When you have him indoors, keep him to a confined area. If you don’t, he will wander off, investigating the far reaches of the house, and he will pee somewhere while you’re not looking. If he does, he has just learned a lesson: that it’s okay to pee in a corner when no one’s looking. You must keep him confined and near you so he can learn that it is NEVER okay to pee in the house.
For a young puppy, take him out every two hours to the place where he peed last time. The minute he eliminates, praise him and give him a treat. This will cement in his mind the idea that going outside is good.
A young puppy will have accidents in the house. That’s life. If you catch him in the process, say “No!” and pick him up and take him out. But never yell or hit him. He’ll learn quickly using the praise and reward system.
Until he’s at least 6 months old, take him out frequently and generously praise and reward him for the right behavior.
Also, by treating her right when she peed or pooped, we made sure she got the message that "going" outside was the right choice, and since she got a treat for each pee, she was more likely to pee a couple of times and really empty her bladder.
For a lot of pups, being sent out alone into the yard to go is not fun, so they pee really quick and want to come back in. Treating while they are peeing outside will also help with that problem.
And lastly, once she was getting unleashed time in the kitchen with us, we trained our pup to ring a bell we hung from the doorknob of the back door to let us know when she needed out.
That way, when she graduated to being unsupervised, there was no chance that she would be pacing by the door and end up having an accident because we didn't see her from another room.
It took about a day to train her to use the bell, and she used it consistently until she was 18 months when we removed it because we knew she could be relied upon to just hold it if we didn't see her waiting to be let out.
- Allow your dog as many chances as possible to go outdoors-- a minimum of once every 3 hours during the day for first weekend.
- If dog does not "go" outside, restrict to crate or confine to small area until next break.
- When outdoors, try to keep your dog moving in the same general area. Allow stopping only when dog is looking for an area.
- Always go to the same area
- Always give lavish praise and spend a few minutes with your dog outdoors afterwards.
- Use cue words such as "potty time", "take a break" or "do your business".
- Look for tell-tale signs that dog is about to go, and remember them.
- Set up a bell at the door. Show the bell to your dog and attempt to get him interested in the bell before each outing.
- After each success outdoors, allow your dog a short period of freedom indoors as a reward.
- Above all, keep an eye on your dog for signals. If you can not see him or do not have the time to spend, crate or restrict dog until you are ready.
You could also use cut up chicken, beef, or cheese. The most delicious possible treat is liver. If you use it, feed only a small amount, as it's very rich.
Hard dog biscuits can be used as treats, but these aren’t as good as he is not as highly motivated to get them, and they require time to chew before continuing the lesson.
How long can puppy stay in the crate?
For a few hours while you go shopping, or overnight when it’s placed next to your bed so you can sleep without worrying about what the pup is up to. If you are going to be gone for a longer period of time, you should get a pet gate and confine the dog to a gated area, where he cannot pull lamps off tables or chew electrical cords. You’ll also have a place to keep him if you have guests who don’t appreciate dogs.
Dogs are social animals. They need to feel that they are a part of the family, and that means being in the house.
Where is the best place to put the crate?
The busiest room in the house, wherever the family congregates.
He keeps crying when in the crate, now what?
Most dogs hate being confined in the beginning, but with a little time to realize they will not be in there forever, your dog will love the peace and safety of his crate. If he cries, just tap the crate and say "No, Quiet!" in a firm voice. After he is quiet in the crate for a few minutes, open the door and allow him to go out.
As the puppy gets older, he will be able to "hold it" longer and by 6 months should be able to spend an entire night without having to relieve himself.
Be sure to let the puppy relieve himself before you shut him in the crate for the night. Do not let the puppy out when he is crying. If you do, you have just taught the puppy he can get his way by being vocal. Always wait until the puppy is quiet before you let him out of his crate. There is an exception to that rule, and that is when you get home after the puppy has been in the crate for a while. The excitement of your return will make your puppy need to "go" so you should take him immediately to the designated "spot" and praise him exuberantly when he goes. Do this in the morning, after he has been crated at night.
Crate training the adult dog is a little harder but patience and persistence. Put his bed and toys into the crate and throw in a treat that he loves, and tell him "bedtime" or "crate time." Tell him how wonderful he is for going in the crate. Play with him for a minute and then close the door when he is comfortable in the crate. Do this a few times and use the same command each time. Put him in there if he refuses and praise him for going to the crate. Good Boy! Keep repeating this command and getting him in the crate until he realizes he will get a reward for going in the crate and eventually you will let him out.
You must be consistent. Once the dog will go in there on command, and you can leave him there for a few minutes without crying, you can increase the amount of time that he is in the crate, a little bit more each time. Always be sure he has been to the "potty" before crating. With small dogs, it's sometimes easier in the beginning to put them in the crate at eye level at night, like on your bed stand night table.
Then either tie on a longer, heavier string or just remove the lead latch and replace it with a 4 ft lead. Let her drag that around with supervision. Move on to a 6 ft lead and play the "I follow you, you follow me" game with lots of happy praise when she's doing the following.
After a brief rest, and stride off again. Your puppy will fall into line behind you. After about 20 feet, stop and repeat the treats and playing. Then start off in another direction.
Many people say, "I don't have time for that!" and the answer is -- make time. This lesson in freedom is very important in the dog's life. You want the dog to learn that it doesn’t matter whether he is on a leash or running free, it is all the same. He will be in the habit of following and coming to you.
You won't have to be afraid that he will dash out the minute he sees an open door and run off. He may dash out, but you can call him and he will return. The instinct has been fostered.
With an older puppy or dog, do the exercise with the dog on a flexi lead. This gives them a lot of freedom without worries they will run off. Eventually you can graduate to off leash. But the best training is done with puppies when they are young.
It is much easier to take the time from the beginning to teach the dog that freedom is no big deal, and when you walk off, it’s best to go with you. Your dog is only going to be as well behaved as you teach him to be. He needs your time and attention. Lessons from his childhood will pay off throughout his life. Spend the time. Start now.
Both male and female dogs hump in an attempt to assert dominance. When they don’t have littermates or other dogs, they may hump stuffed toys. Humping can also be play, rather than sexual or dominance behavior.
Neutering or spaying removes the source of hormones, and usually lessens or dissipates humping behavior. Train him not to do this by saying, “No!” and refusing to pay attention to him. Your puppy wants your attention, so being ignored is a punishment. He will learn that as soon as he humps, he gets no attention, which makes him unhappy.
- Sit down to play with your puppy, with a ball or tug toy or whatever she likes. Speak to her playfully in your normal voice.
- The minute a tooth touches your skin at all, say "uh-oh" or “no” in a calm voice and walk away from your pup. The play session has just ended, which is a punishment for her. After this is repeated many times she will understand that the fun stops when teeth are used.
Repeat this every day. You can certainly do it more than once a day. If you are consistent, in a few days, it won’t scare him to be held in this way. He’ll relax, and that is your goal. This will make it easier for him to trust you, and insure that he will be calm when you have to carry him, especially if you are in an emergency situation and don’t want him to fight with you as you rush out of the house. It will also teach him to accept the handling of his body that he gets from his doctor.
- When loved ones come home, run to greet them.
- Always use your best manners. You will get more treats.
- Take lots of naps.
- Stretch before rising.
- Be thankful for a pat on the back.
- Play nicely with others.
- Don’t let the big guys run you off. Just because they’re bigger doesn’t mean they’re better.
- When you're happy, dance around and shake your entire body.
- When you are scolded, pout for a few minutes but get over it and get back to having a good time.
- Eat with enthusiasm.
- Be loyal.
- Never pretend to be something you're not.
- Be supportive to your friends, particularly when they are having a bad day.
