Stop Dogs’ Potty Issues
No commentsDog Potty Issues
When it comes to a dog’s bladder, there are many potential problems. When a dog “goes to the restroom” inside this may be caused by the fact that they don’t know yet where is “inside” and where is “outside”. It could also be caused if they simply are physically not able to hold it especially if it’s a puppy.
In reality, the last thing a dog wants to do is go to the bathroom in their home. This is hardwired not to release themselves where they live in order to avoid diseases especially in the wild. This is one of the primary reasons a dog will hold their urine for so long when you leave the house ‘they don’t want to make a mess in their home.
The real issue comes in when a) the dog doesn’t understand that the house is their home and is not trained to tell the difference and b) when the dog is not taken outside often enough to relieve itself. So, the first thing we need to do is determine which category your dog falls into and what the quickest and easiest way to solve the problem is.
Consistency
Assuming a dog has been at least partially housebroken, the first thing you need to ask yourself is whether the dog is being taken outside often enough. This comes up most commonly with small breeds like Yorkshire terriers, dachshunds, or pugs, dogs that have small bladders and minimal insulation. When the weather gets cold or wet, owners will often times minimize the amount of time they submit their dogs to the elements. Some owners believe that it’s okay to take their dogs outside not to often and if their pet releases themselves inside the house sometimes, than it’s not a big deal.
Unfortunately, while a single mess might not seem like a big deal at the time, it can actually cause a number of problems further down the line. To start with, the dog does not want to go to the bathroom inside, especially if it has been trained to go outside. It feels much more natural to them to go outside. Even in the wild all dogs go outside. Imagine how comfortable you would be relieving yourself in the kitchen sink instead of in the bathroom.
If you allow your dog to go to the bathroom even sometimes even sometimes, the dog will never learn that it is inappropriate and bad and will be releasing themselves inside the house all the time. Dogs do not have a natural inclination to delineate between indoor and outdoor areas. You need to teach them.
Taking Care of Potty Issues
If your dog makes messes on the floor, the easiest thing to do is to start from scratch. Crate training can be the best option, since it creates a small personal space for a dog playing on that instinct not to make a mess where the sleep. If you don’t have a crate or can’t afford it, you can use a separate room in your household instead of a crate. Build a strict schedule where your dog is allowed to go outdoors to do their business at specific points of time every day. While raining your dog to take care of their business outside what’s important is to control yourself and never get angry.
Attempt to startle them with a sharp noise, such as clapping your hands, and then take them outside immediately so they begin associating outdoors with relieving themselves. Just remember that punishing your dog for making a mess will have no impact. The dog is incapable of understanding why they are being punished before they fully understand that they are not permitted to go to the bathroom indoors.
Additionally, it is a good idea to have your carpets thoroughly cleaned to remove any pet odor that may linger. Remember that what humans can’t smell, dogs can easily smell. Especially when it comes to their markings dogs can easily smell them. If you have more than one dog, they may even attempt to mark over the top of each other, leading to a cycle that can be hard to break.
If you want to learn about potty training Yorkies go to how to potty train a Yorkie puppy.
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at 7:52 am and is filed under Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
