Training Tips for New Pups: Part I

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Oliver at about 4 Months

While I'm a staunch believer that you really can teach an old dog new tricks (Xena proved it!), this series is intended for puppies and focused on house training. Whether you have a new puppy or a rescue that needs to bolster his indoor potty manners, this series of articles is meant for you.

Let's start with a few basic assumptions. Most puppies and dogs prefer not to soil their own bedding, and to that end will go as far away from their sleeping spot as possible to leave their deposits, when the time comes. If you're doing your part staying on top of teaching, this will happen. Your part is what we'll be covering in the remaining parts of this series. For now, try to be sure to take your pup out to the same spot frequently, allowing him to spend unsupervised time in his crate.

Crate training has been proven to provide the best results toward this goal and we now know that most dogs can and do learn to enjoy this private space where they can have quiet time and no worries of being stepped on while snoozing in an active household. We'll cover some tips for helping your dog learn to love his crate as much as Oliver does. All I have to do is say "Oliver Go Nite-Nite" and off he runs:

When training a young puppy, realize that you are helping this little one learn to hold it until the appropriate opportunity presents itself. The key word here is appropriate. It's up to you to reinforce what is appropriate, so that your pup gains an understanding of what you deem acceptable. 

Keep in mind that if you're house training a rescued dog that has had a prior home or no house training, he'll need the same patience and more to understand the new rules, having run by a different set of rules previously. Don't hold this against him; patience will get you there faster than agitation.

courtesy Amazon

Until Part II, please get prepared. You'll need a collar and leash, treat pouch for your waist, very small training treats with a strong scent, and a crate. Armed with these tools, you'll also need to make a decision where you would like your pup to go each and every time he needs to potty. See ya soon for Part II when I'll begin covering each of the above topics in greater detail.

Happy tails,

Watch Event Barkers, DogTipper and 5 Minutes for Fido for news of an upcoming Twitter Party featuring a key product from this series.