House Training a Dog

House Training a Great Dane

2006-03-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

Tips for House Training Your Great Dane Puppy
By Jen Carter

So…you have a new Great Dane puppy. Puppies are adorable, snuggly, cute, fun to watch, and they have awesome puppy breath. Now it’s time to housebreak him or her and you aren’t quite as excited as you were when you first saw him.
Here are ten tips that will hopefully make the process easier for both of you.

1. Be Upbeat and Enthusiastic- The dog’s mission in life is to make their humans happy. If you want any training to go smoothly, you need to be enthusiastic. Your puppy will succeed much easier if he thinks that housebreaking is a fun adventure for the two of you! If you start out being gloomy and distressed, your dog will naturally think that you’re displeased with him. He’ll be confused and try to figure out what he did wrong. Since you haven’t even started yet, you’re sending the wrong message. Talk yourself into thinking you’re going to have a great time and convey this to your puppy. Each time you take him outside, do it with gusto!

2. Be Patient Let’s face it, you’re going to have some disappointing moments while you’re house training a dog. Try to look at the big picture. For one thing, your dog will bring you far more happiness in life than unhappiness. When he’s young, he’ll make lots of mistakes, but before you know it, he’ll be trained. So give him time to learn all these new behaviors. Also, if you act impatient with him, you’ll get into that confusion thing again. Just take a deep breath, smile at how cute he is, and know he’ll do better next time.

3. Make a Schedule- The smaller your dog, the smaller bladder he or she has. Every puppy needs to be put on a potty training schedule, so take this into consideration as you’re setting it up. Take him out first thing in the morning. Feed him, and take him out again. If you’re home with him during the day, take him out every hour while he’s tiny. You can figure out what adjustments to make as he grows. Always take him out the last thing before bedtime.

4. Be Consistent- Consistency is one of the most important aspects of house training a puppy. There are several methods you can use including putting papers down and confining your dog in the same area as the door he’ll be using. There is also dog litter box training, and the umbilical leash, where you keep him by your side every minute that you can. Whichever means you use, say the same words and take the same actions. Changes will make him nervous and cause accidents in the house. Crate training is the method we prefer and it gives your puppy a den of safety, too.

5. Reward Behavior- Every time your dog goes potty outside, even before he asks to go out, reward him. This will quickly teach him that he’s doing something that pleases you. You can give him food treats or his favorite toy. Whatever you give him for a prize, lavish praise and affection on him at the same time. Tell him what a good boy he is in your most ecstatic voice.

6. Don’t Punish and “catch him doing something right!!”- - The old school of housebreaking a dog held to punishments such as rubbing his nose in his own waste. The new model is much kinder and more sensible. Since he wants to please you, if you don’t react, but walk away instead, he’ll get the message loud and clear that he was a bad boy. Give him a few minutes, and then start speaking to him again.

7. Alpha Dog- Dogs exist in packs. That means there is one alpha dog and the rest are subservient. In your family or even just with you, you’re the pack members. The trick is to let him know right away that you’re the alpha dog. In other words, you are the leader of his pack. It doesn’t mean you have to be mean; you just need to let him know that you call the shots in dog housetraining; and all other training too.

8. Command Word- Every training exercise needs a command word; something simple. For house training your puppy, “potty” or “outside” are examples of appropriate words. Whatever you choose, always stick with the same one for the each command.

9. Keep it Simple- Don’t make housebreaking your dog any more difficult than it has to be. For example, each time he goes on his papers or makes a mistake in another area, pick him up, gently but firmly, take him out the same door, and set him down on the grass. He’ll probably urinate, so reward and praise him, and call him back inside. Don’t make side trips on the way out or try to have a conversation with him. The easier you make it for him, the easier he’ll make it for you.

10. Lots of Love- The last rule, which should be the easiest, is to give that dog all the love in your heart!

Article by Jen Carter, staff writer for Dynamite Danes.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great Dane Breeder and owner / founder of http://www.dynamitedanes.com.

House Training a Shih Tzu

2006-03-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

Shih Tzu - Housetraining Your Shih Tzu Using A Crate
By Connie Limon

Crate training is one of the most effective ways of house breaking shih tzu puppies or shih tzu dogs. Crate training is very efficient, and very effective, since it uses the natural instinct of the dog to achieve the desired result of a clean house and a well trained dog.

The concept behind crate training is that a shih tzu naturally strives to avoid soiling the area where it eats and sleeps. By placing the shih tzu dog in the crate, this instinct is enhanced. The shih tzu will come to see the crate as its den, and it will try to avoid soiling its den.

The key to successful crate training for a shih tzu puppy or an older shih tzu, as with other forms of dog training, is to establish a good routine. This routine will enhance the ability of the shih tzu to do its business in the right place, and avoid eliminating in the wrong place. It is important to shower the shih tzu with praise each and every time it eliminates in the established toilet area, and not to express frustration or anger when the dog makes a mistake.

It is important to confine the shih tzu or shih tzu puppy to a small part of the house, generally one puppy proofed room, when you are not at home. The room should contain a soft bed, fresh water and some favorite toys to prevent the shih tzu from becoming bored and frustrated.

Crate training is different from confining the shih tzu to one room, however. With crate training, the shih tzu puppy or shih tzu dog is confined to a crate when unsupervised. The idea is that the shih tzu will think of this crate as its home, and not want to soil his home.

When crate training, it is important to remove the shih tzu from the crate as soon as possible after returning home, and to take the shih tzu promptly to the previously established toilet area. When the shih tzu does its business in this toilet area, be sure to provide lots of praise and treats. It is important that the shih tzu learn to associate proper toilet procedures with good things like treats and toys.

It is important to never leave the shih tzu in its crate for long periods of time, as this will confuse the shih tzu and force it to soil its sleeping area. The crate is simply a tool, and it should not be abused by leaving the shih tzu in it for extended periods of time. If the shih tzu is left in the crate for too long, it could set back the training program by weeks if not months.

The shih tzu should only be confined to the crate when you are at home. Except for nighttime, the shih tzu should be given the opportunity to relieve itself every 45 minutes or so. Each time the shih tzu is taken out, it should be put on a leash and immediately taken outside. Once outside the house, the shih tzu should be given three to five minutes to do its business. If the shih tzu does not eliminate in this time period, it should be immediately returned to the create.

If the shih tzu does its business during the set time period, it should be rewarded with praise, food, play, affection and either an extended walk or a period of play inside or outside the home.

During the crate training period, it is important to keep a daily diary of when the dog does its business each day. If the shih tzu is on a regular feeding schedule, the toilet schedule should be consistent as well. Having a good idea of when the shih tzu needs to eliminate each day will be a big help during the house training process. After the shih tzu has used his established toilet area, you will be able to give the shih tzu free run of the house to play and enjoy himself.

Dealing with accidents during crate training

It is very important to not punish the shih tzu puppy or shih tzu dog when it makes a mistake or has an accident during the crate training process. If there has been an accident, simply clean it up. Accidents during house training mean that you have provided the shih tzu with unsupervised access to the house too quickly. The shih tzu should not be allowed unsupervised access to the home until you can trust her bowel and bladder habits. If mistakes do occur, it is best to go back to crate training. Taking a couple of steps back will help move the house training process along, while moving too quickly could set things back.

Connie Limon is a shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

House Training a Dog

2006-03-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

House Training a Dog

The Common Dog Housetraining Issues
By John Csn

Housetraining a puppy is important for both the puppy and the owner. Problems with housetraining and similar issues are the main reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters. So proper housetraining can literally save its life and make it easier on both of you. It is important to establish proper toilet habits when the puppy is still young. After all, it will be very difficult to break once they are established. In most cases, true housetraining cannot begin until the puppy is 6 months old. Puppies younger than 6 months generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true housetraining.

The best housetraining program uses the dog’s own instincts to avoid soiling its bed and the places it shouldn’t do its “business”. That’s the basis behind crate training. Crate training is where the dog is confined to its crate in the owner’s absence. Den training is where the dog is confined to a small area in the home. Dogs are naturally clean animals and will try their best not to use the dens as toilets.

This type of training usually works well for puppies or older dogs. The common problems from this type of toilet training are usually stem from not understanding the signals the dog is sending, inconsistent feeding times or trying to rush the process.

Do not rush!

Some dogs cannot be rushed through the housetraining process and you should consistently praise your dog for eliminating at the right place. It’s always better to housetrain your dog properly the first time than having the trouble of retraining your dog.

If your dog continues to soil the den area after house training, this may be because the owner has left the dog in the den for too long and the dog has an “accident”. Another reason may be because the den area is too large. In this case, you can either make the den area smaller or take the dog to the toilet area more frequently. Another reason could be that the dog has yet to adopt the area as the bed.

Urinary tract infections and other medical conditions could also cause dogs to soil their beds. Please do a thorough check-up by a veterinarian to rule out any medical conditions.

Is your dog bored?

One problem many dog owners overlook during housetraining is boredom. Boredom is actually the root cause of many behavior problems. Boredom can also be the root cause of problems with housetraining. Dogs that are bored often consume large amounts of water during the day. This excess water consumption can lead to frequent urination, even in its den area. Since soiling the den area goes against the dog’s nature, it can quickly become confused and frightened, thereby setting the housetraining program back even further.

To prevent the dog from becoming bored when you are away, be sure to provide it with lots of different kinds of toys, as well as a safe and secure place to sleep. In addition, a vigorous period of play time can help the dog sleep while you are away. In addition, playing with the dog in its den area will help him bond with this area and recognize it as a safe, secure home.

Proper introduction

Other problems with house training can occur when the dog’s den is not properly introduced. In some cases, dogs may think of the den as a prison or a punishment. Those dogs may exhibit anxiety, such as whining, chewing and excessive barking. It is important for the dog to feel secure in its den.

The best way to housetrain a puppy or dog, or to re-house train a problem dog, is to know your dog’s habits and needs. Creating a healthy, safe sleeping, play area and well-defined toilet area is important for any housetraining program.

Lots more FREE dog training information available!

Lots more FREE dog training information available!

Just visit http://www.dogtrainingartist.com. Proven dog training secrets and dog obedience tips will all be revealed for every dog lover!

house training a dog

House Training a Dog

2006-03-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog on house training a dog, here you'll find great resources and articles to help you with house training a dog.