Hi everyone! I wanted to talk about a very important topic today. My owner gets mad at me a lot for this, but I can’t help it, and I want to give you my side of the story about peeing in the house. My owner has tried a lot of different approaches to try and get me to not go to the bathroom in the house, but he’s no LA puppy trainer, but he is smart enough to look online to learn some tips and tricks that work! And, to help him, I’m making this little piece so you don’t have to hunt around as hard so your puppy can learn to go outside and it’ll save you all some time and trouble.
I’m young, I’m just like a baby. Babies and children make mistakes and have accidents, we can’t help it. I want to do my best (and also not get yelled at and told I’m bad). This isn’t gonna happen overnight, even though I know we both wish it could. But with a little work, patience, and dedication, we’re gonna get through this and I’ll be housebroken in no time.
First off, the best thing you can do for me (and that I’ll understand) is establishing a routine. I don’t need to go out every 15 minutes, but I should go out every couple of hours, because I have a small bladder and I can only hold it in for so long. A good rule of thumb to remember is that for every month old I am (up to about 6 months) equals one hour that I can hold it. If I’m three months old (I am!), that means I can hold it for three hours.
Consistency is key. You should pick out a nice and comfy spot for me to go and agree on a word that lets me know it’s time to do it. I can get easily confused, so it’s best not to change things on me everyday, or multiple times a day.
I respond well to praise and treats when I go. Nothing helps me know I did the right thing like you telling me I did great, with pats on the head, and with a treat. That’ll teach me that when I do the things I’m supposed to, I get a little reward. I love rewards and treats! We can also go for longer walks, or play outside, after I got as a reward and that’ll work great for me too!
After I take a nap, I almost always want to use the bathroom, so you should take me out after a snooze. Also, after I eat and drink water I should go to the bathroom to get that order of operations down. See? That’s making a routine!
If I do happen to go to the bathroom inside, either because I couldn’t hold it, or I had an accident, there are a few things you can do to help me learn that it isn’t the right thing to do (and these tips come straight from LA puppy trainers – and the dog’s mouth). Please. PLEASE. Don’t rub my face in it. That doesn’t do anything but hurt and scare me. I don’t understand what the point of it is. If you catch me in the act, you should make a loud sound to break my attention away and then take me outside immediately, or you can pick me up (I’ll be a little startled, but I won’t want to pee on you, so I’ll try my best to hold it until we get outside). After that, you need to clean the area and clean it well. I heard of something called “enzymes;” I don’t know what those are, but I know my own scent. If you don’t clean up the area well enough, I’ll still smell it and think that’s where I’m supposed to go, because it smells like me. If you can clean it without me seeing it, all the better. I might think you’re playing if you’re on all fours like I walk.
I do my best to be a good pup and I want to make my owner happy – and I know your puppy feels the same! If you follow these simple tips, you’re gonna have an easier time with house training. If you need extra help, don’t stress it – just call your local puppy trainer in Los Angeles!