House Training a Dog? Try These 5 Tricks

House Training a Dog? Try These 5 Tricks

Struggling when it comes to house training a dog? Whether you're house training a puppy or an older dog, we've got a few tips to try.

House training a dog? I know how it feels. At nine years old, my Yorkie was still not fully housetrained. Rule of thumb when entering the house: Never go barefoot. You never knew where a little wet surprise might be. Smaller breeds may be harder to housetrain, but we were also to blame. With the entire household gone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the beginning, little Jessy didn’t stand a chance. At one point, we even tried doggie diapers. But she was too slick for that — she easily slithered her way out of them.

If you’re thinking of getting a puppy but aren’t quite sure if you have the patience and time for house training a dog, read on. I sought the help of some experts. No dog should be trained without his owner, but a few helping hands along the way isn’t bad either. Here are some tips when it comes to house training a dog:

1. Get a doggy bell

“For stubborn dogs, you may want to invest in a door bell, such as the Potty Time Chime, as it will provide your dog a tool where he can make it very clear to you that he needs to go out,” says Lina Eklof, Petco’s National Dog Training Lead.

2. Act like mama dog if house training a puppy

“A lot of people get frustrated when their puppies go outside and get distracted and want to play,” says veterinarian Cathy Alinovi. “Usually we have something better to do than to wait for the puppy to go to the bathroom. Be patient, and consider that this is when mama dog would lick the puppy’s bottom to get them to the go to the bathroom.” She recommends wiping the bottom of your dog with a warm wet washcloth to trigger the instinct.

3. Try a deluxe pee pad

Pee pads are a successful route to take for most dogs, but when you’re house training a dog who’s stubborn, she may need a positive reinforcement. Enter the Train ’n Praise Potty Training System. The kit includes two pieces — a replaceable moisture-detection pee pad and a treat dispenser. Whenever the pad detects moisture (when your little guy does No. 1 or No. 2), a wireless signal is sent to the treat dispenser so the dog is always rewarded. Imagine that, house training a dog while you’re at work.

4. Use a litter box when house training a dog

For dog owners who spend much of their time away from home, using a litter box may not sound that crazy. It’s similar to crate training; the dog is allotted a limited space for sleeping, eating and the tray. “It is only through repetition and positive reinforcement that the puppy begins to understand the connection between ‘potty’ and the litter tray,” says Jane Wasley, the Puppy Go Potty brand manager.

“To expedite this connection, it is important to establish a regular dog feeding and watering schedule. By monitoring the feeding and watering, you can quickly become attuned to your puppy’s potty frequency and behavior. This will help you know the most likely times to place the puppy in the tray.”

5. Umbilical cord method

“Many training plans are effective if they are well thought out and consistent,” says veterinarian Kathryn Primm. “I like the ‘umbilical cord’ method where I tie the puppy to my belt loop when I am busy or distracted, so that if she goes sniffing and exploring I can feel the tug. Anytime this was not possible, she stayed in her crate to utilize her natural desire to not soil her den.”

If you encounter a problem similar to that of my full-grown Yorkie, who was still not house trained at nine years old, Primm offers some advice.

“Older dogs with elimination problems should be thoroughly worked up by a vet to rule out medical causes. Nothing damages a human-animal bond like inappropriate elimination. Once the medical causes have been ruled out, the same rebuilding of good habits will work on an older dog. The idea is to maximize their natural tendency to not soil their den and gradually increase the trusted area until the ‘den’ is the whole house.”

Source: Dogster 

Dog Peeing in the House? What to Know & What to Do

Dog Peeing in the House? What to Know & What to Do

Is your dog peeing in the house, even though he's housetrained? Here’s what may be happening, and how to effectively handle the problem!

Is your dog peeing in the house? You’re not alone. Many dog have accidents even when they’re housetrained, and it can be incredibly frustrating.

But, however annoyed you might feel, a dog peeing in the house isn’t necessarily the thing to blame for this unwanted behavior. Current research shows that dogs aren’t being stubborn if they have an accident but rather responding to some kind of stress or change in their environment. It’s up to you to help alleviate that stress and teach your dog what you want him to do.

Is your dog peeing in the house? Maybe it’s scent marking

There are many reasons behind a dog peeing in the house, and one of the most common is no accident at all. Scent marking is different from a housetraining accident. Dogs who scent mark often leave urine in many different places around the home in small quantities. Toileting accidents tend to produce larger amounts of urine in fewer places.

Dogs are prompted to go where other dogs have eliminated, and ammonia can trigger this response. Since many household cleaners use this chemical, look for an enzymatic, natural cleaner.

A dog peeing in the house can signal a medical issue

If you can rule out scent marking, then a medical issue could be the reason behind a dog peeing in the house. A vet check is a great place to start and will help rule out many different medical conditions that contribute to housetraining problems; for example, gastrointestinal disease, urinary infections, renal failure or canine cognitive dysfunction in older pets.

Housetraining issues may be a response to change

If your dog is given a clean bill of health then ask yourself if anything significant has happened with your situation in the last few weeks or if your dog’s environment has recently changed. Did you move or did someone move in or out of your household? Did you get another pet or lose one, or did you install an electric fence or train your dog with an aversive training tool? Dogs are discerning creatures and are often affected by changes in their environment, including moving, changes in family life (human and animal), changes in routine (nutrition, exercise, enrichment) or the addition of aversive training tools.

When it comes to a dog peeing in the house, look for a pattern

The next thing to look at is your dog’s toileting habits. Is your dog peeing in the house during thunderstormsor when you leave? Does he eliminate when you come in from a walk or the yard? Does your dog sneak away or eliminate in the same place? Finding a pattern can help identify the reasons behind a dog peeing in the house.

For example, if your dog eliminates after coming in from a walk, don’t come inside immediately after your dog goes. This will teach your dog that eliminating signals the end of outdoor fun, and he will try to hold it!

Go back to basic housetraining

Stop a dog peeing in the house by going back to the basics of potty training dogs:

1. active supervision
2. careful management
3. consistent routine
4. a little bit of training

Rearranging or managing your dog’s environment is the best way to set him up for success and to keep your house pee and poop free! Actively supervising your dog is the key to successful potty training, but supervision means watching your dog all the time.

If you’re not able to actively supervise your dog and look for the “potty dance” (sniffing, circling, hunching, leg lifting), then he’ll need to be crated or confined to a small space where he won’t eliminate. Use leashes, baby gates, bathrooms and crates to confine your dog when you can’t supervise him. However, your dog must receive sufficient exercise and mental stimulation when not confined to avoid destructive behaviors and loneliness. Brain games, puzzles and play are a great place to start.

Get your dog on a good potty schedule

Start with a good bathroom schedule that goes back to basics, allowing access to outside areas every hour. Take your dog outside to eliminate after waking, eating, drinking excessively, playing, training, napping and if you see the potty dance. Feed your dog at set times so you can predict when he might need to go.

Limit water after a certain time in the evening if your dog is having accidents at night. Ice cubes can help your dog take water in at a slower pace while still quenching his thirst.

Gradually decrease the frequency of trips outside as your dog builds up control. Follow a schedule that builds up a predictable and reliable routine, and be patient and sensitive as your dog learns.

Keep this in mind: If your dog has had an accident and you weren’t there to catch him, it’s too late to redirect him. Never rub his nose in it. This will only delay his success and build up a negative association with you.

Being patient, with consistent guidance and support, will get your dog back on track and keep the dog accidents to a minimum.

Source: Dogster

Top 5 Reasons Fluffy Isn't Using the Litter Box

Yuck! The cat "missed"! 

If you find that your cat is using anything to go to the bathroom except the litter box there are many, many reasons why.  Here are 5 of the top reasons why your cat may be not using the litter box. 

1. UTI - Yep. Cats get them too!  A trip to your vet can help you determine if this is the cause and give you treatment to take care of the infection.
2. Did you get a new litter with that fancy scent?  Yeah, your cat hates it.  Try an unscented litter.
3. When was the last time you cleaned your box?  You may have a picky cat that really just wants to do their business in a nice clean fresh box! 
4. STRESS!  Yes, your cat can get stressed too.  New house? New baby? Did you get a dog? Or a new cat...don't be too surprised if your beloved feline protests in the form of peeing in the sink. 
5. Do you have a covered box?  Many cats hate them. Think about it as going into a port-a-potty in your own house....yeah, we can't blame them for hating it! 

Tricks for Training Your New Puppy - Part 2. Potty Training

Potty Training

No one wants to clean up doggy puddles...or worse.  So how do you make sure that your sweet new puppy won't be leaving you unpleasant gifts?  You potty train them!  

Key Points

Control your puppy's diet.  Make sure you have scheduled feedings and keep the schedule consistent.  Make sure you have regular trips outside, exercise, and feeding times.  Giving your new puppy lots of exercise will also help to keep your puppy's super energy under control and keep them from other bad behaviors.  Use positive reinforcements during outside time.  When your puppy goes potty outside make sure to reward them for it, a ton of praise and love is perfectly fine for this reward, it doesn't have to be food related.  

Techniques 

Crate Training

Teaching your new pup to love their crate is a very beneficial lesson that will help you both out throughout their life.  Dogs naturally love being in a den and creating a space for them will actually be a comfort.  Dogs will also not soil the place that they are sleeping as long as their crate is the right size.  If your crate is too small your puppy won't be comfortable, but too large they can use a corner for their waste and still be comfortable in another area.  Make sure your dog can stand up, lay down, and turn around.   When your puppy starts whining and showing signs they need to go potty take them out right away. 

Puppy pads

These can be confusing for your new puppy, but in some cases such as a very small dog being home for long periods of time while you're at work.  They can be used to teach a puppy to only use the bathroom in this one approved spot and then as they mature they can be trained to only go outside when their body is able. 

Scheduling 

A tiny pup cannot go long after eating or drinking before going potty.  Having a schedule where they go outside first thing in the morning, after each meal, after drinking,  after crate time, after a nap, after chewing on their toys or bones, after spending time playing, and right before bedtime.