One of the most important things you would want your dog to master is to relieve himself in the right place. There’s nothing worse than a poop or pee stained rug or carpet left for you to clean up when you wake up in the morning. Although the time it takes to train your dog will require you to dedicate some time to him, all your efforts will be worthwhile once he’s mastered the art of relieving himself.
- Watch your dog. Before you even start to train your dog, observe him carefully for signs that he is ready to pee or poop. Dogs usually start to become obsessed with sniffing the ground, stopping from one place to another, or turning in circles, frantically switching from a clockwise to counterclockwise direction. These are sure signs that your dog may want to be let out of the room to go outdoors or to his pee spot. Some will even run to the door, then to you, then to the door and back again to you as if he’s literally asking you to open the door for him. Some dogs actually communicate by continuously whining at you.
- Routines. Get your dog on a schedule. Let him out into the yard to do his business when he wakes up, after eating, after playing, before naptime and before bedtime. The ideal interval for doggie business is every three to four hours.
- Crater time. Smaller dogs can be taught to schedule their bathroom breaks through the crate method. Dogs will generally learn that their crates are their own little versions of “rooms”. You wouldn’t pee or poop in your room now would you? Well, neither will they. To teach him to pee or poop in the right place, immediately take him to the right area after releasing him from his crate. Make sure you don’t leave him in there for more than six hours.
- Paper or potty pad. Smaller dogs can also be trained to relieve themselves indoors. You can assign a designated area for your dog’s bathroom business by laying out old newspaper or a scented potty pad. If your dog has already been peeing in a spot he shouldn’t be, lay the newspaper or the potty pad here, then move this little by little until he starts going nearer and nearer to your targeted area. Don’t forget to thoroughly disinfect and deodorize the area where your dog relieved himself although he wasn’t supposed to. Some cleaners can’t get the scent out totally, so consult with your vet about safe cleaners.
Regardless of what method you choose to train your dog, make sure to praise him for a job well done. Simply utter a cheerful “Good girl, Dolly,” pet her sincerely then pop a treat. Don’t yell or spank her, because this will only cause fear to develop. Sometimes, dogs like to get your attention and will pee to do so. Simply clean up the mess, sternly say “No! Bad dog” and go back to what you were doing.