Tips For Potty Training Your Dog

Potty training your dog can be a nightmare if you do not know what to do.  Fortunately, there are a number of tips that you can use to ensure that this is a successful endeavor.  Of course, it is important to note that not all of these tips are going to help train every dog. 

While house training your dog, you need to limit their access to your home.  You should prepare an area of your home for the dog and then close off the rest of it.  This can be done by using a baby gate to keep your dog in one area. 

The area that you choose needs to have a solid floor and no carpeting.  You should also place their crate in this area as this will be their area.  The crate that you have needs to be large enough for them to comfortably stand and turn around or stretch when lying down.  

Make Use Of Potty Training Pads

Most people use newspaper as a way of training their dog, but you should also consider getting some potty training pads.  To use the pads, you will need to place some newspaper in a large area of the dog’s area of your home.  In the middle of this newspaper area, you should place the training pad. 

These pads have been treated with pheromones that tell your dog to do their business there.  You need to ensure that the feeding area for your dog is not in the same area as the training pad.  Over time, your dog will become used to using the pad and will only go there.  

Create A Feeding And Sleeping Schedule

A feeding and napping schedule can help when it comes to potty training your pet.  There are many dog breeds that will eat and sleep on their own schedule and it can be hard to get them to change.  Even with these breeds, you will need to try as this will help you get their bathroom times under control.  After all, you do not want your dog to need the bathroom when you are not in the house. 

It is recommended that you implement your schedule when your dog is still a puppy.  Puppies will need to eat at least 3 times in the day while older dogs eat twice.  Until you have house trained your dog, you need to carefully control their napping and overnight sleeping patterns. 

Bathroom Break After Naps And Feeding

When your dog wakes up from a nap, you should immediately take them outside or to their potty training area.  This should be done as soon as they have finished eating as well.  You need to be fast when you have a younger dog because they will not have the same control as older dogs. 

You need to be patient when you start doing this.  It can take some time for your dog to become used to going to the bathroom at set times.  You need to stay with them and if you take them outside allow them to sniff the ground and walk a bit until they go.  You should not make this into fun time as that will defeat the purpose. 

Reward Your Dog

Treats are a great way to positively reinforce good behaviors such as going in the right place and at the right time.  After your dog has finished, you should reward them.  Praising them will also provide the positive reinforcement that you need for your training to be successful.  

There are a lot of tips that you can use to potty train your dog.  Being consistent and patient is important and you should never become aggressive with your dog during training.