John Clatts

House Training Your Dog



The absolute first thing you must train your dog to do is is
housebreaking No, no, you don't teach your dog how to break into
your house when you forget your keys. Housebreaking means he
must learn where and when he may do his business. Besides being
substantially advantageous to the hygiene of your household,
dogs benefit from having rules and a routine - as pack animals,
they look for duties issued by the pack leader and naturally
enjoy keeping schedules. Here are the steps to housebreaking
your dog

Dog House Training 1 - The best age to begin housebreaking your
puppy is between 8 and 12 weeks old.

Dog House Training 2 - Experts suggest incorporating a crate in
a young dog's training process. (To housebreak an older dog,
skip this section.) A crate usually resembles a cage, with a
locking door and see-through bars, and should be big enough for
the dog to move around in. While it sounds like a miniature jail
cell, crates should not be used to punish your puppy. The idea
is to make the crate into a doggy bedroom - someplace where your
puppy can play and sleep. He should never be confined in his
crate for more than two hours at a time.

Dog House Training 3 - Because dogs, thank goodness, don't
believe in eliminating by their sleeping areas, your puppy will
not relieve himself in the crate unless you've cruelly locked
him in there for longer than he was able to hold it in.
Three-month old puppies generally need to eliminate every three
hours, so lead your puppy to a designated outdoor bathroom spot
often.

Dog House Training 4 - Try to always leave the house through the
same door - the door you'd like your dog to scratch at to signal
his need to go out in the future.

Dog House Training 5 - Try to take your dog out at around the
same times each day. A routine will eventually be established,
and your dog will soon know to hold it in until you take him
out.

Dog House Training 6 - If your not-yet-housebroken dog is used
to roaming freely around the house, look for clues that tell you
he needs to go. Your dog may suddenly put his nose down and
sniff the ground intently. He may begin to circle an area. Or,
he may stare at the door with an intense look on his face. Signs
like these tell you to drop what you're doing and get that dog
out of the house. If you catch your dog doing his business
inside (and only if you catch him - not after you discover he's
already committed the crime), rush over and stop him by grasping
his collar, pulling up on it, and saying, "NO" in a deep, stern
voice. Then take him outside to let him finish up and praise him
with pats on the head or a pleasantly chirped, "Good Fido!" when
he does. (Note Don't say "Fido" if your dog's name is "Rex.")

To continue reading go now to

href="http://www.dogownersguide.org/House-Training-Your-Dog.html"
>Dog House Training

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