Let's Talk Potty Training !
I personally think that it is important to keep an open mind when reading the following.
Puppies will potty! As pet owners we will have to train them where the right place to do this is.
I ask every customer to read this entire page, but be open to all types of training.
Our puppies are socialized and are partially paper trained when they leave.
All of the breeds we work with are among the smartest of the purebreeds. This is not
a difficult process if you are willing to be flexible.
Most clients have found that puppies are trained in less than 3 weeks.
Remember the secret to success is PRAISE!
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We get calls and emails nearly everday from folks about potty training their dog.
We finally decided to dedicate atleast one page to the subject.
After potty training more than my share of puppies, I may actually be an expert in the field.
I have used nearly every technique out there, because not just one method works on every dog.
Just as I worked with my children on their spelling words, I have to be creative in my teachings.
There are times we have to bend the rules a bit to teach the puppies we we expect.
I will explain over the next few paragraphs.
Please keep in mind these are the methods that I have used, and still do, that work for me.
If these tips do not help you, do not give up, stay open minded, ask around to find out what has worked for others.
That is just what I did. If one thing did not seem to be working the way I had hoped I just tried something else.
I am not a quitter, and I know, oh too well, that this is an issue that must be instilled in your pet at an early age to insure a lifelong friendship.
I am infamous for the saying " you get out of your dog what you are willing to put into him",
Remember , if you have ever potty trained a child you know that it can be done.
I think back to the summer when I looked at my husband and said our son will potty outside but not in the house.
He laughed and said " calm down, he will figure it out"!
Okay, this is one of the few times I will ever say my husband was right.
Your puppy too will eventually figure it out!
First things first. When you bring your puppy home it will be about 8 to 10 weeks of age.
This is not the prime age for potty training. Puppies need to be about 16 weeks of age before they can understand
just what you are trying to teach them. However, they are very eager to please at the ripe age of 8 to 10 weeks, and they
love praise at any age. So lets just start there.
Whenever I have brought a new puppy home the first thing that I do is put a bell on their collar.
Not a big annoying bell, but a tiny cat bell. If you do not know where your puppy is at all times, you cannot train him.
Next tell yourself this...... My puppy will need to be taken to his potty location .............
(This potty location is whatever you have chosen, be it potty training pads, newspapers, outside, etc..)
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When he awakes from a nap.
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In the morning FIRST THING (even before I have coffee).
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After playtime ( even if the playtime was fairly short and not that exciting).
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After he eats anything.
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Whenever he seems really really happy to be near me.
Outside Method
The outside method is the most common. It works super well, if you are a stay at home mom, or if you have a family member that
works from home. I was one of those folks, so I have used this method on nearly all of my puppies, BUT not all.
The outside method is great if the temps outside are warm enough you can enjoy your time outside, because you will be spending a lot of time out there.
You take your puppy out everytime one of the above situations arise.
Each time you take your puppy out, say the samething. I say
"wanna go outside" Then off we go. Once they go potty I go freaky crazy with the praise.
Then we go back in until the next time.
The most important tip to the go outside method is this.
Whenever you cannot be with your puppy, put him somewhere safe for the puppy and for the accident.
Chances are good he will not go until you come for him, but if an accident should drop out, do not be too upset.
If you do this method and are on top of it the whole time in two months you can remove the bell from the collar.
If you are off and on with this method you will be able to remove the bell from the collar at 3 months.
If you only follow this method every now and then you can plan on using the bell for the life of the dog.
Unless yoiu use the Paper / Potty Pad method.
Paper / Potty Pad Method
I am not a fan of this method and I can sum it up really fast as to why.
My dogs are huge, therefore so is the potty the leave behind. Get it!
However you can use it if you are a city person, in this case you have little choice.
The paper/ potty pad works the same.
Just lay the paper or potty pad near the door you will eventaully take them out to go to use the outside method.
Everytime you need to take your dog out run them to the paper and rub the back of the puppy , not letting him off of the potty pad.
Once he goes, praise him like crazy. Keeping the potty pad near the door will help whe you finally move to the outside method.
Remember to take the puppy to the newspaper/ potty pad everytime , follow the above list.
Always praise!
Crate Training
Crate training bothers me. I did use it as a tool and did an awesome job with it, however I feel like there are folks out there
that might use crate training too much, and the wrong way.
Crate training is not a method to cage your dog so you do not have to be bothered with him. It is mearly a tool
in the potty training process. If used correctly it will work. It is rated the number one training method by the AKC, again if
used correctly. The school of thought is this......if you cannot watch over your dog put him in the crate until you can.
Not to keep him locked up for hours on end. If you do that he will begin to potty in the crate.
You want him to learn to hold the potty, so when you get him out you can take him out to potty and then he will get praise.
So the crate is just a safe,soft home until he gets to play with you. You will know that you are accomplishing
your goal when your puppy goes into the crate to sleep on his own.
Some dogs do not respond well to crate training. I have had people tell me that they have not been able to use crate training on
some puppies when they have been shipped to them. The puppies seem to relate the crate to the flight.
In these cases I have recommended to people to resort to the corral or baby gate instead of the crate.
This always works and is what I do at my house. I use the babygate to gate off a the entry and back bath.
It works like a charm. The puppy can see me in the kitchen and all the happenings in the house,
and the entry happens to be right next to the back door
so I can let him out easliy.
Whichever method you decide to go with, remember this.
If the puppy has an accident clean it up right then.
DO NOT WAIT!
If the puppy smells the potty he will think that is a potty place!
If the accident happens on carpet follow these steps...
you a can also use a cleaning product made for carpet cleaning pet urine like the one made by Rug Doctor (that is what I use)
This process will lift the urine out and your done.
No need to yell, but if the puppy is near tell him bad and do not play with him for a few minutes.
But only for a few minutes, beyond that they already forgot why you were in the floor to begin with.
If the accident happened on tile or wood floor
I hope that this has been a helpful page for you!
I do know that this can be a troubling time with your puppy, but like my husband said
"He will figure it out" !
A short story!
My daughter brought home a pomeranian puppy when she was in high school.
His name is Max. Max was a rescue and had been moved more than a few times.
Max was afraid of everything, and would tinkle if someone even sneezed too loud.
After about a week of trying nearly everything from crate training to
puppy pad,s I decided that something had to give. This little Pomeranian loved me
dearly, ( I know it was Katie's dog, but I do all of the feeding, washing, brushing etc..)
So I went out on a limb and tried something new.
I set up a schedule to take Max out every other hour for one week, except for when we were sleeping .
This was somewhat simple because I remember it was May, and that is a wonderful month to potty train.
It was warm outside and all of my gardens were in bloom.
By now Max was a little over one year old, so the old saying is not always true.
You can teach an old dog new tricks!
Max and I would take walks through the gardens, I would stop and pull weeds and he would smell around the gardens.
The second that he stopped to go potty, I would do a dance and sing to him , we
called it the Pee Party dance. I am so sure that this sounds rediculious....
but Max loved it. He got super excitied! We ended with a hug and I told him how great he was.
What man does not like to hear that!
This continued for the week and then the transition to Max going outside by himself was the second week.
He would go outside,alone, and when he came to the door I did the dance again.
He loves this routine still today. Max is no longer scared of anything, infact he is just the opposite!
It took one week to potty train Max, and three months to socialize him.
I am fairly certain that Max came from a puppy mill.
Most puppies born in puppy mills are forever scared. Scared, anxious,and most always have behavior problems.
We were able to work most of Max's isues out because of my farm and the fact that I was
at home all of the time. I am so greatful we saved this one.
We have three dogs that are rescues.
All came to the farm with issues, and all are healthy and full of love today, oh! and potty trained .
Max and Alley
