| I have a friend who trains her pups by putting their leash on them and hooking them to her belt so that they are always in sight. This also teaches them very early to walk on a leash, prepares them for later work on the lead and reinforces the heeling principle early. Practical? For her it is...and it pays off if you can manage it. A word about paper tarining: DON'T!...I can HEAR you "But MARTHA!! Many a dog has been housetrained using the good ol newspaper!!!" I know that is how everyone in the whole world did it...but it is the wrong way to go, confuses dogs, kills the house, and takes longer most of the time, and may prevent you from ever truly housetraining your dog. It is NOT ok to try to teach your dog that it is OK to go in one part of the house, and not in another. Dogs do not have the cognitive reasoning skills to understand that your carpet costs 1200 bucks, and that while it is OK to "get busy" in the kitchen on the paper it is NOT ok to "get busy" in your livingroom on the kids homework. DO NOT make the mistake of treating your dog like a furry 8 year old. It will confuse him, frustrate you, and damage your relationship. Be fair. OUTSIDE means OUTSIDE ...all the time!! Another word of caution...don't overdo it with the treats. While all dogs like food rewards, this is a bad habit to get into. Do you want your dog to do what he is supposed to all the time because that is his job, or would you prefer he listen only when he wants a snack?? It is really up to you. Do not condition your dog to expect food every time he does what is asked of him. Like a child (or even most adults), a little praise and a gentle pat mean more to him and strengthen the bond between you. Save the milkbones for occasional treats. What happens when the inevitable mistake happens (it will...occasionally)?? This is a subject of HOT debate...what I am about to say is simply my opinion on this matter...take it or leave it. I believe that it depends greatly first on the age of the dog, and whether you SEE it happen, and whether you could have prevented it (like you did not take him out for like...6 hours). Regardless, always take your responsibility in the matter. If you catch him in the ACT, QUICKLY pick him up and snarl "OUT" in a rough voice...remember there is no such thing as a gentle scolding among dogs..."OUT" when spoken quickly and loudly resembles the sound a mother dog makes to show her pups disapproval. He will not misunderstand your displeasure...trust me. Take him outside to his "spot' and allow him to finish doing what he needs to do. Then bring him in the house and confine him so he has some time to think about this lesson. Keep him confined until you think he has to go again, then take him out. If he goes, praise him. If he does not, confine him again. |
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