House
training is a very important phase in a dog's life. It secures the tight bond and good
relationship between the master and the dog. Experts
advise that house training start while the dog is young. In this sense, your pet's misbehavior will be
corrected at such an early time therefore, the sooner that you start with dog
obedience house training, the better.
Here are
some general guidelines on how you should go about dog obedience house
training.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, PUPPY
PROOF THE HOUSE
Consider
your furry friend as being a two (2) legged child around one to two (1-2) years
old. What could they get into? Where could they go? What could they get a hold of and what could
they find to chew on? Untrained puppies
or dogs should not be allowed to wander around the house without supervision.
You may not know it but your pet may already be chewing on things and worse,
may get themselves injured or electrocuted.
Make it
easier, for yourself and your puppy. Close
off all areas, where you don’t want him to go.
Hide anything important and/or dangerous. You’ll probably miss something, so keep your
eyes open.
GIVE HIM HIS OWN DEN
At night and
when there becomes a time that your puppy will be left alone, it is better to place
him in his own den or crate. Put a bed together,
that can include a towel, Sherpa pad or anything else that’s easily washable,
at first. When you first bring your
puppy home, he should have a toy that smells like his siblings and you should
get him a larger stuffed animal, that he can snuggle up with. He’s not used to being alone. Give him a safe item to chew on and a very
small amount of water. Don’t set him up
for failure, by giving him too much water and food.
Puppies need
play time but they get worn out and still sleep a lot. Be sure to let him play but don’t overload
him. You want to make sure that he gets
plenty of exercise, goes outside and/or to the potty pad and winds down, before
putting him in his crate for the night.
When he gets
tired, during the day, you may want to place him in his den, so that he gets
used to it and he’ll be safe, from other animals and human feet.
INTRODUCE HIM TO NEW AREAS
Be sure to
spend time with him, in other areas, where he is allowed. If you want to show him the new place where he
can eat, do it under your supervision. Introduce
the different places and let him know what he can and can’t do there. A safe way to show him something or some place
new is by leashing him. Always use a harness, especially with a fragile, puppy. By doing this,
you can control his actions and reactions. When you feel comfortable that he is familiar
enough in the area, then take the leash off.
Remember to keep watch or else he might get into trouble. It only takes a second.
In addition,
by leaving a leash on him, all the time, it’s not only easier to catch the
leash than the puppy, but he’s getting accustomed to a little pulling, which
can help the first steps in walking on a leash.
The leash is going to be his friend.
(If you have cats, they tend to like the leash crossing the floor, as
well. It’s been my finding that the cats
tend to accept the new addition a little better, if he’s also something that
they can play with.)
POTTY TRAINING
Show him the
area where he can do his business. Make
sure not to confuse him. Never allow him
to play in that area or he might get the idea that he can use the same place
for all his activities.
Puppies have
very small bladders. Immediately, after he
eats or drinks, place him on the pads or take him outside. He may also have to go, after he plays. Periodically, take him where you want him to
do his business.
Keep in
mind, if he has an accident it’s your fault.
He can’t help it. The initial
problem is that your puppy’s sphincter muscles aren’t working well. As he gets bigger and stronger, so will his
muscles and he’ll soon be able to follow you and still get there, in time.
In inclement
weather or if the puppy wakes you, at night, you’ll be thankful for puppy pads,
especially if you don’t have a fenced yard.
To begin potty
pad training, spread out a number of pads, in an area that the puppy can’t get
out. As he gets used to going on the
pads, periodically remove a pad. This
way he’ll get to the point that he’ll go to one square and do his business in
that one area.
“NO CHEW” COMMAND
By nature,
dogs like to chew on things since it aids in the strengthening of their teeth
and gums. It is also kind of a healthy
exercise for their jaws. Part of your
dog obedience house training is providing him with toys and safe chews. Let him understand that not all things are
allowed to be chewed on i.e. furniture, shoes, electrical cords, etc. Be stern as you give him the "no
chew" command. Praise him when he
has done the right thing and give him something that he is allowed to chew
on or a treat that is also a chew. If this continues to be a problem,
there are products that can spray, on the problem area, that don’t taste very
pleasant and that will help curb the behavior, as well.
SET OFF LIMIT AREAS
It is always
important to keep your dog away from the rooms that contain pieces of furniture
that he is not allowed on and where the electric lines are. Teach your puppy the “off” command, so that he’ll
learn that he’s not allowed on or in an area.
Always follow the proper behavior with praise.
By and
large, dog obedience house training will benefit you in the future. Puppy behavior is cute and much more
tolerable, when they’re little. Once
they’re grown, you’ll be thankful that you followed these guidelines. So, start early!
