Basic House Training Guide For Dogs
In order to train a puppy or an older dog, you must understand that dogs do not comprehend, or think, the way we humans do. Dogs are trained by habit only. So, if you want your dog to have good habits, then repetition, praise, consistency, and patience will be the keys to forming and reinforcing these good habits.
Always over praise and under correct your dog. Over praising and under correcting will make your training job easier and faster. When you must correct your dog, don't use his name. The dog will associate the name with the correction and not like his name. Conversely, use the dogs name when praising the dog, it will associate the name with praise and like the name. For example, when correcting the dog say "bad dog" and when praising say "good boy Buddy".
We recommend crate training your dog (the term crate is a euphemism for cage or kennel). Dogs can very easily be taught to use their crate. Dogs in the wild use dens for security and safety. Your dog will associate the crate as its den and become very comfortable using it. Your dog may be reluctant to go into the crate in the beginning. If so, coax him with a treat and praise him each time he goes into the crate on his own. By using treats and praise, your dog will begin to like the crate and begin to feel safe and secure in it. The object is to have your dog feel as if he has a home inside your home. Therefore, never use the crate for punishment and never force the dog into the crate. If you use the crate for punishment, the dog will associate the crate as something bad and not like it. If you force the dog into the crate he will become afraid of it. Once again, patience and praise will get you a long way in a short time. For more information on crate training, you can obtain our crate training handout. Please read it carefully and completely. The crate can bring both you and your dog peace of mind. You will be able to leave your home for relatively long periods of time without worrying that your dog might get into something and hurt himself. And your dog will be a lot happier and safer.
House breaking your dog can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it. You must remember that it is easier to form good habits than it is to correct bad ones. If you dedicate the time required in the beginning that the process will be much easier and faster. When you take your dog outside to go to "pottie" take him to the same spot each time. Ignore him until he eliminates, then praise him immediately. Allow him to play outside for awhile after he goes "pottie". When you take the dog outside and after you feel you have waited long enough and he still hasn't "pottied", bring him back inside and put him in the crate. Wait a little while and then take him back outside to the same spot again. Follow this procedure until he goes "pottie" and then praise him and let him play outside for a short time. By following this procedure every time, your dog will associate your taking him outside as time to go "pottie". You will be forming and reinforcing a good habit.
If you find your dog has had an accident in the house and you didn't see him do it, do not correct him. Clean up the mess with him out of the room. The only time you can correct a dog, and make it meaningful to him, is when you catch him in the act. If you catch him in the act correct him immediately. Say "bad dog" and then take him out to the spot. If he finishes, praise him immediately. This procedure reinforces a good habit. Diet and scheduling are very important to your dog. Feed your dog on schedule and take him out on schedule. Be consistent in the food you give him. It is best not to change your dogs food as long as the food he is getting is a good wholesome food. Puppies especially are quite sensitive to diet changes. A quick way to evaluate the food you are giving your dog is to simply analyze the instructions on the package. Check the amount of food recommended per pound of body weight. The more food required per pound of body weight the less digestible it is. The less digestible the food the more stool produced and the less useful the food is to your dog. Conversely, the more digestible the food, the less food required per pound of body weight, the less stool produced and the more useful of a food to your dog. Of course, the better the food, the less stool produced and the easier to house break your pet.
Remember, training means developing and reinforcing good habits. Repetition, praise, consistency, and patience are the keys to making this happen.
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