Housebreaking the New Puppy, Roscoe

This entry is on housebreaking, we have done the same training when introducing other pups into a pack with great success. As before, keep the training as part of your normal routine for the house. You want to always incorporate your existing pack in the training of the new puppy.

When the other dogs go out, the pup is taken as well but is held so the rest of the pack can complete their individual task.   While the pup is in your arms, ensure he/she is watching the others. Get excited and praise extensively when the other members complete their task. This shows the pup that this is the behavior you desire in everyone.

We have also learned by introducing the pup this way to the desired behavior, the adults get a break from the pup wanting to play.  Trust me, I do believe, they would thank you for getting the chance to actually take care of their business without a little squirt bothering them.

Let the rest of the pack back in the house and then set the pup down. We use “Make Pee Pee” as our command to get our gang to initiate the desired behavior. Once the pup succeeds in eliminating, get excited, praise and pet the pup for doing a good “Make Pee Pee”.

We also immediately give a very small tidbit for the good behavior. These tidbits should strictly be used for training and given at no other time except with desired behaviors.

When you are home with the pup, keep to a regular outdoor schedule, first use every 2 hours and slowly increase over time. We work this increase in time over 4-6 weeks from every 2 hours when you are home with the puppy to 4-6 hours between potty breaks. A good rule of thumb is 1 hour per pound so if pup is 3 pounds every three hours do a “Make Pee Pee” run.

Now, of course, the pup is still going to have accidents indoors till they get the full idea that the only good behavior is eliminating outdoors.  Indoors, we utilize washable training pad for the day pen and also by the door that we use to take dogs out.  We found using disposables was just tempting for the pup to want to shred since everything at this stage is explore and destroy...

Two things to remember with accidents: 

1. If you did not see it occur, take it in stride. I take the pup to the scene of the accident, simply Point it out to the pup and say this was a bad girl/boy.  Nothing more than a harsh bad girl/boy is all that is needed. Clean it up and place this on the indoor pads, show the pup again and state this is good place, good girl/boy.

2. If you catch the pup initiating or in the process of the accident immediately, use your Negative command, we use a loud guttural ECH or No. This will usually distract the pup for a second; take the pup preferably outside or to your indoor pad.  Give the “Make Pee Pee” command and praise for being good girl/boy at the appropriate location.

If your pup is the only one, you have at this time, we recommend taking an indoor pad to the outdoor area you want the pup to conduct his/her business this helps in transitioning the pup to go outside, the good place inside moves outside. Over a few weeks the only place he/she sees the pad is on the outside and associates the outside as the only good place left to “Make Pee Pee”.

 Roscoe is 11 weeks old and only being in the house with his new pack for 2 days is at 99% accuracy on going on his pad when in day pen or the other designated “Make Pee Pee” pad in house. We have had rainy weather since his arrival so the outside concept has not been introduced the past couple of days.

Kennel training for bed time is another area to consider for housebreaking. I utilize a kennel that is large enough for the pup as an adult. The first few weeks, a disposable pad is folded and place in the back of the kennel and a pillow in front for the bed.  This gives the pup an immediate good place for accidents when kept in the kennel at night.  After 2 weeks, I recommend removing this pad from the kennel, so the pup learns that this bed area is not going to be a location for elimination.

Expect a few accidents in the Kennel but we find after a few times of being so close to their own accident, the pup learns this is not a behavior they will tolerate.

We are utilizing a baby play pen for Roscoe since he is going to remain a small guy. He is getting all food and a pee pad in the Play Pen for the next couple of weeks so he will be happy to spend time in the pen alone.  He is starting to not whine after a few minutes of being placed back in pen, he has already learned if he hurries up and does a Good Boy, Make Pee Pee. He gets to come out to be with us faster.

Roscoe and I hope our learning articles are of help to other pups and their human companions.  Roscoe agrees it is frustrating to get his human to respond appropriately at times but worth the hassle of training.

 

Keep Dancin' Larry B