Is it just house owners that have puppy training problems or are these worse for apartment owners?. I'm frequently asked about the best way of setting up a potty training area. Should it be situated outside or inside? That is not as silly as it may sound.Many people reside in apartments but still have to have a place for their pups to relieve themselves. If you think about it, practically every cat owner has a cat litter tray in their house. Now I understand that having a doggy potty area in the house is not ideal but some peoples' circumstances mean that this is the only method available. It's obvious that the area has to be well ventilated.
A bathroom might be the best choice here as it will most likely have a hard washable floor also. You can get dog litter (just like the cat stuff although you'll need more of it!). A few people utilize regular newspaper but there could be an embarrassing side effect here. The best paper is unprinted newsprint paper which has similar absorbent benefits minus the side effects. Why would you not use normal newspaper? Basically, the puppy tends to associate potty time with newspaper (any newspaper) and unfortunately could see every paper as a possible toilet (even though it has just come through the front door). This can be highly embarrassing in someone else's house.Just as soon as you get the spot sorted out you're able to start teaching your puppy the importance of it.
The easiest way will be to get them to associate going to that area with going to the toilet. You can do this by taking them to it every time they show warning signs of wanting to go. Try to look for circling or sniffing the ground, abruptly halting playing and walking away, rotating around in circle with their backs arched and (clear sign) sniffing at the scene of a prior accident. Perhaps you may assume you have cleaned it away but the pup will still be able to smell it and will try to go in precisely the same place.
You then take them up to the doggy loo and let them do what they do. Afterwards you praise them. Repeat this every time and they will quickly learn that this is what you want. They will not question why, they will simply relate going in the right place with fuss. This must be carried out a relaxed way because you do not want to have them too excited. Once they get too excited, they get tense and then can't go. This of course, defeats the point of the exercise. You should therefore, retain a calm manner to help the dog relax enough to relieve itself.
The time intervals will vary a lot according to the puppy's age. For instance, when they are aged up to say fourteen weeks, you could be looking at maybe eight to ten breaks daily. This can drop down to perhaps half of that by the time the pup is aged about thirty weeks.
If they are young, they are not physically developed enough to hold themselves in for too long. That's why they should be taken outside perhaps every two hours or so. You should pay particular attention to the period after eating or drinking because they tend to be common "toilet times". Really though, they can only hold themselves for an hour or so for every month of age. Put simply they will not really last through the night.
It sounds strange but many dog owners maintain a written record of when the puppy "goes". This gives them a better idea of the puppy's natural bodily rhythms. The main items to note are eating, sleeping and going to the toilet. Pet owners find it easier to work out the relationship between the events, which certainly makes sense. It might also identify a few health problems if the puppy starts to break with these standard times.
The next period is when your puppy senses the need to go and understands if they come to tell you (or perhaps go straight to the potty area) they get praise. Sometimes, maybe they will bark, maybe they will whine or simply scratch at the door. In time they will probably head straight for his or her potty. You are suddenly making big progress. Keep the praise going, even when there are some accidents.
Should you shout at or scold the pup they will think you are cross about them going to the toilet, rather than going in the wrong place. A simple detail but a world of difference. In conclusion, find an area, take the pup to it when they feel the need and then encourage them to tell you when they want to go.That is all there is to it
Author Resource:-
If you want to find out more about the trials and tribulations of potty training a puppy, have a look at www.puppy-potty-training.org
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