Housetraining Your Puppy

Puppies housebreak at different rates. Some breeds are tougher to teach to go potty outside than others. Your crate and a consistent schedule are two key ingredients to teaching puppy to potty outside. Even if you have an adult dog, you can adapt the puppy schedule…

Schedule

Depending on the age of your puppy will depend on how many meals he eats a day. Puppies up to about six months should be getting three meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Feed Puppy at the same time each meal and use a potty schedule that corresponds to eating. Here is an example:

6:30 a.m. - wake up and take Puppy to go potty.

6:45 a.m. - feed Puppy in crate and give him water.

7:15 a.m. - take Puppy to go potty.

Young puppies have small bladders and less capacity. They may need to go out every couple of hours during the day.

11:30 a.m. - take Puppy potty

11:45 a.m. - feed Puppy in crate

12:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

Puppies, like children, benefit from naps after play. Put Puppy in his crate with a drink and a few safe toys and let him "go sleepies" for an hour or so.

4:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

5:00 p.m. - feed Puppy supper in crate

5:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

Evenings, especially in the summer when it is cooler, are a great time to take Puppy for walks and socialize him. Plus, this will help tire him out for the evening.

8:00 p.m. - pick up water for evening

9:00 p.m. - take Puppy potty

9:30 p.m. - put Puppy in crate for bed

Note: young puppies cannot be expected to hold all night. It can be months until they have enough bladder control so be patient.

Look for signals between scheduled potty times that Puppy needs to go out: sniffing around the ground, circling, etc. When you see him start this, say a sharp "AAAAH! NO" to stop the action and then say in a happy tone some thing like "Want to go out?" Take Puppy outside immediately to his potty area and encourage him to go. I use "Go Kennel!" You can use "Get Busy", "Go Potty" or whatever you like - just use the same command each time and praise as soon as the action happens. My dogs will stand by the door to signal they have to go out. I know people who have taught dogs to rings bells hanging from the doorknob.

Along with a solid schedule, puppy needs to be with you and not roaming the house unsupervised. Use baby gates or if you are walking about, umbilical cord the puppy to you with a leash. This way, puppy is never out of your sight. The best redirection (correction) is the one that happens the instant the behavior of pottying inside happens. If puppy is wandering the house and gets to realize there are times he can potty inside, he will continue to do so. Also, a correction after the fact is a correction that is lost. If you are going to be in a position where you cannot watch him (napping, going out) crate him. And NEVER leave the leash on puppy when he is crated or when he is not tied to you. A dragging leash can get tangled and puppy could get hurt.

Should Puppy have an accident in the house, you must catch him in the act for discipline to be effective - why in the above paragraph the use of gates and a leash was brought up. If puppy has pottied five minutes ago on yuor best rug and you just see it, the correction is totally lost. Puppies and dogs forget faster and will interpret the discipline not being done because he pottied in the house but for something different. Clean up the spot well and with something that will neutralize the odor. Use one of the commercially made products or white vinegar and water.

I am against paper training or using those special pads that "encourage" Puppy to go potty on them. This teaches Puppy it is fine to potty in the house. Now you want to teach him he cannot do something once fine for him to do. It is confusing. Unless you are disabled or for some reason MUST paper train, I encourage people to avoid it.

Bear in mind that should a housebroken puppy or dog begin having accidents, there could be an underlying physical reason such as a bladder infection. Should this not be the case, there could be a behavioral issue such as submission urination or stress. Should you start having problems with a dog not prone to problems, seek medical assistance first. Also, as a dog ages, accidents may happen. Accidents also happen with fully trained dogs. Dogs not neutered or spayed have a higher incidence of eliminating in the house as well.

Housetraining Your Puppy

Puppies housebreak at different rates. Some breeds are tougher to teach to go potty outside than others. Your crate and a consistent schedule are two key ingredients to teaching puppy to potty outside. Even if you have an adult dog, you can adapt the puppy schedule…

Schedule

Depending on the age of your puppy will depend on how many meals he eats a day. Puppies up to about six months should be getting three meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Feed Puppy at the same time each meal and use a potty schedule that corresponds to eating. Here is an example:

6:30 a.m. - wake up and take Puppy to go potty.

6:45 a.m. - feed Puppy in crate and give him water.

7:15 a.m. - take Puppy to go potty.

Young puppies have small bladders and less capacity. They may need to go out every couple of hours during the day.

11:30 a.m. - take Puppy potty

11:45 a.m. - feed Puppy in crate

12:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

Puppies, like children, benefit from naps after play. Put Puppy in his crate with a drink and a few safe toys and let him "go sleepies" for an hour or so.

4:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

5:00 p.m. - feed Puppy supper in crate

5:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

Evenings, especially in the summer when it is cooler, are a great time to take Puppy for walks and socialize him. Plus, this will help tire him out for the evening.

8:00 p.m. - pick up water for evening

9:00 p.m. - take Puppy potty

9:30 p.m. - put Puppy in crate for bed

Note: young puppies cannot be expected to hold all night. It can be months until they have enough bladder control so be patient.

Look for signals between scheduled potty times that Puppy needs to go out: sniffing around the ground, circling, etc. When you see him start this, say a sharp "AAAAH! NO" to stop the action and then say in a happy tone some thing like "Want to go out?" Take Puppy outside immediately to his potty area and encourage him to go. I use "Go Kennel!" You can use "Get Busy", "Go Potty" or whatever you like - just use the same command each time and praise as soon as the action happens. My dogs will stand by the door to signal they have to go out. I know people who have taught dogs to rings bells hanging from the doorknob.

Along with a solid schedule, puppy needs to be with you and not roaming the house unsupervised. Use baby gates or if you are walking about, umbilical cord the puppy to you with a leash. This way, puppy is never out of your sight. The best redirection (correction) is the one that happens the instant the behavior of pottying inside happens. If puppy is wandering the house and gets to realize there are times he can potty inside, he will continue to do so. Also, a correction after the fact is a correction that is lost. If you are going to be in a position where you cannot watch him (napping, going out) crate him. And NEVER leave the leash on puppy when he is crated or when he is not tied to you. A dragging leash can get tangled and puppy could get hurt.

Should Puppy have an accident in the house, you must catch him in the act for discipline to be effective - why in the above paragraph the use of gates and a leash was brought up. If puppy has pottied five minutes ago on yuor best rug and you just see it, the correction is totally lost. Puppies and dogs forget faster and will interpret the discipline not being done because he pottied in the house but for something different. Clean up the spot well and with something that will neutralize the odor. Use one of the commercially made products or white vinegar and water.

I am against paper training or using those special pads that "encourage" Puppy to go potty on them. This teaches Puppy it is fine to potty in the house. Now you want to teach him he cannot do something once fine for him to do. It is confusing. Unless you are disabled or for some reason MUST paper train, I encourage people to avoid it.

Bear in mind that should a housebroken puppy or dog begin having accidents, there could be an underlying physical reason such as a bladder infection. Should this not be the case, there could be a behavioral issue such as submission urination or stress. Should you start having problems with a dog not prone to problems, seek medical assistance first. Also, as a dog ages, accidents may happen. Accidents also happen with fully trained dogs. Dogs not neutered or spayed have a higher incidence of eliminating in the house as well.

Myths About Dogs

There are SO many stereotypes about SO many different breeds of the domestic dog. I would like to clear some of them up. First, I will start with a very well known breed called the American Pit Bull Terrier, Pit Bull, for short. They are Very widely known as viscous killers. In some states they are illegal to own, in some countries, you must keep them chained, harnessed, and muzzled at all times when in public, and they must be spayed/neutered. Why? Because people in the 1800s thought dog fighting an exciting sport. The Pit Bull was created solely for Dog Fighting; for fighting, often to the death, with another animal (sometimes multiple animals) because people liked to watch this.

A Pit Bull is a cross between many different fighting dogs, including the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the now extinct fighting Bulldog to create the "Ultimate Killing Machine" in the fighting pit. A terrier's speed and wits, combined with a bulldog's strength and jaws makes a potentially deadly animal. Because the Pit Bull was bred to be mean, and bred to be pit fighters for so long, every member of the breed today has the potential to be a danger to society. Then again, any breed of animal from any species is a potential danger to society. If an animal has teeth, claws, hooves, even just a tail, it can cause harm.

Pit Bulls, when in the right hands from early on, can make wonderful pets, as well as Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German shepherds, English Mastiffs, Bull Mastiffs and other large breeds "known" for being nasty and mean tempered. I've owned at least one of every breed mentioned, and I never had problems.

Now, those breeds and many more CAN be good pets, but in the Right Hands. They may not be the pet for you and only certain qualified people should be able to own one of these magnificent animals, to help prevent more attacks made by dogs that were trained to be mean or beaten.
Remember, don't go solely by a breed stereotype or the way the animal looks. Poodles sure look cute, don't they? Poodles; toys, miniatures, and standards, are more likely to bite your ankles than a Rottweiler is.

English Mastiffs are big ... their teeth and jaws are large and powerful ... but that doesn't mean they're going to use them on you. Seeing an English Mastiff, more commonly known as just the Mastiff, is pretty uncommon, as they are one of the largest breeds in the world. They need experienced and strong masters, and need to be handled sensibly. Because of their size, they could easily overpower a smaller person, and can be stubborn when it comes to obedience. Despite their look and size, they are loving family dogs. Mastiffs existed in Great Britain 2,000 years ago, and were exported to Rome as Military and fighting dogs. They require a lot of room to run and eat a lot, so if you live in an apartment in the city and have little money to spare after your own needs are met, I wouldn't recommend a Mastiff.

Bullmastiffs are pretty much the same way. Though smaller than the Mastiff, they still require experienced handlers. The Bullmastiff is faster, and more active than the Mastiff. The males, especially when left intact are more likely to be aloof of strangers and may be troublesome with other (male) dogs. The foundation stock of the Bullmastiff is said to be 60% Mastiff and 40% bulldog ... produced to act as a gamekeeper's assistant, with the ability to chase and immobilize poachers/intruders, without killing them. As a guard dog, this breed is equal to the Rottweiler, but tends to be overly protective of its human family and resistant to obedience training.

German Shepherds, due to being a very popular breed, have been poorly bred in recent years, causing arthritis of the joints, eye disease, gastrointestinal disease, and other medical problems to occur in a majority of the population. Nervousness, fearfulness, timidity, and aggression to other dogs as well as other behavioral problems have become common in the breed. When bred carefully, however, German Shepherds are a wonderful breed ... calm, reliable, responsive, and obedient pets.

Doberman Pinschers,(Dobermans) are affectionately referred to as "Dobies" by their owners. This elegant, often affectionate breed is a result of the purposeful breeding of the Rottweiler, German Pinscher, Manchester Terrier, English Greyhound, and Weimaraner to create a speedy guard and military dog. They are fast and intelligent, but because of unscrupulous breeding and misrepresentation, the reputation of these obedient, alert and resourceful companion and service dogs, has gone bad. Nervousness and fear biting can occur in some individuals but a good breeder will ensure that his/her dogs are neither shy nor vicious. They are often times not very friendly when it comes to other dogs, so early socialization is a must. An unfortunate and serious problem in Dobermans is heart disease. They are good working and companion dogs, but, as with any dog, it is not recommended that they be left alone with small children or animals.

Now to the Rottweiler, which is currently one of the most popular breed in the US. Yet another breed suffering from poor breeding, more and more behavioral problems have shown up in this magnificent breed. Aggression towards humans as well as other dogs has become an increasing problem with Rottweiler, they are a strong-willed, intelligent breed that should only go to dedicated, active owners. They are great guard and family dogs, aloof of strangers and protective of their territory, but can't get enough attention. They are very strong and need a lot of exercise.
There are two 'types' of Rottweiler, the German Rottweiler and what's known as the American Rottweiler, which are different mainly in appearance. The German Rottweiler has a slightly heavier build, thicker necks, bigger heads with shorter, broader muzzles, smaller feet and ears, usually the same height as the average American Rottweiler, but weighs Aprox. 15-20 pounds more. The Am. Rottweiler is taller for their weight than the German breeds. The American Rottweiler has the exact same brown on black pattern, but are of a slimmer build, longer legs, with bigger feet, a longer but not overly so or pointed muzzle, they have longer ears and their tails, I find, are usually docked shorter.

I have had problems with the American Rottweilers in more recent times. Americans, I find, have a tendency to be more aggressive with other dogs and strangers. All Rottweilers, considered American or German, are, in fact, German. Bred in Germany as a cattle drover and guard dog. The Rottweilers protected herds of cattle and took them to town, it is said the farmers had them wear heavy spiked collars to protect them in fights and that after the cows had been sold, the money was put in a small box, which was then tied to the dog's neck for safekeeping.

****Myths****

Here are two common myths for you:
"My dog will turn on me if I feed him raw meat."
This is NOT TRUE, and highly unlikely even if you are feeding your dog YOUR OWN flesh. In fact, for most dogs, raw meat is good for them, and an occasional bone purchased at the grocery store with raw meat on it, it a very tasty treat. Some dogs can get snappy, though, and possessive of the meat or bone, which you have to watch out for. More information about Food Aggression can be seen at the bottom of the page.
When you reach down to pick the bone up off the floor and your dog growls at you, let it know that is NOT acceptable behavior, but don't put yourself in a situation where you may be bit. Don't hit the dog, talk soothingly to get it to stop growling, and slowly, very slowly, pick up the bone, or, don't, and just stand up (slowly). But, don't mistake a play growl or "talking" with threatening behavior, a deep, rumbling growl mixed with short, medium pitched yips is most likely a warning, but when it just sounds like a little kid saying "RRRRRRRR," they are most likely playing. My Rottweiler, Cain, growl/barks and dances when he wants my attention, some people would think it is aggressive behavior but most just think he's a nut case. Also, some dogs will smile at you when they are happy or excited by lifting their upper lip and exposing their teeth, and if you watch closely, they most likely also hold back their ears and wag their tail so vigorously their whole body shakes.

"Cats and Dogs are Born Enemies."
This isn't always true, I've had cats that think themselves to be dogs, and dogs that don't know exactly what they are (human or cat?). As I said on the first page, every animal has its own personality, meaning it has its likes and dislikes. Some cats will love all dogs, some cats will dislike all dogs, some cats will like some and not like others, and visa versa.

Retiring with Your Pet

Every week or two my little dog and I go visit the residents of a local long-term care facility. The elderly residents are delighted by his visit; they pat him, sweet-talk him, hug him ... and in return, my dog often puts his head down and begins snoring - something that never fails to delight them.

There's no doubt about it: pets have a positive effect on people. And now there's good news for older people with pets - if you're thinking of moving into a retirement community, you may be able to find one that will allow you to bring your four-legged friend with you.

Types of Retirement Communities

Independent living communities are the type of retirement community most likely to allow pets. They are designed for healthy, active older adults who are able to live without assistance, and are thus able to care properly for their pets. You probably wouldn't be able to notice a difference between an independent living community and other residential communities except for the age of the residents.

Assisted living communities, on the other hand, are meant for older adults who need regular help with daily activities - but do not require the services of a nursing home.

Bringing Your Pet to Your Retirement Home

Some assisted living communities will allow residents to bring their lifelong pets, while others may permit a "community pet": a pet that doesn't belong to any person in particular, but that lives within the community to provide companionship to all residents.

If you or a family member is looking for a retirement community that will allow you to bring your pet friend with you, be sure to get a copy of their pet policies. Some communities may require:

• An extra deposit to cover possible pet-related damages to the facilities.

• Pet care fees to cover anything that you cannot provide for your pet. This can include walking your dog, cleaning kitty litter, feeding or bathing your pet, and other such services.

• Only certain types of pets permitted. For example, some communities will allow dogs or cats but will not permit reptiles.

• Your pet be under a certain size. Some communities may only allow cats or small dogs below a certain weight or height.

• Pets to be socialized or screened. In communities where there may be a number of resident pets, it is in everyone's best interests that they all get along. Some communities may screen your pet to determine that they are properly socialized (can get along with other people and pets) and reasonably obedient.

It's not uncommon to see pets in retirement communities. And if you spend some time with the residents, they're sure to tell you what a delight it is to have a pet companion living with them. It's wonderful to see more and more communities catering to the health and well-being of its residents by permitting pets.