How To Potty Train Your Pet Dog

Potty training your dog doesn’t have to be a difficult task. There are many methods for potty training your dog.  Choosing a method can be overwhelming but rest assured that most methods are equally effective.

The crating method is a simple method based on the theory that dogs won’t soil in their eating and sleeping area. This method requires that you acquire a crate that is sized appropriately for your dog. You will want to choose a crate that is just big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down. It is important to remember that a crate that is too big will not be effective for potty training because it will allow your dog to establish an area for relieving himself that is separate from where he spends the rest of his time. Crates can be purchased in most pet supply stores. They come in many different types including ones made of nylon, plastic, or metal. Crates come in several sizes and can accommodate dogs of just about any size. You can also purchase a divider for your crate which is useful if you are potty training a puppy because you won’t have to buy a smaller crate.

Once you have a crate, you can begin potty training your dog. The keys to using a crate for potty training are to anticipate when your dog will need to go out to relieve himself and to keep the dog crated when you are not able to supervise him.

To begin the potty training process, take your dog outside to the designated potty area and use a phrase such as, “Go potty” or “Hurry up”. If your dog relieves himself, praise by saying, “Good potty” or “Good hurry up” and give him a treat. It is important that you praise and reward your dog immediately after he relieves himself so that he will associate the praise and positive reinforcement with going to the bathroom outside. If your dog does not relieve himself, bring him back inside and confine him in the crate. Keep him crated for 2-3 hours and then take him outside to the designated potty area ask him to go potty. If he relieves himself, reward him with verbal praise and offer him a tangible reward, such as a treat. If your dog does not relieve himself, return him to his crate and repeat the entire process until your dog does relieve himself. It is crucial that you remember to praise and reward your dog each time he relieves himself in the designated potty area.

Once you have had your dog relieve himself in the designated potty area, you can start to give your dog more room to play. You can do this gradually by first moving your dog into a larger fenced in area such as an exercise pen.  Continue the same process of taking your dog outside frequently and praising and rewarding him if he relieves himself outside. After your dog does this successfully a few times you can increase the area in which the dog is confined again. Continue to increase the area your dog is allowed to roam as well as the amount of time between trips outside until your dog is given free reign of the house and is able to refrain from soiling in the house for several hours.

]]>

The crate training method has both its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that it is a method that works very quickly and takes very little effort on the part of the dog owner. A dog’s natural instinct is to not soil in their eating and sleeping area so it is not difficult to keep them from doing so in their crate. Another advantage is that it is a method that works very quickly. A disadvantage to this method is that crates can be rather expensive. If you plan on using a crate throughout the dog’s life, then they are a good investment but if you only plan to use it for potty training, it is a pricey option.

Using a clicker is another other way to potty train your dog. A clicker is a small device that emits a clicking noise when you press a button. They are very inexpensive and can be purchased and most pet supply stores. The theory behind clicker training is that a dog will perform a desired behavior for the reward of hearing the clicking sound. It may sound unusual but clicker training is used by many dog trainers to teach behaviors. Dogs are not automatically excited by the sound of the clicker but that behavior is taught through a process called “loading the clicker”. Before you can begin any type of clicker training, it is important that you teach your dog to enjoy the sound of the clicker. This is known as loading the clicker and is done by pressing the button to make the clicking sound and when your dog responds to the sound, reward him with praise and a treat. Repeat this 15-20 times in a row for several days. By this time your dog will be responding to the clicker and you can use the clicker to begin potty training.

To potty train using the clicker method, take your dog outside to the designated potty area. Just like with the crating method, use a phrase such as, “Go potty” to encourage the dog to relieve himself. If he does so, reward him by clicking and giving him a treat. Again, it is important to click and treat immediately after the dog relieves himself so that he knows that he is being rewarded for relieving himself. If the dog doesn’t relieve himself, bring him back inside and wait an hour or two and then try taking him outside again. Unlike the crating method, you will need to keep a close eye on your dog when he is in the house. Watch for signs that he has to go out such as sniffing around on the ground. If you notice your dog doing this, take him outside immediately and see if he needs to relieve himself. If he does so, reward him by clicking and giving him a treat. After awhile your dog will realize that he is being rewarded for relieving himself outside and you will be on your way to having a potty trained dog.

There are also advantages and disadvantages to using a clicker to potty train your dog. One advantage is that you don’t need to purchase any expensive equipment for this method. A disadvantage is that you have to watch your dog very closely in between trips outside to ensure that they don’t relieve themselves in the house. Another disadvantage is that you need to teach the dog to respond to the clicker before you can begin potty training.

Paper training is a two step process for potty training your dog. Dogs are first trained to relieve themselves inside the house in a designated area such as on a newspaper. This behavior is trained the same way as with crate training and clicker training. You take the dog to a designated area and as them to “Go potty” or “Hurry up” and if they relieve themselves you praise and reward them and if they don’t you wait and hour or two and try again. Once you train the dog to relieve himself on the newspaper, you make the area of newspaper smaller and move it closer to the door. You continue to do this until you are outside and there is no more newspaper. Once this is achieved you have successfully potty trained your dog.

The advantage of paper training is that you don’t have to purchase any equipment for this method. You can use old newspapers or other old papers that you have around the house as the designated potty area. One disadvantage to this method is that it is a two step process so you will need to teach one behavior and then modify it until you have the desired behavior. Another disadvantage is that the first step teaches the dog to relieve himself inside the house and there is the risk that the dog may never learn the second part of the process.

There are a few general rules that apply to any method that you choose. You should watch your dog closely while potty training and do not give them an opportunity to fail. Watch for signs that your dog needs to go out and take them out quickly so that they don’t have a chance to soil in the house. If your dog does have an accident in the house, do not scold them. Clean the mess up quietly and don’t allow the dog to see that you are upset. They will not understand what they are being scolded for so it will not help the potty training process. Make sure you are giving your dog ample opportunity to relieve himself outside. Also, when your dog does relieve himself outside, be very generous with the praise and rewards. Make sure your dog knows that you are very happy with what he has just done.

Crating, clicker training and paper training are all effective methods for potty training your dog. All of them work relatively quickly and easily and, in most cases, will lead to having a potty trained dog in just a few weeks. All methods have there advantages and disadvantages and it is up to the owner to decide which method they think will work best for them and their dog. Whichever method you choose, it is important to be consistent and praise your dog when they relieve themselves outside.

More How To Potty Train Articles

Potty Training Puppy – 4 Important Tips For Effective Training!

If you have just purchased or adopted your puppy, one of the most basic puppies training tips you need to know is how to potty train your puppy. Forget about training your new puppy to obey your commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘fetch’ at this point in time. Why? Because if you do not want to return home everyday to clean up your puppy’s mess, then you better ensure that you apply whatever potty training puppy tips you have learnt from day one!

Before your puppy is effective potty trained, make sure you keep it away from your carpet and other wooden furniture. Only when it is able to eliminate its waste in the designated area do you allow it more freedom to roam your house. If you are wondering how long it will take for your puppy to be effective potty trained, it depends on the breed of your puppy. I have personally heard of puppies which take up to 3 months to be well trained but my own puppies took less than 1 month, so it all depends. Using the potty training puppy tips below will also help you to train your puppy more effectively and quickly. They are the exact tips I used when I trained my puppies.

1. Suitable venue
When you first bring your new puppy home, it will not know where it is supposed to dispose its waste. It is important that you decide on the puppy toilet right from the start for the simple reason that you cannot re-train it to use a different toilet after some time! Preferably, the toilet should be somewhere outdoors. If that cannot be done, train your puppy to use the same toilet that you use. However, if you decide to train your puppy to potty on newspapers, then you run the risk of it eliminating its waste on any newspapers that you might have accidentally left lying around in your house!

]]>

2. Consistent training
By consistent training, I’m referring to not changing the ‘toilet’ and also to check on your puppy every time it needs to potty. At the beginning, you need to check your puppy each time it dispose its waste. If it make a mistake, do not get angry with it or hit it. You can give it a light tap on its bottom and bring it to the correct potty immediately. Only then will it realize that it has made a mistake and learn the correct potty place.

Thus, for faster effect in potty training your puppy, you should be at home at all times during the first few months. A puppy is like a very young child; you cannot correct its mistake if you only find out about it a few hours later. Only by correcting it immediately can you see better results.

3. Best timing for the training
The best time to carry out potty training for your puppy is right after its meals. Thus if you are home, you can take your potty outdoors or to the toilet after its meals in the morning and at night. It is vital to leave a bowl of water for it all day long but you should remove the dish of food after your puppy had its fill during its meal times. You should make it a point to feed your puppy at the same time every day so that it has a proper routine. It will also learn to anticipate potty times as after meal times.

4. Positive re-enforcement
I should say that this is the most important potty training puppy tip of all because your puppy will grow up to be a happy and healthy dog only if it has lots of positive re-enforcements. Shower your puppy with lots of love and be very patient with it. Be prepared that there will be accidents but do not get angry or spank it. Instead, reward it with lots of praises when it manages to potty at the correct place. Do not expect to get results overnight or even for the first few months.

If you apply the above potty training puppy tips, you will be able to get your desired results over time but you need to be very patient and loving. Once your puppy is well-trained, you will have a very clean pet whose company you can get to enjoy for life so it is well worth the time and patience you put in now. Have fun!

More Potty Training Puppies Articles

Potty-training Your Chihuahua

Chihuahuas make wonderful pets. They are loving, loyal, and make great watch dogs. However, if you are thinking of getting one, you need to know how to potty-train your Chihuahua the right way.

Just like all small dog breeds, Chihuahuas oftentimes have difficulty becoming potty-trained. But don’t let this hinder your decision to own one. The benefits owning one outweigh this. Just follow these guidelines to help ensure your Chihuahua becomes potty-trained.

The best time to start potty-training your Chihuahua is when they are a puppy. But, keep in mind that puppies bladders are not fully developed until later.

* Take them outside to potty often. I recommend once an hour, every hour, for a puppy.

* Always take your Chihuahua to the same area outside. They will recognize the area and are more likely to go potty where they have already been.

]]>

* Say a simple phrase, such as “go potty” when you take your Chihuahua outside. They will start to associate the command with the action. Remember to only say one specific phrase, and keep saying it while you are outside. Saying different phrases can confuse your Chihuahua.

* When your Chihuahua goes potty outside, give them a doggie treat, and lots of petting. As you probably know, they love treats and will do about anything for them, including going potty.

* Unfortunately accidents will happen. When you see your Chihuahua going potty inside the house, just speak loudly “STOP”, or “NO”, and immediately take them back outside. You should never physically hurt your Chihuahua or stick their nose in it. This can have an adverse affect and really disrupt the training process.

* You should put your Chihuahua in a crate at night times and when you are away from home until they are potty trained. Most dogs don’t want to sleep in their own pee, so they will hold it. When you wake up or get back home, you should take your Chihuahua outside first thing.

* Monitor how much water your Chihuahua is drinking. Some dogs will literally drink until the bowl is dry, and what goes in must come out. You shouldn’t give your Chihuahua any water right before you put them up in their crate.

Potty-training your Chihuahua doesn’t have to be a headache if you follow these steps. Just be patient, consistent, and success will follow!

More Crate Potty Training Articles

How to Potty Train a Puppy

How to Potty Train a Puppy.  

Puppies have very small bladders. With very little bladder control. Remember that puppies are just babies. They are use to being in a pack. So your puppy will feel more comfortable to have you near when using the potty. If you leave your puppy outside to use the potty by himself. The puppy will cry, and want to come back inside with you. Puppies will learn best from you. So praise your puppy after it goes potty outside.  

Keep in mind that a feeding schedule is very important when potty training a puppy. Feed your puppy twice a day at the same time. Be consistent with this.  It will help your puppy to become regular, and on a potty routine.

Puppy potty training tips  

*  Let puppy outside to use the potty after eating.
*  Let puppy outside to use the potty first thing in the morning
*  Let puppy outside to use the potty before bed.
*  Let puppy outside to use the potty if he looks like he is dancing in circles, or sniffing.

Remember not to yell at your puppy if he has an accident inside. If he soils or poops inside. You need to bring him outside more often to use the potty.   Keep in mind it took you two or three years to learn to become potty trained. It only takes a puppy a couple of weeks. Pretty impressive.

Puppy training will be successful if you use training treats after your puppies goes potty. Your puppy will not always need treats after he uses the potty. Just until he is potty trained. Remember to use positive praise.

A List of Interesting Speech Topics

A List of Interesting Speech Topics

The following is a list of interesting speech topics. There are so many things you can talk about and maybe you will find an idea here. Here is a list of interesting speech topics on all sorts of subjects.

Abolishing the Death Penalty
Animal Rights
Are beauty contests harmful?
Are there Angels among us?
Avoiding Student Debt
Banning beauty contests
Banning Boxing
Boating
Bodyart
Books: wht to read?
Business Law
Buy diamonds for a fair price
Can terrorism ever be justified?
Can the assassination of a dictator be justified?
Caribbean
Cartoon characters
Cat Walk
Celebrities
Censoring the Internet
Chemicals
Climbing
Computer Science
Conspiracy
Cooking
Cycling
Dance
Do schools have the right to search students’ lockers?
Does television have a negative influence on society?
Drilling
E-mail SPAM
Entertainment
Essay Research
Ethnicity
European Union
Euthanasia
Famous conspiracy theories Animation an art
Fashion
Fitness
Flowers
Folktales
Foreign Politics
Funny songs in Schools
Funny Stories
Gardening
Gay marriages
Geography
Get a 4.0GPA without studying
Ghosts: Are they real
Gifts
Home Improvement
How to apply face paint
How to apply make-up
How to carve a pumpkin
How to clean golf clubs
How to count to 10 in French
How to decorate  a Christmas tree
How to Decorate a cake
How to Fold a flag
How to juggle
How to lay a table
How to lay a table
How to make a cocktail
How to make a paper aeroplane
How to make Christmas Decorations
How to pack a suitcase
How to paint a table
How to pass exams
How to Perform a card trick
How to play chess
How to play poker
How to send an email
How to Surf the Internet
How to tie a necktie
How to tie a tie
How to use a cell phone
How to wrap a present
Human Cloning
Immigration
Information Technology
Internet Broadcasts
Internet dating
Is it correct for university authorities to ban hate speech?
Is it morally acceptable to experiment on non-human animals to develop products and medicines that benefit human beings?
Is physical force a justifiable method of punishing children?
Is sport really good for us?
Jewelry
Keeping animals in zoos
Language
Laughing is a medicine
Lip Reading
Martial Arts
Mental Health
Metro Arts
Middle East Mining Safety
Missile Defence System
Motorsports
Music
New ways to save gasoline
Nursing
Olympics
Paparazzi
Parliamentary Procedures
Philosophy
Potty train your child in one day
Privacy rights
Prom Nights
Recreation
Recycling
Relationships
Religion
Roleplaying
Rural Living
Satire
Save money now, spend later
School Uniforms
Senior Health
Senses
Should ‘factory farming’ be banned?
Should acts of hate be criminalized?
Should assisted suicide be legalized?
Should cell phone use in cars be banned?
Should children be given sex education in schools, or should this be the responsibility of the parents?
Should continued office for public officials be dependent on (successfully) taking a drug test?
Should doctors be allowed to prescribe contraception for girls under the age of 16?
Should examinations be replaced with other forms of assessment?
Should flag burning as a form of protest be prohibited?
Should gambling be legalized and regulated?
Should governments be sending people into space?
Should governments censor material on the world wide web?
Should governments negotiate with terrorists?
Should HIV positive workers have to tell their employers of their status?
Should mothers stay at home to raise their children?
Should negative advertising in political campaigns be banned?
Should parents be held morally and legally responsible for the actions/needs of their children?
Should Physical Education in schools be compulsory?
Should popular consumerist images of women be banned because they are violent?
Should prostitution be legalized?
Should school students face mandatory drug-tests?
Should schools be allowed to teach creationism alongside evolution as part of their science curriculum?
Should schools require their students to wear a school uniform?
Should sex offenders be named and shamed?
Should the government censor lyrics of songs that are violent or expletive, for example “gangsta” rap?
Should the international ban on the hunting of whales be lifted?
Should the morning-after pill be banned?
Should the numbers of women in the legislature be raised artificially?
Should the present international ban on trading elephant ivory be lifted?
Should the state be fully privatized?
Should the state fund schools run by particular faiths?
Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport be legalized?
Should we ban the keeping of animals in circuses?
Should we ban the keeping of animals in zoos?
Should we be trying to prevent species becoming extinct? If so, why?
Should we legalize the sale of human organs?
Should young people be subjected to curfews as a way to reduce crime?
Single Parents
Sociology
Software
South America
Speak in text lingo / net lingo
Stem Cell Research
Stop bedwetting the safe way
Strength Sports
Teen Pregnancy
Telecommunications
Textiles
The Hippocratic Oath
Time Zones
Train your dog wisely
Transportation
Typography
Urban Legends
Use of Steroids
Virtual Reality
Visual Arts
Watching less TV
Water Sports
Wearing fur
Wearing Seatbelts
Weight Loss
What acts should be considered hate crimes?
Winter Sports
Working Mothers
Wrestling and Football: Should girls be allowed?
Writing Styles
Zeus
Zoology

Chihuahua puppies learning to sit on command at 9.5 weeks. If you are interested in owning a chihuahua visit our site at www.chihuahuasweelove.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Find More Potty Trained Dogs For Sale Articles

Potty Training Your Dog

There some things to consider when potty training your dog. Your dog has instincts that have been handed down to it for generations. Dogs are mostly clean animals and they do not like to sleep in their own mess. Some dogs will show a natural instinct on where they go potty. Some might prefer going on the grass or dirt, opposed to the sidewalk, driveway, or gravel. Learning what your puppies natural instinct is, will help you potty train it easier.  

The goal is to convince your new puppy that there is a separate place for potty and living. You will need to set up a small area for your dog to sleep in. Do not make it too large. This area can be in a corner of your living room, bathroom, kitchen. Put a bed and some toys in this area. You can make the bed out of a box or a large towel, whatever your new puppy feels comfortable sleeping on. You should spend a lot of time with your dog here, petting and playing with it. Your dog will learn that this area is a fun place to be. This is not the same thing a crate training. At first your dog will soil this area, but will eventually realize that it do not like sleeping in the mess. After your dog gets comfortable sleeping in this area, your next goal will be to move the area around your house. Keep moving it until the puppy is comfortable sleeping there, regardless where it is located. This will separate the sleeping area from  the bathroom area.

The next step is to create a bathroom area for your dog. This area should be very easy for your dog to get to. You will need to be with your dog in this area for awhile until it becomes accustomed to knowing that is the place to relieve itself. When your dog uses this area, you should praise it. Making sure your dog has easy access to the potty area is very important. If it cannot get to it, they will develop a habit of going in there sleep area, or somewhere else in your house. If this habit goes on for too long, it will be even harder to potty train your dog. Making sure your dog is on a regular eating schedule is also very important. Within time you will be able to tell when your dog needs to relieve itself, enabling you to put it in the potty area in time.

After your dog realizes the difference between the potty area and the sleeping area, its time to extend the sleeping area to an entire room. One room at a time. This part will take a lot of supervision on your part. Make sure your dog uses its potty area frequently. Do not let it establish the habit of soiling the room. You will spend lots of time with your new puppy here, playing with it, having fun with it. Eventually your dog will understand that this is an extension of its sleep area and will not want to soil it. After your dog becomes comfortable with this room, move onto the next room, doing the same thing. The point is to extend the sleep area to your entire house, giving your new dog the understanding that the potty area and the sleep area are two different things.

Potty training your dog takes a lot of work, for both you and it. Be patient. Never scold your dog for relieving itself somewhere other then the potty area, this will only confuse it and make the whole potty training take longer. Always praise your puppy when it relieves itself in the potty area. This will let the puppy know that is where it should go.

How to Train a New Puppy To Live in Your House

A puppy is just a baby and must learn what you expect of her. An older dog may have to learn new habits, depending upon how she was housed and trained before.

What Doesn’t Work.

You have probably heard someone say, “If the puppy makes a mistake, rub his nose in it,” or “Drag him to the site of disaster, point at the puddle or pile, and scold him.” Don’t use either of those methods. They don’t work. All you’ll do is frighten the pup and make a mess for yourself to clean up. A dog is so upset when he is being scolded that he can’t even begin to understand exactly what you are angry about.

What Does Work: 6 Easy Steps

1. Watch out for the signs. Be with your puppy as much as possible so that you can learn his different noise and behaviors. You will soon detect that the puppy behaves in a certain way immediately before he begins to relieve himself like when you see your pup start to circle and sniff the floor, he’s almost certainly looking for a place to potty. Watch for this cue and use it to your advantage.  You will only have a few seconds to get the puppy out to the place you want him to use. Don’t scold him if you are not fast enough.

2. Pick out your potty area. Pick a spot that you want your puppy to use as his potty area. Place a piece or two of his stool in that spot. This will be a cue to the pup. Take him to that spot immediately after eating. Praise him gently the instant he starts to relieve himself. The praise must be quiet and calm so that you won’t excite him to a point that he forgets what he started to do. When finished, shower him with praises and let him play in another area.

3. Be patient. Don’t play with your pup until he relieves himself. If he does not relieve himself within 10 minutes, put him in his crate and try the whole thing again in about 20 minutes.

4. Keep the potty area clean. Clean up the area everyday, leaving a small piece behind as a reminder for a few days. Once you are sure that the pup understands what the potty area is for, clean up the area completely each day

5. Maintain control. If your puppy is very small, you may have to carry him to the potty spot. Or take him out wearing a collar and leash. Never let the puppy follow you without any type of restraint. Keep a leash and collar by the door.

6. Introduce the puppy to the house in small steps. Confine the pup to a single room at first, preferably one with a tiled floor. Put a baby gate across the entrance when possible. You must be able to observe the puppy when he is out of the crate, so don’t lock him in the bathroom. The best time to allow the puppy freedom in his room is after he has relieved himself outdoors. When you are confident with his behavior, gradually allow him freedom to the rest of the house. Too much too soon may allow him to spot a nook or cranny as a perfect spot to relieve himself. Just take it slow and you will have a reliable puppy.

How to Choose Your Best Friend

* Try a shelter or rescue first. I know everyone says to go to an animal shelter to look for a dog first, but it’s true. Most of the dogs there are perfectly normal, loving animals, simply looking for a family to love. Some may need some lessons in manners or potty training, but they are otherwise healthy and will be much happier if you take them home!

A dog at a shelter could be there for many reasons, some good, some bad, but most all of the reasons will be of no fault to the dog. Perhaps the owner was elderly and died, or was moved to a care facility where pets weren’t allowed. Perhaps the dog was a birthday present for a young child who ended up being allergic to it. And yes, a growing number of dogs are in shelters because their owners lost their home or apartment and had to move in with a non-pet friendly relative, neighbor, or homeless shelter.

Some dogs are in a shelter because they bit someone or have bad temperaments, but most dogs are well-behaved and maybe a little bit scared to be in such a loud, unfamiliar place without the people they once loved.

Adopting a dog from a shelter is MUCH cheaper than a pet store, usually between -0, depending on the age & breed of the dog. You can ask all the questions you want about any dog that interests you, and you should be able to spend some quality time alone with the animal, indoors and outdoors. This time spent with the dog is good for learning about each other.

* A good idea is, after you & the dog have had a friendly meeting, gently roll the dog over onto his back and gently but firmly hold him there. Expect him to struggle a little bit or be confused, but he should NOT bite you or struggle too hard, or whimper. A whimper might mean that he’s injured somewhere on the inside and you’re hurting him. A struggling dog means that it may be difficult to teach him that YOU are the boss; not him. He may be used to being the pack leader. A biting dog means that you do not want to adopt him. He is scared and lashed out by biting you. He could bite your children, your wife, your neighbor, your other pets…..He simply may not have a docile, sweet temperament. Pick another dog.

* Another thing to consider when choosing your new best friend, whether from a shelter or a pet store, is how big will your friend get when he’s an adult? Will he be small enough to fit in your tiny efficiency apartment, or will he require a backyard to run in? It is not fair to buy a dog that you cannot sufficiently support, feed, and exercise.

* One more thing: make sure you buy your dog at a reputable establishment, whether a private breeder, a pet store, or a shelter. Make sure you obtain paperwork detailing the history of his shots & vaccinations. Most pet stores even have a 3-day return policy, where you can return the animal for a full refund within 3 days if you bring him home and for whatever reason, he’s not the right fit for you or your family. Ask about this option with shelters & breeders.

More Potty Training Dogs In Apartments Articles

Helpful Hints For The New Pet Owner

Here are some helpful hints for new pet owners. Remember, your pet depends on you to look after it. Providing your pet with all the love, attention and care that they deserve will make them be a much happier, healthier pet and a best friend for life!

House Training:

One way to house train a puppy every time he does potty or pee inside the house, whether you are at home or not to see this happen at the time, walk over and pick him up, take him over to the poop and rubbed his little nose right in the middle of it. Whether it was poop or pee, rub their little noses in it and when you are doing this, give them a very stern NO! Then pick him/her up and take him/her outside and place their nose down on the grass and rub their nose very gently along the top of the grass and tell them that this is where to go potty. Leave them outside a little while each time they make a mess. Then every time he or she does their doggy business outside, tell them what a good boy/girl they are.

If you use this method every time your puppy goes poop in the house, within three weeks time, he or she will be house trained. You can also train a puppy to do his pooping and peeing on newspapers but if you teach your puppy to do his business on the newspapers, do not teach him to go both inside and outside the house to do his poo/pee. This will only confuse the puppy. Just pick one method and stick to it. Using newspapers or doggy pads to house train puppies is a very messy way of house training because if you use doggy training pads or newspapers, most puppies are going to just chew all this up and make a big mess but it does work.

Note:

You can reward them with a treat but if you do this every time they go outside and pee/poop, they will associate receiving a treat each time they go outside and will just bug the crap out of you to go out every second just to get that treat. You can just tell them what a good boy/girl they are whenever they do their business outside but only reward them with a treat every now & then. Reward your puppy with a good scratch on his ears. They love that!

For kittens, just show them where their litter box is and nature will take over.

Food:

There are many choices of pet food that is specifically formulated for puppies and kittens to give them the necessary vitamins & minerals that their little growing bodies need. You do not want to feed an eight-week-old puppy or kitten an adult food because this does not contain the necessary nutrients that puppies and kittens need to grow into strong and healthy adult animals. Adult pet food does not contain the higher levels of protein, vitamins and minerals, which young puppies and kittens need to let them grow up healthy, happy & strong. For smaller breed dogs such as Chihuahuas, you can leave food out for them all the time even after they reach one year of age so they can nibble on throughout the day. Larger breed dogs can be fed only once a day after they reach one year of age. Just be sure that you feed the right size of kibble to your puppy. Choose small bites for small puppies such as Chihuahuas and go for a larger size kibble for breeds of dogs such as a German Shepherd. Dry pet food is sometimes too hard for puppies and kittens to chew so what you can do is moisten their dry food with a little water so they will be able to eat better. Eight-week-old puppies & kittens have tiny little teeth, which makes it a difficult chore for them to eat the dry food.

Keep your pet on puppy and or kitten food up until they reach one year of age and then slowly switch over to a good quality brand of adult food. The way to switch your pet to adult food without causing any stomach problems or diarrhea, is to mix in some of the puppy/kitten food with the adult food and each day add more of the adult food and less of the other. You can feed your pet only the new food after just one week without mixing the old food in and without causing the animal to have diarrhea. Always keep fresh water available at all times.

ID Tags & Collars:

An important thing to remember about placing a collar around your pet’s neck when they are young is that as the animal grows, so do their necks. The tightness of the collar needs to be checked at least once a month and adjusted to the animals growing and replace the small collar with a new one as the animal grows. What happens if a collar becomes too tight around the puppies neck and is left there and is not loosened, then the collar will become embedded down into the flesh around the entire neck of the puppy and will cause deep wounds and severe trauma to the neck that will require immediate attention by a vet. Another important thing to remember is that if you have a teeny tiny puppy such as a  Chihuahua, a lot of times the collars and ID tags are much bigger than the puppy and this can cause them to get one or their front legs caught in the collar.

Bathing:

Bathing a pet can be a harrowing experience for both the pet and their owner and using the correct shampoo is important. Dogs that are under the age of 8 weeks cannot be bathed using a flea and tick shampoos because of the insecticides that are in the shampoos are harmful. For pets under the age of 8 weeks, use Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and follow with the conditioner after the shampoo is rinsed out. Baby shampoo is mild and gentle and is safe to use on dogs and kittens under the age of 8 weeks. Any fleas that are on the animals will die.

Once an animal reaches 8 weeks and over then a stronger flea and tick shampoo can be used if you prefer or you can continue using Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo and conditioner. Be sure and rinse all of the shampoo and conditioner out of your pet’s fur because the thoroughness of this final rinsing is important. Even the smallest amount of soap and or conditioner left on the ani­mal can cause severe irritation of the skin and this is one of the most common causes of eczemas in animals.

Toenails

It is a good practice to get into the habit of trimming your pet’s toenails at least once a month when they are still puppies because their nails grow so fast and are sharp and pointed which is easier for their nails to become caught in carpeting. This could cause a toenail to be ripped right off the cuticle. Give them a manicure regularly to keep the toenails trimmed down to prevent any accident from happening and get them used to having their paws touched. If you do cut the nails too short, just rinse the entire paw off under warm water and then wet a washcloth with warm water and wrap the cloth around the animal’s paw and place slight pressure on the paw for twenty minutes and the bleeding should stop. Be sure and remember to trim the dewclaws on puppies too.

Ears:

You can clean your puppies and kitten’s ears at least once a week and every time they have a bath by using a cotton ball and dabbing a little bit of baby oil on to it and wipe the part of the ear that is exposed to view and you can go down inside the ear just far enough as to not loose the cotton ball. A Q-tip dipped in alcohol also works well as long as the ears have no infection in them. Just do not go far down into the canal of the ear because you can damage their ear canal with a Q-tip. If your pet’s ears feel too warm or almost hot to the touch, this could mean that there is an infection somewhere so you should take your pet to see your local veterinarian.

Vitamin

A vitamin & mineral supplement can be added to your pet’s food daily or it can be given to them directly. Having a healthy pet plays an important role in them leading a long and healthy life. Pet owners might need to supplement their dog/cats diet to ensure they are giving them all of the nutrients they need. Pet vitamins are available in chewable tablets, powder, and capsules for both dogs and cats.

Pet Tabs Vitamin and Minerals for dogs can be found at Petsmart for a bottle of 60 chewable tablets for .99. They also carry a vitamin and mineral supplement for cats called Nutrish-Um, which comes in a 2.5-ounce tube. You squeeze a dab of the vitamin supplement onto your finger and then wipe this on to your cat’s mouth right below their little noses and they lick it off.

Sources:

I worked as a veterinary technician for 10 years & learned a lot of valuable information.

 DISCLAIMER:

 I am not a licensed vet but I did learn many useful tips and information during my years working for one. The above information is intended for educational purposes only and shall not take the place of seeking professional medical advice from a licensed veterinarian.

Five Things You Should Know About the Shih Tzu Breed

The shih tzu breed of dogs — a “regal” breed, kept in Chinese royals who pampered them in palaces — are affectionate, loving, and loyal. But there are five things you should know about the shih tzu breed before you bring one of these furry bundles of love into your home.

1) Housebreaking them isn’t easy.

While trainable, shih tzus take a lot of time and patience. And even after being housebroken, some males still enjoy marking their territory within the house, especially in areas that may have been previously off-limits. So understand the amount of patience you’ll need to train this breed of dog, and know that they may never be fully housebroken.

2) They are NOT hypoallergenic.

While their fur is more like human hair than dog fur, that doesn’t mean that people with pet allergies get a free pass with a shih tzu. If you have a pet allergy, you might find yourself less allergic than you might be with dogs who shed more, but having a shih tzu is no guarantee of having a hypoallergenic pet! They still have “dander,” which is more the cause of a pet allergy than the fur of the pet. So be forewarned!

3) They get bigger than you might think.

There is no such thing as a true “teacup” or “imperial” shih tzu. Any shih tzu under 9 lbs. is considered underweight by American Kennel Club standards. In fact, the standard ranges from 9 lbs. all the way up to 16 lbs. Smaller dogs are the exceptions, and they certainly are not acceptable for breeding. Don’t let any breeder fool you into thinking that a smaller shih tzu is a more expensive and desirable type of shih tzu. It’s not. In fact, it’s literally the runt of the litter.

4) They are EXTREMELY social.

They’ll want to be with you so badly, they’ll follow you everywhere, and when they are puppies, you’ll need to be really careful about them getting under your feet. As adults, they’ll happily sit in your lap without even being invited. Unfortunately, some get so attached to you that they won’t even stay outside to do their duty if they see you going back inside the house. So it’s important to set some boundaries with shih tzus, if you don’t want them constantly on top of you or sleeping on your bed at night.

5) They need a LOT of grooming.

If you want them to have that long, lush, “lion”-like look with their hair pulled up in a little bow on the top of their head, you’ll have a lot of brushing to do. To keep them in that “show” style, you will be brushing them daily. The solution to daily grooming is to have their hair cut in a very short style. However, their hair grows very quickly, so you’ll find yourself back at the dog groomer at least once every two months, ideally every month to keep the coat from matting.

Many people don’t know about the “downside” to shih tzus. Breeders and aficionados will be the last to say they aren’t perfect. But shih tzus are also very affectionate to their family members. They take it upon themselves to be the “keepers” of the entire family. They are extremely loyal and make very good watch dogs. Their longevity of 15 or more years ensures that you’ll have that loyal friend for a significant part of your life. And, of course, they are just so darn cute.

Next Page »