One of the most confusing and anxiety-ridden areas of dog training is house training. Yet, it is one of the most important, especially for the humans involved.
The best way to understand and find success with house training is to use the dogs own nature to help you.
Dogs are, by instinct, very clean animals. They would rather not soil any areas where they normally sleep or eat. Dogs are also creatures of habit — they like to know where theyre supposed to go urinate and defecate. If the dog is taught to eliminate on gravel or concrete, they will tend to look for either of those surfaces to do so. If theyre taught to eliminate on grass or dirt, thats where they will choose. Use these habits to your advantage.
Setting up the training area
This is the first step. Make sure the area you choose is small and confined. A bathroom works for this, or a place in a kitchen or garage also work well. Remember that crate training works well for puppies or small dogs, but for the larger animals, the crate is too confining.
You need to spend some time with this aspect of the training. You need to play with your dog in this area, and this is also where the dog will be taught to sleep and eat. Put together a special bed. This can be something you make up with items around the house, or you can go to the store and purchase a bed. Dont worry of your dog eliminates in this area at first. Once they figure out that this is where the sleep and eat, theyll stop eliminating there.
Once your dog realizes that the bed is for sleeping, you can begin to move it around the house. But, only when youre there. When youre not, put the bed back in the training area.
Setting up the toilet area
Now you need to determine where the toilet area is going to be located. Presumably, this will be outside the house. Wherever it is, it has to a place that the dog can go to whenever it needs to go. You need to go there with your dog so you can give the appropriate rewards for good behavior.
Establish a set feeding schedule for your dog. If the dog is in the habit of being fed at certain times, the natural process of elimination will also begin to occur at certain times. Once you learn when those times relate to the eating times, it will become much easier for you to guide the dog to the established toilet area.
Dont forget to make sure your dog has ready access to the toilet area. That way mistakes arent as likely to occur.
Continuing the house training process
Once your dog is in the habit of eliminating in the toilet area and not in the sleeping/eating area, you can begin to extend the training area to the rest of the house. Do this slowly. Start by expanding to one additional room, and then gradually expand into other areas. Dont expand into new areas until youre sure your dog has control of its bladder and bowels. At first, do this only when youre around. If youre away, then put your dog back in the original training area.
Speeding up the process
If you have to move this process along more quickly, you can do so. Remember to proceed with caution, though. Its better to go slowly than to have to try to retrain a dog later. If youre going to try to speed things up, you will have to be there in order to reward your dog for successful eliminations. It is also important not to punish for mistakes. That will only confuse the dog and slow the process even further.
Tags:
Animals,
Anxiety,
Concrete,
Crate Training,
Creatures Of Habit,
Defecate,
Dirt,
Dog Training,
Good Behavior,
Grass,
Gravel,
Instinct,
Puppies,
Rewards,
Sleep,
Small Dogs,
Success,
Surfaces,
Toilet Area,
Urinate
Related posts
Feb 09, 2010 | | Dogs
Crate Training Your Pit Bull Terrier Puppy: How Big Should The Dog Crate Be?
Were you aware that crate training your Pit Bull terrier is the responsible thing to do as a dog owner, and that everyone should be doing this? Properly crate training your Pit is one of the best things that you could possibly do, and Im going to explain exactly how to do it correctly. If youre not exactly sure what I mean by crate training, dont worry. This article is going to break everything down for you in easy to understand language.
When you first bring your Pit Bull terrier pup home, it is important that you show him exactly what his territory is. It is at this point in time that youll introduce him to his crate.
Place you Pits crate in a designated room or area of the house so that he can go there to rest and relax. This is very important and should not be a high traffic area.
You can purchase a crate at your local pet supply superstore or you could make one yourself if youre so inclined. A wire crate with partitions is preferred, so that you can section it off when hes little, then expand the partition as he grows. The crate should also have a washable tray below that slides out for easy cleaning.
I would recommend a large crate for your Pit Bull, then set the partitions so that your puppy has enough room to stand up and lay down. You dont want him to have excess room however as this will give him a place to go potty without him having to lay in it.
Using partitions is more important than the size of the crate you purchase. Make sure that you use them to limit your puppies free space inside the crate and be consistent with the routine. Congratulations on being a responsible Pit Bull terrier owner!
Tags:
Big Dog,
Bull Terrier,
Crate Training,
Dog Crate,
Dog Owner,
Free Space,
Partition,
Pet Supply,
Pit Bull Terrier,
Point In Time,
Pup,
Puppies,
Puppy Dog,
Puppy Training,
Slides,
Supply Superstore,
Terrier Puppy,
Traffic Area,
Training Puppy,
Wire Partitions
Related posts
Jan 02, 2010 | | Dogs
Before crate training your Pit Bull puppy, you’ll need to acquire a crate. There are many types and variations of crates available for purchase. It is important to pick the type of crate that will best suit the needs of both you and your puppy.
You should also take into consideration the size of your dog now, and how large he may be when fully grown to avoid having to purchase more than one crate. It is also important to remember that the crate will be his own individual space, and you want to make it as comfortable as possible so that your Pit Bull will enjoy his time there.
Since the puppy will be spending a lot of time in his crate, you should put several of his favorite toys and treats in the crate for him. Keep in mind that any toy you purchase should be large enough for the dog not to be able to swallow it, to avoid any injury to your pet. Having toys to chew own will not only give the dog something to chew that he cant destroy, but it will help to prevent boredom while he is in the crate.
Due to the strength of the Pit Bull, it is important to purchase tough toys that are made to last. They tend to really like Kong toys, and they can be stuffed with treats, which will usually keep him interested at least for a couple of hours, or until he gets all the treats. You can also purchase bones and toys that are especially made for Pit Bulls, they are tougher and usually safer for them to have than regular toys and bones. Regular bones, such as rawhide bones, can be dangerous for Pit Bulls, because they are strong enough to chew off bits of bone and get them lodged in their digestive tract.
If your Pit Bull will be spending more than two hours in the crate, it is a good idea to equip it with a water bottle in case he gets thirsty. Many pet stores sell the same type of water bottles that are used for hamsters or gerbils, just in larger sizes. These tend to work well in the Pit Bulls crate.
You should also put some kind of bedding in the crate to help your Pit Bull puppy be more comfortable. Old towels or soft blankets usually suit this purpose very well. Occasionally Pit Bull puppies will chew their bedding, if this happens, be sure to remove all the pieces so that the puppy doesnt swallow them. If the puppy wets his bedding, just remove it until the puppy stops using his crate as a bathroom, then put it back in.
Since the crate is your Pit Bulls own private space, it is important not to let children or visitors play with him while he is in his crate. He should be left alone to play or rest as he likes. If someone wants to play with him, he should be taken out of his crate first. You want your Pit to like being in his crate, and feel comfortable spending time there.
Tags:
Bedding,
Boredom,
Bull Terrier,
Crate Training,
Digestive Tract,
Favorite Toys,
Hamsters,
Kong Toys,
Larger Sizes,
Pet Stores,
Pet Toys,
Pit Bull Puppy,
Pit Bull Terrier,
Pit Bulls,
Rawhide Bones,
Training Puppy,
Type Of Water,
Variations,
Water Bottle,
Water Bottles
Related posts
Jan 02, 2010 | | Dogs
A crate is a valuable and useful training tool. Its main purpose is to provide security, safety and protection for short term confinement while training a puppy or new dog about its own and house boundaries.
A crate may look like a jail cell, but when used properly is your dogs natural den a personal space where hell feels secure and comfortable. The best place to place a crate would be where your dog can see the environment and family members, hear and smell your house – the kitchen is usually a good spot.
An ideal crate should be large enough to allow your dog to stretch out, stand without hitting his head and be able to turn around. The crate should not be so large that your dog can relieve himself in one corner and play move away to play and sleep in another. If your puppy is still young and is not fully growth, try to block off certain section of the crate with cardboards or wood boards.
To encourage your dog to like his new den, you should preferably equip it with soft beddings, a bowl of water and a toy that he likes. (You might want to remove the water at night when you are potty training your dog)
You must introduce the crate slowly to your dog. Crate him in smaller interval, about 10 minutes, and gradually increase over time. Your dog need time to get used to being crate. Never crate him for more than 30 minutes or longer for the first time.
It is not advisable to crate a young puppy for long period of time about 2 hour and pup should always be exercised before being crated.
Its quite normal for dogs to kick up a fuss, bark and moan while in the crate. If these things happen, do not give your dog any attention! Yes! Do not even look in his direction.
Dogs are intelligent animals Dont let him know that hell get your attention when he kicks up a fuss. Simply ignore him! Let your dog out only when he settles down.
*if its a young puppy whom youve just introduce the crate to, maybe you can offer him a treat in the crate to calm him down. Whatever you do, dont let him out of the crate at that very moment!*
The exception I can think of is if you think your dog has to relieve himself. Even so, bring it out only after he stops barking. Another exception is when your dog is chewing on himself. Let him out immediately and consult a trainer or behaviorist.
Lastly, dog should not be crate for too long day after day. Hell develop destructive behaviors and anxiety problems. If you notice that your dog displays hyper active behavior compare to before, you might be crating him for too long!
Most important of all, never ever punish your dog in the crate, hell dread going back to the crate. It is meant to be a comfortable and safe space, not where hell get punish.
Tags:
30 Minutes,
Beddings,
Boundaries,
Confinement,
Crate Train,
Crate Training,
Dog Crate,
Family Members,
Fuss,
Intelligent Animals,
Interval,
Jail Cell,
Period Of Time,
Personal Space,
Pup,
Puppy Dog,
Security Safety,
Training A Puppy,
Training Puppy,
Training Tool
Related posts
Jan 01, 2010 | | Dogs
Portuguese Water Dogs have short hair that does not shed and is considered a working dog, meaning that it is a breed that needs to stay busy. This breed is considered a hypoallergenic dog. Traditionally used to assist in fishing expeditions, the Portuguese Water Dog is now kept as a house pet. While this breed is not as common as other breeds, if you want to dog that is hypoallergenic, lively, and enjoys companionship, then this breed may be the one for you.
Since the Portuguese Water Dog is not bred as often as other breeds of hypoallergenic dog, you will have to search for a breeder online, in the newspaper, or by calling breeders in your area until you find one. Generally happy dogs, the PWD needs to stay busy or it will get bored. You should have plenty of toys for it to play with and you may want to consider crate training when you are not at home. This means that the dog will stay in a crate when you go out so it does not destroy your home. When the PWD gets bored or lonely, it will chew on anything it finds.
Crate training should begin right after you bring the dog home. By placing a blanket, toys and water into the crate, you will make the dog comfortable while you are away. You should not use the crate when punishing the dog or it will not want to go in it when you leave for the day. After training the dog, you will have to keep up the routine. This will give the dog structure and will also salvage your possessions. Keeping the dog in a crate when you are not at home will also reduce allergens.
Portuguese Water Dogs need to be groomed every two months or so. There are two patterns that most groomers follow, the retriever cut and the lion cut. The retriever cut means that the hair is cut evenly on the body. The lion cut leaves that front half of the dog’s body covered with hair, while hair on the hind legs is cut short. You should take the dog to have his hair groomed if you are not comfortable cutting it yourself.
If you are considering buying a PWD, you should be prepared to have constant companionship. These breeds need to be walked and they need to be entertained throughout the day. If you need to travel on vacation or for work, you should board the dog so it will not be lonely. Portuguese Water Dogs typically live between twelve and fifteen years.
Portuguese Water Dogs are easy going and get along with children and most adults. If you are looking for a breed that does not shed and will fit in with your family, then the PWD is the breed for you. While most Portuguese Water Dogs are black, some are white or a mix of both. Their hair is curly or wavy and similar to that of the standard poodle.
Tags:
Allergens,
Companionship,
Crate Training,
Cutting,
Fishing Expeditions,
Hind Legs,
Hypoallergenic Dog,
Hypoallergenic Dogs,
Lion,
Portuguese Water Dog,
Portuguese Water Dogs,
Possessions,
Pwd,
Salvage,
Short Hair,
Toys,
Working Dog
Related posts
Nov 29, 2009 | | Dogs