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4 Tricks to House Train Your Puppy

4 Tricks To House Train Your PuppyIf you’re going to get a puppy, you have to give housebreaking your full and undivided attention. This issue is unfortunately the number one reason as to why dogs are returned to shelters, which is really a shame for both owners and puppies. However, it doesn’t have to be. With just a little more patience and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can house train your dog without the drama. While you very well may have a lot going on in your life right now, they need you to just take some time to stay consistent about how you train them.

4 Tricks To Make Puppy House Training Easier

1. Don’t Wait

After your puppy eats, they’ll want to head outside to relieve themselves fairly quickly. This may take just a few minutes or it could be up to a half hour, depending on your dog’s reaction to the food. This timeframe is common for very young dogs, but it will change as they get older. The more consistent you are with both type of food you feed your dog and the time that they eat it, the more they’ll get into the habit of eating and then heading outside.

2. Stick to the Routine

As your dog gets older, they’ll be able to control themselves a lot better. However, when they’re young, they need things to run like clockwork. It doesn’t mean you can’t be a few minutes early or a few minutes late when it comes to taking them out, but there is really very little wiggle room beyond this. You need to take them out first thing in the morning, and your trip outside should be to the exact same place every day.

3. Don’t Chat

Your puppy needs you to be patient and encouraging, but they don’t need you to hurry them along or constantly talk to them when they’re trying to use their own version of the facilities. If you’re late for work, the puppy is only going to react to your stress which may make them anxious and unable to go.

4. Slow and Steady

This isn’t necessarily a race, so you need to give your dog some time and space. House training may take a little while because they need to warm up to the idea. If they’ve been using puppy pads for example, you can start to inch the pads out of their usual spot and towards the door. This sets your puppy up to understand that eventually they won’t be going in the house anymore. Also, you want to give praise and treats freely during this time. Your puppy should associate going out as a fun exercise, and not a chore. The actual act is not a reason to make a huge fuss, but it’s definitely a reason to acknowledge your dog for doing the right thing with a little reward.

Training a dog to do anything is not easy, so it’s necessary to give yourself a lot of credit during this time. If your dog seems to need additional help, contact our staff at Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care!

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