House Training your Dog

House training your dog is one of the most important things to do if your dog is going to spend some or all of its time indoors. All dogs need to experience the outdoors each day, but you might chose to bring your dog in at night or give him free run of the house all the time. Whatever the case, you will want to make sure that he knows that it is not ok to go to the toilet in the house and that he must go outside or gesture to be taken out when it is time to relieve himself.

Getting a dog house trained can be a matter of hit and miss, or trial and error. Yes it can be a little messy in the early stages as the dog learns where the right spot is to do his thing. Some dogs however are naturally inclined not to relieve themselves indoors and will not do so unless they are outside. If that is your dog then you are in luck, otherwise you must start house training immediately before bad habits start to kick in.

The first step to house training your dog is to clearly establish his living space. This is the area where his bed and food are and the place that he must not go to the toilet. Spend time with the dog in this living space until he is familiar with it. If he tries to do his business there, say a firm NO and take him right outside.

The next step is to clearly establish a toilet area. This is the place that you want the dog to relieve himself each time. It should be a spot that is easy to get to and where he can access 24 hours a day. In the initial stages you will need to accompany the dog to this spot and encourage elimination until he is used to going there himself.

Once the dog regularly uses the toilet area and keeps his living space clean, you can extend the living space to the rest of the house. The dog will still instinctively use the toilet space for toilet needs and hopefully leave the rest of the house as living space only.

If the toilet area has a door that must be opened to get to, consider a doggy door which is a door flap that the dog can fit through to get outside and back in.

House training your dog is not difficult, it just requires patience and perseverance and some common sense.

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