Potty Training your dog in 2 weeks DIY

A 2 week Potty-Training Boot camp.  For any dog, any age. Read everything, because it is not an order, but tips to be incorporated all at once.

First, ALL dogs are trainable, and none are worse than others. It is just a matter of patience and following through, so try not to get discouraged. 😊 Don’t believe the excuses you hear from other people who did not succeed. I have trained them all, and have not found one breed that gets to bow out to the excuse of being “untrainable”. 

• Plan on dedicating 2 intense weeks to her training, and then it will taper off.  But, every moment counts in the beginning training.  Right now she believes there are no rules on potty-training.  These two weeks will be creating the boundaries she WANTS to follow.
• Using a little 24” kennel is the easiest way to potty-train. A dog needs to learn to respect their own space first. Then, and only then, will they respect a larger space, and especially your space. If utilizing a kennel to train, be certain to walk your dog in between kennel time (walking instructions are in a below tip).  Just being let loose for a while is not a walk. 
• If you choose not to use a kennel, gate off a smaller area. But, if you want less work, and more success, use the kennel. They LOVE them. If your dog does NOT like a kennel, or is stressed at all,  you will need to learn “kennel training” at the same time to make this a positive experience.
• As soon as she wakes up, she needs to go pee. Straight outside. If she has played for a while, she needs to go pee. Straight outside.
• For these first two weeks you will need to monitor when she is “being taken” outside to pee. We are looking for the opportunity  to tell her, “good girl!”.  You do not need silence for her to pee. Interruptions happen in life. Creating a silent pee moment, when only train a dog to go pee only when life is silent.
• If she is being distracted while out for the pee time, it will help to put her on a leash. Pee time is pee time, NOT play time.  We play only after she pees. If she DOES NOT pee, then back to the kennel for another 10 min (or so) and then attempt the pee process again. Success=free time.  No Pee= time back in the kennel until you get a successful pee.
• You can actually teach a dog to pee on command.  While you are outside with her waiting for her to pee, repeat, “Go potty”, or whatever phrase you want to be the command. (do your business, last chance, etc)  Be consistent.  Dogs like consistency, and when there is confusion, they will think the rule must the up to them to decide since no one else is making the rule.
• When she does go pee, through a party! Be excited, proud, and let her know she has done well.  Everyone has their way of being excited, and your dog knows each family member’s personality, so let everyone show their reward in their own way.
• A reward for going pee, IS NOT a treat.  This is a real quick way to get a dog to learn how to “fake” a pee, or to want to pee many more times than needed, just to get the treat!
• Structured walks, meaning on a leash, will also improve your potty-training success.
• While walking your dog, do not allow them to pee wherever they want. Remember we are teaching rules, expectations, and boundaries. Think of the walk as going on a car ride with the kids.  Everyone goes pee before you leave, may get a pit stop at a Mc Donald’s, but then we all wait to use the bathroom when we are “scheduled”.  Pick the time. Pick the place, but YOU pick it.  Just because your dog wants to smell and pee at the fire hydrant, does not mean it is the place you have scheduled.  REMEMBER, right now, your dog is choosing to pee IN YOUR HOUSE.  This training is to change what your dog is now doing, into what YOU want your dog to do.
•  Each room is a new space. So, if a dog is acting potty-trained in your common living areas, and all the sudden has access to a bedroom not usually visited, it may be used as an indoor potty in their minds.  You can add rooms to be certified as “potty-trained, but each room will need to go through the training. This is why dog’s love to pee in the living rooms….because no one ever uses them. It makes a nice indoor and private potty experience.
• Only add extra rooms to your potty-trained territories, AFTER you have success in the main living areas, and AFTER your 2 week graduation of potty-training boot camp.
• When your dog is having free time, it is NOT your free time.  You will need to monitor the little “squirter” continually!  Think of it, like babysitting a one year old baby. Do not take your eyes off your dog. If you do, she WILL pee.
• First thing your dog quickly learns is, the only rule is DO NOT PEE in the owner’s presence.  They learn for some reason, her peeing makes YOU upset, (not her, only you) so she will quickly learn to pee behind a couch, around a corner, and quickly, while you get a glass of water, use the bathroom, look at your iPhone, etc.
• Mistakes may happen (as you are training yourself in how to better monitor your dog). If your dog has a potty mishap, correct her immediately, but not harshly, and ONLY if caught in the action of the crime!  Say sadly, “nooooo…… (or wrong, or whatever word you choose) shake your head in disapproval (for only a few moments) then quickly take your dog outside to pee and say, “Go potty, go potty” in a NICE VOICE.  If she has anything left and pees, throw the same excitable party you normally would.  If she does not pee, back to the kennel for a little while, until you are ready to be responsible and be a better Potty Monitor!  You will need to be able to flip your emotion from sad to encouraging instantly in this scenario. Remember, your dog likes happy, and does not like to pee around someone who is grumpy. Who would, right???
• Boot camp is not a time of being mean. It is a time of structure, with reward at the right times. Never hit any dog. Boundaries and expectation IS the discipline in this training.  If you feel the need to hit someone with a rolled up newspaper (if you can find one these days) then hit only yourself. ☹
• If you stress, your dog will stress, and if your dog is stressed, they will most likely turn the pee problem into a diarrhea problem!!

 

 

Potty-training any dog is for the brave and dedicated owners that want to finally have the relief that their dog can live in their home with having the peace of mind that your home is no longer a fire hydrant!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dogs Escaping The Yard

How to keep your dogs from escaping from your yard.First things to look at, or realize, is why are your dogs leaving your yard? Have you expressed the boundaries clearly to your dog? Is your dog in heat, is your dog male and still not neutered? is your dog getting proper exercise and socialization?where does your dog go when he leaves your yard? does a neighbor give treats, is there a cat or rabbit to chase? Does he return on his own, or is he running away from home?After these questions are answered, and these variable needs are fulfilled or extinquished, we are now eliminating all, except, proper boundary training. We are eliminating all the rest, because if you fulfill or fix those elements, you will probably see your dog stays home. If the problem continues, then you still have this one last solution.Boundary training can exist at one door, one room, limiting a position in the car, or an entire piece of property. It is Important to let your dog clearly understand where he may or may not go. If he is jumping over a wall, you will need to walk the dog through the yard on a loose lead, giving a correction of pulling on the leash, paired with a verbal no, when the dog attempts to launch the wall or fence. This correction should be done at the beginning muscle movements of the launch, before the dog is airborne. we are trying to stop the behavior before it happens, and better yet, the thought, before the action.Practice telling your dog to stay at open fences, while you are crossing the boundary. a long lead is a safe way to do this, tethering it behind him, until you are confident in your communication with your dog.To complete your boundary training with your dog, you will need to let your dog know the rules are firm whether you are home or not. complete this by staging a surveillance, letting your dog expect you are not home, then surprise him in his attempt to escape. congratulations! Your dog now understands and thanks you for your clarification of your rules.

Stay Out of the Living Room!

Boundary Training Your Dog

If you share your house with your dog, it does not have to be "all or nothing".  I remember when I was young, that the living and dining room were the special rooms, reserved for Christmas, company, and off-limits until a special event was declared.

There was no thought that existed in my mind to invite myself to the royal dining room table to enjoy my morning cereal. I respected my parents reservations of the rooms on an invitation only basis.

This same rule can, and should, exist for your dog, if you have an area you would like to label off limits, whether to preserve from dog hair or as a cat sanctuary, you are entitled to do that!  This boundary can be accomplished without a ten foot barricade, shock line, or threats.

Establish a clear boundary. This means....the rule exists 100% of the time during our training period, and the dog can not have access to the area when you are not home.  A change in flooring, or a door way, is ideal because it is as clear as black and white, carpet and tile. But any type of boundary, and even old dogs, can be trained.

When your dog approaches the forbidden room or area, simply and calmly say, "No" and call your dog away from the room.  When your dog has re-directed, say, "Good Dog".

This process needs to be continual, constant, non-stop.  You will notice success and be amazed as your dog acknowledges you and your communication becomes more clear to your dog, as you learn to speak the same language.

In the beginning, it's ok to use gates and barriers at times when you are too busy to supervise your preserved area, to avoid your dog trespassing.  As time progresses, gates can become  a semi-blocked doorway, or even a small curtain rod, and your dog will recognize this standard road block,  and will detour himself to another welcomed area.  Eventually, you will not need anything to deter your dog from entering this area. The amount of time this takes depends only on your training skills.

We have a saying when speaking to dogs we are training, "Just because you are able, does not mean you may!"

Good luck, and enjoy the freedom that boundaries can offer!