Dog Obedience Training For Your Pet Dog

Puppyhood is the “formative” period for your dog. What you teach him during this time will most likely stick with him the rest of his life. One of the most important things you will be teaching him is where to potty.

Probably the most helpful tip to ease both your pup’s stress and your own is to develop a routine early on in your pup’s life. You can start by accustoming your puppy to a sleep/eat/potty routine. Try feeding your puppy around the same time every day, allowing for frequent trips outside to potty. He will soon adjust his body to the routine.

A good way to save your sanity is to admit right off the bat that your puppy will have accidents. You can help ease these by keeping some newspaper in a dedicated spot so that your pup can at least familiarize himself with going in one area if he can’t make it outside. This works particularly well if you don’t have a doggy door and your puppy relies on you to let him out.

In order to get a better idea of when to expect potty time to come around, you should know that a puppy’s stomach and bladder are very small. When you have fed/watered your pup, expect him to be ready to potty roughly 15 – 20 minutes later. Try your very best to have him in the proper potty environment when the time comes. It will not only establish a dependable routine, but will also familiarize your pup with the correct place to potty.

Be sure that you separate “potty time” from “play time.” Puppies love to explore. It’s natural and should be encouraged, but only when it’s the appropriate time. Nothing is more frustrating than to be up at 2 am with your little guy running around the yard for twenty minutes, only to potty as soon as you get back inside.

Now would be a great time to teach your puppy the praise and discipline phrases you intend to use throughout training. Many people use terms such as “good boy/girl” and “no.” Just remember that while puppies require a firm hand and patience, this is also a time to enjoy your puppy while he’s young and full of energy!