- 1). The first step in housetraining a difficult dog is believing that your dog can and will be housetrained. Clients that I have worked with in the past constantly told me that their dog would never be housebroken. I explained that if they kept affirming the fact that their dog would never be housetrained, their statements would become fact.
- 2). Understand that housetraining is 90 percent management and 10 percent reinforcement. There are two types of reinforcement: positive and negative-and we will use both types to housetrain your dog. Management requires constant supervision of your dog until your dog is completely housetrained.
- 3). Some effective tools to help you manage your dog's behavior are: crates, x-pens, baby gates, and leashes. A dog that is not properly housetrained always needs to be supervised. Baby gates can be used to keep your dog in the room with you; if your dog starts to have an accident you can quickly interrupt behavior and bring your dog outside.
- 4). Crates can be used when you cannot keep a close eye on your dog. If you have to leave the room or go outside, you can put your dog in the crate. The crate helps confine your dog while you are not there and it does not give your dog the option of having an accident.
- 5). A leash is another excellent management tool in that you can do what is called umbilical cord training. Secure the leash to your dog's collar and then attach the leash to your belt loop. Now your dog has to go with you wherever you go in the house. By doing this you are always ready to influence your dog's behavior. If your dog has an accident you are there to immediately interrupt your dog and bring her right outside.
- 6). Earlier in this article I stated that there are two types of reinforcement positive and negative. When you reinforce your dog's behavior through positive reinforcement your timing has to be excellent. You have to reinforce your dog's behavior within a split second. The same is true with negative reinforcement or punishment. You cannot punish your dog after the fact. Punishing your dog after the fact will only confuse and intimidate your dog.
- 7). To sum up everything I've explained: housetraining the difficult dog requires you to be excellent with your timing; you need to be with your dog for going outside in the correct areas and you need to be with your dog when they are outside. You also need to be with your dog when they make a mistake inside the house. When you cannot be with your dog, your dog should be confined. Good luck!
