If there is one thing that all dog owners can relate to it is the experience of taking a puppy that has no clue about the proper area to use the bathroom in and then training him to be a responsible pet to use the bathroom in the appropriate place and at the appropriate times.
Housebreaking a dog is also the most common area where many dog owners initiate the wrong kinds of training protocols. It is this situation where people could use just a few common-sense tips to get their dogs quickly introduced to the proper way to use the bathroom.
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that all animals have a natural instinct to avoid soiling the very place in which they sleep and eat. Of course, brand new puppies may not get it right away, but it doesn’t take long for them to realize that they do not want to urinate or create stools where they live and play.
Here are a few housebreaking tips that you can use today which will help get your puppy on his way to being properly trained when he has to use the bathroom:
1. When you wake up in the morning, avoid praising or greeting your puppy until he has used the bathroom. This will develop into a routine for him and once he realizes that he gets a lot of loving attention and praise after he uses the bathroom in the morning, this pattern will stick in his head and he will understand what to do in order to get what he wants, which is your praise!
2. When you start to bring your puppy outside or wherever it is you want him to use the bathroom, stick to using just one command each time you lead him to the potty area. For example, I use the words “go pee-pee“.
3. Whatever route you take when you leave him from the house to his potty area, use this same path every single time you take him to use the bathroom. This will help create a pattern so that he understands that it is time to go to the bathroom when you are walking him through the same route.
4. And of course, it should go without saying that you need to use a lot of praise and loving caresses when your puppy properly uses the bathroom in the designated area. You must help him associate housebreaking with a positive experience and showering him with love and affection is the right way to do it.