Housebreaking your dog is more than getting them to use the bathroom outside,
it is also teaching not to destroy things while you are gone or the dog is unattended.
Housebreaking begins as a puppy or in an older dog by routing and scheduling. Dogs
are creatures of habit and pattern learners, it is our job in training to establish positive
behavior patterns and only to allow good behaviors to be established into habits.
Proper use of a crate is essential in the developing of good behavior patterns. A
Crate will keep a dog out of trouble into a dog knows what trouble is. Many of my
clients and people I talked to feel like it is inhumane to use a crate. In response to
these feelings I say "it is more inhumane to leave the dog out in the house at night or
while you're gone, knowing the dog is going to do wrong and then punishing the dog,
for doing the very same thing you knew he was going to do, than to just leaving the
dog in a crate until not only does he understand what desirable behavior but
consistently chooses to do the right thing."
Housebreaking has two distinct possibilities. First, a dog may not know it is wrong to
use the bathroom in the house. Chewing something dogs do to pass the time, he may
not know what is acceptable to chew on, and what is not. Secondly, a dog may know
exactly what is expected of him and choose to do the wrong thing anyway. Crate
training combined with obedience training addresses both of these scenarios, without
having property loss or damage while teaching and training is taking place.
Dogs are den animals, if a dog is lost or in a strange area they will naturally find an
enclosed area with top bottom and all signs closed, leaving only the front to defend.
Plastic dog crates most closely resemble this and that is why I always suggest a plastic
crate over a wire cage. Properly a crate and you will find that when the dog no longer
needs it, you can leave the door open and they will go in and out of there on their own.
A crate is never to be used as punishment; a crate is to a dog as a playpen is to a
baby it is used simply to keep them out of trouble, while you cannot keep in a
consistent eye on them. Now they can be educated on what trouble is and be
entrusted to stay out of trouble after they know.
Scheduling is important in using a crate. Feeding time should be consistent and
convenient to your schedule. Feeding a dog on a schedule promotes consistent bowel
movements. Water should be accessible at all times while a dog is out of his crate, but
should not be left in his crate with them.
Your dog should be left in the crate at night, you should not let him out of his crate
into you are ready to take him straight outside. From the crate directly outside to the
spot you would like him to use the bathroom. Once the dog uses the bathroom pee
and poop you should verbally praise him and give him a treat on the spot right were he
has gone. Giving him a treat upon coming and the house rewards them for coming in,
not using the bathroom outside.
Should your dog not use the bathroom, punctually he should be brought back inside
and put in the crate. This time can be as little as a half an hour and then try again.
The only time you should let the dog run loose in the house is when you have just
seen him use the bathroom outside. Most people do not do this very important step, do
not try to take the dog out every hour, put him back in the crate till he uses the
bathroom outside, then let him run the house, as long as you can keep an eye on him
for an hour to an hour and a half. Then put the dog in the crate for several hours in
from the crate outside and repeat step one. The crate encourages the dog to hold the
bathroom. Now since they have to go to the bathroom when you take them outside,
they go punctually and they empty all the way out. Instead of trying to watch the dog,
getting sidetracked, and having the dog sneak off and use the bathroom in the house.
We use the crate to encourage and promote holding the bathroom until they get
outside. In review the only time the dog should run free in the house is when you have
just seen the dog use the bathroom outside. After one hour to one hour and a half
your dogs to go back in the crate, even though you are home. From the crate strayed
outside to not let the dog out of the crate unless you are ready to take them
immediately outside. Finally, by feeding the dog on a good schedule you'll know when
a dog has to have a bowel movement or just has to pee,
*note: cheap foods produced two to three times the stool than better foods!*
it is also teaching not to destroy things while you are gone or the dog is unattended.
Housebreaking begins as a puppy or in an older dog by routing and scheduling. Dogs
are creatures of habit and pattern learners, it is our job in training to establish positive
behavior patterns and only to allow good behaviors to be established into habits.
Proper use of a crate is essential in the developing of good behavior patterns. A
Crate will keep a dog out of trouble into a dog knows what trouble is. Many of my
clients and people I talked to feel like it is inhumane to use a crate. In response to
these feelings I say "it is more inhumane to leave the dog out in the house at night or
while you're gone, knowing the dog is going to do wrong and then punishing the dog,
for doing the very same thing you knew he was going to do, than to just leaving the
dog in a crate until not only does he understand what desirable behavior but
consistently chooses to do the right thing."
Housebreaking has two distinct possibilities. First, a dog may not know it is wrong to
use the bathroom in the house. Chewing something dogs do to pass the time, he may
not know what is acceptable to chew on, and what is not. Secondly, a dog may know
exactly what is expected of him and choose to do the wrong thing anyway. Crate
training combined with obedience training addresses both of these scenarios, without
having property loss or damage while teaching and training is taking place.
Dogs are den animals, if a dog is lost or in a strange area they will naturally find an
enclosed area with top bottom and all signs closed, leaving only the front to defend.
Plastic dog crates most closely resemble this and that is why I always suggest a plastic
crate over a wire cage. Properly a crate and you will find that when the dog no longer
needs it, you can leave the door open and they will go in and out of there on their own.
A crate is never to be used as punishment; a crate is to a dog as a playpen is to a
baby it is used simply to keep them out of trouble, while you cannot keep in a
consistent eye on them. Now they can be educated on what trouble is and be
entrusted to stay out of trouble after they know.
Scheduling is important in using a crate. Feeding time should be consistent and
convenient to your schedule. Feeding a dog on a schedule promotes consistent bowel
movements. Water should be accessible at all times while a dog is out of his crate, but
should not be left in his crate with them.
Your dog should be left in the crate at night, you should not let him out of his crate
into you are ready to take him straight outside. From the crate directly outside to the
spot you would like him to use the bathroom. Once the dog uses the bathroom pee
and poop you should verbally praise him and give him a treat on the spot right were he
has gone. Giving him a treat upon coming and the house rewards them for coming in,
not using the bathroom outside.
Should your dog not use the bathroom, punctually he should be brought back inside
and put in the crate. This time can be as little as a half an hour and then try again.
The only time you should let the dog run loose in the house is when you have just
seen him use the bathroom outside. Most people do not do this very important step, do
not try to take the dog out every hour, put him back in the crate till he uses the
bathroom outside, then let him run the house, as long as you can keep an eye on him
for an hour to an hour and a half. Then put the dog in the crate for several hours in
from the crate outside and repeat step one. The crate encourages the dog to hold the
bathroom. Now since they have to go to the bathroom when you take them outside,
they go punctually and they empty all the way out. Instead of trying to watch the dog,
getting sidetracked, and having the dog sneak off and use the bathroom in the house.
We use the crate to encourage and promote holding the bathroom until they get
outside. In review the only time the dog should run free in the house is when you have
just seen the dog use the bathroom outside. After one hour to one hour and a half
your dogs to go back in the crate, even though you are home. From the crate strayed
outside to not let the dog out of the crate unless you are ready to take them
immediately outside. Finally, by feeding the dog on a good schedule you'll know when
a dog has to have a bowel movement or just has to pee,
*note: cheap foods produced two to three times the stool than better foods!*
House Training
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