Training Your Dog to Eliminate Outside
A Crate Also known as a kennel or carrier. They can be plastic with wire windows and doors and come in various sizes to fit all dogs (even Great Danes). Plastic crates are cheaper than wire cages and easier to transport . Yes, you need one. No, they are not cruel. If your dog lived in the woods he would seek out a small den where he could rest comfortably away from predators. Think of a crate as a portable den. Your dog will if it’s presented correctly. My own dogs all love them as a safe and comfortable place to rest. Most parents will keep baby in a crib or playpen when he can't be supervised. Dogs are den animals. In the wild, they would seek out a den to feel protected. It would be small and cozy. A crate becomes your dogs portable den.
If you have a large breed, it is advisable to buy a crate he will use when he is grown, but you must make it small while your pup is small. Fill up space in the back of crate with a box. Your crate should not be so large that dog can urinate in the front and sleep in the back.
The most important rule of housebreaking is that when your puppy or untrained dog is not supervised, he or she is in the crate. Your pup should be within 3 feet of an adult that is assigned to watching the puppy. Failure to comply to this rule spells defeat. Once he is housetrained (has not had an accident in 6 weeks), you can begin to relax supervision.
Teach your dog to enter on command. Begin by saying "Kennel" or “Crate”. Place the dog in the crate, give a food reinforcement (a treat) and lock it. Wait 15 seconds and then release the dog and praise him. In this way the dog will associate the crate with the food and feel it is a good thing and not a place for punishment. Work the dog up to an overnight stay. Keep the crate in your bedroom next to the bed. If the dog is noisy, rap on the top and say "quiet". Never, ever let the dog out if he is noisy. You'd be reinforcing his behavior. When I say "Kennel", my dogs will run into their crates and wait for that treat. Sometimes I have one and sometimes I do not. Variable reinforcements worked better than fixed ones. When you go out, leave a talk radio station on in another room to help your new pup feel more comfortable.
Place Your Dog on Elimination Commands
Many dog owners inadvertently teach their dogs to eliminate indoors. Each time they take their dog outside they wait for him to eliminate. As soon as he does, they bring him back into the house. Most dogs, especially young ones, like the sights and smells of the outdoors. They quickly learn that as soon as they eliminate, they are taken inside. They learn to hold it until they come inside to prolong the experience. It makes better sense to train your dog to eliminate on command, especially if you must leash walk him. Take your dog to "his spot" each time. As your dog begins to urinate, choose a word and say it over and over as the behavior is occurring. “Hurry up” or “Go potty” are popular choices. Do this each time your dog urinates. After several weeks of hearing , “Hurry up”, “Hurry up”, as he urinates, it will eventually act as a trigger of the behavior. I use the same phrase for defecating. Each time your dog finishes, praise him while offering a food reinforcement (a treat). When he has eliminated, take him for a walk as a reward! If your dog fails to eliminate in 5 minutes, take him inside and crate him for a half-hour or so and then try again.
The Instructive Reprimand
Each time you take your dog outside say, "Outside". Soon he will learn what outside means. Then, if the dog inappropriately urinates inside in your presence, say "Outside" and take him to "his spot" or the spot you have consistently been using to train as his elimination spot. "Outside" becomes an instructive reprimand because it is instructive (directs the dog to the appropriate elimination place) and it is a reprimand because of the tone of voice you use as the behavior is occurring thus acting as a negative.
House Training Schedules Program A For Feeding and Walking Schedule For the Owner Who Is Usually Home
1. When you awake, remove your dog from his crate and immediately take him outside to eliminate. Remember to say the stimulus command words for urination and defecation. When he finishes, immediately reward him with praise, a food treat and a walk.
2. Give your dog food and water the dog for 20 minutes only! DO NOT LEAVE FOOD AND WATER OUT ALL DAY! At the end of this time, take the food and water dishes away, whether he is finished eating or not. Your pup will quickly learn when eating time is and adjust his eating patterns.
3. Lead your dog into his crate using the "Kennel" or “Crate” command. Leave him in there for 15 to 20 minutes in order to digest.
4. At the end of the crating period, take your dog outside again to eliminate and follow the routine once again.
5. If your dog urinates and defecates, bring him inside. He can now be allowed to play outside of his crate for a while supervised.
6. Repeat this routine after every meal. Be sure to walk the dog one last time before bedtime.
Program For Feeding and Walking
Schedule For the Owner Who Works During the Day
1. When you awake, remove your dog from his crate and immediately take him outside to eliminate. Remember to say the stimulus command words for urination and defecation. When he finishes, immediately reward him with praise, a treat and a short walk.
2. Give your dog food & water the dog for 15 minutes only. DO NOT LEAVE FOOD AND WATER OUT ALL DAY. At the end of this time, take the food and water dishes away, whether he is finished eating or not.
3. Lead your dog into his crate using the "Kennel" or “Crate” command. Leave him there for around 15 to 20 minutes. At the end of the crating period, take your dog outside again to eliminate and follow the routine once again.
4. When your dog urinates and defecates, treat him with a food reward and play with him briefly before bringing him inside. Lead him to his crate using the "Kennel" command.
5. Upon returning home, immediately walk your dog using the routine.
6. After urinating and defecating, take him inside and allow him to play while supervised.
Program For Teaching Your Dog To Eliminate On Newspaper
Paper training your dog, that is, teaching your dog to eliminate on newspapers is an acceptable alternative to house training for people who live in hi-rise apartments, for senior citizens, or those owners with a tiny dog that eliminates very little.
The main reason why we choose newspaper is because it is readily available, costs very little, and it will adequately absorb the urine making it easy to dispose of.
1. Pick an area of the house where it would be convenient to place paper on the floor. A kitchen corner or laundry room is often chosen because it has a tile floor that will resist the seepage of urine should this occur.
2. Place the dogs crate or bed in a corner and place paper on the floor around it. The area should be a few feet by a few feet, depending upon the size of the dog.
3. Construct a barrier around the perimeter of the area in order to confine the dog to the papered area only. Since the dog will not wish to soil the place where he sleeps, he will eventually wander onto the papered area to eliminate.
4. After about a week, begin to narrow the amount of space you have covered with newspaper until after several days there remains only as much newspaper as the dog needs to confine the waste. Since dogs want to eliminate in the same spot each time, this will make the whole task easier.
5. After several weeks of eliminating on paper the dog should get used to this habit. You can then attempt to remove the barrier and let him have access to a larger area of the house when you can watch him. If he makes a mistake, tell him, "On the paper.... on the paper..." and place him on the newspaper. When you see him eliminate on the newspaper, always praise him and sometimes give him a food treat immediately.
Remember, if reinforcement is not given within a few seconds of a desirable behavior, the dog will not make the connection. As with the other programs, food and water should be given for scheduled periods of time and then taken away.
6. Use an odor neutralizer to eliminate the scent when the dog makes a mistake. If your dog makes a mistake, never the punish the dog after the fact. This does absolutely no good. Only correct him with an instruction ("On the paper...") if you catch him in the act.
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