House Training Your Dog
Prevention is the goal when it comes to training your pet. Dogs often like to “go” in the same spot over and over. If you can move this spot outside, training might be easier than you think.
However, it’s important to interrupt them establishing a spot in the house. If they can smell their urine, they will go in the same spot again, so make sure that you clean up spots as soon as they happen. If you need help completely removing stains (remember that your dog has a better nose than you do!), Short Stop Chem-Dry can help! Our specialty Pet Urine Removal Treatment (PURT) is designed to breakdown urine crystals and remove them for good.
Here are some proven techniques to train your dog:
Crate Training
Crate training your dog helps with potty training since dogs don’t like to go in the same place that they sleep. To kennel train your dog, make sure that you have a kennel that is large enough for your pup. They should be able to stand up and turn around comfortably in the kennel. Also remember that your puppy will likely grow, so you might want to get a larger kennel than you think you need at the time. You also want to make sure that the kennel is comfortable for your dog, so add a pillow, dog bed, or blanket inside. You can also put some of your pup’s favorite toys inside. You want to make the kennel a safe, positive place for them, not a punishment.
Next, you will want to establish a consistent routine with the kennel. Teach your dog to go into his kennel at night or while you’re at work by rewarding him with treats when he goes inside. You want to make sure that you don’t leave the dog in the kennel for too long. If you will need to be away for long, like at work, you might want to come home on your lunch break to let him out or hire a dog walker to do so.
When you let your dog out of the kennel, take him straight outside. Since dogs don’t like to soil their sleeping space, he will likely relieve himself as soon as he gets outside. If he does, offer a treat to reward good behavior. This will help establish the outdoors as his “spot”.
Consistent Schedule
If kennel training isn’t for you, setting up a consistent schedule might be. First, you want to figure out how often your dog needs to relieve himself, remembering that puppies usually need to go more often than older dogs. Common times a dog needs to go outside are after waking up in the morning, after drinking and eating, and before bed. Come up with a schedule when you think the puppy will need to go outside and err of the side of too often, instead of too little.
Now, actually enforce the schedule. Take your dog outside during the scheduled times, and stay out there until he does his business (within reason, of course). Because you are taking your dog out so often, you will hopefully prevent accidents. Your dog will come to learn the routine and know when to expect to go outside.
As usual, be sure to praise or reward your dog each time he goes outside to reinforce the behavior.
Finished Training?
Once you have finished potty training your dog, it’s a good idea to get your carpets professionally cleaned. A good carpet cleaner will be able to identify and remove any remaining pet urine in your carpets. That way, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor with a freshly cleaned carpet and trained puppy!