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Dealing With Dog House Training Issues
By Edwina Hanson
The best house training uses the dogs own instincts to avoid soiling its bed.
That is the basis behind crate training, in which the dog is confined to its
crate in the absence of the owner, and den training, in which the dog is
confined to a small area of the home. In essence, the crate, or the room,
becomes the dog's den. Dogs are naturally very clean animals, and they try their
best to avoid using their dens as toilets.
This type of training usually works very well, both for puppies and for older
dogs. Problems with this type of toilet training are usually the result of not
understanding the signals the dog is sending, not being consistent with feeding
times, or trying to rush the process.
While the house training process can be sped up somewhat by consistently
praising the dog and rewarding it for toileting in the proper place, some dogs
cannot be rushed through this important process. It is always best to house
train the dog properly the first time than to go back and retrain a problem dog.
If the dog continues to soil the den area after house training, the most likely
reason is that the owner has left the dog in the den for too long. Another
reason may be that the den area is too large. In this case, the best strategy is
to make the den area smaller or to take the dog to the toilet area more
frequently.
If the dog soils the bed that has been provided in the den area, it is most
likely because the owner has left the dog there for too long, and the dog had an
understandable accident. Or it could be that the dog has not yet adopted this
area as the bed. In addition, urinary tract infections and other medical
conditions can also cause dogs to soil their beds. It is important to have the
dog thoroughly checked out by a veterinarian to rule out any medical problems.
One other reason for house training accidents that many people overlook is
boredom. Dogs who are bored often drink large amounts of water and therefore
must urinate more frequently than you might think. If you notice your dog
consuming large amounts of water, be sure to take the dog to the established
toilet area more often, and provide the dog with toys and other distractions to
eliminate boredom.
Boredom is the root cause of many dog behavior problems, not only house training
issues. Chewing and other destructive behaviors are also often caused by boredom
and separation anxiety.
Other problems with house training can occur when the dog's den is not properly
introduced. In some cases dogs can react to the den as if it is a prison or a
punishment. Those dogs may exhibit signs of anxiety, such as whining, chewing
and excessive barking. It is important for the dog to feel secure in its den,
and to think of it as a home and not a cage.
The best way to house train a puppy or dog, or to re-house train a problem dog,
is to make yourself aware of the dog's habits and needs. Creating a healthy,
safe sleeping and play area for your dog, as well as a well defined toilet area,
is important for any house training program.
House training is not always an easy process, but it is certainly an important
one. The number one reason that dogs are surrendered to animal shelters is
problems with inappropriate elimination, so a well structured house training
program can literally be a lifesaver for your dog. About the Author Edwina Hanson runs a successful dog and owner training company. She is the author of many articles and reports about all aspects of dog training. Click on Complete Dog Care Report for a free 73 page report.
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Some other articles by Edwina Hanson | |
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