A puppy is exciting for all the family. However, as the saying goes, a puppy is for life, not just for Christmas. Puppies come with a range of new responsibilities for their new owners, one of which is toilet training.
Dogs are intelligent animals and with enough teaching, they pick up new things quickly. You will need to spend time with your puppy practicing new behaviors and correcting any wrong doings. Here is what you need to know about toilet training your new puppy:
Expect Accidents
It is going to take a while for your new puppy to get the hang of going to the toilet outside. Much like young children are taught to go to the toilet in stages, your puppy will need the same training and patience from you. It is likely that you will catch your puppy going to the toilet in places he should not.
Puppies can be mischievous so you may find your new furry friend behind the sofa or he may leave a parting gift in one of your favorite shoes. You will probably end up getting frustrated just before he starts to get the hang of things.
Protect Your Floors
Since accidents are likely to happen for a while, it is a good idea to protect your floors. Puppy training pads can come in handy during this stage. It is a great first step to showing your puppy where he should do his business and it keeps your floors clean at the same time.
However, should you not be able to get to a training pad in time, the best flooring for mopping up spills is always wood or laminate. It can be really difficult to get the smell and stains out of carpet when your puppy cannot control his bladder.
Positive Training
Your new puppy will respond much better to rewards for behavior than he will to being reprimanded. Puppies are too young to connect being told off to any behavior. If your puppy is successful in any part of the training, reward him immediately so he understands you are pleased with him.
Start off by placing him on the puppy pads each time he goes to the toilet. When he connects the pads with going to the toilet, reward him when he toilets on a pad. Eventually you will be able to move the pads outside and then remove the pads altogether.
Keep Walking
Your puppy’s walks are incredibly important. He will do most of his toileting while out on walks so you can avoid too many accidents in your home. Give your puppy a treat for toileting on a walk too so he understands that it is okay to relieve himself outside.
Bonding with your dog while walking is a great way to encourage trust and he will naturally begin to recognize your voice and your commands.
Toilet Train Your Puppy Quickly
The key to toilet training your puppy quickly is repetition. The more you can be around your puppy during the early days, the quicker he will learn what you want from him.
