Potty Training

There is NO reason for your dog to STILL be pottying in the house!!!

I want to squash all rumors / sayings and go on to answer all the questions you have.
 It is NOT harder to housebreak smaller dogs.

Also Puppies can hold their bladder longer than YOU think!
STOP making excuses for the dog it won't help you in fixing this problem.
NO your dog does not know better or you wouldn't be having this problem.
NO doggy doors until your dog is 110% Housebroken!  Doggy doors are a great convenience for dog owners but make sure your dog is fully housebroken 1st.
Do I need Potty Pads? NO! Teach your dog to go outside right off the bat.

Now lets move forward on how to fix the problem.
Your dog needs your 100% commitment and EVERYONE in the house on board with the training plan for your dog to be successful. Your dog really wants to please you, help them by giving them the rules and guidance they need to grow into the dog you know they can be.

So your dog is pottying in the house where do you start?

SUPERVISION     SUPERVISION    SUPERVISION

It all comes down to that simple thing called Supervision.

Crate Train your dog + Praise for Potty Outside

Get them confident walking into their crate and being there for extended amounts of time.

Make sure they potty OUTSIDE before going into the crate and have had playtime and its not right after a meal or a bunch of water.

When you let them out of the crate take them outside on a leash to potty. Use a word "Hurry Up" is what we use. Stand in one spot and let them walk around and smell. 

When they potty outside PRAISE and make it a PARTY! Excited... YAY good dog! If you think you look stupid then you are doing it right. Just make sure to wait until they have finished going to praise or you will stop them mid pee. 

How long can I leave my dog in the crate?

Puppies 8-16 weeks: Up to 4-5hours. YES they can hold it that long.

4months - old age: 8 hrs

What if I work long hours? 

Get a pet sitter or dog walker to come in and let them out midday.

I read or someone said to treat them when they potty outside is that right?

NO!!!! Do not treat your dog for pottying outside just lots of praise. So many dogs will start fake peeing and just squating to get the treat and they become more focused on the food that pottying for you. 

When I let my dog out of their crate what if they don't potty when I take them out?

Put them back in their crate and let them out in 10-20 minutes and try again. You don't want to give your dog any freedom in the house until they have pottied outside. When you take your dog out to potty take them out for 2-3 minutes if they don't go take them back in.

My dog cries in her crate should I let her out to potty when she is crying? What if she is telling me she has to go?

Make this a business mission out of the crate. No contact, talking, petting or ANYTHING
. Just leash pup up take outside and let them potty (no praise when they potty - You can say good but nothing else don't get excited and put them back in their crate after. You don't want them to learn that crying gets them freedom from the crate. It will get them a potty break and that is it.

What if my dog potties in their crate?
Get your dog a smaller crate or put something in the crate to make it smaller (a box or a crate divider)
Do not give your dog ANY bedding in the crate if they potty in the crate it will only soak it up and make it not as bad when they do. You want them to have to stand it when they potty in the crate. They shouldn't be able to potty in one corner and sneak away and sleep in the other corner.

SUPERVISION inside

After your pup has pottied outside and you let them back in leave a leash dragging so you have more control and do NOT let the dog out of your eye sight!

My dog sneaks around the corner and always goes when Im not watching?
You CANNOT let this happen while housebreaking your dog. You MUST keep your dog where you can see them. EVERY time your dog gets the opportunity to sneak away and potty they are self reinforcing the behavior of pottying inside. When they potty it feels good and is a physical relief which in itself is reinforcing the behavior and if they can sneak out of the room and potty and they feel better why not?  So you MUST be watching so they don't get the opportunity to sneak away!

What do I do when I catch my Puppy Pottying in the house?
IMMEDIATELY Surprise the puppy to interrupt the behavior to get them to stop and drag them outside.
I recommend Yell / Scream "No" "STOP" Whatever makes it out of your mouth 1st. Rush over to the dog and drag him outside. By the scruff of the neck or collar is best. Once you are outside become Normal and allow them to finish pottying outside. Praise if they potty outside. Take them back in and clean up the mess. DO NOT rub their nose in it. There is no lasting punishment. Just in the moment correct. You want to be as dramatic as possible to make it clear to the dog this behavior is NEVER to happen again.

When can I start giving my dog more freedom?
Start with Crate or in your sight for the 1st week.
As you are successful with this then you can use an x-pen or a baby gate in a small section of your home. Try leaving them in this confined area for a few hours (Start slow and not long) - while you take a shower, leave the room etc. Then move up to being able to leave for a short errand. If your pup is successful and no accidents great! You can start leaving them out more in this confined space. If they have an accident. Back to the crate. They weren't ready for that freedom yet. Give it another week or so before you try leaving them out again.
If your pup has been successful with the xpen or penned off in the kitchen or other confined space for a few weeks you can make that confined space a little bigger.
Your dog EARNS their right to be loose in the house it is never just given to them.
This also depends on how the rest of your training is going. Assuming they weren't chewing on your walls and baseboards in the confined space. This post is just about pottying but use your best judgment based on your dog and their other behaviors.

I have been really good about watching my dog and taking him out regularly he hasn't made ANY mistakes at all do you think he knows and is good now?
As with all training you want to start PROOFING your puppy/dog. This means set them up in a situation and let them make the choice. If they make a mistake and its the wrong choice you will correct and they will learn from it. If they make the right choice great!  But we don't want to just prevent mistakes as your dog won't learn that way. We do want to help them and create a good foundation and make sure they can't make mistakes where we can't see us. But it is important for them to make mistakes to learn from them. Again true of all training. So... When you think your pup is Awesome and are almost sure they wont potty in the house. Set them up to fail and see what happens. In the morning after breakfast when you know they are going to need to potty again instead of taking them outside asap wait them out. Keep and eye on them and see if your pup will wait for you to take him out or if he starts to sniff and circle beside the door. You ultimately want your dog to learn to wait until you have time to take him out. Right now your life runs on the pups schedule but you don't want your whole life to look like that.

What if my dog goes to the door? Should I teach him to ring a bell?
Initially right off the bat its ok to let your dog out when they go to the door (ON A LEASH) it is not playtime when we go out to potty!   You want to reinforce the pup starting to tell you he needs to go out. NO do not teach him to ring a bell or scratch at the door. It may seem cute now and useful so you know he needs to go out but what happens when you are gone for the day at work and your not right there to let them out? What happens when you are in the shower? The dog starts to demand it and if your not there will potty by the door. See the answer to the question above about how to PROOF your pup. Also sooo many dogs are too smart for their own good and start scratching/barking at the door to go out because there is a squirrel or bird or they want to play. Don't let your dog train you.

Food / Water
You should be regulating Food and Water so that you know when your pup needs to go out.
Food should be set meals. Feed your puppy if they don't eat it in 15-20min. Take it away and they can wait for their next meal. You will not starve your pup. They will eat when they are hungry and will learn to eat set meals.
Water: You want to make sure your pup drinks plenty of water during the day but don't leave the water down for them to have all the time. Keep it up so that you know when you are giving them water and you will know when they need to go out.

 

Puppy Mouthing/Biting

Yes it is natural for puppies to play with their teeth with other puppies.
It is NOT ok for us to tolerate it on us and by ignoring it teach the puppy that it is ok for them to put teeth on people. This is not something that puppies just grow out of over time. This is something that gets worse over time if you allow the dog to continue practicing this behavior.
You want to start from day 1 teaching your new pup the rules of the house and setting structure. It's more fair to set the rules from the beginning than it is to allow something for 4 -6 months then tell them its not allowed anymore. It's always possible to fix later, but far more fair and easier on your puppy if you start with rules from the beginning.
For most puppies using a taste detterrent is the best way to cure puppy mouthing.
Bitter Apple is a product made for dogs. It is sold in almost all pet stores.
I use Bitter Apple as a direct consequence for teeth on me. They put teeth on me and I spray some bitter apple in their mouth. You are NOT mad, yelling or angry. Just a direct consequence. You do this.. this happens. Make sure that you are CONSISTENT. Every time puppy mouths the bottle is handy.
Make sure that the bottle doesn't become a threat. If you bring the bottle out.. you use it..
NOT: bring bottle out... puppy stops.. i set bottle back down. Then you always have to have the bottle out.
I go to Target or Walmart and get the little travel size spray bottles it makes it alot easier to carry the bitter apple around or put it in my pocket.
Some people have heard from other sources to "Yelp" when the puppy bites. For a rare % of puppies that have a really soft personality it can work. But if you have a puppy with a stronger personality and you YELP... your puppy can see that as you submitting to them. This is not something that you want to do.
Another possible solution to the mouthing that I believe I heard this idea from I think Ian Dunbar but I could be wrong is that if the puppy puts teeth on you.. to be dramatic stand up walk away from the puppy and slam the door behind you...   I could see this working for many puppies... but then I'm leaving a puppy in a room by itself unsupervised and I really dislike to leave a puppy unsupervised EVER.
Start with the Bitter Apple...

Crate tips

Teach your dog to love the crate. 

Don't hesitate putting the dog in the crate, don't stop and explain to them that you will be back.
Make it matter of fact and make the crate part of life.
1. Tell your dog "Crate" / "Kennel Up" / "House"
Then proceed to put your dog in the crate. Lead them in with a leash or physically help them in.
2 Once they are in you can give them a treat.
3. When you go to let them out, they need to wait to be invited out. (No barging out the crate door)
If they go to rush out of the crate, close the door on them.
Start to open the door again, if they try to rush out shut the door again.
I do this until I can open the door all the way without them rushing out.
4. Then invite them out with their "release" word ("free") or an invitation command "Let's go".
Then repeat starting at step 1 until your dog goes into the crate without help.
Then Gradually increase the amount of time that you can open the door before inviting them out, also start increasing your distance with the door open then return to them to release them.

Other tips:

• REMEMBER: Crate the dog when your home too. NOT just when you leave.
• Take your dog and their crate with you to a friends house and crate them in another room while you visit with a friend. It's good practice for them to be comfortable being crated in a different place. 
• It always helps to cover the crate with a sheet or towel. 
• If your dog whines in the crate and you think they need to go out for a potty break you can take them out ON LEASH but take them straight out to potty and right back to their crate - whining and barking gets you out for a potty break not time to be free or fun time. Otherwise they will learn to bark or whine anytime they want out. 
• Feed your dog a few of their meals in the crate. Use the above 4 steps for putting the dog in the crate. Once your dog is in the crate instead of a treat give them their food bowl. Close the crate door and walk away. When they are done eating and it is convenient for you, you can come back by and take the bowl out and let your dog out calmly (Still don't allow rushing out).

We have found that more dogs do better in plastic crates than wire crates. Lots of dogs are able to destroy wire crates if they are stressed or anxious. Plastic seems to hold up better and tends to be more den like for the dog. 

I will post a video later today on how to put the dog into the crate and teaching them to wait there.

Housebreaking

1st I use this rule for ANY age dog not just puppies.
Some people seem to think housebreaking an older dog is different. Not at all!

SUPERVISION
Daily routine with a new dog/puppy
Dog is being crate trained and sleeping in a crate at night.
If your dog has no potty accidents in the crate the crate can be as big as you want it and you can then also start moving to an expen if you would like to give your pup some more freedom after a week of no accidents in the crate.
If your dog has ANY potty accidents in their crate you want to make the crate so small and confined that they aren't able to get away from their mess if they potty in the crate.
1st thing in the morning - open crate door and run with puppy outside. DO NOT pick up puppy.
Once your outside stand in one spot and wait for your puppy to go potty. If your puppy tries to play at this time put a leash on so that they have to stay in one spot with you. Give them less than 3 min. to sniff and go potty if they don't go take them back inside to their crate. Try again in 10-20min.
If they do go potty PRAISE like crazy get excited - NO TREATS, if the puppy goes i would then allow my puppy to hang out with me.
If puppy is inside - my eyes are on the puppy or he is crated/expen. No other options!
If my eyes aren't on the pup - he's crated or expened.
Pottying in the house
You are only setting yourself back if the puppy has the option to potty in the house without you catching him in the act. If you find it after the fact DO NOT punish the pup.
If your pup is able to go in the house without you catching it, it is praise in itself because it is a physical relief for them.
If you do catch the pup in the act Yell/Scream enough to surprise the pup to stop then physically drag the pup outside by the collar or scruff of neck. You want to make it as unpleasant as possible then once your outside you become normal and allow your pup to finish going outside praise if they go outside. Then put your puppy back in their crate so you can clean up if there is a mess inside as its difficult to supervise the pup and clean up a mess.
100% Supervision is key! If you are careful and the pup never gets a chance to go without you catching him in the act and you are able to catch him in the act once or twice your dog will be house trained in no time.
Water + Food
Do not free feed your pup or leave water down for them all the time.
Instead make meal time at set times from 8-11 weeks you can feed 3 times a day but they can eat twice a day by the time they are 12weeks.
Put their food down for 5-10min. If they don't eat it take it up until the next meal.
For pups or new dogs I will often feed them in their crate so they can't wander away from it and it creates more positive associations with the crate. But same rules apply I give them 5-10min to eat ... if they don't eat.. i pull it up and they will wait for their next meal.  Water I give to the pup periodically throughout the day but I keep it up the rest of the time so I know when the pup drinks water -that way I will know when the pup has to go out. NO food or water 2hrs before bed time that will give you plenty of time to potty your pup before bed to make for a whole night of sleep.
The other thing I have used for water are the hamster/rabbitt lixit bottles on the pups crate so they can have some water without drinking a bunch at one time.
Some pups between 8-12weeks will need a potty break in the middle of the night. By 12-14weeks they should be able to hold it throughout the night in their crate.

Doggy Doors / Prevention
Reminder: Your pup has to make the mistake of going in the house at least once to learn that it is not ok to go inside. Otherwise If you just prevent your pup from having an accident inside you are managing the dog. Or if your pup has a doggy door and always has access to outside.. if for some reason the doggy door is closed or you are at a friends house don't be surprise if your pup pottys by the back door - they never learned not to go inside just learned they can go outside.  Make sure to teach your puppy its not ok to go inside before you give them access to a doggy door. They NEED the opportunity to make the mistake to learn from it.
PEE Pads
Unless you live in a condo and work more than 11hr days I don't recommend using Pee pads at all.
I would rather my pup just learn - I don't potty in the house period. Instead of learning sometimes its ok if its on newspaper or pee pads. Avoid them all together it will be easier.
Moving on
As you start to trust your puppy i move them from a crate to an expen.
Then I give them a small room. Kitchen or bathroom. move to a hallway.. etc...
My dogs earn their right to be loose in my house. It makes them have more respect for the space and they are less likely to chew and destroy things if they have had more managed crate time early on.
Don't give them more freedom than they are ready for.

GOOD LUCK!
Contact us for a lessson if you need help!
(916) 735-7496
www.pawsinprogress.com

Socialization Checklist for Puppies

The following is a list of possible things to socialize your puppies with. 
Keep in mind while socializing your puppy encourage and get excited with them about approaching and checking out the item or person. Use food or toys along with your enthusiastic voice to build confidence. Try to stay away from the words "It's ok" as we as humans naturally use a different tone that sounds more like coddling and ultimately makes the puppy more nervous. If your puppy is very nervous or afraid to approach something - Praise for progress and break it down to be smaller and less scary. Example: If the puppy is afraid of a person praise and treat for the puppy getting closer to the person, then let the person feed a treat to your puppy without them petting your puppy. In a week after the puppy's confidence has been boosted by getting treats from people have people start petting your puppy on their chest, and move to the head. This is a very long list and I understand it is not realistic to ask you to do ALL of these things with your puppy but it may give you some ideas.
Best of Luck!




PEOPLE

• Kids
• Babies/Infants
• Teenagers
• Men
• Women
• Elderly 
• People of all different races
• People of all different heights and weights
• Deep voices, high voices
• Facial hair, beards
• Long hair, short hair

PEOPLE WEARING

• shoes, heels, boots, flip flops
• jackets, raincoats, sweatshirts with hoods
• hats, sunglasses

People with

• Umbrella
• Wheelchair
• Walker
• Crutches
• Cane
• Stroller
• Shopping Cart

PEOPLE DOING:

• Running
• Skateboarding
• Bicycling
• Wrestling
• Shouting
• Clapping
• Singing
• Crowds

OTHER ANIMALS

• Dogs and Puppies 
• (Little, Medium, Large, Extra-large)
• All Different colors (Black, white, brown..etc.)
• All different coats (Long hair, short hair..etc.)
• Different tails (Curly tail, straight tail, docked tail)
• Different personalities (friendly, playful, serious)
• Cats
• Horses and farm animals
• Geese, Ducks etc.

THINGS IN AND AROUND YOUR HOME

• Washing machine (while its on)
• Dryer
• Vaccum
• Dishwasher
• Heater
• Fan
• Leaf blower
• Lawnmower (make sure your puppy is on leash and that you introduce them to the sound and to teach them to keep their distance)
• Doorbell
• Radio
• TV
• Hair dryer
• Coffee grinder
• Nail file /dremmel
• Screaming / Laughing Children
• Garage door

OUTSIDE AND FIELD TRIPS

• Statues
• Garbage Trucks, Mail trucks, Delivery vans
• Shopping Carts
• Honking
• Traffic sounds
• Barking dogs
• Home Depot
• Pet Food Express and other pet stores (Don't set young puppies on the ground in pet stores)
• Walk around a local college campus
• Kids playground
• Elementary School
• Puppy Preschool
• Hiking
• Open Field
• Beach
• City streets
• Neighbors houses
• Friends houses
• Car Wash  - Go through a car wash with your dog

SURFACES

• Tile 
• Grass
• Cement
• Grates
• Plastic
• Gravel
• Dirt
• Sand
• Wet
• Slippery
• Uneven flooring
• Wood
• Bark
• Shallow water
• Deep water
• Stairs

Best of Luck! Have fun socializing your puppy!

Crate Training

CRATE TRAINING


WHY USE A CRATE?

• Crate will keep your puppy or dog safe when you can't be watching them.
• The Crate acts as a babysitter for your dog. 
• It keeps your dog from getting into or eating things that may be harmful to him/her, and it also keeps your house safe from things he/she may get into or destroy.
• Teaches your dog manners and how to act as he/she starts to earn freedoms.
• In the wild dogs/wolves naturally look for and like to have a den, this is the way your dog views his crate.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRATES:

 
• Soft Crate: These are easily collapsible and easy to take with you. Many small dogs do well in these crates as well as mellow or older dogs. If your dog has any tendency to chew or be frustrated I do not recommend these crates. These crates are generally not the best for most puppies. Although, I will take these crates with me for camping trips, car rides and times when I need the dog confined but I am still in the area or within eye sight of the dog. 
• Wire Crate: Most wire crates are easy to fold down. Most have a door on one side some have doors on 2 sides which can be convenient, the wire crates also come with a plastic tray for the bottom.  Wire crates work well for most dogs. I recommend the "Precisions" Brand wire crates; the plastic in the bottom of those crates is a little tougher and more durable plastic than "Midwest" or "Lifestages".
• Plastic Crate: These crates take up a little more room and are not as compact to take down or travel with. That being said, these crates are very durable and tend to contain the tougher of dogs. Over the years I have had a few rescue shepherds that have escaped or broken out of wire crates but the plastic crates worked great! 
• Aluminum Crate: These you should never need for a pet dog. If you compete in dog sports, or have a dog with very high drive sometimes these crates are necessary. Many Police and military use these crates for their dogs.

WHAT SIZE CRATE IS BEST FOR MY DOG?

• Make sure that it is just big enough for your dog to lay down, turn around and stand up comfortably.
• THINGS TO CONSIDER
• Is it a puppy? Are we still working on housebreaking? - If so I make the crate a little bit smaller just to make sure the puppy doesn't have room to lie down on one end and can still potty in the other.
• How long is your dog or pup going to be alone in the crate? If it is for a longer period of time towards 8hours - i get them a slightly bigger crate with more room.

INTRODUCING THE CRATE 

• Bring the crate into the house. It does not have to stay in one room. You can have it in the living room during the day and in your bedroom at night if you wish.
• Make sure to put a blanket, dog bed or something soft and comfortable in the crate. 
• Let your dog sniff and check it out on their own. While you are home toss some treats every so often  into the crate or their favorite toy to encourage them to go in on their own. at this time DO NOT shut the door when they go in. (Allow them to do this, checking it out and getting good things from the crate for at least one whole day). I recommend feeding them in the crate, again I don't shut the door, I just put their food in the crate. This helps the crate become a positive thing to the dog/puppy.
• 1st time putting the dog in and closing the door: Guide the dog into the crate, at this time DO NOT put food in first. When the dog is in the crate give them a treat, and make sure that the dog has something to do in their crate. (Nylabone to chew on, Kong filled with Peanut Butter etc.) Stand by the dogs crate, do not talk to the dog, ignore any whinning, and try not to make eye contact with the dog. Wait 1 whole minute and let the dog out. Practice this gradually increasing the amount of time with you in the room, then start practicing for short periods of time with you leaving the room.
• Over the next week, start putting the dog in their crate for 1,2,5,10,15minutes up to an hour or two. Build up slowly over the week. 
• While your dog is still getting used to his/her crate when you are home and the crate door is open toss treats in for your dog, to encourage it being a positive place.

HOW LONG CAN I LEAVE MY DOG IN THE CRATE?

• This answer depends on your dogs age and where they are at on housebreaking and how long they can physically hold their bladders.
• If you have to leave your dog for long hours in the crate. Make sure to thoroughly exercise your dog first, and have given them enough time to process their meal and go potty before crating them.  If you have a puppy i do not recommend leaving water in the crate with the puppy. Older dogs that have more control of their bladders can drink some water in their crates and not make messes. 
• If you have a puppy and work 8-10hours a day, I recommend that you hire a dog walker to come in and let your dog out sometime mid-day if you are not able to come home for lunch. 

WHEN CAN I STOP USING THE CRATE?

• Some people like to use it forever, but it's not necessary.
• I use it with puppies and rescue dogs until they have learned manners in the house and I can trust them.
• Once a dog is crate trained and they are starting to mature a little I may give them more freedom. I may let the dog have run of the bathroom or kitchen, but again I leave them with toys and a bed. Ideally and what I have found with the dogs I've had, is that while you crate train your dogs they learn good habits when you are gone (chewing on their toy, and sleeping) and this is all they know, so as you start to slowly give them freedoms to the house they keep the habits they learned in their crate and are better behaved and alot less destructive when you are gone.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF CRATE TRAINING

• Friends and Family or more willing to watch your pet at their house when you are out of town or have a family emergency because your dog can be in a crate comfortably. If your dog is used to his/her crate dogs generally don't mind where they are crated as long as they can be in their crate. 
• Crating dogs in the car - gives them a better chance of surviving an accident and makes it alot less likely that they cause the accident, by running about the car or jumping into the front seat.
• Inns and Motels are more open to accepting dogs if you promise to crate the dog when you leave the room, and in a strange place your dog is comfortable in his/her crate

Please Contact Eleza at Paws In Progress if you have any additional questions or concerns about your dog and use of the crate.

(916) 735-7496

trainer@pawsinprogress.com

www.pawsinprogress.com