|
|
|
Publication date: Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Plan Your Approach
Take advantage of your dog’s “den instinct” to curl up in a snug, protected space as the first step to successful housebreaking. Since most puppies or adult dogs will not soil their sleeping quarters, a crate or kennel—when properly introduced as a happy and rewarding place---provides your pet with a safe and secure haven of its very own.
The crate should be just big enough for the pup to stand up, turn around, and lie down. The most common mistake is using a crate that is too big, which gives the pup room to “make a mess” and get away from it. A crate big enough to accommodate an adult dog can be partitioned off, increasing available sleeping room as the puppy grows. You can use either a plastic airline crate (which is easy to clean) or a wire crate (generally more effective when covered with a light blanket to create a cozy nest).
Bedding in the crate is optional. If the pup doesn’t chew fabric and doesn’t soil bedding, a towel is fine. We discourage the use of a newspaper in the crate because it may send the wrong message of “go here”, especially if the pup was previously paper-trained.
Although it is unfair to crate puppies or adult dogs for hours on end, most animal care professionals agree that puppies can usually “hold it” through the night when they are 8-10 weeks old. However, you should not expect your pup to wait more than 4-5 hours (less for very young pups) between outings during the day. If this is necessary, a safe “exercise area” is a good alternative until the pup is 6-8 months old and physically able to “hold it” all day.
This exercise area could be a commercially available exercise pen set up in the garage with his crate (door open) at one end and newspaper or wee-wee pads at the other. Although you can use a laundry room or bathroom, the pup may decide that moldings, cabinets, floors, doors and even walls are the perfect puppy chew toy! You can spray the likely-to-be-chewed areas with Bitter Apple or another repellant or you can set up the exercise pen in the room. However keep in mind that every time your pup eliminates on newspapers or wee-wee pads, she is learning that is where she should “go”. If ultimately she is supposed to eliminate outside, you will have to train her again to go on grass or gravel (a piece of previously soiled paper placed outside may help her get the idea). Usually it is easiest to skip the step of “paper training” and go directly to the outdoors.
A fair-weather alternative is an outdoor chain link kennel-run, equipped with an insulated doghouse (plastic is not as tasty to chew on as wood), a water supply, and a tarp cover if shade is not constantly available. Patio blocks make easy-to-clean dig-proof flooring for a kennel run. And of course, wherever your dog stays in your absence, you should provide safe chew toys for entertainment.
Getting Started
Use the crate whenever the pup is not actively under your supervision, including bedtime, when you leave the house, when household responsibilities prevent you from keeping a close eye on her, when you shower or go to the mailbox, or during meals. This keeps the pup safe and out of trouble, decreases or prevents inside potty mistakes, and saves you a lot of work and frustration.
When you take the puppy out of her crate, IMMEDIATELY take her outside to her approved potty area. Carry her if she’s pokey, so she doesn’t have the chance to have an accident. Do this every single time, both first thing in the morning and during the day, even if she was only in the crate for 15 minutes.
Once outside, say “Go Potty” (or whatever your go-potty phrase will be). As soon as the pup starts to go, repeat your phrase in a quiet undertone (an excited loud voice may make her stop!) while she is going. Just as pup finishes, say “good girl, good potty” with a warm and happy voice. Use your same phrase every time, and after a few weeks your pup will go as soon as she hears the go-potty phrase.
For part 2, return to Article Index.
 Back to article index
|
|
|