog from digging with these tips and patience.

Dog leash training and knowing how to stop destructive dog behavior are all critical aspects of being a responsible dog owner.  For more stop dog from digging tips, go to www.StopDogFromDigging.com