Training Tips

 

ADOLESCENTS

Just like people, dogs go through a ‘teenage’ stage.  They are more confident, want to do their own thing (to an extent) and have impact of hormones to contend with.

Bitches will come into season – this may make them a bit fed-up and uncomfortable for a while.  Most bitches will benefit from having at least one season, and physically it helps them mature into an adult dog (for some breeds this may take two seasons).

Dogs too have hormones to contend with – around seven or eight months they will get a surge of testosterone. This is important for their confidence and for their physical maturity.  The down side is that other entire dogs will recognise the surge and, if the young male decides to be bossy, will put him in his place – reminding him that he is still a ‘youngster’ and not allowed to tell his elders what to do yet.

Like all teenagers, adolescent dogs will want to try new things – going further and further away from you when off lead, for example, as their confidence grows.  As young puppies they needed the security of knowing you were close by, but now they are feeling grown up and will venture further away.  This means that a good recall is essential before you get to this stage.  Trainers often refer to the first time they do this as the dogs ‘getting the call of the wild’.  They seem to lift their head, sense something is going on, and run.  What to is anyone’s guess!  If the dog has learned by now that to return to you is a good thing, that he is going to get a tasty food reward, game or other worthwhile activity (and not just be put on a lead and taken home) you stand a reasonable chance of getting him back. It might not be immediately, but persevere.

Often in adolescents there will be a period – and the length of time varies – when the dog appears to have forgotten all the great things you have taught him.  Don’t panic – if you have taught him properly, and he understands what is required of him – the behaviours will return.  Without being too anthropomorphic* try to remember when you were a teenager – elbows on the table, forgetting to say please and thank you, not tidying your room – manners learned were often temporarily forgotten, but they came back if they had been well learned originally.

Apparently more dogs are put up for re homing between the ages of 8 months and 18 months (age of adolescence varies depending on the breed and other circumstances) than at any other time in their lives. This is not the time to give up on your dog. It is the time to work hard with training and practising his good manners.  Do not be afraid to go back to basics, don’t be mean with rewards during this period of reminding, he needs all the help he can get.  If you find you have problems, contact an APDT trainer – they probably can offer you a class which will remind you, and your dog, about training. They will certainly be able to offer a bit of support and reassurance that this is a perfectly normal stage of development.

Remember – like all teenagers – he will grow out of it!  Good luck

(At all points in this article ‘he’ refers equally to males and bitches (except in relation to the testosterone surge!))

*Anthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely human characteristics and qualities to nonhuman beings

 

 

CRATE TRAINING YOUR PUPPY/DOG

Why use a crate?

1. A crate is a safe, secure area for your puppy to be, when you can’t give him your full attention
2. It can help speed-up house training
3. Its somewhere for your puppy to go when he needs time out
4. It’s a secure den for your puppy to retreat to, safe in the knowledge that he can relax and won’t be disturbed. (You should ensure children and other pets leave puppy alone when he is in it.)
5. It’s the perfect way to protect your house from damage, due to inappropriate chewing!
6. A safe secure way to transport your puppy and keep your car clean!
7. Acclimatises your puppy to a crate for visits to vets or groomers.
8. Ideal to use for those breaks away, its familiar to puppy and the holiday home is safe from your puppy!

 

How big should the crate be and where should it be?

1. The crate should be big enough for your puppy to fit in comfortably when he is fully grown, room to stretch out and have a water bowl and interactive toys in.
2. You need to place it in a convenient, but quieter part of the house, so puppy can still see and hear what’s going on, but is able to relax as well.
3. Also a good idea to have it reasonably near an exit to the garden, for quick access, or carry him out to the garden in the early stages to save any accidents.  

 

Introducing the crate

1. The crate needs to be as comfortable and inviting as possible for your puppy to build up positive associations with it. Put a soft towel or vet bed in the base, both easily cleaned. Always have fresh water available; place a couple of safe toys in the crate; a stuffed Kong is useful.
2. Put some newspaper in the base, separate from the vet bed (half and half if possible).  If your puppy does need to toilet and cannot attract your attention, he will not want to go on the vet bed, but will probably have used newspaper for this purpose before he joined your family.  Change this paper each time it is soiled (wait until your puppy is away from the crate, do not comment or criticise the puppy for using the paper. He has to go somewhere if you are not available to let him out).
3. Initially leave the crate door open so the puppy is free to come and go, use tasty food treats to encourage him - start with them near the door and gradually move them further back once he is happy entering. You can introduce a word such as kennel or bed at this stage, so that he can begin to associate the word with the action!
4. Do not rush this stage – if your puppy is not happy to go into the crate, do not force him, that will set up bad associations. Take your time in ‘explaining’ to him that it is a safe and fun place.  Most young puppies are very happy to go in the crate, especially if they have been used to spending time in a whelping box whilst with their littermates.
5. Do this several times during the day. Feed him his meals in the crate. Stuff a Kong with tasty treats and put that towards the back of the crate, if he is comfortable at this stage, you can push the door too. Stay around at this stage and try to ignore what he is doing, so he doesn’t think it is a big deal.
6. Depending on how comfortable your puppy is at the above stage you can begin to close the door for short periods at a time, always ensure puppy has been toileted before, so you know he won’t need to go out for a little while, also a good idea to have a little game with him first, so he is tired. Again use a Kong or put his meal in with him.
7. Begin to go about your day as normal with puppy confined, if he begins to whine or bark, remember to ignore him. Only go back to him when he is quiet, if you go back to him when he is being noisy, he will learn to keep barking for longer and longer periods until you return!
8. As long as you are careful to ensure good positive associations with the crate, your puppy should quickly become happy to relax as soon as he enters the crate. Puppies quickly learn to sleep through the night in the crate and are usually clean very quickly.
9. On returning to the crate to let puppy out, try to be calm and not make it a really exciting time, this may lead to unwanted vocalising/whining as he anticipates his release!
10. Take puppy straight to his toileting area to help speed up his house training.

Your puppy should not be left for long hours at a time in his crate, 3-4 hours during the day is a maximum.  Initially he will need to come out of his crate frequently during the day (every half hour/hour or so) to toilet, but as he gets older he should be able to go for 2 – 3 hours before he is going to need to relieve himself. Once he is used to the crate, he should happily go through the night.  If he does whine and fidget during the night, get up and take him to his toileting area, keeping it as calm and low key as possible and as soon as he has performed return him to bed.

The crate is not for use as a punishment, but can certainly be used for time-out if puppy has become unruly or is over-tired. It is also a good idea to use the crate at (human) meal times to avoid over excitement at these times; use a stuffed Kong with part or all of his meal to keep him occupied.

 

 

DIET

 

You are what you eat!

Never a truer sentence was written with regards to dogs as well as humans.

There is a confusing amount of dog food on the market.

You can buy now buy a food for each stage of your dog’s life, if they have joint problems and if they have allergies.

When looking at diet for your dog it is wise to look at it in the same way as you would look at a diet for yourself. Try and choose a diet with less additives, colours and preservatives. Dogs do not really care what colour their food or what shape it is as long as it is edible.  Various colours and shapes are there for your benefit and not your dogs.

Dogs need fat in their food and fat quickly goes rancid if left unpreserved.

Dog food companies vary on how they preserve their particular brand. Some use vitamins to preserve, some use synthetic vitamins and some use a varying range of preservatives. Some preservatives have been implicated in causing behavioural problems, aggressive behaviours, short attention span and an inability to learn.

It is important to understand that not only do colourings and preservatives affect behaviour but the quality and quantity of the protein source can also have far reaching consequences on behaviour. Too high a protein content or a poor protein source can all be implicated in causing behaviour problems.

When investigating diets try and find one that has a good meat/fish protein source and less cereal added.

If you own a working breed do not buy a diet specifically for working dogs unless your dog is actively working. There is far too much protein in these diets for the sedentary life style that a pet dog lives. This includes ex racing greyhounds – they are no longer working and so do not need working food once they retire.

Puppies should be fed four times a day until they are twelve weeks, three times a day until they are six months and then twice a day for the rest of their lives.

 

 

Exercise

 

Just how much exercise is enough for your young puppy? It is fair to say that by the time your puppy is allowed to go out after his vaccinations then the urge to run him ragged must be uppermost in most owners minds as the pup has become stair crazy being coped up indoors. It is a big mistake to take your new puppy for a long hike when he is very young in the hope of tiring him out. His young bones and joints are just not developed enough to withstand this. He will become over tired and grumpy. You may hurt the pads on his feet and he may well end up with an aversion to going on the lead.

Two fifteen minute walks are adequate for a young pup – couple this with some mental stimulation in the form of dog training and this will give you a tired and a happier pup.

Work up to taking your pup on two thirty minute walks when he is six months old and when he is an adult you can walk him for as long as you want.

If you read everything you can about your chosen breed you can take what is said too literally about working breeds needing a great deal of exercise – they do – but that is for an adult dog and not a young pup. They also benefit from mental stimulation as well as physical stimulation.

 

 

 

HOME ALONE

One of the most appealing qualities of a dog is the desire to enjoy the company of other dogs and of their owners and other humans. But there are potential problems for the owner who does not take steps to build a healthy relationship with their dog nor teach their pup to be relaxed when left alone.

In many cases the importance of this aspect of caring for your pet dog is not apparent until things go wrong. In extreme cases, owners require professional help when their dog engages in such things as destructive chewing; whining or howling; urination and defecation; when left alone.

As always, prevention is better than cure and this sort of behaviour can be avoided by the following: -

• GOOD SOCIALISATION. Take every opportunity to introduce your pup to new experiences, new people and new places. Seek out your local APDT member for advice and enroll in a puppy class. Your aim should be to build confidence and avoid over attachment to one person. Introduce your dog to your friends and neighbours and teach it to be relaxed with other people.

• CRATE TRAINING. The crate offers many benefits. It prevents your pup following you all around the house; enables you to be separate but still in sight; gives the pup its own space and place of comfort and safety. Even older dogs can be introduced to a crate. Make sure the crate is comfortable, covering it with a blanket and give your dog a food-delivering toy, such as a Kong, while the dog is crated.

• POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. The most stressful time for our pup is immediately after you leave. A simple training programme will help. Start by walking a distance away from your pup; turning to walk back; greet calmly and reward a good response (if your pup becomes over excited, ask for and reward a sit or a down). Then leave the room, pause briefly out of sight and return as before. Gradually increase the duration of absence. When your pup is secure and relaxed when you are out of sight, go out of the house and return as before. As before, gradually increase the duration of absence. Putting your jacket on before leaving will strengthen the effect of this exercise.

• A CALM EXIT. Do not make a fuss before going out. Too much attention may increase your pup’s insecurity when the attention is removed. Your pup will not understand your words but will have a heightened sense of something going to happen.

• A CALM RETURN. While it is nice to be greeted by a dog that is clearly delighted to see you, do not make too much fuss when you return this attention.

 

There is no single way to teach a dog to be relaxed when alone. Each dog is different and must be treated differently, but the points listed above will help you teach your dog to be content when left alone.

 

 

 

LOOSE LEAD WALKING

Most owners look forward to being able to take their dog out for a walk, but if the dog pulls all the way it is very tempting to make the walks shorter and shorter.  The best thing is to teach your puppy, always to walk on a loose lead and then he will not get into bad habits.

This is not the same as expecting your dog to ‘heel’ (walk closely by your side) but means that there should always be a bit of slack in the lead so you do not finish a walk feeling like your arm has been pulled out of its socket!

In the past this was often ‘taught’ by yanking on a dogs lead each time he pulled.  This can have the opposite affect to what you hope for ie the dog learns to pull harder – you yank dog, dog yanks you.  It can also do a lot of damage to a dog’s neck and throat while he is ‘learning’.  You will often see adult dogs being yanked and checked in this way – proving that the method certainly hasn’t worked for them.

Nowadays we approach it in a rather different way – we explain to the dog that being on a loose lead, walking near to your side is more rewarding that pulling.  So, how do we do that?  As with all the exercises we reward the dog for doing the right thing.  There are a few ways of doing this, two are outlined here.  For these exercises your puppy/dog should be wearing a flat collar or fixed harness and a standard (or training) lead. Do NOT use a choke chain or extending lead. The first hurts and has no place in training and the second will allow your dog to rush off too far.

 

Lure and reward

The dog can walk on your left or on your right.  For ease of explanation I will explain as if your dog is going to walk on your left – if you want him to walk on your right, just reverse the instructions. It is a good idea to get your dog used to walking nicely on both sides, but don’t let him cross sides mid-walk as this can easily trip you up if you are caught unawares.

Very important:  If at any time during the exercise your dog pulls, stand still and keep the hand holding the lead in the same position.  Your dog is pulling for a reason – to get somewhere faster, to investigate a smell, to reach another dog etc. If you let him pull you towards his target then you are rewarding him for pulling.

Walking on a loose lead is hard work for your dog so make sure the treats are high-grade, at least to start with.  If your dog is not food-motivated then use a toy by all means but it does make things slower as each time you reward you have to stop and have a game. So, if he finds food rewarding (and most do if you choose the right food) try and use that.

Hold the dogs lead in your right hand, have some treats ready in your left hand.
Get your dogs attention and, using the treat lure him into position (ask him to follow the treat) until he is standing beside you, facing the same way as you are, then give him the reward. 

Using the food in your left hand lure him forward a step or two and as long as the lead is loose reward him.  Take a few more steps, reward again, and repeat for as long as he is walking with a loose lead.  You may find he dashes off after getting the reward – do not move!  Stand steady, when he stops pulling get his attention and lure him back into position beside you, couple of steps, reward.

If you are clicker training you will know that it is important to ‘mark’ the exact behaviour ie walking without pulling, before rewarding. You may find it easier to use your click word rather than the clicker itself – you have lots of things in your hand anyway!  If you are not clicker training I would still suggest that you mark the behaviour. To do this – as your puppy is walking on a loose lead – say ‘Good’ or ‘Yes’ and then feed him a treat when he is standing still. In this way he will know that he is getting a reward for walking nicely, but by feeding him when he is standing still you are lessening the risk of him choking on the food. If you just fed him when he was standing still (without marking the behaviour) then he will think that you want him to keep stopping – not good J

When your dog is able to walk two or three steps on a loose lead you can start to increase the distance between treats – reward for three of four steps walking nicely, then maybe four or six, then for three again gradually stretching out the distance between treats but remember to not just increase the gaps, surprise him by sometimes rewarding for just a couple of steps.

Once your dog is able to walk about ten paces without pulling you might want to put in a cue word – ‘walk nice’, ‘with me’ or similar works quite well.  With this exercise it is important that you say what the dog is doing rather than what you want him to do ie if he is walking nicely, say so. If he is pulling and you say ‘walk nice’ (before he understands the cue) he will think that ‘walk nice’ means pull like a train!  On the same note, if you do not have time to stand still if he pulls or reward lots of nice walking – perhaps you are rushing to meet the children or similar – then when he does pull it is better to say ‘pull’. In this way he will associate the word with his action.  Or you could get a training harness and put this on him when you are not able to do the training.  A training harness is one that restricts his forward movement when he pulls. 

Remember that this is a training exercise and like all training is very tiring to start with. It might be an idea to introduce the exercise to your dog in the living room, or in the garden before actually taking him out to practise. Keep the training short, just a few minutes at a time to start with. If you take him on a full walk using this exercise you will have a very tired puppy at the end of it and then the training will not be so much fun for him.

The second method you might like to try is
Red Light/Green Light

This exercise is based on the understanding that each step you take energises the dog.

Stand still and wait for your dog to loosen the lead – reward. Give him the reward beside you – in this way he will learn that being beside you is a good place to be
Take one step – your dog may well rush off – stand still and again wait for him to come back and stand beside you. This may take several minute, be patient. Reward
Take one step – this time your dog should come back to your side a bit quicker. Reward
When you can take one step without the dog rushing off, you can try two steps. Do not be surprised if he dashes off again. Stand still and wait for him to come back. Reward by your side

Two steps, wait, dog returns, reward
When he can walk two steps without dashing off increase to three, he can cope with three steps increase to four etc etc

When you take the first step it can take quite a long time for your puppy/dog to loosen the lead/come back to you but if you are patient he will stand still eventually. Do not be tempted to pull him back, just wait. The time it takes for him to loosen the lead will lessen each time.  But when you add in another step the time may increase again.  You might need to take just one step at a time for several steps, but again as the exercise progresses so the intervals between increasing the steps will get shorter and shorter.

As with the previous exercise do not introduce your cue word until he is managing at least several paces, and do not continue the exercise for more than a few minutes.

Taking your dog for a walk should be enjoyable for both of you.  Remember that he is going out not just for the exercise but for stimulation – let him have time to sniff where other dogs have been. Just don’t let him pull you to the places and do expect him to come away from the smell when you ask him to!

 

 

PLAY BITING

 

Puppy teeth – yes indeed they do hurt!

Puppy biting is a perfectly natural behaviour. Puppies use their mouths to explore their surroundings; nothing is sacred from puppy teeth. They also use their teeth when playing. Fortunately this is something they usually grow out of when they loose their puppy teeth at around sixteen weeks.

Puppies themselves learn that their teeth are sharp when they are still with their mother and littermates. They begin to hurt their mother’s teat when feeding and she will get up and walk away. The pup learns there is a consequence to using teeth.
They also learn the consequences of using their teeth too hard when playing with their littermates. If they use their teeth too enthusiastically the game will end one way or another. Either their littermate will yell in pain and stop playing or they may end up fighting.

Remember that dogs only have one defence if they are in pain, frightened or cornered and that is to use teeth. This does not make a bad dog it is simply dog behaviour!

Your job is to teach the dog that teeth on human skin are not allowed! You also need to teach him to have a soft mouth.

To help him learn to inhibit his bite you need to act like a playmate.
Never use your hands or body as a toy when playing with your puppy. Instead use a suitable toy.
If your puppy catches your skin or clothes when you are playing yell ‘ouch’ – a good high pitched yell is needed as though he really hurt you. Get up, move away from your puppy and stop playing. Redirect his teeth onto something more acceptable, a stuffed Kong, the cardboard innards of toilet roll or kitchen roll, a toy or a raw hide chew. (Don’t give your puppy cheap plastic toys to chew as they can be dangerous if swallowed.)
Many puppies under 14 weeks will back off when you yell then come back and lick you.  Praise and redirect the play onto something appropriate.
Some puppies will see the yell as a cue to lunge at you even harder. These puppies are usually over stimulated, over tired or perhaps Terriers! Do not shout at your puppy, use a water pistol or scruff shake simply remain calm, get up and walk away.

Insure your puppy is getting enough rest during the day – especially if you have children. Place your puppy on a good diet as some diets have been implicated in effecting behaviour. Make sure that everyone in the household treats your puppy the same way.

Children should always be supervised when they interact with your puppy as young children tend to flap their arms around squealing which only excites the puppy.

Stopping a puppy play biting takes time and consistency.

 Puppies will latch onto to anything that moves – your trouser leg, the bottom of your dressing gown and your toes! Why, because it gets a reaction from the owner. If this happens; stop walking. Do not get into a game of tug with your trouser leg or dressing gown. Try and redirect your puppy onto something more acceptable.

Being proactive instead of reactive will safely teach your puppy where and when he can use his teeth.

 

 

 

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE RE HOMING DOG

The history of many rescue dogs is unknown and therefore we do not have the benefit of being able to ask questions of how well socialised a dog has been in the past or how much environmental exposure it has been given.

Rescue centres will try to provide as much information as possible about a dog’s past and will assess the dog’s temperament as far as they can to help potential owners. Some will ensure that they can cope with every day noises and will test their reactions to other dogs, other animals and people, including children. There will however be the ‘unknown’ factor, as it is unlikely that a full history of each dog can be given.

This should not deter you from choosing a rescue dog but you should ensure that you are able to give plenty of time and patience to the dog you choose and must understand that whilst many problems your rescue dog may arrive with can be resolved or modified, some may always remain.

Many of the problems that rescue dogs have are related to a lack of socialisation or social referencing at the correct times. If a dog did not have adequate opportunities for meeting other dogs when it was younger or has had bad experiences with other dogs then it may be fearful or aggressive with other dogs. These behaviours can often be modified and sometimes completely resolved with the help of an experienced trainer or behaviourist but once the dog has passed a certain age you can never fully make up for early socialisation.

The same applies to dogs that are fearful in certain situations or of certain noises. Gradual exposure to the noise or situation which the dog is fearful of may reduce the reaction to it over time, but many dogs will never fully regain their confidence in all situations.

 

 

 

SOCIALISATION / SOCIAL REFERENCING HANDOUT

What is socialisation?
Socialisation can be described as the process whereby an animal learns how to recognise and interact with its own species, i.e. dog to dog, other species such as cats and people. This interaction helps each learn the body language and communication skills of each other.

What is social referencing?
Social referencing can be described as the process whereby an animal becomes accustomed and desensitised to environmental factors so it learns to ignore them. This includes visual stimuli and sounds such as thunder, fireworks, doorbells etc. This is sometimes referred to as habituation.

Sometimes the term socialisation is used to encompass both the descriptions above.

Why do I need to ensure my dog gets sufficient socialisation & social referencing?
Socialisation and social referencing are essential to ensure that dogs become well- balanced companion animals. It helps them to deal with new situations it may encounter in the future and helps them deal with the range of people and experiences within its environment. It helps prevent future problems of nervousness or aggression.

How do I ensure my dog gets sufficient socialisation & social referencing?
Socialisation and social referencing starts with the breeder  - see specific handouts for this information. Once you own a puppy you should implement your own programme, exposing your dog to as wide a range of experiences and positive encounters as is possible. See checklist. This exposure should start immediately and become diverse as soon as the puppy is fully vaccinated. It should continue ideally throughout the dog’s life but essentially up until sexual maturity.

I have an older dog, is there anything I can do for him/her?
Yes behaviour modification and re-socialisation programmes can be implemented although the help of a behaviourist or experienced dog trainer may be required. Older dogs can be desensitised to unfamiliar or frightening situations gradually, but it will never replace the benefits of early socialisation.

 

My dog had a bad experience, what should I do?
Do not try and comfort the dog or react fearfully yourself as you will confirm the need for fear to the dog. The dog may look to you for guidance so remain confident. The dog should be re-exposed to the situation gradually and possibly from a distance so it becomes desensitised to it. Proximity can be increased as the dogs confidence grows. De-sensitisation tapes are available for sound related phobias and should be used very quietly at first with the volume being increased as desensitisation occurs. Always praise or reward the dog for not showing fear and not reacting to the situation, or if it does react, as soon as it recovers from its fright. If your dog reacts aggressively in a situation it is fearful of then a desensitisation programme can be implemented with the help of a behaviourist or trainer.

 

What else might effect socialisation?
Breeding, temperament of both parents, health both currently and as a puppy,  involvement in training, diet, environment in which it was raised and lives, experiences as a puppy and adult.

 

 

 

TOILET TRAINING YOUR PUPPY

Toilet training a puppy seems to present all sorts of problems to dog owners. This handout sets out a programme of training that is effective and stress free for both you and your pup.

Some points to be aware of before you start.

• Young pups are not physically developed to go for long periods without toileting.
• Dogs are creatures of habit – they will tend to “perform” in the same place over and over again.
• Paper training is ineffective – it involves teaching your dog that it is acceptable to go in the house (on the paper) and then trying to change this behaviour at a later date.
• Punishment does not work – if you punish a young pup for going in the wrong place, you may teach them to fear you. This could result in a dog that simply will not go when you are close by, but will happily “perform” on the best carpet when left alone.

THE BENEFITS OF USING A CRATE

Housetraining is high on the list of benefits to using a crate. Dogs are “den” animals and readily adapt to sleeping and resting in a crate that replicates a den. Keep the crate in a busy convenient location such as the kitchen or any other room where the family spends a lot of time.

 

AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAMME

The key features of this programme are: -

• Consistency
• Patience
• Reinforcement and reward
• Observation

The programme requires you to take your pup out to where you want him to perform

• When he wakes up
• When he starts to move about after resting
• After he drinks or eats
• After play or exercise
• If he sniffs the ground and/or circles
• If he becomes excited e.g. when visitors call
• AND every half hour

This means that you will be taking the pup out many times during each day. If he “performs”, you must reward him with treats, play and praise. On those occasions when he does not “perform”, let him return quietly indoors. This is not a waste of time – simply a way of making sure that he is in the right place when he needs to be. The pup will soon start to move towards the door when he needs to toilet – so watch carefully and be sure to give him lots of reward for “telling” you.

You can encourage the pup to perform by tossing a few pieces of food nearby the place you want him to use as a toilet. Sniffing for the food will often trigger him to go. You may feel that this seems a lot of work but you will reap the benefits very quickly. As your pup becomes more predictable in his behaviour, you should give him a signal (e.g. “hurry up” or “be quick”) that can be used as a command to perform when he is older and has more physical control.

If you are feeding your pup regularly, you will soon pick up on his toilet pattern. So observe your pup carefully and adjust your programme accordingly. Under no circumstances should you ever punish your pup.

 

CLEANING AWAY THE ACCIDENTS

Do not use any cleaning agent that contains ammonia or bleach, as this will not remove the smell of uric acid. In fact it will add to it. This will attract the puppy back to the same spot, and the smell will stimulates a dog. There are specific products available from your vet or pet store, or you can use biological soap powder or warm water with vinegar.

 

PROBLEMS

Despite the above advice, some problems can still occur: Some nervous puppies or those who are not very confident may find it difficult to relax enough to toilet outside. This will be overcome by good socialisation but you should also make sure that you do not become anxious or show any annoyance with the pup.

 

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Health problems can result in inappropriate toileting, but this is rare and can be treated quickly and effectively. If you are in any doubt whatsoever, please seek advice from a veterinary surgeon.
  
AS WITH ALL TRAINING AND TEACHING, PATIENCE AND CONSISTENCY ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

THE ABOVE PROGRAMME HAS PROVED EFFECTIVE MANY TIMES OVER.

USED PROPERLY IT WILL TEACH YOUR PUP QUICKLY AND WITHOUT STRESS FOR EITHER YOU OR THE PUP.