Housebreaking Tips

Instinctively, dogs will not toilet in the area in which they lie.  But that's a relatively small area and it takes training for your dog to understand where it is acceptable, and unacceptable, to do her business.

Whether you've just adopted a puppy, an adult dog, or a shelter dog, the most effective way to get your message across is with positive reinforcement.  Select a designated toilet spot outside and praise her lavishly for using that area.  Decide what word of phrase you want to use as a cue and prompt her with that phrase whenever you take her to the potty spot.  Make sure you give praise as she's almost finished so that you're reinforcing the act of peeing or pooping.  (My daughter's timing was a little off and her dog Lucy used to think that "go potty" meant squatting!)

If you've adopted a shelter dog, you may find the housebreaking process to be a little more challenging.  Depending on how much time your new friend lived in the shelter, she may have become desensitized to pee and poop in her living area. Restrict her access to the house and keep your eyeballs on her at all times so you can catch her if she's about to go. 

It is very important to limit your dog's opportunities for having accidents--it's those mistakes that are going to hinder your housebreaking efforts.  Unless you catch her in the act, you cannot correct her!

Crate-training is the easiest path to housebreaking.  For those of you who have a problem with crate-training your dog, please keep in mind that dogs are den animals and need a place of their own.  It's no different than having your own room.  Bella loves her crate and often puts herself in it for naps or in the evening when she wants to go to sleep. 

If your dog has an accident, it's YOUR fault.  Review the situation and figure out what you did, or did not do, that enabled your dog to have the accident.

A dog is considered housebroken if she's been accident-free for six months.  Until then, do not give her free access to the rest of the house. 

Good luck!

A tired puppy is a good puppy

There's no question a puppy is one of the most adorable, irresistible creatures on our planet!  They're soft and cuddly and squirmy and can swing from incredibly energetic to a peaceful snooze in a matter of moments.

And then they start to grow up...

Suddenly your precious puppy is chewing on everything, from electrical cords to your favorite Pradas.  You find little piles of poop hidden in corners or in the back of your closet.  Spontaneous games of "chase me with your sock" erupt.  You're spending a fortune on panty hose because every time you walk in the door your pup jumps up on you and her little nails run and rip them to shreds.  Your hands are sore and covered with scratches from constant nipping.

Cute and cuddly?  Not so much now...

Everything I just mentioned is completely normal behavior for a puppy, and with regular exercise and strict management of her environment, you can skate through this stage of her life relatively unscathed.

One of the best things you can do at this point in your pup's life is to start taking her for walks to drain that excess energy!  I recommend 2-3 short walks a day, as opposed to one long one.  The amount of time you spend on each walk is going to depend on the individual puppy, but it should be at least 15-20 minutes. 

Walking with your dog is a very special bonding time and should be as enjoyable as possible for both of you.  Bring some treats so you can reward her for walking nicely next to you or for pooping/peeing in the grass.

Important note...if your puppy sees something new that startles or frightens her, remain calm.  You don't want to attach any meaning to it, you want to project an attitude of "that's no big deal, it means nothing to us."  I was recently on a walk with my girl Bella and we passed by a churchyard that was set up for selling pumpkins.  They'd placed a bale of hay by the sidewalk, and a makeshift pumpkin guy was sitting on it.  As we approached the pumpkin person, Bella suddenly caught sight of his "face" and got startled, trying to dart away.  We stopped and I stood there while she cautiously approached it to sniff, not saying a word or reacting in any way.  After a few seconds she gave it one last death glare and we moved on. 

The next day when we passed it she gave it no attention whatsoever.  Had I tried to "soothe" her out of her fear when she first encountered this strange thing I would have inadvertently encouraged her reaction, thereby sending the message that pumpkin people were definitely something to be afraid of.