House Training Done Right

Posted by Taylor Martinerin

New dog owners often find that they have much more difficulty house training a dog than they first think they will when they first get a puppy. Indeed, training a dog to wait until it can be taken out can be one of the most difficult training tasks, requiring firmness and consistency when offering either praise or punishment.

House training a dog is much more about having a routine and training the owner than teaching the dog anything. Even a well trained dog needs to be taken outside several times a day. Early in the morning and right before bed are both good places to start. Other times to take your dog outside include after meals and after playtime.

If possible, the owner should wait outside with the dog and watch for him to go. Praise them for this, making sure you use whatever phrase you want the dog to associate with the act of elimination.

One thing that will help is that dogs don’t like to go where they eat and sleep. This fact can be taken advantage of if the owner places a small bowl of food in any area of the house where the dog has had an accident in the past. Since dogs tend to go back to to the same spots, this will make the dog think twice the next time they sniff in that area.

If you continue to have problems, consider limiting your dog’s access to the majority of your house. Often owners find they have to block off the second floor of a home or the hallway leading to the bedrooms of the house. Areas that your dog doesn’t visit often might be considered almost the same as outside, so take away the temptation to ‘mark’ that particular territory.

Remember that the most important part of house training a dog is remaining consistent. Maintain your authority and ensure that you make it clear what you expect, and your dog should learn eventually.

Taylor also writes on articles on dog bed selection such as kuranda dog beds.