29 Stagebridge Road Lovingston, Va 22949.
434-263-7722
Written
by Sigrid Mirabella |
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House
Breaking Hints |
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| Puppies
will need to go out frequently: about every 2 to 4 hours, and immediately
(or within 15 minutes) after meals, naps, and times of extended activity.
Vigilance now will pay off later. For quick housebreaking, keep your
new pet under constant surveillance and confine him in a crate or
with a safe tether while you unable to watch him. Tethering link --
http://eastbayspca.org/petownership/tethering.cfm Be humane about
confinement. If using a crate, only use it in positive ways. Don’t
yell and push him in. Encourage him in with an enticing lure—a
treat or chew toy. A link about crating—http://www.siriusweb.com/AAD/crate.html
* More on crates will appear in future articles. Offer frequent trips outside, and make sure you reward success. Interrupt mistakes about to happen with a loud “Oops!” or “No!” followed by “Hurry. Outside.” Punishing too harshly can make some dogs sneak and then hide it when no one is around. Most importantly, do not punish slip-ups you did not witness! Your dog will not understand what you are punishing him for. He will only know you are angry and learn to not trust you. Use enzyme-based cleaners like Nature’s Miracle to clean any slip-ups. If you leave this step out, your dog will likely make future mistakes in the same spot. They can smell the invisible residual even when you cannot. It says to him “This is a toilet.” An enzyme cleaner link-- http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/misc.02.html#l_294313. *look for housebreaking problems & their solutions in future articles. A puppy can “hold it” approximately one hour for every month in age. For ex: a 3-month-old puppy can hold it for three hours, a 5-month old can hold it for five hours. Expect a healthy adult dog to hold it only for six to eight hours, tops. Of course, this general guideline can vary. The amount of
time it takes to housebreak a dog will depend on its breed, health,
environment, early handling and the consistency and commitment of
the owner. Links on housebreaking-- http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/re_housetraining.htm |
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