Is your dog eliminating in the house? Owning a dog is not just about having a best friend and a guardian of your home; it’s also like having a baby you must look after and raise into a good adult dog. It is not just about constant love, care, and attention; dogs also need a lot of pet training before they can manage themselves.
One of the most common and persistent issues in pet training is teaching your dog not to eliminate inside the house. Imagine how many times your dog needs to go each day. If he keeps eliminating inside your home, then it truly becomes a stressful problem. Here are some things you can do to keep your dog from eliminating in the house.
Watch for signs when your dog is about to eliminate
Once you have your furry friend, you will get to observe his behavior throughout the day. In the beginning, you will notice abrupt changes in your dog’s mood. Your dog may bark and run in circles as if he is restless. He many also sniff at you or go to a place where he previously soiled.
Sometimes, dogs will approach or scratch your door as if trying to get outside. As a novice pet owner, it is sometimes tricky to understand why your dog is behaving this way. In actuality, these behaviors are your dog’s way of communicating that he is about to relieve himself.
Establish a feeding and potty training schedule in his routine
Trained dogs can follow a routine that their pet owner establishes. This routine helps them know that there is a time for every activity. There is a time to play, time to nap, time to eat, and a time to potty.
You will have a set schedule for your dog to go outside to eliminate. Of course, his age, size and food/water schedule will influence your schedule. A puppy can usually hold his bladder for one hour for each month of age. Of course, there is a maximum limit! If you have set a schedule for you dog to go outside for every four hours, your dog will get acclimated to this schedule. Soon, your dog will give you obvious signals to go outside for his bathroom break.
As well, you need to keep your dog on a feeding schedule. If your dog is allowed to graze all day on his food, it makes house training difficult!
Have a bathroom spot whether outside the house or potty pads
When potty training your dog, it helps to have a spot where your dog will do his business. If outside, take your dog to a spot outside on a leash to that area. Walk your dog around in that spot to prevent play and/or laying down. You can give your dog a verbal command such as “potty” so that he understand. If you prefer to have him eliminate on a potty pad, take him to the pad that you have in the house and practice placing him on the pad. Still encourage your dog to eliminate with a verbal word such as “potty”. Soon, your dog will understand that the word potty means to go to his bathroom spot and eliminate.
Supervise your dog whenever you can
Keeping an eye on your dog at all times is truly the best way to avoid accidents. A regular routine can help schedule his activities. But, without you, he may end up eliminating in areas which you prefer that he does not.
With closer supervision, you will give him fewer opportunities to have accidents inside the house. For instance, you may observe your dog is giving signals that he is about to eliminate. When this happens, gently use an interrupter word which will stop him. Then, that is your opportunity to take him to the desired spot for him to eliminate. If you do not catch your dog in the act, you will need more supervision.
If you can’t, confine your dog in a comfortable and safe space
Of course, when you have other stuff to do, watching your dog at all times is impossible. To avoid accidents in the house, it’s good to leave him in a safe area. This area should be small enough that he doesn’t eliminate in the space. You want the space to be large enough that he can stand and circle around comfortably. A crate can be a useful tool as long as you do not exceed the time that your dog can hold his bladder.
Give treats when your dog successfully eliminates
Just like in other types of pet training, giving treats is a great way to encourage good behavior. That is also true for potty training. Before you give treats, it is crucial to make sure that your dog is finished eliminating. Otherwise, the reward system won’t work. It will be like giving candy to a child for doing half-done homework. So, after your dog eliminates, pull out the treat from your pocket and reward him. As well, praise, praise, praise! He will make the connection that when he potties outside in his area or on his pad, that he has done a good thing.
Learn to accept bathroom accidents
As much as we want to reward good behaviors, punishing your dog after you find the elimination in the house serves no purpose. Bathroom accidents happen on occasion even in trained dogs. While it’s frustrating to clean up the mess, we shouldn’t lash our frustrations out to our furry friends. Scolding or hitting them for doing something “bad” will only make them more afraid of you. Instead, we thoroughly clean up the mess and continue pet training them positively and humanely.
Positive Pet Training by a Professional for Your Dog
Caring for a pet is not an easy task. Lots of time and attention should be set aside in training their bathroom schedules. If you’re having a hard time, it is best to leave the task in the hands of experienced professionals.
At Positive Pet Training, we emphasize on giving positive reinforcements to bring out your pet’s best behavior. Contact us now at 636-352-3104 or at positivepaws@sbcglobal.net for your inquiries on pet training.
