Training your puppy to go to the toilet can be the most frustrating problem faced by puppy owners. Some puppies instinctively go outside in the garden. Others take months to learn the right place to go. Sometimes it comes down to the personality of your dog but there are some mistakes that people make that can cause anxiety for puppies that makes toilet training more difficult. In this blog there are some tried and tested tips, and advice that will assist in toilet training your puppy.
Puppies are just like any other animal when it comes to learning to go to the toilet. When they are very young they are not conscious that they actually have to go – just like babies, they go wherever they are standing or sitting. Unlike babies, however, most puppies instinctively won’t go in their beds. This is where crate training is very useful. Between nine and twelve weeks something switches on in your puppy’s head and he becomes aware of the need to go to the toilet. You don’t have to wait until this time to start toilet training. You should start training your puppy as soon as you get him home.
Puppies develop a preference for going to the toilet on a particular surface. Puppies that have been bred in kennels with concrete floors will prefer to go on concrete. Puppies purchased from pet stores that use newspaper, will prefer to go on that. Regardless, you can train your puppy to go where you want him to go but you need to be aware of what his preference is because you may be able to use this in training him/her to go to the toilet.
Where do i start:
You should decide the place you want your puppy to use before you bring him home. Most people prefer the puppy to go outside in the garden; some people living in flats have to use puppy-pads which are specially designed to attract a puppy to go to the toilet and can be purchased from your local pet store.
If you want to use newspaper to train your puppy spread it around all over the floor to begin with. As the days progress, start putting the newspaper in a smaller area. As your puppy gets used to using it, you can make the area smaller. Take some of the soiled paper (or puppy pads) outside and leave it in the area where you want your puppy to go. This way, your puppy will be able to make the connection between his toileting and the area where you want him to go.
Puppies need to go to the toilet after they wake up, after they have eaten and when they are playing. You will see your puppy begin to sniff at the ground and turn in circles. This is your cue to get him to where you want him to go immediately. Get up early in the morning and take him outside so he learns that this is the first thing he should do and he will also learn to wait for you.
When your puppy has gone to the toilet where you want him to go, make a big fuss of him – use pats, treats, belly rubs – go right over the top. You really need to push home the point that going to the toilet where you want him to go is a very very good thing.
Use television commercial breaks to time when you take your puppy outside. Take him to the right place and leave him for a few minutes. If he doesn’t do anything, don’t fuss or yell, just play with him and go back inside. He will soon learn that being outside is a fun time and become more relaxed. Don’t leave him outside until he goes. This will only increase his anxiety because he will want to be with you.
What do I do if my puppy makes a mess inside the house or any other area where I don’t want him to go?
If you can catch your puppy in the act, quickly pick him up and take him to the spot where you want him to go. If you can’t catch him in the act, put him outside and clean the mess up. Don’t yell or get angry and especially don’t rub his nose in what he’s done. He can recognize his own droppings and wee, he knows he did it but he can’t make the association that you are mad because he left it on the lounge room floor. If you get very angry he will only think that you are an irrational creature that can’t be trusted. This may increase his anxiety and he will be more difficult to toilet train as urinating is a sign of submission in dogs. If he feels stressed when you walk into the room, your puppy may urinate on the floor to say to you that he is not a threat. If you get mad and start yelling, it will only make him believe he has to urinate more. It can turn into a vicious cycle so it is best not to yell at all and be patient. We are asking a lot of these animals. You wouldn’t bring a giraffe or a wombat into your home and not expect it to go to the toilet so you have to be patient with your puppy.
What do I use to clean up the mess?
Most cleaners have ammonia in them and so does urine and feces. After you’ve cleaned up the mess and you think it smells great; your puppy’s sense of smell is so good he may come along, smell the ammonia and go again. Puppies love to go in the same place.
If this is happening in your house, use a cleaning product from your pet store that breaks down enzymes. You may have to soak it in so color-fast test your carpet first. A product that breaks down enzymes will break down the urine and feces on a micro level. This will go a long way to discouraging your puppy from going in the same spot because he won’t be able to smell his ammonia.
Remember:
always give your puppy the opportunity to correct his behavior and do the right thing. It is up to you to teach him what is acceptable and what is not. Reward acceptable behavior; discourage unacceptable behavior.
If in doubt consult your Vet
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