Dog toilet training is best done while your pet is still a puppy because if you wait until he is older, he would already have learned some bad habits that are very difficult to break. This part of puppy training basically involves teaching your dog WHERE he is supposed to urinate or defecate. Here are some basic tips to get you started on dog toilet training.
Designate An Acceptable Area
Dog toilet training requires you to designate a permanent elimination area and take note of specific times when you should take your puppy to this area. These times are right after he wakes up (even after a short nap), after eating his meals and snacks, right after you take him out of his crate, before his bedtime, and every time he whimpers at night. When you bring him to the designated area, be sure to stay with him until he is done eliminating. Offer praises as soon as he is done.
Use Positive Reinforcement For Best Results
If your puppy urinates or defecates where he shouldn't, don't punish him with either harsh words or physical violence. Dog toilet training requires patience and positive reinforcement. Instead, clean the area immediately and make sure you don't leave traces even of your dog's odour. As long as he can smell his odour there, he will think it is okay to "let go" in that area. After cleaning up the mess, make a point of ignoring your dog for a few hours. Give him back your attention and approval only when he exhibits positive behaviour.
How To Communicate Effectively
Bear in mind that a puppy does not speak your language. Teach him the way you would teach a child. Remember that what may seem very simple instructions to you can be quite confusing for him. Consistency and patience are the essential factors of effective dog toilet training. If you tell him to "go potty" once and then say "go poo-poo" another time, the puppy may not understand that you mean exactly the same thing. So be sure to always use the same words for each command and ask all members of the household to do the same.
Whenever you're in the house, it is a good idea to keep your puppy close to you at all times so that you are sure to notice the signs that he is ready to go potty. Bring him to the elimination area as soon as you see him sniffing or circling around. As mentioned above, you have to practice patience because dog toilet training isn't much fun at all. Just take comfort in the fact that it doesn't have to go on forever and that the end result is having a well-behaved and happy animal companion.
The age at which a puppy can control elimination varies from one dog to the next, but it is generally advisable to begin dog toilet training when the puppy is about eight weeks old. You can expect house training accidents to happen during the first two months of training, but if you are conducting the training properly, these accidents will soon cease to happen.
