Housebreaking Advice - Part II Options

Now that you are ready to housebreak your dog you have more than one option to choose. Yes. Options! So often people think of housebreaking a dog means you must take your dog outside to do his business. This is not always the case. If you live in an apartment running up and down the stairs is not ideal. Other pet owners who leave their dog(s) inside for long periods of time don't want their pets to wait till they get home to "do their business."

So what other options do you have? Simply, you can train your dog to do his business inside. Just like a cat uses a litter box, dogs can be trained to go to one specific place inside too. Many people start training their puppies in the house using newspaper. When they are small, they need a place to get to fast. So, using newspapers it the first step.

Housebreaking a pet is just that simple. It is to teach your dog to do his business in the same place over and over again. Sure its convenient to go outside, it seems natural, but you still have to scoop the poop! There is nothing wrong with you training your dog to do his business inside. Using papers is convenient and easy.

If you decided that inside is for you there are a few things to keep in mind. First, pick a place that is out of the way, away from where you and your dog eat or sleeps. A dog will not mess near his food. Smart dog!! Also, the smell is hard to take depending upon what you feed him. Urine can get into carpeting or even wood floors. Once the smell is there - you might not smell it, but Fido will - he will return again and again thinking this location is his spot to do his business. So first put down plastic or some kind of water resistant material. Then add your paper on top. If you want there are special pee pads you can purchase.

So take some time and think about what will work best for you and your pet. Once you make your decision housebreaking your dog can begin. Looking to get started right away... check out House Training a Puppy.

Housebreaking Advice - Part I

Puppies of all shapes and sizes are fun, loving and just great pets. It's so exciting when you add a new pet to your family. They love to play, lick your face and make us laugh. What's not to love? Well... no one loves cleaning up after them. I guess you have to take the good with the bad!

So, learning how to housebreak your dog is so important. The faster you are able to do it the faster your relationship will grow and you can enjoy your pet to the fullest. But, before you begin with any type of training, the most important information you need to know will be - Is My Puppy READY?

What I mean is simply, "can my dog hold his urine for approximately 8 hours?" Just like a baby, you bring a child home from the hospital, but you don't start potty training a child until he/she is at least 2 or 3 years old. Dog are the same. They cannot be housebroken on day one. Dogs of all breeds, including large breeds also need have their puppy bodies mature enough so that their bladder can hold its pee for hours at a time. That is why it doesn't make sense to try and start training an animal until his or her body is physically ready. You will have much more success if you start your housebreaking training once you get the all clear from your Veterinarian who will tell you when your puppy is physically ready to start.