Training your own dog can be intimidating and down right frustrating if you go about it the wrong way. Before I go into detail on the four things to do, let me start with what not to do. This is the number one thing that will set your puppy back and will slow down the learning process.
Don’t punish your puppy or dog when it has an accident. Puppies do not understand being spanked, beaten, or having their nose rubbed in an accident. This is especially true after a period of time passes.
You are also teaching your puppy it’s okay to dole out a harsh correction. That could literally come back to bite you or another person in the fanny or anywhere else the dog decides to place a “correction” after it has learned such behavior.
Most potty accidents are because the puppy is too young, hasn’t been properly trained, or was left unsupervised for too long. When potty accidents happen, clean them up and don’t say a word. If you need to carry a poop outside and leave it in the proper area, do so calmly.
Puppies tend to temporarily loose bladder or bowel control during a growth spurt or just before a large training breakthrough. When your puppy goes through a rough spot, remain patient, and expect it to make a large stride in maturing!
Start Young
Eight weeks is not too young to start training your puppy. As a matter of fact, it’s perfect! Puppies are clean slates and the longer you wait, the more bad habits they can develop.
Potty training can start at eight weeks, but keep in mind most puppies do not have much bladder control until 12 weeks of age.
If your puppy is older or even if it’s grown, you can still train them! It may take a little longer to break bad habits, but the potential is still there.
Remain Positive
Dogs and puppies are both sensitive to a person’s attitude. If you’re feeling mean, cranky, or impatient either wait until later to train your puppy/dog or give yourself a good mental correction and change your attitude. Both you and your dog will thank you later!
Get a crate and learn how to use it properly. I once read that you should use a crate for the first two years of your dog’s life. At two years of age, you leave the door open and allow the dog to use the crate as a den. After trying it, I realized it is indeed true!
By two years of age my dog Shiloh was fully house trained and had passed his destructive stage. As an adult he continued to use his crate for naps and as a favorite place to chew bones and rawhide.
Consistency Is Key!
Consistency IS key: When you give your dog a command, you must follow through. Sit means sit now. Not “Maybe you’ll sit for me later”. Sit Now.
If you need to place your dog or puppy into the seated position, by all means, do so and reward the dog with a verbal “good boy!” or “good girl!”.
READ MORE: Consistency is Key To A Well-Behaved Dog
