Housebreaking Your New Puppy Boston MA

The biggest problem that new dog owners face is the fear and frustration of housebreaking your new best friend. There are numerous ways owners try to accomplish the daunting task – the most wildly used – Crate Training. Here’s a jumpstart to get your doggie doing it’s “deed” – OUTSIDE…

The basic concept of crate training is just as it sounds – confining your pet to a crate/kennel in order to instill potty discipline. This can be a very positive and effective tool if used properly. The biggest hurdle is eliminated the voice in your head that considers this to be cruel – it is how you make it to be. Canines actually enjoy having their own space to relax. It often makes them feel safe and secure.

You want to keep your puppy in the crate/kennel at long interval and establish a routine of “potty time”. Let your puppy out of the kennel and immediately bring her to a designated area to relieve herself. Don’t forget to praise her when she is done…”Good potty, Molly” is often the best way to do so.

Remember to take baby steps at the beginning. Start with 15 minutes at a time and increased in intervals of 25 minutes. In a very short period, your puppy will be able to stay in the crate/kennel for several hours – quietly. Resist the temptation to let your puppy out only to keep her quiet. This will only length the training time.

Be patient. Accidents will happen. It is extremely important to control how you handle the accidents. Never yell or punish your puppy for an accident. It IS ok, though, to look disappointed. Dogs have an innate desire to please their owner, and will strive to obey. Punishing your pet for an accident may send mixed signals. They may feel that going potty is not ok – at all. It is best to let the accidents slide and consider longer periods of time in the crate for training. Never clean up an accident in front of your pet. This will show that they can do it, and you WILL clean it up – everything is good. Take your pet out of visual sight before cleaning the mess.

This is just a brief tutorial to get starting. Happy training.