Dog Obedience Training For Your Pet Dog

Some people call it potty training. Others call it housebreaking. No matter what you call it, housetraining a puppy is something most new dog owners dread. Everyone you talk to will probably give you different advice, which can leave you pretty confused.

Don’t despair. I’ve got six tips that you can use to make the house training process a lot easier on you and your new puppy.

Tip #1: Have a Consistent Feeding Schedule

Some dog owners like the idea of free feeding their dogs. This means they leave a bowl of food out all day, letting their dog eat whenever he’s hungry. While free feeding is convenient for you as a dog owner, it can create a problem when you’re housebreaking a new dog. It’s much easier to potty train a dog if you follow a schedule and feed him at the same time each day.

Most dogs need to go potty after eating. By having a set schedule, you can control when your dog eats and know when he will need to go potty. You’ll have fewer accidents if you follow this important tip.

Tip #2: Follow A Consistent Potty Schedule

Even though your puppy will be going potty after his meals, you will also need to take him outside as often as you can throughout the day. Create a potty schedule above and beyond meal time, and follow it – taking your puppy out at the same time each day.

This will help you to remember to take him out. And having a routine gives your puppy a sense of security. This is important in raising a puppy that is calm and confident. Without a set schedule, your new dog won’t ever know what to expect – which causes him to become anxious. Anxiety causes digestive problems in dogs, which can make potty training that much harder.

Tip #3: Choose A “Potty” Command And Use It Consistently

You’ll want to choose a verbal command to use when you want your puppy to go potty. This should be something you’re comfortable saying at any time – and in front of anyone. A few common ones are: “go potty” “tinkle” “potty” or “get busy.”

Now that you’ve chosen a command, you should use it every time you want your dog to go potty. When he’s learning the command, you should use it only when you are standing where you want him to go potty. Once your puppy is trained, you can open the door, say “go potty” or whatever command you use, and he’ll run right over to his spot and go potty – all on his own.

Tip #4: Never Scold Your Dog for Having An Accident

Every puppy is going to make a few mistakes during dog potty training. When your puppy has an accident, just stay calm. Don’t get excited and start yelling. Don’t scold your puppy and, for goodness sake, never rub your puppy’s nose in it. That’s not just old-fashioned, it’s ineffective and downright confusing for your little puppy.

Making your dog feel that going potty is bad isn’t going to help. Your dog can’t help himself – when he’s got to go, he’s got to go! What you need to teach him instead, is that good things happen when he goes potty in the right place, which leads us to the next tip

Tip #5: Praise and Reward Him When He Gets It Right

Just as you would reward your puppy for sitting when you say “sit” – you should always reward him when he goes potty outside in the right place.

You can reward him with a combination of sincere praise with love and affection, doggy treats, or play time. The most important thing is that your puppy gets rewarded immediately, so he associates the reward with going potty in the right place.

Begin the verbal praise while he’s actually going potty. If you’re using dog treats, be sure to keep them handy – in your pocket or purse. For play, you can simply toss a ball if you are in the back yard – or bounce a tennis ball and let him catch it if you’re on a walk.

The most important thing is that he gets his reward immediately. By giving him praise and a reward, your puppy will soon connect going potty for you with good things.

Tip #6: Crate Training Your Puppy Means Less Accidents

Crate training is a topic all on it’s own, but here is why you’d be smart to consider it when house breaking your puppy

Crate training lets you put your puppy in his crate when you aren’t able to watch him. Since dogs don’t like to soil their “dens” your puppy will naturally wait until you let him out to go potty.

Your job is to be sure you don’t leave him in the crate for too long and to immediately take him out to go potty when you let him out. The best part is that he’ll usually have to go — and, with your help, he’ll always be going when and where you want him to go!

Your new puppy will love you as much as you love him – maybe even more. These six potty training tips will help you quickly housebreak your new puppy. By giving him the proper training, he’ll become a dog everyone will love being around.