Nipping Chewing in the Bud

Welcome to this issue in our newsletter! We will be discussing the problem of chewing in this issue and looking at different ways that it can be overcome!

Chewing

It is very common for puppies to chew when they are teething. The act of chewing helps their teeth break through the gums. Older dogs, generally chew if they are bored or anxious.

If a dog is bored, it is because he has built up so much energy, but has run out of ways to exert it. So he finds something interesting to chew.

The only problem is, is that he doesn’t know what is permissible to chew unless you have taught him. So the sooner you teach him, the less likely he will chew your household items.

A dog may also chew if he has been left alone and not within the comfort of his own crate. This is known as a “spite chewer.” He is upset that you have left him so he will start chewing as soon as you leave.

By keeping your dog in a crate when you leave your house, you are not “punishing” him, rather you are keeping him in a safe and comfortable environment. You can place lots of fun chew toys in the crate to keep him occupied while you are away. If you don’t keep him in a crate while you are gone and instead let him roam about, he will help himself to chew on anything he wants!

When you return home to find that your dog is in the act of chewing something he shouldn’t be, give a sharp “no,” but do not yell. Take the object away and ignore him for five to ten minutes. If you start to play with him or feed him, he will think he is being rewarded for the chewing.

If you don’t catch your dog in the act of chewing, don’t scold your dog, but instead ignore him. Some trainers recommend that you pick up the destroyed object and look at it angrily. However, you don’t want your dog to misinterpret that as you are upset with him (even though you are!)

Prevent Chewing

There are some proactive steps you can take to help eliminate the act of chewing. These steps can be used by puppies and adult dogs.

• Puppy-proof – As you learned earlier in this E-book, you need to puppy-proof your home. Even if your dog is older, you still need to take precautions to make potentially-destructive objects out of your dog’s reach.
• Provide Toys – Make sure your dog has a plentiful selection of chew toys available to him at all times.
• Provide Sound – Instead of turning off the television or radio when you leave the house, turn them on. The extra background noise will help your dog feel more at ease.
• Increase Exercise – Providing your dog with frequent exercise will help him burn off excess energy that he could otherwise use towards items in your home.

Correct Chewing

It is your responsibility to initiate training to correct your dog’s chewing problem. Practice this training by placing some inappropriate objects on the floor, such as a book, a shoe, etc.

As he approaches the inappropriate object, give the “leave it” command. Take the object away and replace it with a chew toy or bone. Once the dog starts chewing the chew toy or bone, praise him.

Practice this training exercise several times a day with many different inappropriate objects.

That’s a wrap for this issue of our newsletter. Remember that if chewing or other behavior issues continue to be a problem, you can always learn more from good quality dog training resources.

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Jumping-What you Need to Know to Stop it

Welcome! Is your dog a jumper? If so, you are definitely not alone. Many dogs are prone to jumping and it can create big issues. If your dog is a jumper, read on for details to find out how you can discourage it and put a stop to it.

If your dog is a jumper, one thing that should be understood about dogs is that many, if not most, of them are naturally prone to jumping. It is part of their nature and it is one of the most common ways that they demonstrate excitement.

It can be quite cute when your dog is a puppy and he jumps on you when you return home from work. It is a completely different story when your dog is much bigger, particularly if he is a larger breed of dog.

Keep in mind that if you do not wish your dog to jump on others you must not allow him to jump on you either. Your dog has no way of being able to discern the difference. If you allow your dog to jump on you, then it should not really come as any surprise when he jumps on the next guest that walks through the door. The best way to curb this type of behavior is to simply not allow your dog to jump on anyone; yourself included.

Whether you have a puppy that you wish to train not to jump or it is an older dog that is already in the habit of jumping, it is important to understand that this habit can be broken. For that is exactly what it is; a bad habit. Just like with humans, it can take some time for dogs to break a bad habit. In fact, you may find it helpful to replace your dog’s bad habit of jumping with something else that is positive, such as sitting and waiting for attention or praise.

Teaching your dog not to jump will take some time, so you must make sure that you exercise patience when training your dog. Do not allow yourself to lose your temper. Work with him consistently and you will begin to see results.

When trying to teach your dog not to jump on people, keep in mind that the best thing you can do it to pre-empt the behavior. Pay attention and be aware of your dog’s behavior so that you will know whether he is about to jump on you or someone else. If you see that your dog is about to jump on you, raise your knee and tell your dog ‘off.’ When you raise your knee it will automatically make it more difficult for your dog to jump on you and he will begin to understand that he is not to do this.

In order for this technique to be effective, you must make sure that you do it before he actually jumps on you. If you wait until he has already jumped on you to raise your kneed then your dog could be hurt and that, of course, should always be avoided.

Keep in mind that dogs do not understand that they can jump sometimes and not at others. You must be consistent with your dog. He is not able to discern that it is okay to jump on you when you are wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but not while you are wearing business clothes. Therefore, in order to avoid confusing your dog, it is simply best to make sure that you do not ever allow your dog to jump on you or anyone else.

Always make sure that you provide plenty of praise when your dog does as you command and does not jump in order to continue maintaining the appropriate behavior.

Like any other problem behavior, you can teach your dog not to jump through consistent, dedicated practice. Good quality dog training resources can also help you through the process of teaching your dog not to jump. Until next time, all the best to you and your dog.

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Housetraining-The Good, the Bag and the Ugly

Welcome! In this issue we are going to discuss one of the most difficult aspects of welcoming a new dog into your family-housetraining! While housetraining is often an issue with puppies, it can also be a problem with older dogs at times as well.

One of the very first training exercises you will want to work on with a new puppy or an adult dog moving into your home is-housetraining! Housetraining is indeed a real test of your patience, but it is one of the first opportunities that you and your puppy will have to bond.

Housetraining is a lot of hard work, but it is necessary. You will need to have a lot of patience-and maybe even a sense of humor-as you train your dog. But don’t worry, after all of your hard work, you will have a dog that is housetrained!

When it comes to housetraining, every dog succeeds at a different rate. It takes some dogs only a few weeks to learn, where it may take other dogs several months.

Here is perhaps the most important thing to know about housetraining: The rate at which the puppy succeeds is determined by the amount of consistent training that you as the owner give him. Good quality dog training resources can help you to make this process much easier.

You should begin housetraining your puppy as soon as he arrives home, which is generally around 7 or 8 weeks. It is important to understand that he does not have full sphincter muscle control, so puppies are not able to hold their bladder and bowel movements for very long periods of time.

Training the Older Dog

If you are bringing an older dog into your home that has not yet been housetrained, it may be more of a challenge. Older dogs already have developed their habits, so it will take time to retrain him. However, it can be done!

All of the lessons below can be applied to both the younger and older dog. It may just take longer with the older dog, so be patient.

Additionally, older dogs eliminate fewer times than puppies throughout the day, so you have fewer opportunities in the day to train him.

Things to Know about Housetraining

Before you begin housetraining with your dog, there are some basics that you should know. Including:

Where Dogs Won’t Eliminate

Dogs develop natural preferences for where they want to eliminate. For example, dogs usually don’t want to eliminate where they eat, sleep, and spend their time.

You may be wondering “So why does my dog eliminate on the rug?” The reason is probably because he was expected to “hold it” too long and wasn’t let outside. Or, he may have gotten overly excited about something.

Physical Capacity to “Hold It”

Young puppies will need to eliminate every one to two hours during the day when they are active. If your pup has been eating, drinking, playing, or exercising a lot, he may need to go even more. They may or may not be able to hold it throughout the night. Generally, the younger the puppy is, the less he can hold it.

Older dogs that are healthy have the ability to hold it for six to eight hours during the day and eight to ten hours over night.

Then, once you see a pattern, let him out 10-15 minutes before that scheduled time. Of course, he may need to go out more if he has been eating, drinking, playing, or exercising more frequently.

If the situation arises when you need to leave your dog for a longer period than which he can hold it, don’t keep him in his crate. Rather, put him in a small room such as a laundry room or bathroom where he can eliminate in an area on newspaper if he needs to, and still keep his sleeping and food area separate.

This is the conclusion to this issue of our newsletter, but make sure you watch for our next issue because we will be discussing more critical elements involved in dog training. You can also find more information in the resource box below.

All the best until next time!

Sharda Baker

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios. Click here for more dog training help and advice.

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Handling Aggressive Dogs

Welcome! In this issue of our newsletter we are going to explore some of the issues that are related to handling aggressive dogs. While it would certainly be hoped that your puppy or adult dog would be quite compliant and well-behaved, the simple fact of the matter is that some dogs have a tendency to be rather aggressive. Read on to find out more!

There are some instances where a dog may be even more aggressive than the type of dog that we discussed in the previous chapter. The more aggressive dog will go beyond nipping and light biting and will exhibit behavior such as attempting to really bite humans and may even be aggressive with other dogs in public as well.
When handling aggressive dogs, it is important to make sure that you first avoid any triggers that would seem to set off your dog. This is part of the importance of getting to know your dog so that you will understand what might trigger your dog to display an act of aggression.

Behavior that is inappropriate is usually learned. The longer this type of behavior is allowed to continue the more difficult it will be to change. The importance of aborting this type of behavior as soon as it is recognized cannot be overemphasized. While it will take longer to teach an adult dog that this type of behavior will not be tolerated, it can be done. The key is to become committed to working with your dog and sticking with it. Good quality dog training resources can be critical in helping you and your dog work through these types of issues.

One of the most important things you musst do when working with an aggressive dog is to teach him to defer to you. Your dog must absolutely learn to defer to you in everything that he does. Before your dog is allowed to do anything, whether it is go in or out, eat, play or anything else, your dog must learn that he must defer to you. Whether your dog is an adult or a puppy, this is absolutely critical. Although it may take longer, no dog is too old to learn this principle. This will provide you and your dog the opportunity to have a closer, more trusting relationship and also help you to control your dog as well.

Beginning immediately, your dog must learn that he will need to earn everything that he wants. The way he does this is by deferring to you. When you are working to teach your dog to defer to you, you will need to work with him consistently on a daily basis. As we discussed earlier, your dog has a short attention span, so you do not want to overdo training. Limit your training session to about fifteen or twenty minutes; once or twice per day.

In addition, make sure that you do not hit your dog or scream at him when you are working with him. This is completely unacceptable and will not accomplish anything other than to make your dog fear you and that can actually make aggression much worse.

Before you can actually teach your dog to defer to you, he must know how to sit and stay. Therefore, if he does not already know these commands, you will need to invest some time in teaching him the sit and stay commands.

In our next issue we will continue to look at some of the most important issues related to dog training. You can find out additional information about dog training issues and solutions below. Until next time, all the best!

Sharda Baker

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios. Click here for more dog training help and advice.

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The Difference between the Down and Off Commands

Learning commands can be an excellent way for your dog to behave better and have a more enjoyable interaction with you and your family. While commands can be beneficial, many people have a tendency to confuse two particular commands. Those commands are ‘down’ and ‘off.’ Learning to use these commands appropriately can make a big difference in how well your dog responds in certain situations.

The Down Command

Now that your dog knows the “sit” command, the down command will be a snap! Start by luring your dog into the “sit” position. Hold a treat in your right hand between your thumb and index finger, with your palm facing down towards the floor. Your hand will be in front of your dog’s nose.

Lower your hand slowly to the floor behind your dog’s right paw and then back towards his buttocks. When you lower the food on at an angle to the floor, keep it close to your dog’s body. Your dog will follow the lure and he will lie down on his hip. (This is called a “relaxed down” which is a safe and stable position for the dog’s body.)

Once he is lowered all the way to the floor, give him the treat. Repeat this several times until you are confident that he will go down every time.

Once he does, start adding his name and the command, such as “Rover down.” Once he is lying down, reward him with the treat and give him words of praise such as “Yes, Rover, good boy!”

Repeat this exercise several times at different locations throughout the house and in the backyard. Make sure there are plenty of distractions around so you can work on his concentration too.

Once he has mastered the “down” command, put him on the leash and practice it while walking for the best benefits.

The “Off” Command

The “off” command differs from the “down” command in that you use “off” when you want your dog to get off of a person or piece of furniture. Be sure to keep this in mind when you are trying to determine which command is best in certain situations.

This command is especially useful for when you or visitors walk through the front door. Your dog may get so excited that he stands on his two hind legs, with his two front legs up on you or the visitor.

To practice this command, have a treat in your right hand and hold it up high and close to your body. Your dog will try to reach up for it, so move your right arm with the treat to the right and down.

When your dog has all four legs on the ground, verbally praise him and give him the treat. Once you are confident that he will get down every time, start saying “Rover, off” right before he is down. Then praise him and give him a treat to encourage correct behavior.

Repeat this exercise several times at different locations throughout the house, especially at all of the doors, where this behavior will most likely happen.

Keep in mind that using the down and off commands appropriately and in the right circumstances can make a big difference in how your dog responds. Need help with applying the down and off commands? Good quality dog training resources can make the process much easier.

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Coping with Separation Anxiety

Welcome! Do you have problems with your dog missing you too much when you must be away due to work or other activities? It is actually not that uncommon of a problem, although it can certainly be distressing for both dogs as well as their owners.

This issue is known as separation anxiety and there are ways to effectively cope with it and make it easier for your dog to deal with those times when you must be away.

Signs of Separation Anxiety

There are many signs of separation anxiety including: barking, chewing, defecating, digging, excessive salivating, scratching, and urinating. Chewing, digging, and scratching are signs of your dog trying to “escape.” Barking, defecating, excessive salivating, and urinating are signs of anxiety and fear.

Causes of Separation Anxiety

Such causes of separation anxiety include genetics, lack of socialization, lack of training, lack of confidence, mistreatment by a previous owner, extensive confinement, and too much bonding with the owner. As you can see, most of these are the owner’s responsibility.

Treatment of Separation Anxiety

There are things that you can do to prevent separation anxiety. When you put your dog in his crate, don’t have a long, emotional good-bye. Simply, walk away. It is even a good idea to ignore your dog 5 minutes before you leave. If you draw attention to your departure, your dog will worry when the love and emotion is suddenly stopped.

Also try and teach your dog not to associate certain behaviors of yours with your leaving the house and being away for hours. Dogs, as we have learnt in Chapter 1 are good at associating certain actions with certain outcomes. You may have noticed for example that as dress for work, or pick up your car keys, your dogs begins to get anxious.

Try changing your dog’s negative associations to your behaviors to positive ones.
For example, on a weekend, dress for work, pick up the car keys and go outside for a few minutes only, then come back inside and give your dog a treat. You dog will eventually begin to associate you getting ready for work as a positive association rather than a negative one.

Make sure you have plenty of treats and toys in your dog’s crate to keep him entertained while you are away. If your dog always knows that he’ll have treats when you leave, it won’t be as traumatic for him.

Before you leave, turn on a radio or television so your dog has some noise. A talk station is more effective than music, because the sound of human voices could comfort him. You could even tape your own voice.

When you return home, don’t give your dog any emotion or attention when you let him out of his crate. This will reinforce that being outside of the crate is better than being inside the crate. Let him outside to eliminate immediately.

In extreme causes a calmative type medication may be prescribed for you dog by your Vet.

Separation anxiety is something that should improve over time. However, if it does not, or if your dog shows signs of extreme aggression when he is let out, seek a professional trainer and/or see your Vet for further assistance.

When you pay close attention to your dog’s behavior, you are better able to identify his bad behaviors and correct them through training exercises. Your dog wants your attention and love, so when use this to your advantage when you are training. Keep in mind that good quality dog training resources can help with this issue.

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Dog Days-How Training Benefits Both Pet Owners And Pets

Welcome! Whether you are a new pet owner or you have had a pet in your home for some time, you know how delightful, and frustrating, owning a pet can be.

The joy of bringing a new puppy or dog into your household can be insurmountable. After all, there is no relationship quite like the one that is developed between you and your dog.

A dog can provide unconditional love, hours of entertainment, and genuine friendship. Or, a dog can provide unconditional messes, hours of destruction, and a genuine nuisance!

How do you ensure that your dog behaves in the manner of the first scenario described above? If you are thinking that the answer is “breed” you are partially correct. Indeed, breed does play a role in a dog’s behavior. But an even greater factor in the dog’s behavior is based on the training he receives. Good dog training resources can go a long way toward helping.

The Benefits of Training

If you are like most people, you are extremely busy. Some days, there just doesn’t seem like enough hours to take care of yourself, let alone a dog! But, the time that you spend training your dog will reward you and your relationship for many, many years to come.

There are five main benefits of training:

1. It builds a relationship.
2. It corrects behavioral problems.
3. It stimulates intellect.
4. It encourages inclusion.
5. It saves time.

Let’s explore each benefit in further detail.

1. Training Builds a Relationship.

   There is no better way to create a bond with your dog than through the process of training. You may think that training begins at the time you decide to try new tricks, but it actually begins at the very moment you acquire your dog.

   Your dog is constantly watching you and learning from your actions. He learns from the way you react to his actions. He looks to you for guidance, for food, for warmth, for comfort, and for playtime.

2. Training Corrects Behavioral Problems.

   Barking at anyone who passes by the front window, chewing up your favorite pillows, digging through your freshly planted garden, bolting out of an open door…do any of these actions look familiar to you?

   When you have developed a trusting bond with your dog, you can teach him how to correct these behavioral problems. He will learn by your reactions whether or not his actions are acceptable to you. No doubt, he will test his limits!

3. Training Stimulates Intellect.

   Yes, it is true that dogs are very curious creatures. With exposure to so many unusual smells, sights, and sounds, dogs can’t help but want to explore. It’s in their nature!

   Most dogs have the capacity to be very intelligent. But, they need to be stimulated first, and then they will be motivated to learn. Training is a huge benefit for stimulating your dog’s intellect.

4. Training Encourages Inclusion.The sense of “inclusion” is very important to a dog’s security. From the earliest days of being a part of a litter, your dog feels comfortable being a part of the pack. That includes the pack of your household.You may be the primary dog trainer, but everyone in your family or household should take the time to train your dog. When he receives this undivided attention from everyone, he feels like part of the pack.
5. Training Saves Time.   Another huge benefit of training your dog is that it saves you time. Taking the time to train your dog now, will actually save you time in the long run. For example, if you take the time to train your dog to behave properly inside the house, you will actually be saving time cleaning up mischievous messes that he could create in the future-if he didn’t have the training.

Sharda Baker

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios. Click here for more dog training help and advice.

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WHAT IS A PARASITE?

External parasites are pretty common among dogs. A parasite is an organism that lives off the resources your dog has to offer: namely, fresh blood (which most parasites drink) and a warm place to stay (in and on the skin and fur).

What are the common parasites that might affect my dog?

There are a wide range of parasites that affect dogs:

- Fleas
- Ticks
- Mites
- Lice

All of these parasites cause adverse reactions in your dog: typically, itching and inflamed skin, a dull coat, and bald spots. In advanced cases, your dog may develop anemia (blood loss) and become generally debilitated (particularly if he or she is very young, very old, or suffering from another condition).

In addition to this, many parasites convey secondary and internal parasites to your dog – for example, fleas usually carry the common tapeworm (which causes constipation and flatulence), and ticks can cause a variety of much more serious problems like Lyme’s disease and paralysis.

In today’s newsletter, we’re going to be looking at fleas: what they are, how to tell if your dog’s affected, and how to get rid of them.

A CLOSER LOOK AT FLEAS

Fleas are without question the number-one most common external parasite affecting dogs. They’re small, jumping insects that are light brown in color, although humans generally can’t see them – they move much too quickly for that!

Fleas live off your dog’s blood. The life cycle of a flea moves very rapidly from stage one (egg) to stage four (adult flea), which means they’re capable of multiplying with staggering rapidity.

An adult flea lays hundreds of eggs per day. Each egg will then become an adult flea, which lay hundreds more eggs of its own. One flea becomes a major problem very quickly!

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DOG HAS FLEAS

The symptoms of a flea infestation are unmistakable.
A dog with a flea infestation will scratch almost constantly, often at areas that fleas seem to favor: the ears, the base of the tail, the belly, and the stifle (the webbing of soft skin between the thigh and the abdomen).

It’s actually the saliva of the flea that causes the irritation, not the bite itself, and some dogs have a genuine allergy to this saliva (as opposed to a standard irritation). Dogs with allergies suffer much more significant negative reactions to a flea infestation, and usually develop “hot spots”.

These hot spots are areas of sore, inflamed, flaking, bleeding, and infected skin, caused by the flea saliva and your dog’s own reaction to it. Bald patches will sometimes develop too, from repeated scratching and ongoing inflammation.

If you think your dog has fleas, you can confirm your suspicions by taking a closer look at his skin: you probably won’t be able to see the fleas themselves, but you should be able to see what looks like ground pepper (a thin sprinkling of fine black grains) on his skin. This is flea dirt (poop).

If you groom him with a flea comb (which is like a fine-tooth comb), try wiping it on a paper towel: if red blotches show up on the towel, you know that your dog has fleas (on a white background like a paper towel, flea poop shows up red: since fleas subsist on blood, their poop is colored accordingly).

TREATMENT FOR FLEAS

Because fleas only spend a small amount of time actually on your dog, and the rest of their time leaping through your house laying eggs and feeding on human blood, it’s not enough to just treat the dog: you also have to target his bedding, the entire house, all human bedding, and the yard (yes, fleas lay eggs all through the yard, too. Even if it’s cold outside, you’re not necessarily off the hook: cold weather doesn’t kill flea eggs, it just puts them into a state of hibernation. The eggs will hatch as soon as it gets warm enough outside.)

You’ll need a broad-spectrum treatment which kills not only the adult fleas (which are the ones that bite), but also any developing fleas, and the eggs.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST (AND THE EASIEST!)

Prevention is definitely the best cure – you should keep your dog’s flea treatments up to date with the use of a calendar, and use a treatment that’s prescribed by the vet. Off-the-shelf treatments aren’t recommended, since different dogs require different strengths depending on their size, age, and activity levels. A particular benefit of prescribed flea treatment is that most are also designed to prevent other parasites (like mites, ticks, and heartworm) from affecting your dog.

FOR AN EXISTING INFESTATION

If your dog already has fleas, you have two options:

- You can ‘bomb’ the house and yard with a flea-pesticide. These come as foggers (which coat each room, and the yard, in a fine mist of pesticide) and sprays (which are applied manually to each surface throughout the house and yard), and although they’re very effective in killing fleas and eggs, there’s one major drawback: they’re highly toxic to humans, dogs, and the environment. Depending on your priorities, this is probably the quickest solution to a flea problem (and will effectively wipe out the eggs, too) but if you have anyone in the house with allergies or a health condition – including pets! – you might want to think again.

- A more health-friendly alternative is to target the dog with a topical anti-flea solution prescribed by the vet (like Advantage or Revolution), and to rigorously clean the house on a regular basis until the flea problem has gone. This means vacuuming each room thoroughly each day – put a flea collar in with the vacuum bag to kill any fleas that get sucked up – and wash all human and dog bedding in hot water as often as you can (once every day or every two days is recommended). You’ll be able to tell when the problem’s gone because your dog won’t be scratching, and his coat will be clear of flea dirt when you inspect it.

WHAT NOT TO DO ABOUT FLEAS

- Don’t use multiple products on your dog – it’ll make him sick, since you’ll be overloading his system with toxins.
- Don’t forget to treat all the animals in the house at the same time: cat and dog fleas are interchangeable, and if one animal has fleas, they all will have them, even if some are not displaying the symptoms.
- Flea collars are no longer recommended as a safe option for flea prevention, since the collars are highly toxic – vets have realized that placing a toxic material directly against your pet’s skin for long periods of time (flea collars have to be worn 24/7 to be effective) is detrimental to your dog’s health.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PARASITES AND THEIR TREATMENT…

Fleas are just one of the many, many types of parasites that affect your dog. To find out more about the complete prevention and treatment of all types of parasites (external and internal), as well as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of dog health, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

This book is an invaluable resource for the responsible dog owner, and will help you to ensure that your dog remains happy and healthy – just the way you want him to be!

You can check out the book by clicking on the link below:

External Parasites and fleas on dogs

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What’s paper training?

Paper training is a specific form of house training for your dog: you’re teaching her where in the house is appropriate for her to eliminate (pee or poop). When you paper train your dog, you teach her to only eliminate on newspapers (chosen for their absorbency, ready availability, and cheap cost) which you gather up and throw away after each use.

What options other than paper training do I have for my dog’s house training?
There are two ways of effectively, efficiently, and rapidly house training your dog. Paper training is one; the other is something called crate training.

Crate training is based on a dog’s basic dislike of soiling where she sleeps, and involves restricting the dog’s movement (by putting her in a crate, or small indoor kennel) whenever she cannot be actively supervised.

The difference between crate training and house training?

Paper training and crate training aren’t the same thing. Crate training is where you train your dog to only go outside; paper training is where you train your dog to only go on newspapers.

You cannot train your dog to do both at the same time – the two are mutually exclusive. She’ll get confused, and you’ll only prolong the training process.

You can choose to use paper training as an intermediary step for eventually only eliminating outside (although not everyone recommends this: it’s easier on the dog, and more effective all round, to choose one method and stick with it.)

Why should I choose paper training instead of crate training?

Crate training and paper training are both effective ways to house train your dog.

In general, it’s accepted (by most dog trainers and vets) that crate training is the fastest method of house training your dog; but it requires a considerable investment of time and effort, which is not an option for everyone.

Paper training is the best option for you if:

- You don’t have easy access to a yard (for example, you live in a hi-rise apartment block)

- It’s not easy for you to take your dog outside for any other reason (for example, elderly or unwell people)

- You have a full-time job, or other time-consuming commitment which can’t be got around (meaning that you’re not able to spend the large amounts of time supervising your dog that crate training requires)

- You’re planning on training your dog to go outside the house eventually, but not just yet (for example, it’s the dead of winter with four-foot snow drifts outside)

Crate training is the best option for you if:

- You have a medium to big dog

- You are able to spend a lot of time during your puppy’s first weeks of house training in actively supervising her, and are available during the day to let her out of the crate at two- or three-hour intervals

- You want to train your dog to go outside the house right from the start

Paper training isn’t suitable for all dogs: it really only works for small males and small-to-medium females, since a dog larger than these just produces too much waste for the newspaper (and you!) to handle.

How to paper train your dog?

First, pick a convenient area of the house for your dog to use as the elimination area. Because she’s going to be peeing and pooping in this area, it’s best if you can choose somewhere without carpet: most people choose a corner of the kitchen or laundry (since these rooms usually have tiled or linoleum floors, making hygiene a non-issue.)

Spread newspaper thickly in a corner of this room. At first, you’ll need to make the newspaper area pretty big, since your pup has no idea that she’s meant to go on the paper at all.

To make sure that she’s able to eliminate only on the paper, you’ll either need to restrict her movements to the papered area of the floor (which you can do by erecting barriers to keep her in – if the room you’ve chosen is large or busy, this is probably the most user-friendly option for you), or paper the whole floor (which is a viable option if the paper-room is small and there’s not much thoroughfare.)

At first, your puppy will eliminate pretty much at random on the paper. It’s important for the paper-training process that she only gets to go on the paper – you need her to form a strong association between the feeling of paper under her toes, and relieving herself.

After a week or two, you can begin to shrink the papered area of the floor, allowing her more access to unpapered surfaces (leave the barriers where they are for now so she doesn’t get the chance to eliminate anywhere else.)

Do this gradually, a couple of sheets at a time. If you’ve given her enough time to get used to the paper, she should naturally restrict her elimination areas as the papered area shrinks.

NOTE: If at any time she begins to eliminate off the paper, then increase the size of the papered floor surface to the size it was when she was still eliminating only on the paper, and give her more time to get used to it before beginning to reduce the papered area again.

There’s no need to panic: this doesn’t mean that the paper training isn’t working, it just means you’re moving a bit too fast for your puppy’s capabilities.

Most dogs take a couple of months (eight to twelve weeks) to get used to the paper training method. Until she’s reliably going on the papers only, you should restrict her access to the rest of the house unless you’re actively supervising her- which means 100% of your attention is focused on the pup.

In general, a good rule of thumb is that your puppy is confined to the papered area unless she’s sleeping, eating, or being played with/actively supervised.

Things you should do are

- Praise her effusively whenever you see her eliminating on the paper. Wait ’til she’s done (so you don’t distract her!) and praise her, pet her, and give her a treat.

- If you catch her in the act of eliminating off-paper, this is actually a great opportunity for training development. Interrupt her with a clap, loud verbalization (“Ah-ah-aaaah!”), or slap your open palm loudly on the wall. This will startle her – in most cases, she’ll actually stop mid-toilet and hunch down. Scoop her up immediately and put her on the paper. When she finishes, praise her hugely and give her a treat.

- If you come across an accident after the fact (a wet spot or pile on the unpapered floor), you’ve missed your window of opportunity to teach her not to do this. You can’t tell her off in this case, because she won’t understand what she’s done wrong; all you can do is clean it up and supervise her more carefully. If this is happening a lot, you’ve given her too much freedom in the house and not enough supervision: restrict her access to the unpapered floor, and step up the supervision.

- Feed her at specific, scheduled times (for example, a meal at 8 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm) to encourage her to develop an “elimination timetable”.

For further information on house training your dog, including a detailed look at paper training and crate training, check out The Ultimate House Training Guide.

It’s the complete dog-house-training guide. The Ultimate House Training Guide and comes highly recommended.

You can visit the The Ultimate House Training Guide site by clicking this link:

House Training For Puppies

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House training is one of the areas of dog ownership that’s most subject to misunderstanding, confusion, and just plain dread!

Today’s newsletter is going to deal with two of the most common problems surrounding the issue of house training:

- Submissive/excited urination

- Scent marking

Common house training problem #1: Submissive / excited urination

What is it?

A ‘submissive urinator’ is a dog that urinates on the floor and himself (and sometimes on you and any guests you may have!) in situations of extreme excitement or stress – like when you return home at the end of the day, or when he’s being told off.

Why does it happen?

Puppies are the usual candidates for submissive/excited urination, but it’s not uncommon to see adult dogs with the problem as well: usually, these are highly sensitive and timid dogs, and/or ones from a shelter/with a history of abuse (often these last two go hand-in-hand.)

When does it happen?
Situations when an excited/fearful dog is likely to urinate:
- Greeting time after a prolonged absence
- Play time
- The arrival of guests
- Stressful situations at home, eg arguments
- During a correction (you’re telling him off)
- Sudden loud noises (thunder, fireworks)

What can I do about it?

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to “cure” your dog of his submissive/excited urination.

First of all, you should take him to the vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue (like diabetes or a bladder infection.)

Next, it’s time to take control of the problem:

- Limit his intake of water to help him control his bladder more effectively. Don’t restrict his water intake over a prolonged period of time, but if you know there’s a situation coming which would normally result in urination – for example, you have guests coming over, or are planning on a play session soon – take his water bowl away for a period of time (maybe half an hour to an hour) before the event.

- When greeting your dog, keep it calm and mellow. The more excited he is, the harder it is for him to control his bladder, so don’t encourage him to get worked up: ignore him for the first few moments, or give him a neutral “hello”, a quick pat, and then go about making yourself at home.

- It’s important that you DO NOT punish or harshly correct your dog for this behavior. It’s not something that he can easily control, and he’s certainly not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, you can interrupt him (a firm “No!” followed by praise when he stops should suffice) but don’t punish him. Keep your cool, and try to be sympathetic: he doesn’t mean to do it, after all!

- If he urinates out of fear (submissiveness) when scolding him for another offense, try to take the stress levels down a notch by keeping a firm, authoritative, but not angry tone. Remember, you’re dealing with a sensitive, highly-strung dog: if you get angry or worry him further, the problem will worsen.

Common house training problem #2: Scent marking

Scent marking – where a dog “marks” his or her territory with urine – is technically not actually a house training problem, since it’s based on issues of dominance and territoriality rather than insufficient house training (a dog can be perfectly house trained but still mark inside the house.)

However, because – since the problem centers around the unwanted presence of urine in the house – it seems logical, in a way, to link this problem with house training: and since this is one of the most widespread problems among dog owners, we thought it worthwhile to include some practical advice.

Scent marking and lack of house training: how to differentiate between the two

Your dog’s probably scent marking, rather than genuinely relieving himself, if:

- The amount of urine produced is relatively small, and tends to be directed against vertical surfaces (walls, doors, etc)

- He’s male, unneutered, and at least five or six months old. Unneutered dogs are much more territorial than neutered ones –if you have an unneutered dog in the house, you can pretty much expect a certain amount of scent marking. (Unspayed females also mark, but it’s less common; spayed and neutered dogs can also exhibit marking behavior, but it’s relatively infrequent)

- It makes little difference how often he’s taken outside for a toilet break

- He frequently targets items that are new to the house: new possessions, guest clothing/footwear, etc

- You live in a multi-dog household and there is conflict between two or more of the dogs

- There are other, unneutered or unspayed pets in the house

What to do about the problem?

First things first: spay or neuter your dog(s) as soon as you possibly can. If you can do this early enough – ideally, at six months of age – this often halts marking altogether; but if your dog’s been marking for a prolonged period of time, he or she may continue to do so after being spayed or neutered, since a pattern of behavior will have been established.

Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner (because it smells just like pee) and stay away from vinegar too (it smells similar to pee.) Oxi-Clean mixed with warm water is particularly effective; there are also plenty of commercial cleaners designed specifically to lift pet stains and odors, which you can buy from pet stores and some supermarkets.

Because dogs tend to re-mark the same places, you’ll need to redefine the places that you know he’s marked to prevent repeat offending.

You can do this in a number of ways:

- Feed him next to or on top of the spot
- Play with him there
- Groom him there
- Put his bed over or next to it
- Spend time there yourself: hang out with a book or sit down and work

If there is rivalry between dogs in the household, you’ll need to take steps to resolve it. Any conflict is likely to be hierarchical in nature (a “power struggle”), which means that all you have to do to stop the tension is pay attention to which dog seems to be more dominant than the other one (which one eats first, gets the toys he/she wants, “stares down” another dog), and reinforce this position.

How to do this: feed the dominant dog first. Pet him/her first. Give him/her a toy before anyone else gets one. This makes it clear to all dogs in the house which one really is the dominant dog – and when this hierarchy’s been recognizably established, territorial/dominant behaviors like scent marking often vanish overnight.

For more information on how to successfully house train your dog (as well as a whole bunch of in-depth information on house training troubleshooting and related issues) you’ll probably want to check out The Ultimate House Training Guide.

It’s the complete dog-house-training guide. The Ultimate House Training Guide and comes highly recommended.

You can visit the The Ultimate House Training Guide site by clicking this link:

Common house training problems

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