(Crate Training)
Housebreaking in theory is very simple. It is finding a means of preventing the puppy from doing his duties in the house and giving him only an opportunity to do it outside. A dog is a strong creature of habit and because he learns by association, he will soon know there is no other place to relieve himself but the great outdoors and good old terra firma.
The trick then, is to find this magic means of prevention. Here we take advantage of a very natural instinct of the dog -- his desire to keep his sleeping quarters clean - ie: not to mess his bed. It only follows that if we can devise a bed that he cannot get out of - then presto - he is going to stay clean. Add to this a common sense schedule of being taken from his bed to outside and we have the perfect answer to housebreaking.
Now to the important part - the common sense schedule we mentioned earlier. We'll start with the last thing at night. Bedtime for the puppy. Take the puppy out and give him an opportunity to do his duties (If possible, and you are in a protected area, let him go free of the leash. Very often to start with, the leash can be sufficient restriction to keep him from doing his duties.) If necessary use a suppository and be sure to praise him when he has completed his duties. Take him inside at once and put him in his crate.
The first thing in the morning (and I mean the first thing) pick him up and take him outside. He's been clean all night - and holding it all night - he should do his duties in a hurry. Now bring him in and give him freedom, but in the kitchen only. A child's gate at the kitchen doorway is an excellent barrier to the other rooms in the house. Give him his freedom while breakfast is being prepared and while you are eating breakfast. After your breakfast, and when you have time to take him out, feed him his breakfast - and take him out immediately. Remember the rule - outside after each meal.
Now bring him in and put him in his crate and go about your normal routine of the morning. He should stay in the crate until about 11:00 to 11:30 A.M., then out of the crate and outside. Bring him in, and while you are preparing and eating lunch let him have the freedom of the kitchen only, for an hour or two. Follow this with a quick trip outside. Then back in and into the crate until 4:00 P.M.
It is now time to feed him his dinner. Save yourself an extra trip outside - feed him in the crate. As soon as he has finished his last mouthful - take him outside. After he has completed his duties, bring him in and again give him the freedom of the kitchen while you are preparing dinner and during the dinner hour. Give him another trip outside about 8:00 P.M. - and again just before your bedtime.
Keep up this 24 hour schedule for at least 2 weeks, so that by prevention in the house and repetition of the habit of doing his duties outside, he has the firm association with the proper place to relieve himself. you can now start increasing his freedom out of the crate. Do this by first giving him freedom in the morning but again only in the kitchen. If he remains clean then the next day, try freedom in the afternoon. It is only thru these testing periods that you will know when he has arrived at the point of being reliable.
You should continue for a few more weeks (depending on the individual puppy) to put him in the crate during the two most crucial periods - at night and when he is left alone in the house during the day (shopping periods, etc.)
Now that you have him reliable as far as the kitchen is concerned start introducing him to the other rooms of the house, but under strict supervision.
Do not give him any food after 6 P.M. It takes a dog about 6 hours to digest his food and have an elimination as a result of that meal. Any food after 6:00 PM may give him an unexpected urge after he is put to bed.
In spite of a rigid routine, your pup may have an occasional accident during his periods of freedom. Here is where correction is necessary. If you catch him in the act, with a loud "NO" put him outside at once. Remember, a dog learns by association and in connection with any act of wrong doing, he must receive some form of discomfort in order to learn that he has done wrong. However, you must catch him in the act - it does absolutely no good to punish him for a mistake he has made an hour or even five minutes earlier. This applies whether the mistake is messing on the floor or chewing your best pair of shoes.
During periods of freedom watch for any circling around, sudden loss of interest in a toy, or going towards the door. These are signs he needs to go out.
Make good common sense the rule of the day.
| Our Story | Handling | Boys | Girls | Kennel Tour | Puppies | Links | Home |