One of your first jobs as a dog owner is house training your puppy, and even if you do nothing else in terms of dog training, you’ll have to do this. That is, unless you are prepared to live with an animal that has no control over her toilet habits.

Fortunately, in most cases, it is easy. Choose a method, implement a plan, add a bit of patience, and you’re done.

Two aspects of dog behavior will help you in your training efforts. Firstly, contrary to what many people believe, dogs are inherently clean animals and will not soil their living area unless they have no other choice.

Secondly, most dogs have a strong desire to please their human companions, and will do just about anything to earn our approval.

These two principles are the secret to successful house training regardless of what training method you choose.

Here are some common methods that are used for house training dogs;

Supervision

Crate Training Method

Paper Training

Litter Box Training

The method you choose is entirely up to you, but my favorite is crate training. I have trained many dogs using this method and I am always blown away at how easy it is. This is probably because it taps the two aspects of dog behavior I mentioned earlier.

Crate training takes full advantage of your puppy’s natural behavior, and that has to be a better way than trying to force the dog to make his toilet in a specific area.

Don’t feel you have to go with crate training though, because the other methods also work. Just choose the one you feel comfortable with. Whichever method you choose though, you will need to remain consistent, patient and positive. Shouting will achieve nothing other than making the dog afraid of you.

Never forget that she’s just a baby. You wouldn’t punish a baby that messed her diaper, or scream at her and rub her nose in it. So why would you do that to a little dog?

The puppy doesn’t yet know that she has done something wrong. But persist with your training and she’ll soon get the picture. Dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. So stick with it and you’ll see results.

Want to accelerate those results?

Then give your dog lots of praise.

Your puppy will do just about anything to gain your approval. Praise her when she does her “business” outside, or on the paper, and she’ll be encouraged to do this again, and again.

And don’t be stingy with the praise either. You need to make it very obvious that you are pleased with her behavior, so be enthusiastic, be effusive, be downright over the top!

Once your puppy is successfully house trained and you start obedience training, she’ll already know the drill and understand that when she does something right, she earns praise from you.

To find out more about dog training tips, dog care, dog breeds a-z and other useful dog info drop in at dogsanddogtraining.com

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