Housebreaking

Housebreaking your dog is a tedious process, but well-worth in the end! I have personally trained and housebroken several dogs in the past and given advice to family and friends on fixing inappropriate behavior.

 Communicate with your pet.

Show authority.

 Your pet needs to know that you are the “alpha” of the house. Alpha is like the pack leader. A dog should always listen to their owners. Correct inappropriate behavior as soon as possible, so your puppy does not gain dominance.

 Beware of behaviors such as fighting, biting, and growling. Allowing such behavior will cause your puppy to be aggressive and dominant.

Teach your dog basic commands. o Sit, stay, and come are great basic commands for a new puppy to start off with. These will essentially make the housebreaking process easier, faster, and more efficient. o Many dogs can easily become too excited and act on their own instinct. Basic commands can help you stop inappropriate behaviors such as running away from home and staying away from certain people or objects. o Forgetting to teach basic commands was one of my biggest mistakes. For example, my dog had somehow escaped the house and begun running around in my neighborhood because he did not learn the commands “sit” and “stay.”

Read your dog’s behaviors. o Tail wagging is a sure sign of happiness! o A scared or sad dog will have their head held low and their tail between their legs. Watch for these signs at all times because it may mean your dog is hurt and needs emergency care. These signals can also mean another human or dog has terrorized your pet, which needs to be corrected immediately. o Check for signs of needing to use the bathroom. Dogs will walk around sniffing different furniture and the floor for a good p...

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..., reward your dog as much as possible every time he or she steps into the crate. It will teach your dog that being inside the crate is a reward, not a punishment. o It is not necessary to close or lock the crate until it is time to leave the dog unsupervised. The door should be left open, so your dog can walk in and out.

 When it is time to leave your dog unsupervised, reward them quickly and leave immediately. Locking the crate is a sign that it is time for you to leave and that you will be back later.

Crate training is like a personal den. o Dogs who are crate trained will feel like their den is a personal safe haven. It is similar to a human having their own bedroom. Dogs should feel comfortable and safe. It is a place to run to when they are in fear, sick, and tired. Dogs should not soil their own crates. Crates should be seen as a reward, not a punishment.