How to Housetrain a Dog

1.       First, you should start with a puppy – that way you have pretty much a lump of clay that can be molded into whatever you desire. Puppies are also usually more of a manageable size so you can restrain them or pick them up if they won’t do what you want. I didn’t follow my own advice and got a dog from a rescue operation. Although he’s young, he is not quite the blank slate I’d hoped for.  Blank stare describes it better and at nearly 50 pounds already, he does what he wants to do.

2.       Pick a voice command that the dog can associate with the action.  Keep the command simple and ensure everyone in the household uses the same word.  The poor animal will be confused quickly if son says “leak time”, dad says “outside” and mom says “baby need to go poo-poo?”

3.       Next you need to figure out WHERE you want the dog to eliminate – in a litter box, the neighbor’s yard -- wherever. I decided that I wanted the dog to do his duty in the right back corner of our yard. Keeping the poop away from the left side of the yard where we play corn hole and badminton in the summer would decrease the risk of “sliding into a serve.”  It would also keep the aroma from spoiling a nice soak in the hot tub. Keep in mind that wherever you choose, you have to take the dog there –- even if that means standing at the far edge of your lawn in your pj’s at 3am.

4.       Put the dog on a leash each time you take him to the designated spot. Repeat the mantra as you walk to the spot and keep repeating it as you wait for something to happen. Patience. When the dog finally “goes,” praise him heartily with rubs and plenty of “good dogs” and give him a small treat. Always keep small treats in your pocket or nearby when training an animal to do any new behavior.

5.       Next you need a place to keep the dog when you are out of the house or can’t watch him carefully like during the night. A crate is what most animal experts recommend. Get a pen large enough so the dog can stand up and turn around. Dogs are den animals and like to keep their sleeping area clean, so don’t purchase a crate large enough to allow them to soil one side and sleep on the other. We kept our dog in the extra bathroom the first time we left him. Big mistake. In just a few hours he had completely devoured the Charmin, splashed toilet water all over the walls, and chewed the bottom of the door trying to escape. And, no, he did not keep his “den” clean.

6.       Get the dog acquainted with the pen and make it a place he will like to go. Pick another voice command like “bedtime” that you say when you want him to go into the kennel. Speak softly and put treats inside the crate so he will go in to get them. Sometimes it takes lots of treats. When you finally get him inside, don’t close the door yet. Block him in with your body, pet him, praise him and repeat the “bedtime” command. You might even give him his meals in the crate.

7.       During the night, put the crate in or nearby your bedroom. That way you can hear him if he wakes up during the night so you can let him out. Placing his pen close to you also makes the enclosure less of a socially isolating place. When you are gone from the house, I recommend playing a radio or TV. It can help with separation anxiety if they think they are not alone. Once the dog is out the heavy chewing stage, you can add a blanket or cushion to make the crate even more pleasant for him.

8.       Try not to keep the animal in the kennel any longer than two to three hurs at first. Every time you take the dog out of his crate, immediately put him on a leash and take him to his designated spot outside.

9.       Finally, be consistent and tenacious. Some dogs catch on within a few days. Others, like our not- quite-a- puppy, former outdoor dog, have a hard time getting used to not doing their thing on a whim. Don’t give up and you’ll eventually consider your new dog a bonafide member of the family.