HOUSEBREAKING YOUR PUPPY. . . continued

By: Roger Caras

WHAT IS THE TRAINING PROCEDURE, THEN? Begin as soon as your dog seems old enough. This point varies from breed to breed and even from dog to dog, but you usually can start training any time after the puppy is 10 to 12 weeks old. The idea is to create a routine that enables your puppy to please you while he's learning acceptable behavior. Follow these steps:

1) Don't provide unlimited water for an unhousebroken dog. Water, like food, must be provided at controlled times. Don't give any food or drink within a couple of hours of bedtime.

2) Immediately after every meal or drink, take the puppy outside for a walk. Walk him several other times a day as well, and always just before bed.

3) Praise your pup lavishly whenever she relieves herself in an approved area.

4) Clean up accidents immediately and apply one of the deodorants available at any petshop so the animal doesn't return to the site and use it again. if you don't catch the puppy in the act of relieving herself in an unapproved area, it is almost always too late to turn the event into a lesson. After a delay of even a few minutes, the pup has usually forgotten her association with the mess. If your pet does seem to make the association herself and appears guilty, low-level admonition is all you should attempt: "what did you do? You bad, bad dog!" That's all. No noses, no newspapers, no hysteria.

5) When you're going to be away, confine your dog to a small area. he'll sleep in your absence anyway, so all he needs is a comfortable place to lie down in and room to stand up and change position. Generally, dogs won't mess their bedding.

6) When you are home, always keep your pet in view. An unsupervised puppy
is more likely to have an accident. If he has been sleeping, get him outside the moment he begins to stir. And any time he appears restless or suddenly loses interest in a toy, out he goes.

HOW LONG SHOULD ALL OF THIS TAKE? There are, of course, many variables. But if your puppy is four months old, or older, you should be able to
housebreak him in from four days to two weeks. There may be occasional
accidents, but they will get less and less frequent.