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Dogs are Heroes
Heroism and courage are probably the most profound traits that endear dogs so deeply into the hearts and minds of mankind. Every day, humans all over the world are rescued by heroic dogs, often at great risk to the dog’s life. No other animal...
Dogs - Vaccination Roles and Information
Vaccination and its Important Role in a Dog's Life
Active immunization is the introduction into the body of killed
or satisfied microorganisms or their products for the purpose of
stimulating the body's defense mechanism. This concept is...
Golden Years: Nine Ways a Dog Boosts Your Health
What if there was a simple way to reduce stress, prolong and improve the quality of your life, banish the blues, and best of all, decrease the number of doctor visits?
There is! Get a dog. Here are nine ways that having a dog can boost your...
Heartworms In Dogs - What They Are & What To Do
Heartworms (Latin name Dirofilaria immitis) are parasitic worms that are common in both dogs and cats. Like their name suggests, they live in the dog's heart, normally free-floating in the right ventricle and nearby blood vessels. The worms are...
Shih Tzu - Early Socialization Is Essential For Your Shih Tzu Puppy
Teaching a shih tzu puppy or a shih tzu dog proper socialization
skills is vital to the safety of both your dog and other dogs
and people with whom he comes into contact. A properly
socialized shih tzu dog is a happy dog, and a joy to be...
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Dealing with Dog House Training Issues
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.
Go to http://www.k9-training-tips.com/free-dog-care-report.html for a free 73 page report entitled "Complete Dog Care".
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