Housebreaking a dog is more than just getting the dog to relieve himself in the right place and at the right time. It includes this, but it also involves his entire behavior in the house. He must learn things like what rooms he is allowed to enter and what places he is not allowed to lie on.
A new dog can wear out his welcome fast when the owner finds out he urinated on the carpet. (A more exhaustive list of dog behavior problems is available in Fido Problems.) Of course, if he is a young pup, he can’t help it. If he has go to, he goes. It’s natural. Therefore, the training process must begin as soon as possible.
Ideally, you got your pup at about eight weeks old. The problem is, the dog can’t control the muscles to hold the urine until he is about twelve weeks old. This means it is important to take your dog outside or to the designated place often during the first days of ownership. This is especially important shortly after a meal. Take him out every hour at first, and when he goes, praise him profusely.
Positive reinforcement is crucial. He will understand a pat, a dog biscuit, kind and encouraging words. This assures the pet that he is pleasing you and most dogs like to do that. So, opportunities to go, and much praise when he does will reinforce his acceptable behavior.
There may be places in the house you don’t want the dog to go. A black shedding dog may not be welcome on the white couch, for example! The untrained pup may not be welcome in the carpeted rooms. Your pet must understand these places are off limits.
This kind of training, say the best books on dog training, requires consistency and patience. So, if the dog goes into the forbidden area, then instruct him with words and force him out of the room or off of the furniture. Do this every time he trespasses so that he knows this is never allowed. If you make exceptions, it will only confuse him.
You may suspect the dog is violating the rule but only when you aren’t around. This is an indication he knows what is right. For example, one family made it clear their dog was never to get on the furniture. But when they came home, they found a warm spot on the softest chair. You could lock him out of the room, of course. You could also catch the dog doing this when he doesn’t think you’re around. A scolding along with a rap on the bottom with a newspaper may be necessary to tell him this conduct is not acceptable, ever!
Dogs are pleasers, so praise for right conduct goes a long way. Any reward you can think of will reinforce the good conduct, and withholding the reward will reinforce the cost of bad conduct. Be patient and don’t give up! In the long run, both you and your dog will be glad.
Hope you enjoyed this article. Learn more tips and read reviews of top dog training books at http://www.dogtrainingbible.net.
