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Housebreaking a toy dog is not difficult but a job that most people seem to have difficulty at. I can assure you that if you were housebreaking a Great Dane, you would watch the dog like a hawk cause it's no longer a puddle -- It's a lake!
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Housebreaking Ten Commandments |
1) THOU SHALT NOT BRING HOME A PUPPY OR ADULT DOG AND EXPECT IT TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHERE THE POTTY IS. Every time they move from one home to another they need to be taught where to go.
2) THOU SHALT NOT EXPECT A YOUNG PUPPY OF 8-16 WEEKS TO BE HOUSEBROKEN. That's like expecting a one year old child to be completely potty trained -- It just AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
3) THOU SHALT NOT ALLOW THE NEW PUPPY TO MAKE ALL OVER THE HOUSE AND RUN LOOSE AND THEN WONDER WHY THE DOG GOES BACK TO THE SAME SPOT TO MAKE. You will have to disinfect the house thoroughly where he has done his business. White vinegar in the water will help neutralize the smell because he WILL GO BACK to the spot that smells.
4) THOU SHALT NOT YELL AT THE PUP (DOG) WHEN HE/SHE GOES IN THE WRONG SPOT. Better than yelling, you need to just clean it up thoroughly and put the dog where he is supposed to go. Dogs and most animals learn much better by the PRAISE AND REWARD system.
5) THOU SHALT NOT KEEP THE YOUNG PUPS 6 MONTHS OR YOUNGER CONFINED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. They are too young until at least 6 months to hold it for that long. Take them out to make frequently and generously praise and reward them for going where you want them to.
6) THOU SHALT NOT PUT A LONG HAIRED TOY DOG OUT IN THE RAIN TO MAKE UNLESS YOU WANT TO USE A HAIR DRYER WHEN THEY COME BACK IN. To do so could cause a chill and tonsillitis and/or trachea bronchitis.
7) THOU SHALT NOT EXPECT AN UN-NEUTERED OR UN-SPAYED DOG TO HAVE PROPER POTTY MANNERS. It is only nature telling them (boys and girls) to leave calling cards and scents for the other sex to notice. Chin up, if they were goats, they would constantly PEE on their heads to make themselves attractive to the opposite sex.
8) THOU SHALT HAVE A POTTY PLACE GATED OFF FOR YOUR YOUNG PUPPY AT LEAST UNTIL 6 MONTHS OF AGE. It's unrealistic to expect a young puppy to be completely trained until then.
9) THOU SHALT SPEND A LOT OF TIME WATCHING THE DOG WHEN THE DOG IS NEW TO THE HOUSE TO CORRECT BAD HABITS BEFORE THEY START.
10) THOU SHALT READ THESE COMMANDMENTS INSTEAD OF BEING ANGRY AT THE DOG AND MEND YOUR WAYS. A dog wants nothing more than to please you.
-- This information comes from Terri Shumsky, breeder, author, show judge.
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Potty Training Information |
There are two methods of potty training, and if the weather where you live is not too harsh, it's okay to train them to go outside, if they're old enough....at least 5-6 months....if not, then you may want to consider Litter Box Training.
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Crate Training - Cages are cruel? |
Not true. A crate is an indoor dog house, just big enough for the dog to stand up and lie down, and turn around in. It's your dog's den, home and place where your dog can feel safe. When you go shopping, or when your pup is very young, it's a good place to keep him out of trouble, however, don't expect a very young puppy to stay in there for really long periods of time. Keep the time crated to short intervals and extend them a little at a time as the pup gets older. They cannot be expected to hold their water for 8-16 hours at a time when just a young baby. Take this into consideration when your pup is very young and if you must be gone for an extended period of time, then leave the door open and keep a place outside the crate where the puppy is allowed to make on papers or on a piddle pad in an exercise pen or puppy play pen. The crate is the dog's "space" in the house. This should be a place where your puppy feels safe. It's his house. He should be made to feel secure in his house and he can sleep while his owners do what they must do, run errands, etc. When you return in a few hours, your dog will not have destroyed the house and it will be a happy reunion. Honest, he'll love his crate and will probably just go to sleep, and you will not come home to "destruction," chewed cords and windowsills, etc.
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How long can puppy stay in there? |
For a few hours while you go shopping or overnight in the crate next to your bed so you can sleep without worrying about what the pup is up to. If you are going to be gone for a longer period of time, you should get a pet gate and confine the dog to a gated area, where he cannot pull lamps off tables or get at any electrical cords, like in a utility room, or a kitchen. Sometimes there is a covered secure spot in your yard if the weather is good like a deck or fenced in area where the dog can play without escaping, and where no one can get in and steal him! Having a place to keep your dog away from small children is a blessing your dog will appreciate.
Your dog needs to interact with you. Never tie them up or leave them out on the deck or yard for too long without being there to talk to them and interact with them. Dogs are a social animal and need this contact. They need to feel that they are a part of the family, and that means being in the house, even when the family may not be in the house. If you deprive your dog of that feeling of belonging and being part of the family, it can do great psychological damage to him and he can become neurotic or psychotic. Problems with digging, fence jumping and barking are just a few of the ways neurosis can manifest itself.
It's deplorable to buy a dog and chain them outside all the time because you're too tired, busy, or lazy to train them. You must invest some time and lots of praise to have a canine companion that will be devoted to you for a lifetime. It's worth the time you will invest. When the dogs are young, they all go through destructive behavior and most of them outgrow it and eventually you will feel safe leaving him alone in the house. Please remember that if you allow the dog to "go" all over the house when he first comes to your home, he will go back to where he smells it. Normally, a dog will not urinate or defecate where he sleeps, because then he would have to lie next to it. Crates aren't cheap, but sometimes you can pick up one second-hand without having to put out a lot of money, in the classified or at yard sales. Buying a Crate: Most pet shops, dog shows, or kennel supply houses carry crates. The price depends on where you purchase the crate and the size of the dog. You will probably spend anywhere from $40 to $60 for a crate, but it will last for a lifetime. The Fiberglass or Plastic ones are easier to keep clean as they won't rust like wire crates, and they aren't as noisy as the wire collapsible crates are, and considering that this is the safest way for your dog to travel, you've bought him his "dog house" and "car seat" in one package.
Your dog's crate should be just big enough for him to stand up, lie down and turn around in-no bigger. The reason for this is so that he can't piddle in one corner and sleep in the opposite corner. This teaches the dog control.
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How do I know what size crate to get? |
Just stand the dog next to the crate if he is full grown and make sure the crate extends about 4 inches above the shoulders and four inches each side and from front and back of the dog. Big enough for him to turn around in and lay down in. If he's a puppy, you'll have to estimate his full grown size and then place a cardboard box in there to make it just comfortable for him and keep changing the size of the box as he grows. Some brand names of plastic dog crates are: Vari-Kennel, Kennel Cab and Sky Kennel.
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Where is the best place to put the crate? |
The busiest room in the house, wherever the family congregates.
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He keeps crying when in the crate, now what? |
Most dogs hate being confined in the beginning, but with a little time to realize they will not be in there forever, your dog will love the peace and safety of his crate. If he cries, just tap the crate and say "No, Quiet now!" in a firm voice. Keep repeating this and don't give in!! Puppies cannot be expected to go for long periods of time without relieving themselves, so you have to make the time confined for short periods and praise the puppy for going in the crate and give him a treat when he goes in willingly. If he doesn't, then just give him a push into the crate and then a treat and a "good boy" verbal command and shut the door. After he is quiet in the crate for a few minutes, come back and open the door and allow him to go use the bathroom spot outside of his crate or wherever you expect him to relieve himself. Make sure the exercise area is sturdy enough that he cannot knock it down.
As the puppy gets older, he will be able to "hold it" longer and by 6 months should be able to spend an entire night without having to relieve himself.
Be sure to let the puppy relieve himself before you shut him in the crate for the night. DO NOT let the puppy out when he is crying!! If you do, you have just taught the puppy he can get his way by being vocal. Always wait until the puppy is quiet before you let him out of his crate. There is an exception to that rule, and that is when you get home after the puppy has been in the crate for a while. The excitement of your return will make your puppy need to "go" so you should take him immediately to the designated "spot" and praise him exuberantly when he does his thing. Do this same thing in the morning, after he has been crated at night. Crate training the Adult dog is a little harder but patience, persistence, and a set of ear plugs should get you through this. Put his bed and toys into the crate and throw in a treat that he loves, and tell him "bedtime" or "crate time." Tell him how wonderful he is for going "in the crate." Play with him for a minute and then close the door when he is comfortable in the crate. Do this a few times and use the same command each time. Put him in there if he refuses and praise him for going to the crate...Good Boy! Keep repeating this command and getting him in the crate until he realizes he will get a reward for going in the crate and eventually you will let him out. You must be consistent. Once the dog will go in there on command, and you can leave him there for a few minutes without crying, you can increase the amount of time that he is in the crate, a little bit more each time. Always be sure he has been to the "potty" before crating. With small dogs, it's sometimes easier in the beginning to put them in the crate at eye level at night, like on your bed stand night table.
Now that your dog is crate trained, it will be easier to take him along on trips, and he will handle the stress of being shipped if necessary and will be carried safely in a vehicle. You can leave your dog in the hotel room without worry that the maid might come in and accidentally allow yourdog to "take off," and being used to being in the crate, the dog will sleep while you are gone.
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