Generally, dogs are very clean animals – they won’t soil close to
where they eat, or where they sleep. But living in a house is unnatural
for an animal whose instincts would be to roam wherever she wants to go,
so you will have to help her learn where and when she can relieve
herself.
It is essential that you form good toilet habits for your dog as
early on as possible. Trying to break the habit of a dog is quite
difficult and it can be very frustrating. You need to use guidance and
encouragement to help the pet. Animal behaviorists have some helpful
tips that you can use to help with the housebreaking of your pet.
Believe it or not, dogs are sanitary creatures. If a dog does soil
accidentally in the wrong place, it is likely that it will be far from
his dog dish, at least six to ten feet. This is true for the place where
the dog sleeps as well. But, unless you find a good place for her to go
and train her in that manner, the rest of your house is okay to them.
The process for housebreaking a dog is the same if he is a puppy or
an adult dog new to your home. You’ll need to take him outside every few
hours and also 30 minutes after he eats. Take your pet to the
designated bathroom spot. Stay with the pet until she goes, and then
praise her when she does. If she does not go, bring her back inside and
try again in fifteen minutes. Watch her though. If the dog starts
sniffing and circling take them out right away as this is a sign that
she is about to go. Pay attention to her signs and take her out. Soon,
she will relate to going outside to going to the bathroom.
Some dogs are housebroken much faster than others. Some dog’s
personality will cause her to go one way or the other. But, if you take
her outside at the right time, it will go smoother. A puppy of less than
four months old will need to go out during the night. Older puppies can
hold it that long. A dog that cries to be let out has an urgent need.
Get up and take her out, she needs every chance to succeed that she can
get. Positive reinforcement is necessary for success.
How you treat accidents will affect your dog’s overall learning
curve. If you catch your dog going in the act, distract her with a clap
or call her name. Take her outside calmly at that time and praise her
for finishing outside. Clean up any accident that you find on the floor.
If the dog approaches during this time, ignore her. Don’t talk to or
punish her at this point. The worst thing that you can do is to yell at
her or physically punish her. This will cause her to fear you and to not
bond as well to you. She won’t connect it to the accident at all.
Ignoring her is the best course of action here.
Finally, if all that doesn't work, consider using the newspaper method
Finally, if all that doesn't work, consider using the newspaper method