Potty Training Your Puppy

Holly, my sister's Chiweenie, going potty.

Puppies are fun, adorable, and sweet... until they leave a stinky surprise on your fresh clean carpet! The solution is to house-train your pup. House training is beneficial to all dogs and their owners, even if the dog will be an outside dog. Training your dog to relieve themselves on command will come in handy during severe weather when they are trapped in the house, during long car trips, and during vacations to name a few.

There are many equations trainers use to predict the amount of time puppies can wait to relieve themselves based on age, size, time of day, or activity. I say forget the rules and use my thirty minute method. The trick to potty training is catching your pup relieving them-self in an appropriate place so that you can reward them.  From the moment they wake up take them outside or to your choice of potty area. Make sure you carry treats to support positive reinforcement and increase their motivation. As they sniff around say "Go Potty" in a high happy voice. The second your pup starts to relieve them-self get excited and say "Good Boy/Girl, [name of puppy]." and give them a treat. My general rule with young puppies is to initially take them out every 30 minutes they are awake until you get a feel for their potty patterns. Other times you should take them out are after your puppy eats, drinks a lot of water, or after naps. Pay attention to your puppies behavior right before they relieve them-self to recognize the signs that they might have to go. Eventually you will get a feel for how often they need to go and the whole process becomes easier.

The amount of time it takes to potty train a puppy depends on your persistence and the puppies motivation to be rewarded. The more you catch and reward your puppy for relieving them-self in the appropriate place, the sooner they will begin to associate going potty in the right place with the word "Potty", and with a reward. NEVER PUNISH your puppy for accidents in the house! Doing so can teach the puppy to hide when they need to relieve them-self, which will increase the dirty surprises and make potty training more difficult or unsuccessful.

Potty trained dogs have better things to get in trouble for.

• For other potty training methods visit PerfectPaws.com.
• For tips with adult dogs or other house training problems visit 101-dog-training-tips.com.
• Need help cleaning up those accidents? Visit DoodyCalls.com for great advice.

Choosing a New Puppy

Logan and Holly at 12 weeks

Dog owners choose to add a puppy to their pack for numerous reasons. Some have an elderly dog and miss having a youthful active dog, some need a working dog for a specific task, and others just get the periodic puppy itch. In my case, a good friend offered me a free purebred German Shepherd pup. After the initial excitement of realizing I would be getting a puppy within a few weeks, it hit me, I had a lot preparing to do.

Anytime you bring home a new dog you must think about all of the getting a new dog questions as mentioned in my first post Tips on How to get the Perfect Dog for You; but it is much more complicated when you are adding a new dog to your existing dog pack. The first thing to think about when adding a new puppy to your pack is, "Will this breed match the breed(s) of my other dog(s)?" When considering a different breed you should think of temperament, size, and energy level. It is a bad idea to bring home a high energy dog, when you have a low energy anxious dog at home, or vice versa. It is also better to match dog sizes, especially when the smallest dog is anxious and might become fearful of the larger dog. My current dog, Logan, is a German Spitz Mittel. He is a medium size dog with medium to high amounts of energy, and a slightly anxious disposition. German Shepherds are large, known to have about medium to high energy, and a calm disposition. I would say that so far it sounds like the two breeds will not clash, but that is not enough.

The next step is thinking of your current dog's personality. Just like people, dogs can have varying personalities that are affected by their genes, their owners, and how they experienced their own puppyhood. Logan is a dominant dog who tends to get along well with submissive dogs. Logan has trouble meeting new dogs that are high in energy, aggressive,  and dogs that are much larger then him. Knowing this, I must make sure that the puppy I bring home does not show signs of dominance or agression. Puppies display dominance and aggression by biting the legs of their litter mates as they walk or try to get away, pouncing on and pinning other puppies, and growling at others who come too close when they are eating. When I pick up my puppy I will have to spend some time watching them interact and talk to the owners about what they have observed.

• Visit Stacy's Wag'N'Train for more information on reading k9 body language.
• For more information on adding a second dog read this article from VeterinaryPartner.com.
• Answer the questions on this Humane Society pamphlet to see is a second dog is right for you.