Puppy Rearing 3: New Puppy Training
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©1996, 1997 HomeVet
The
Need for Training
It is
important that your puppy learn early on what is considered
acceptable behavior in your home. Failure to teach your
dog the rules of the house when he is young can result
in an unmanageable grown dog.
If you expect
your puppy to sleep in a dog bed or crate, make sure
you enforce that behavior from day one. Your puppy might
cry in response to separation from mother or littermates.
A hot water bottle and plenty of TLC should provide
some comfort. Be sure the bed or crate is located in
a warm area free of drafts.
Some people do
not mind having their dog on the couch. For other people,
a pet on the furniture would be an intolerable nuisance.
Decide now what your household policy will be and enforce
this from the start.
The same holds
true for begging at the table, jumping on people, and
other objectionable behaviors. If you don't want your
puppy to learn any of these habits, make sure your rules
are obeyed from the beginning.
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Housebreaking:
the Direct Method
Teaching
your puppy where you expect him or her to go to the
bathroom is probably the most critical part of training.
A dog that is not properly housebroken frequently ends
up relegated to the backyard or the animal shelter.
The best and
most reliable way to house train your puppy is to provide
frequent opportunity to eliminate in an appropriate
place and to reward this behavior immediately as it
occurs. To do this, walk your puppy on a leash at regular
intervals (at least every 2-4 hours).
The direct house-training
method requires you to be nearby and to start good lifetime
habits from the beginning. Other methods may seem easier
and may appear to demand less initial investment of
time. The direct training method, however, is sure to
save you time and energy in the long run.
Puppies require
more frequent walks until they are able to reliably
control sphincters. This usually occurs by six months
of age. The best method of house training is to take
your puppy out within several minutes after each meal,
after each nap, and after playing. These are predictable
moments during the day when bowel and bladder are most
full.
A wave of rhythmic
contractions along the length of the digestive tract
(the gastrocolic reflex) begins when food or water is
swallowed. The contractions are particularly strong
after eating, which explains why a bowel movement is
so likely after a puppy eats. Feed your puppy at scheduled
mealtimes and avoid snacks between feedings. The gastrocolic
reflex may be conditioned by feeding your puppy at regular
intervals.
Allowing your
puppy continuous access to food or water makes house
training more difficult. Prevent "accidents" between
meals by taking your pup out before the accidents occur.
It is best to
leash walk your puppy within 15 minutes or sooner after
each meal. Take him out to the same spot each time.
If your puppy is too young to walk on a leash, carry
him outside to an enclosed, safe area. Stay nearby and
play with or pet him. If your pup is slow adjusting
to leash walks, be patient. Avoid pulling the leash
and allow your pup to take his time.
If your pup is
initially afraid of the leash, leave the leash on indoors
for brief periods without holding onto it. When the
pup becomes more accustomed to the collar and leash,
take the pup for brief leash walks indoors before graduating
to walks outside. Daily leash walks throughout a dog's
life help maintain good elimination habits.
When the pup
prepares to eliminate, begin using a key word or phrase
which he will soon associate with elimination (like
"hurry up" or "do it"). Use a happy and light tone of
voice. . This teaches the pup to void on command so
that you won't freeze unnecessarily on a cold winter
night while the pup leisurely looks for just the right
spot. Praise immediately once the task is completed.
Immediate encouragement is necessary for your pup to
associate praise with elimination outside.
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Paper
Training: a Poor Method
Paper
training is not a good housebreaking method contrary
to popular opinion. Paper training encourages the pup
to eliminate on newspapers spread over the floor in
a designated area of the home. This can lead to several
problems. The first is that you may confuse your pup
by teaching him twice what he need learn only once.
When, and if, the pup has learned to void on the newspapers,he
must then be retrained to eliminate outside.
The second problem
with paper training is that you may unintentionally
teach your pup that it is acceptable to eliminate inside
your home. Though some puppies stay on the paper, many
more "miss" the boundaries set for them. You may think
your pup clearly understands that he should void on
paper. Instead, he may learn that it is acceptable to
eliminate anywhere in that room and may begin soiling
in a variety of unacceptable areas in your home. Some
owners of small-breed dogs prefer to continue paper
training throughout the pet's lifetime, but this should
not replace daily walks.
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House
Training: Crate Training
Crate
training is the easiest and most effective method of
housetraining. In addition, it teaches your dog that
the crate is his special place away from any stress
present in the "outside world". The crate-trained dog
tends to be more secure and have fewer behavior problems
later in life.
Begin by selecting
a crate that will accommodate your dog at his anticipated
adult size. Your (adult) dog should be able to comfortably
stand and turn to change positions in his crate. If
you are purchasing a crate for a large-breed pup, you
may decide to obtain several crates of different sizes
to accommodate your growing pet. If you decide to purchase
just the one for his adult size, you may partition the
unused space and enlarge the available space as the
young dog grows. Consult your veterinarian about your
dog's projected size.
To introduce
your dog to the crate, associate the crate with positive
things, such as food and safe shelter. Leave the door
open until there is no sign of fear. Cover a section
of the floor with comfortable and easily laundered bedding,
such as a towel or blanket. Play with your pup, tossing
favorite toys and treats into the crate. Say "crate"
or some other word for the puppy to begin associate
with going to bed.
Place food and
water in the crate to encourage your pet to consider
it a safe place. This also decreases the likelihood
that your dog will soil inside the cage. When the puppy
enters the crate without hesitation at meal time, gently
close the door while he eats. Keep the door closed for
gradually longer periods. Let the pup out when he is
calm and quiet. Eventually you will be able to leave
your puppy in the crate for up to four hours, but no
longer except at night.
Never let your
puppy out of the crate for whining, barking or scratching
at the door-this will teach him a bad habit. Only let
your puppy out when he is quiet and calm.
Immediately after
opening the crate, carry your puppy directly outside
to the area you want to be used as the bathroom, and
set him down. In all likelihood he will go to the bathroom
right away. Praise him lavishly.
The crate is
your dog's special place where he must never be disturbed
or threatened. The crate must not be linked with punishment
or your dog will avoid it. Encourage him to use the
crate as a resting place. When the pup is ready to nap,
place him in the crate with a favorite toy or treat.
Never place your pup in the crate or try to remove it
from the crate when you are angry. Do not reach in and
pull your dog out of his crate.
Some pups do
not tolerate crate training initially, becoming very
agitated and excessively vocal for long periods of time.
If the pup objects to being closed in the crate, you
will encourage undesirable attention-seeking behavior,
such as whining or barking, by visiting or otherwise
comforting the crated pup. Wait a few moments until
he is quiet and calm before checking that all is well.
This way, you will not encourage undesirable behavior
nor will you defeat the potential usefulness of the
crate. If your puppy's objections seem excessive or
unacceptable to you, the direct training method may
be preferable and crate training should be temporarily
abandoned.
It is pointless
to punish your dog at any age for "accidents" that occur
in your home which you do not witness. To be effective,
punishment (and praise, for that matter) must closely
follow your pet's action. Punishment is ineffective
unless it is given immediately (within 3 seconds) after
the "crime." No matter how frustrated you may be, clean
up the mess and concentrate on the steps to prevent
another one.
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Housetraining:
the 'Umbilical Cord' Method
This
method of house training is best used with the other
techniques detailed above. Attach your pup to a long
leash that is tied to your wrist or waist. This allows
him a certain amount of freedom while ensuring your
constant supervision. The pup cannot wander away to
have an undetected "accident" and you can anticipate
the pup's need to void, taking him directly outside.
This method may
be applied as an alternative to overnight crate confinement
or isolation in another part of your home. The pup may
be leashed to your bed overnight. While some puppies
may have "accidents" where they sleep, they may be less
anxious when their owners are nearby, and this may positively
affect their behavior.
For more on puppy
training, see Puppy Rearing 4:
Chewing and Other Destructiveness in Puppies and Dogs
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Please note:
The information provided here is meant to supplement
that provided by your veterinarian. Nothing can replace
a complete history and physical examination performed
by your veterinarian. - Dr. Jeff
I greatly value your feedback. Please let me know what
you think of this site and what you would like to see
on it. drjeff@homevet.com
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Last modified
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