Puppy Potty Training 7 Top Tips About Puppy Potty Training

11.23 in 7, about, Dog, potty, puppy, tips, top, training

Lets be clear from the start. A potty is not used when puppy potty training. What we are talking about is house training your puppy so that it eliminates outdoors or in a designated indoor area rather than anywhere in the home.

1. Dont look on puppy potty training as the unpleasant or messy side of owning a puppy. Rather see it as the first stage of a bonding process. One that will result in a happy and healthy relationship. That is the real reward of house training a dog

2. Start potty training your puppy as soon as you get your puppy home. But remember they dont yet have full control of their bladder and bowel functions.

3. Feeding should take place at the same times every day. Do not feed with four hours of bedtime and withdraw the water  bowl two hours before bedtime. A routine is essential. That means you too have to stick to a routine by getting up and going to bed at the same time every day.

4. Take the puppy outside into the yard or for a walk first thing in the morning, 10 to 15 minutes after every meal or drink and last thing at night. Do not play with them until they have eliminated.

5. If after 10 minutes there is no action take the puppy back to its crate. Wait 10 to 15 minutes then take them out again.

6. Be sure to praise the puppy and reward them with a little playtime every time it does "the business".

7. Restrict your puppy to rooms with washable floors until he is house trained.

Simply taking your dog out in the backyard a few times every day is not the way to potty train a puppy. After all, how do they know what they are being taken outside for?

Find step-by-step instructions and potty train puppy tips.
Discover the easiest and most reliable method for puppy potty training. Whatever the breed, Whatever the age.

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The hunt is on for my top dog!

10.12 in dog, for, hunt, is, my, on, the, top

I love Easter... Why? Because I get to play "dog mom" to my little one Poncho. I know I know, even though I am a positive reinforcement dog trainer here in Ventura at The Inquisitive Canine. I do know Im an over-the-top dog mom too. Every Easter I like to set up a "kibble hunt" for Poncho in our back yard. This is actually something I often do for him as an "enrichment" activity. But its special for me today because 1) it takes me back to my own childhood... 2) makes me feel part of the crowd with the rest of my friends that have *hunts* with their human kids... 

This time I allowed him to watch me set up the hunt...a little different from years past. Why? Not sure...just felt like it. Anyway, I started out by leashing him to the bench in the yard - then walked around dropping and placing pieces of his kibble (and a few extra yummy treats) in various places in the entire backyard. Under plants, between rocks, behind furniture... He was going wild! Very excited throughout... Kept offering a sit and down stay for me (check out the picture). He has learned that these two behaviors get rewarded - a lot, so why not keep offering them... I love that he has figured out how to make the right choices... (something I teach in my dog training classes) Anyway, once I let him go Poncho was all over it! Kept him busy for quite awhile - tapping into that predatory drive, fulfilling those desires to hunt...plus kept him out of my hair long enough to have my own breakfast. He has to eat anyway, right? I just like to use his meals to my advantage while making it more fun for him... 

This is an activity I recommend for my clients - you too can learn more about enrichment, and preventing the "boredom blues" in the classes I teach at my rockin indoor dog training studio - The Inquisitive Canine...

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