I brought my puppy to the vet the other day and saw this in the office. It's another method for housebreaking your puppy. It's similar to the one I wrote last month, but has a few different tips on keeping to a housebreaking schedule:
1. Take your puppy outside first thing in the morning for 5 minutes. (Be consistent, try to do this at the same time everyday.)
2. Bring the puppy back inside and feed him/her whatever he can eat in 5 minutes.
3. Take the food away and bring the puppy back outside for another 5 minutes.
4. Reward and praise your puppy for urinating or defecating outside.
5. Repeat this again in the afternoon and evening.
This method is a proven and recommended way to housetrain your pet. If you catch your puppy in the act of urinating in the house, you should immediately say NO in a loud voice, make a loud noise, or give the pet a quick squirt from a water bottle and take the dog outside immediately.
Your puppy will associate the negative reinforcement with urinating or defecating in the house. Any negative reaction after the accident has occurred will do no good to prevent future accidents. You have to catch your pet in the act of having an accident.
Rubbing your dog's nose in his/her accident or hitting the puppy is strongly discouraged. It may cause your pet to fear you. Stay positive and your pet will be housetrained in notime.
Housebreaking your puppy can make or break the relationship you have with your dog. I have known many people who just never get past the housebreaking training. They get so frustrated after a few months of cleaning up dog poop, or steam cleaning their carpeting after accidents that they look for a new home for their puppy.
Take a look at Craig's List or the classified ads in the newspaper and you will see so many dogs from 6 months to 1 ½ years old that are being given away. The dog owners are fed up with the aggravation of a dog that cannot be housebroken. The fact is that all puppies can be housebroken if given the time and the patience.
There are many different housebreaking methods; most of them will do the trick. Go to the library, browsing the pet section. You will find a wide variety of dog training books which contain chapters on housebreaking your puppy.
The keys to housebreaking are to be consistent, and patient. You can't expect a puppy to be housebroken in a week. You have to consistently apply the training method you have chosen. Don't try to switch methods every few days, figuring another training method be more effective. This will only confuse your puppy while he is only trying to please you.
Physically, a puppy cannot be completely free of accidents in the house. His brain is not fully developed enough to control his bodily functions. This does not mean that the puppy is not learning, just that he cannot help himself at the moment. If you are persistent with the puppy's training, and follow through with your training method, your puppy will be completely trained between the ages of 3 to 5 months.
Female dogs are usually easier to train than males because they will urinate or defecate only once when brought outside. Male dogs, on the other hand, will urinate and defecate several times, marking their territory as a sign of dominance. A neutered male dog will also be easier to train because the urge to dominate is diminished. Keep this in mind when housebreaking your puppy.
Here are a few tips and strategies to housebreaking your puppy:
Decide the housebreaking method that you feel will work out for your situation.
Make a schedule to follow during the first few weeks of training: feeding, watering, and walking your puppy.
Control the amount of food and treats you give your puppy. Irregular feeding can make housebreaking much harder.
Make sure your pet has all the water he needs during the day, but limit water intake at night to avoid accidents. This is only temporary, until your puppy gets a little older, and can control himself. If your puppy appears thirst, certainly give him more water, but a limited amount during the night should be okay.
Don't let your puppy wander around the house while being housebroken. Dogs don't like to mess in their sleeping area, so limiting your puppy's space will make housebreaking easier.
If you see your puppy sniffing the floor, it probably means he has to go out. Distract him immediately and bring him outside.
Take your puppy to the same spot every day to relieve himself. The scent of previous visits will urge him to go quickly.
In the beginning, your puppy will need many trips outside. Gradually spread out the times that you bring him outside, making a regular schedule that fits your lifestyle.
Catching the puppy in the act is one of the quickest ways for him to realize he is doing something wrong. Be firm with him, keep him with you while you are cleaning up the accident, and let him know you are displeased. The puppy will feel completely guilty, associating your displeasure with his actions.
These are methods I have used through the years to train my puppies. They are traditional ways to housebreak a puppy. Depending upon your circumstances, whether you are in the city, working all day, at home, or in the country will determine the housebreaking method that is best for you and your pup. Do your research and begin the training. Good luck with your new puppy!
If anyone has any housebreaking ideas or methods that have worked, please leave a comment to help others housebreak their puppies.
I've met a lot of pet owners through the years, and many of them feel that any type of training will break the spirit of their dog. Usually, these dogs have the run of the house and the owners under their control. They have no boundaries, sleep on furniture, eat from the table, intimidate guests, and basically, take over the household.
If you have a small dog, this may be seen as cute, but if your dog is medium sized or large, this type of situation can be a struggle. The lack of training and discipline leads to unhappy animals, and unhappy owners. Oftentimes, the dog has to be given to a shelter or rescue organization if the owner cannot regain control of the pet. No one wins in this situation.
Many times, a lot of the problems can be prevented before they even begin. Choosing the right puppy is the first step when thinking about training. This may seem strange, but not all dog types are suited for certain people. For instance, if you are a shy, quiet person, it is unlikely that an aggressive dog would be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you are an active, outgoing person, you wouldn't want a small, nervous dog. So, it all begins with choosing the right match of puppy to human.
Do your research and keep training in mind. Compare all the different breeds and their qualities, to determine the best pup for you. If you are going to a shelter to find a puppy, take the time to become familiar with the personality of the dogs. Don't judge a book by its cover, look beyond the cuteness of the puppy. For instance, if you want a dog that will fetch (particularly hunting dogs), throw a ball and see if the dog will go after it automatically. My beagle will not chase a ball or a stick, no matter what I do, yet my collie will play fetch all day long. So be sure to look for the qualities you want in a dog right from the start. Also, try to determine if a dog is too aggressive by playing a little rough with him. It's okay if the puppy growls and tugs, but he should stop when you tell him "no" in a firm tone. If the pup won't stop, but gets progressively more excited, then he might be too aggressive to handle as he gets older.
These are just a few ideas to keep in mind when choosing a puppy. Training is very important. Keep it in mind even when choosing your puppy and you will both get off to a positive start. Remember, you will have your dog for years to come, and you want him to be your best friend.
Once you have brought your puppy home, the next step of training is housebreaking. I'll give some ideas that worked when I was housebreaking my dogs in my next blog.
I was in Petco the other day taking a look at the white mice, hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, and gerbils. It brought to mind the time my daughter won a gerbil in a second grade science fair. It was a little, black gerbil my daughter named, Blacky.
My sons had hamsters and white mice as pets in the past, so I figured it was basically the same type of care for the gerbil. What I wasn't expecting was the personality Blacky had. He was very friendly, while the hamsters we had owned always bit. Blacky lived for five years, and never once bit anyone.
He also seemed to be very intelligent. He would sit on his haunches, reaching two paws outside the cage, beckoning for sunflower seeds. My daughter would hand him a seed, he would take it and carefully eat it while turning it over in his paws. When he finished the seed, he would reach out for another one. He never grabbed, or seemed frightened of us at all.
Another of Blacky's talents was house construction. We would put fluff in the cage, so he could build a nest to snuggle into, and each night he would reconstruct his home. It always had multiple doors, or windows (I'm not sure which they were supposed to be). When someone came into the room, he would pop his head out of one of the windows to take a peek. The next night, he would rebuild his home in a different design. These were intricate house designs, not just piles of fluff! I think he was a 'gerbil architect'.
Blacky would allow my daughter to hold him in her hand, or carry him in her pocket. He would also sit on her shoulder while she did her homework. He did occasionally jump down, or get out of the cage, but he would never run off like my son's hamsters used to. Blacky would not even leave my daughter's bedroom, although the door was open. When he was tired of being loose, he would stand on his back legs and look at my daughter until she picked him up and put him back in his cage.
It was a sad day when Blacky passed away, but he certainly taught me a lot about gerbils that I never knew before. I would never hesitate to give a gerbil as a pet, knowing how gentle Blacky was. I believe if you take care of a gerbil's needs, giving him a roomy cage, nesting material, an adequate water bottle, sunflower seed treats, as well as a well balanced gerbil food, and treat him gently, he will be a wonderful pet. We also used to put a gnawing bone in his cage to prevent his teeth from growing too long. Some pet stores recommend getting two gerbils, since they are social animals, but Blacky was fine alone; maybe that was just him.
Pet stores also carry entire critter habitats that come with running wheels, tubes to climb through and water bottles. They come in a variety of sizes. Children like these habitats for the little animals because they are very colorful and can be expanded. We just used a basic cage, and Blacky seemed happy. I would recommend a gerbil to anyone trying to decide on a small pet.
Here's a cute video of gerbils I found on YouTube:
"Tis the season to be jolly!" We all want to feel that way during the holidays, including your pet. Whether you own a dog, cat, bird, or ferret, make sure you pet proof your home during all the holiday festivities. You would be surprised the things your pet can get into when the house is decorated and all kinds of special foods are prepared.
Last Christmas, I thought my 11 year old beagle, Hunter, was old enough not to really have to worry about him during Christmas dinner. After all, he had been around for 10 Christmas's before this without an incident. My whole family was all seated around the dining room table for Christmas dinner when there was a crash and scuffling from the kitchen. I jumped up and on the floor was the pecan pie I had baked the day before. My beagle had already gulped down half the pie, whipped cream and all. By the time I reached him, the whole pie was gone! This all happened within about 30 seconds.
Well, Hunter looked at me with his big brown eyes, whipped cream on the bottom of his floppy ears, and I couldn't get angry with him, after all, it was Christmas. About 10 minutes later, his belly was bloated and he vomited the entire pie back up again. It was not too appealing to the rest of the family trying to eat Christmas dinner. Hunter was miserable for the rest of the day, just lying on his bed with a look of despair in his eyes.
This is only one example of what a pet can get into during the holidays. Fortunately, his stomach misery only lasted a day, but there are many other dangers to watch for when decorating and preparing for the holidays.
Cats love sleeping under Christmas trees, and sometimes climbing them. Make sure your tree is secure, unable to fall over on top of your pet. You will also want to be careful of glass ornaments, as they can shatter easily and your pet could cut a paw or even eat the shards of glass. This is especially likely if you make homemade cookie ornaments. Your dog can't tell the difference between a dog biscuit and a cookie ornament hanging on your tree. One lunge at the tree after a cookie ornament, and chaos will break loose.
Also, be careful of feeding your pet leftovers. If you do, double-check for turkey skewers and small bones. Either one of these things could lodge in your pet's stomach or intestines causing life threatening conditions.
These are only a few of the many hazards the holidays can present to your pet. If you are careful, and pet proof your home, all of you will have a happy holiday. Happy Holidays to all of you and your precious pets.
Years ago dogs stayed home either tied outside, in a pen, or in the house while people were at work. The options of doggie day care, or dog walkers were not available. Pets had to stay at home, isolated and bored, waiting for their masters to come home.
Today, this has all changed. Doggie day cares have sprung up in most cities and towns. Most of these day cares are operated by people who really care about animals, but there are always a few bad apples.
I visited a combination doggie day care/pet shop in my area and was saddened by what I saw. The day care room had no toys, mats, or even blankets for the dogs. Each dog was tied with a leash to a different section of the room. There was no interaction of any kind between the dogs, or with people. They lay on the concrete floor, looking bored and lonely.
I'm sure this is not what the owners of these poor dogs had in mind when they brought them to day care. What would be the point?
If you are considering doggie day care, make sure you research the facility and the programs offered. The last thing you want is to enroll your dog in doggie day care and find he/she is more miserable than when he was home alone.
What to look for in a doggie day care:
Both indoor and outdoor play
Socialization – play time among the dogs and interaction with people
Exercise – a regular exercise routine with real people (not tied to a treadmill for 20 minutes
Ask if there are certified dog trainers on the staff to deal with any aggressive behavior.
Is the staff certified in Red Cross pet first aid and CPR?
Does the facility offer obedience training programs? These can be a lifesaver for hard working pet owners who find it hard to spend time training their dogs.
Check the sleeping areas. Does each dog have its own personal resting space?
Are staff members available and supervising the dogs at all times?
These are just a few of the many questions to ask when looking for a doggie day care. Your pet's care is the most important thing to consider. A friendly, stimulating environment is what every dog needs to have a happy, fun-filled day while you are off working to earn money for those expensive vet bills, dog toys, and pet food.
I recently saw an episode of "The Dog Whisperer" with Cesar Millan. He was trying to improve the relationship between a dog and a cat in the same household. One of the solutions he suggested was to bring the cat for walks with the dog, using a cat stroller for the cat.
I have to admit that I had never heard of a cat stroller before. It seemed like a pretty good idea. The cat seemed to enjoy it and it supposedly, made the dog see the cat as part of his pack. In the end, the dog and cat walked together everyday, becoming the best of friends.
After I saw the episode, I decided to do some research on pet strollers. I found they are manufactured not only for cats, but for dogs, as well. They are even available in double decker models for a family with two cats, or a small dog and a cat. They also come with a model that connects to a bicycle.
Various sized pet strollers are available too. It doesn't matter the size or weight of your pet, there is a pet stroller for your dog or cat. There are super deluxe models and basic models to fit any budget. Some pet strollers are open like a pet carrier, while others have panels that close in case it rains. Most pet strollers also come with a sun awning to help stay cool in hot weather and have a pad to stay warm in the winter. They also come in all terrain models for easier hiking or walking on gravel pathways.
The pet strollers are a great idea if you like to go for long walks and your small dog has trouble keeping up. This gets your pet out into the fresh air, and you still get your strenuous exercise. You can run with the heavier duty models without a problem. I was surprised how much cats enjoy taking rides in the stroller. I thought they would be nervous around other people and traffic, but I guess they feel safe and secure inside the stroller.
Indoor cats also benefit from the pet stroller for obvious reasons. They get to go outside, but cannot get hurt or lost. It's a great break from the monotony of staying indoors. So, even if you don't have a dog and cat that are trying to bond, like Cesar Millan's client, a pet stroller is still something to consider. It's convenient, folds up for storage and travel, letting you bring your pet wherever you go.
