The Do's and Don'ts of House Training your  Puppy

     House training a pup is very important for the well-being of both the puppy as well as the caregiver/owner. The primary reason that dogs are surrendered to pet shelters is difficulty with improper elimination. Therefore, proper house 

training is a crucial factor to consider when owning a puppy. It is necessary to establish proper toileting routines when the puppy is young. These practices can last a lifetime and become very tough to challenge when they are established. It is extremely important for the caregiver to house break the young puppy correctly. No trauma should be introduced to the puppy while doing this. In most cases, true house training can not start till the pup is six months old. Pups below this generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is required for true house training.

Puppies younger than 6 months need to be restricted to a small, puppy proofed area when the caregiver cannot supervise them. The entire floor of the space should  be covered with newspapers or comparable absorbing materials, and the paper replaced every time it is dirtied.  As the young puppy grows older, the quantity of paper made use of can be decreased as the puppy begins to establish a preferred toilet area. Some trainers prefer to skip the paper stage and use the outdoors only.

The Do's and Don'ts of House Training your  Puppy

• Using a crate can be a large advantage in assisting a puppy to establish self control. The concept behind pet crate training is that the pup will not wish to potty in his bed area.

• When you are not in the house or can not supervise the puppy, you should make sure he or she can not make a mistake. This is through confining the puppy to the area that has been completely puppy proofed. Puppy proofing a space is really much like infant proofing an area. Ensure the confined are has no resemblance to any potty area. Puppies will chew on just about everything. Appropriate chew toys should always be available to him or her. This means if your pup is confined, your favorite shoe won’t get destroyed by destructive behavior.

•  When you are home, take the young puppy to the bathroom area frequently and after meals. It shouldn’t take long to figure out how long it takes after a meal for Fido to have to move his bowels. This is very helpful knowledge for the caregiver to promote easy bowel training  habits.

• Use a consistent word or phrase to signify you wand Fido to do his business.  Educating the puppy to relieve himself on concrete, blacktop, turf or dirt and not on your floors is the goal.

• Praise and reward your puppy every single time he potties in the established toilet area. The young puppy has to learn to connect toileting in the established area with happiness.

• - Keep a  schedule when feeding your puppy,and also offer continuous access to fresh  drinking water. A consistent feeding schedule equates to a consistent potty routine.

• Do not give the young puppy the run of the house till he has actually been completely house trained.

• Do not leave food out for the pup all day long. As noted before,it is best to keep  an established feeding timetable in order to make the dog's bathroom timetable as consistent as possible.

• Never reprimand or punish the pup for mishaps. Punishing the puppy will only trigger anxiety and confusion
• Never hurry your pet. A hurried, discouraged or frightened dog will not be able to learn crucial lessons of house training.

     House training must be consistent.It is much easier to house train right the first time than to re-train a canine with behavior issues. It is important to remember each animal is different and some will take longer than others. House training can take several weeks or as long as several months.  It depends on the dog breed and temperament. It is important to be patient.

As you and your puppy bond, the training becomes easier. Soon you will realize that consistency is the key to simplifying house training your puppy.