House Breaking a Dog w/o being mean??

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#41
Often-times though, paper training has the unfortunete side-effect of teaching the dog to go inside the house and they don't much care if the papers are there are not. It's much easier and simpler to teach them from day 1 to go outside in the yard. It takes work, diligence and patience on the owner's part but the results are solid.
 
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#42
It isn't necessary to yell or scream at anyone..in fact the more u do...the less u get your point across. If u keep your dog in the same room with u always during the training time it takes to teach them to eliminate outside..that will be the first step. WAtch when they first wake up and scoot them right out the door....don't wait until they squat...beat them to it by getting them outside and THEN when they squat tell them how proud u are..the same with after they eat. Most dogs and puppies will eliminate within 20 minutes or so after finishing their food. Victor goes straight from his dog food bowl to the door..so as soon as your pup eats..take him outside and play for awhile..running around always gets the bowels to moving and then of course praise when the deed is done. If your dog is very youg..get a timer and set it to the amount of time u think your dog will go between urinating..and take him out first.even if you think he doesn't have to go..he will catch on very quickly that doing his business outside pleases u. Use a short a sound..sharp..one time if he does start to squat. That is a sound no dog likes and it startles them so much that they very often will stop midstream...then scoot outside. I have housebroken everydog i have ever run across within 3 days..some less..my puppies were housebroken at 8 weeks when they went to their new owners. I did not give them run of the house where they could go unattended (literally) and when a bowel movement did happen..i didn't even scold..just looked at them with a shame on u face and cleaned it up figuring it was as much my fault for taking my eyes off the dog as it was theirs. Victor figured it all out very quickly and we were done with this in 48 hours. I would rather take a few days and concentrate completely on my dog then to hit and miss which is completely ineffectual. This has always worked for me..not only in housetraining my dogs..but in toilet training the children that were a steady source in my growing up life. My Mother was a licensed daycare for children under the age of 6..most were two. We had 4 potty chairs lined up in the bathroom...for many, many years. You learned to keep one eye on the child and could tell when they would change an expression (that usually meant only one thing) ..the more u observe, the easier it gets. I have never used a punishing style in my training..i think it teaches nothing.
Smkie- I keep our new puppy "Khloe" with me at all times the only time she is on her own is in the kitchen with a gate NO carpet hits her feet IMO it feels to much like grass to them.

I did however have a puppy pad at the door where Khloe and Sophie go out to potty, after reading some of the post I have taken it up I don't want to confuses her.

Sophie is my Maltese she does very well with potting unless it is raining than we have mistakes on the carpet. She is 5 years of age is there any hope for Sophie when it rains?? If so please let me know? I feel this is my fault for using puppy pads with Sophie.
 
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#43
Often-times though, paper training has the unfortunete side-effect of teaching the dog to go inside the house and they don't much care if the papers are there are not. It's much easier and simpler to teach them from day 1 to go outside in the yard. It takes work, diligence and patience on the owner's part but the results are solid.
I agree with this ... for small-medium, medium, and large sized breeds. Outside-immediately and outside-only is how I trained my Golden and GSD from puppyhood, and both were solidly reliable in their housebreaking for their entire lives. But many dogs that are in the toy groups and some of the smallest among the small breeds never do grow to have large enough bladders to be able to wait overnight.

Whenever I see books and articles identifying many small or toy breeds as "very difficult to housebreak" ... or ... "may never be reliable with housebreaking" ... I read it as "owner needs a tiny dog with it's tiny bladder to be able to hold itself all night, or all day while the owner is at work" This simply may not be possible for many of the smallest dogs.

Barring personal anecdotes from those with toy breeds who have dogs that hold all night with "no problem whatsoever" ... to those folks, well maybe YOUR toy dog can. But just like people all dogs are individuals, meaning someone else's toy dog of the same breed may not be able ... and many times it has nothing to with "well then they housebroke it all wrong!". Instead, it's often a matter of physical ability, or lack thereof, because of the small bladders in these dogs even when they are adults.

In those cases it's a good idea to litter train ... using a litter box with either dog litter (not kitty litter!), absorbent pads, or just plain newspaper. It's really NOT necessary to buy one of those special "indoor potty" gadgets. Those tend to be very expensive, not to mention appear to be much more difficult to clean than a plain litter box with newspaper! Still, some dog owners might say "Ewwwww!!" at the prospect of litter training at all ... but they usually own medium or large breeds and so rightfully cannot imagine litter training their dogs!

But just like with cats, as long as a small dog's litter box is kept scrupulously clean by the owner then there will be no indoor odor problems. Instead, what will certainly cause odor problems is a small dog that continually "goes" in various areas of the house! I litter trained 5 adult dogs that belonged to other people ... dogs that always had accidents every night and had owners who claimed their dogs were "impossible to housebreak".

One was a yorkshire terrier, one a mini-dachshund, one a toy poodle, and two mini-schnauzers that were way out of standard in that they were very small for their breed. All were very easy to litter train and not one got "confused". All understood that the litter box was their potty for overnight and/or while their people were at work, at all other times they still reliably went outside. In one case, the mini-dachshund, litter training saved the dog from being given up to the local no-kill shelter because after 4 years the owners were fed up with cleaning messes every morning. It had never occurred to them to litter train because "well she's not a cat".

Sophie is my Maltese she does very well with potting unless it is raining than we have mistakes on the carpet. She is 5 years of age is there any hope for Sophie when it rains?? If so please let me know? I feel this is my fault for using puppy pads with Sophie.
I don't think it has anything to do with your previous use of puppy pads ... it sounds like she just has an aversion to rain! There are some dogs that don't like rain .. sometimes it could be storm phobia, but a few dogs just hate getting wet!

If you want your Maltese to only ever "go" outside then you might try a very large umbrella ... perhaps a golf umbrella. If that doesn't work then as an alternative you could litter train her so that she has an acceptable place to "go" during inclement weather instead of her using your carpet. It's far, far easier to clean a litter box lined with newspaper or absorbent pads than it is to continually clean doggy accidents from carpets! Urine especially can ruin a carpet, because it soaks down into the padding which will eventually need to be replaced. Litter training in this case can save your carpet.
 

idreamdou

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#44
Puppy Pads

Due, in part, to city living, we have all 3 of ours trained to use puppy pads. We have smaller dogs, and it is difficult for them to hold it for hours on end. The puppy pads give them a designated area to go in, they don't have to hold it, and its easy cleanup. Plus, I don't have to stand outside in the -20 degree snow!
 

Mariya22

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#45
Housebreaking your new puppy is going to take patience. You should begin to housebreak as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Puppies need to relieve themselves approximately six times a day. A puppy should be taken out immediately after each meal since a full stomach puts pressure on the colon and bladder.

A puppy is not physically able to control the muscle that allows him to "hold it" until he is about 12 weeks of age. Before this time, good housebreaking routines should be practiced to avoid having your puppy urinate and defecate all over your house. Watch for signs of urination or defecation, such as turning in circles. Take your puppy out often. Using a crate or confining your puppy to a small part of the house that has easy clean up floors are some ways to ensure your puppy does not urinate all over your house. It is much harder to housebreak a puppy if he smells is urine in places you do not wish him to relief himself.
 

Fido Buddy

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#46
i think it's impossible not to use a higher pitch voice when commanding or reinforcing.. dogs must be able to determine the mood of the command... if it is urgent, or what.
 

DogsMN.com

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#48
Getting your dog not to go in the house

The good news is that all dogs want to follow and do what their pack leader wants them to do! The problem you have is that maybe when opportunities to learn to go outside and not inside come up, there are other factors confusing the message.

Here is the key helping your dog understand what you want, for example, potty training and redirecting unwanted behavior.

THE EMOTIONLESS CORRECTION

Next time the dog goes in the house, quickly and quietly pick your dog up and drop it outside (or if it is too big walk it outside).

When there is no emotional response to an issue, only a correction, there is nothing there to confuse your message!

Good luck!

Max Bitterman
Dog Behaviorist
Dog/Puppy Training Classes in Minneapolis
 

vmills

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#49
Every Dog is Different

Every one has a method that works for them and their dog(s).

But every dog is different - one hates the crate, another will use a crate at night but not during the day.

I read many articles (on the web) and a few books that are excellent. In case you want to check out the books, they are listed here.
 

^Purrson^

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#50
I was surfing around the app store and I came across an iPhone app that has already changed my life. I had to tell more people about it! It is called "Clicker Training." It uses the common training technique of using the clicker to train your pets. My dog was VERY disobedient before I started using this app. She barked ALL the time at any sound she heard. She wouldn't quit jumping on people either. ANYWAY, I started using this app and it has truly worked! I already had tried some of the other clicker apps out there and they didn't work. Most of them were too quiet and didn't have tips, but the the sound on this app is loud enough AND there are tons of really helpful tips on how to use the clicker to train your pets. I wish it would have been free, but I only had to pay $.99 for it, which is cheaper than a clicker in the store anyway! Sorry for the length of the thread, but I just had to share this miracle worker. :hail: The description says that it is supposed to work for any animal: dogs, cats, FISH?!, birds...etc. So download it and let me know if it worked for you too! The apps website is at www.clickerapp.wordpress.com
It has directions to download the app. Hope ya like it as much as I do!

PS-Also, my son LOVES the sound and plays with it all the time, so it is kind of a toy too!
Does it run on non apple devices? trying to dl but only have pc and samsung phone with no net connection would be interesting if I can get it on phone try it with sisters cav.
Hope son treats your pup when he plays with it :lol-sign:
 

DaveStep15

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#51
Dog Training

Hey guys, me personally own and raise 4 black labs. Nothing is better then having those companions around, if they are trained lol. Take a look at this site, it made sense to me and might help some of you with your problems.

Cheers, Dave :)

*edited to remove spammy click-bank link*
 
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sonelt

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#52
I have read many articles regarding training your puppy .

Our puppy is currently 11 weeks old and the only really thing that bugs me is his continuously wanting to bite.
We have had his for 4 weeks now he loves his food , i mean what puppy don't.
I take him out every couple to 3 hours.
He can go for nearly 2 hours being on his own , as he will need to go for longer periods when i recover from a broken ankle.
But he always seems to get hyper and then that's when his biting starts at first i did not think it would last that long , but he really is a very dominating dog, of which we are trying to get him out of that.
My wife is the more experienced of the two of us even thought this will be my 4th dog.
But it really is stressing us out as he is a truly gorgeous looking dog, he enjoys his walks, even though he tries so hard when people are just walking by to be very sociable, but not every one is animal orientated.
But his biting is beginning to get out of hand
The simple answer to the biting is: normal puppy behavior. But still you don't want to encourage the bating of human flesh...right,lol. So, you need to redirect and praise. Find a toy that your dog would prefer to bite rather than your your limbs. I have had good success with a knotted rope, you can buy one at any pet store(I think they are called dental floss or dental rope) they help with keeping your dogs teeth clean also.

When your dog bites something you don't want it to bite, redirect to the new toy and give lavish praise when he or she bites the toy.

I know I have had my share of kids P.J. and pant legs torn to shreds do to puppy teeth, the good news is 99% of the time puppies grow out of this and yours will too.
 
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#53
If you ever watch puppys play you may notice that puppy A bites puppy B's ear and tugs a little bit. Puppy B yelps and stops playing with puppy A.

If you apply this to your biting dilemma, the next time your puppy bites you, make a loud "yelping" sound or just say outch! And ignore your puppy and turn your back for a few seconds. I have found this to be a very powerfull training tool.

Eventualy your puppy will learn that biting will lead to an abrupt halt in playtime.
 
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#54
Potty Training Your Puppy

Hi, welcome to the "No Magic Bullet" of potty training your puppy. The internet forums, blogs, ebooks, etc..., are filled with similar information. So for the sake of brevity I will lend you this formula that has worked so well for many of our Long Island Dog Training members.

The following requires the use of a crate (one that is just big enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around (you should try to get one with the divider to save you money when your puppy starts to grow).

Mandatory time to take your puppy outside to eliminate:

1. After each Meal (wait about (15) minutes, (you will start to be able to read your dog for his tell tale signs, use (15) minutes as a rule of thumb, my German Shepherd Dog (22 months old) eats at 11:00 pm, and eliminates the next moring at 7:00am) take the puppy outside, ensure you have a treat and when the puppy eliminates treat and praise heavily.

2. Immediately after letting the puppy out of the crate.

3. Prior to putting the puppy back in the crate.

4. After all training and play session.

The other times are when you start to become aware of your puppy's cues.

Things to remember:

Keep your puppy on the leash so you can interrupt any accidents in progress, this is how puppies learn, you need for them to understand that they are wrong for performing the ACT, rather than it just being present in the same room. A mistake made by many pet owners.

The main objective is to prevent or catch in the act!

The puppy should be uncrated when you can devote 100 per cent of your time to him.

In addition, keep this in mind...repetition forms a habit...everytime he goes in the house, a habit is forming (an unwanted one), but everytime he is rewarded for pottying outside, one is formed too.

Hope this was helpful. For some more information on dog training and some pretty funny videos please feel free to browse my blog in your leisure. www.DedicatedDogTrainingBlog.com
 

ShopieCha

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#57
I have read many articles regarding training your puppy .

Our puppy is currently 11 weeks old and the only really thing that bugs me is his continuously wanting to bite.
We have had his for 4 weeks now he loves his food , i mean what puppy don't.
I take him out every couple to 3 hours.
He can go for nearly 2 hours being on his own , as he will need to go for longer periods when i recover from a broken ankle.
But he always seems to get hyper and then that's when his biting starts at first i did not think it would last that long , but he really is a very dominating dog, of which we are trying to get him out of that.
My wife is the more experienced of the two of us even thought this will be my 4th dog.
But it really is stressing us out as he is a truly gorgeous looking dog, he enjoys his walks, even though he tries so hard when people are just walking by to be very sociable, but not every one is animal orientated.
But his biting is beginning to get out of hand
I have had a lot of similar problems with my dog but as she got older things calmed down.

Every dog has a specific personality and the truth is there is not much fun in breaking a dog's spirit to get them to conform with our idea of how they should be.

It does sound like to need to keep the dominance and let the dog know when too much is too much. To even take it to the extreme the dog may not even know the biting is hurting. It is just a game to the dog.

Many experts advise if biting is getting out of hand to Bite Back! As funny as it sounds it works and the dog understands that biting hurts.
 

jeffs

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#58
I have read many articles regarding training your puppy .

Our puppy is currently 11 weeks old and the only really thing that bugs me is his continuously wanting to bite.
We have had his for 4 weeks now he loves his food , i mean what puppy don't.
I take him out every couple to 3 hours.
He can go for nearly 2 hours being on his own , as he will need to go for longer periods when i recover from a broken ankle.
But he always seems to get hyper and then that's when his biting starts at first i did not think it would last that long , but he really is a very dominating dog, of which we are trying to get him out of that.
My wife is the more experienced of the two of us even thought this will be my 4th dog.
But it really is stressing us out as he is a truly gorgeous looking dog, he enjoys his walks, even though he tries so hard when people are just walking by to be very sociable, but not every one is animal orientated.
But his biting is beginning to get out of hand

I agree w/ just buying as many chew toys as possible...
 

Doberluv

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#59
Many experts advise if biting is getting out of hand to Bite Back! As funny as it sounds it works and the dog understands that biting hurts
No offence, but this is really bad advice. And anyone who advises that is NOT an expert.

Read this instead. Read the whole thing.

Bite Inhibition Article
 

MarieG

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#60
Crate Size

One thing often overlooked in crate training is to make sure the dog only has enough room to turn around and lie down. You can manage this by buying a crate small enough, or block off part of it with something, like a plastic milk crate. Good luck. :Marie:
 

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