An important part of domestic life for your dog is being potty trained.
While not usually difficult, it is an unnatural thing for your pet to learn.
If you don't use the proper techniques to train them, you will without a doubt fail.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you'll avoid three of the most common mistakes you could make during the process.
Not Giving Your Dog a Home It is important that your dog has an area within your house that is just his.
This can be a crate, kennel, or room.
Dogs naturally take only what is necessary, and can't fathom a person's need for a large home and lots of stuff.
Keeping this in mind, your dog will generally make one portion of the home theirs, and the remainder is either for playing or to use as a bathroom.
If you give your dog a specific area, you may stop accidents that can be caused by your dog wondering around the house.
A dog may become anxious in a large home if left alone, and this can be a stressor that causes them to use the bathroom.
Dogs don't like being alone, or away from the pack, and will wander trying to find company.
If your dog is in his own area, he'll feel more secure and will less likely have anxiety accidents.
Getting on to Your Dog for Using Bathroom in House Accidents happen, even in potty trained dogs.
If you arrive home to a pile in the living room floor, don't yell at or punish your pet.
The only time discipline is appropriate is if you catch him in the act.
There are two trains of thought on this.
First, dogs have a short attention span.
If you punish him for an accident, and hours have gone by since he had the accident, he'll have no idea why he's in trouble.
He may associate the punishment with being in the living room, which is yours, and get scared to come into that room, leading to more accidents.
The other reason is that if you get on to your pet, he may be afraid that you'll punish him every time he relieves himself, and he may start finding hiding places to "go" in.
If he goes under the bed, table, or in a room that is rarely used, you may not find the mess in time to clean it properly.
If it is not cleaned completely, the scent will be in the carpet and the mat, and he will be more likely to come back to this same place to use the bathroom again.
This comes from their instincts to mark territory.
Not Following A Schedule Making a schedule for your dog can make potty training much easier.
It helps the dog be able to anticipate how long he has to wait before he can go out to the bathroom.
For example, if you feed your dog, then take him out 30 minutes later, and stick with it, your dog will know that he has to eat before he goes outside.
This will help him get accustomed with the idea of holding it in until he eats, preferably after you come home.
If you pay attention, you will be able to estimate how long he can hold it before he's got to go.
This helps you as well, because if you know he can hold it for 10 hours and you're only going to be gone for 8, you won't be stressed out about coming home to a surprise.
It doesn't matter if this is your first experience with potty training, or if you've been at it a while, these pointers should help you be successful in potty training your pooch.