< See All Questions
How can we tell to our puppy if he needs to go out?
Submitted by skyjade on Jan 17, 2007
I have a nearly 6 month old Boston Terrier male pup that is totally crate
trained with no accidents, but when out of the cage stills have occasional
accidents- mostly poop. He is unpredictable about it and will wait until the moment you turn your head to do it. In a couple of months. we are moving to a brand new house we have built and I hope if we work really hard we can greatly reduce or eliminate these accidents. How can we get him to "tell"
if he needs to go out? Thanks!
Answer by Katrina*:
Usually when a puppy is having accidents in the house it often means you have given too much freedom too fast. It’s a common mistake that many puppy owners make as soon as they see their pups making progress with house-training. Please read the response to question: “What is the best way to house-train a dog?” for more information on how to better manage and supervise your puppy. I also recommend putting your puppy on a food and water schedule so you can better predict when he needs to “go” and so he won’t have to “go” so often. A good schedule is to feed your pup two meals daily and offer water 5-7 times a day. Take the food and water away in between meals and water times.
It is important that you are not punishing your puppy for accidents in the house. When puppies are yelled at or made to put their nose in the accident, they learn that “going” in front of people can be really scary and it’s safer to do it when no one is watching. The best way to handle accidents in the house is to just ignore the puppy and clean it up.
The way you get your dog to “tell” he needs to go is by watching for his predictive behaviors. This can be any circling, sniffing, acting distracted after being focused on something (like chewing a bone or playing with you), or going towards the door. Puppies also often need to “go” right after getting up from a nap, after having a meal, and shortly into active play-sessions. When you see a predictive behavior or you think your puppy might need to go, pick your pup up and carry him outside. Be prepared with treats as you head out, so you can reward your pup for “going” in the right place.
Most of us would like our dogs to signal needing to “go” by going to the door. The way you teach your dog to do this is by taking your dog outside for a potty break every time he stands near the door. With repetition your dog will make the connection that going by door means someone will take you outside to go to the bathroom and get a treat. Some people choose to teach their dog to ring a bell attached to the door handle when needing to go out. You can do this by attaching a bell to the door handle and every time your dog touches the bell (even accidentally), take him outside for a potty break. Again with repetition he should learn that ringing the bell equals going outside.
* NOTE: Answer provided by dog trainer Katrina Krings, not currently affiliated with Pikapet.com
|
|
|
Please Sign In
to submit your question
|
|
|
