My dog is not yet house trained - what should I do?
If you have decided to give a young puppy a new home, you are most likely faced with the same question as all new puppy owners: How do I get the little four-legged friend house-trained as quickly as possible? Anyone who has ever raised a puppy knows that these cute animals do not yet have their bladder and intestinal sphincters completely under control. This inevitably leads to the puppies having to relieve themselves very often. It is not uncommon for mishaps to occur on the beloved carpet or the freshly cleaned parquet floor. In order for your puppy to learn to do its business exclusively outside and thus to become house-trained, patience, understanding and loving consistency are required. In this article we would like to explain to you how you can quickly and safely get your new family member house-trained.
How to potty Train a puppy
If you want your new dog to be housebroken, most new dog owners often face a problem. However, this doesn't have to be the case, because by taking a few valuable tips to heart, house training is usually achieved quickly. Puppies do their business much more frequently than adult dogs. This means that in the first few weeks you should take your four-legged friend outside about every two hours. Especially after every meal, after playing and romping for a long time and also after sleeping, the little ones should always be taken outside. In this way the puppies get used to a regular rhythm and to defecate outside the apartment or the house. This is where your patience and consistency are most needed. The more often you can put your puppy outside the door before it does its business, the sooner your four-legged friend will understand what this is all about.
Mishaps happen: How to get your dog housebroken
It's especially important that you don't scold or nag your puppy if they have a mishap in the house. This could upset and frighten the young animals, which could have a huge impact on housetraining. Instead, you should wordlessly wipe away the mishap and spray the area with a strong-smelling cleaner. This will eliminate all odors while letting the puppy know that this is not a place to relieve himself. Dogs can often smell the places where they have already come loose for a long time afterwards, so thorough cleaning is extremely important.
Use a puppy mat as an aid
If your apartment is on a higher floor and you do not have the possibility to take your dog outside for a short time, you can use a so-called "puppy mat" as an aid. This can either be bought in pet shops for training purposes or can easily be made yourself with the help of a flat, sufficiently large container and some newspaper. Now, instead of taking the puppy outside, you put him on the puppy mat so that he gets used to being loose in this place. This is dangerous, however, because the dog can quickly get used to it.
Getting dog house trained? Do not forget to praise
A very important aspect of housetraining is praising. The type of praise is less important than the timing. As soon as your puppy has been outside, you should praise him immediately. In this way the puppy connects with the loosening outside a positive memory and it falls to him more easily to internalize this. As praise are suitable for example:
- small treats
- a so-called clicker
- short strokes
- praising, loving words.
If your dog does not show any improvement in his behaviour even after weeks of training and cannot get used to being house-trained, it makes sense to consult a vet. In such cases, both physical and psychological ailments can be the cause. Common causes are:
- psychological stress such as fear, insecurity and submissiveness
- serious illnesses such as incontinence or problems with the sphincter muscle
- changes in external circumstances that the animal has to cope with
- "Cry for attention", request for affection, provocation.
As a rule, dogs are extremely clean animals that do not want to soil their home and can be house-trained very well and quickly.
