TEACH YOUR DOG TO POTTY OUTSIDE

Article Topic: Housebreaking or Potty Training Your Dog or Puppy; Teaching Your Dog or Puppy to Potty Outside; Stopping Indoor Soiling

As the owner of Good Dog Austin - a pet product and behavior training company in Austin, Texas - I talk to lots of folks about their dogs every day. One of the most common questions I hear is: How can I stop my dog from pottying indoors?!? This anguished question is usually followed by an in-depth description of smelly carpets, ruined furniture, and desperately complex strategies to stop the unwanted behavior.

Like most other difficult problems in life, no one-size-fits-all solution exists for this frustrating problem. There are, however, a few simple ideas I suggest you try before permanently declaring your dog "Potty Challenged".

Based on my experience, most dogs respond quickly to one or more of the following approaches: teach your dog to tell you when he needs to go outside, install a pet door, use a crate.

SUGGESTION #1: Teach your dog to tell you when he needs to go outside

Believe it or not, most dogs don't want to potty in the house. Instinctively, dogs want to relieve themselves away from the area in which they live and eat. Dogs that spend too much of their early life confined in an unclean area - where appropriate space for bladder relief isn't consistently available - may learn to tolerate pottying indoors. Unless you've rescued your dog from such grim circumstances, however, he would probably prefer to potty outside.

You're probably wondering, "What's my dog's problem, then? If he'd prefer to potty outdoors, why the heck doesn't he just ask me to open the door???"

Well, he may not know how.

Some dogs are naturally very effective at communicating when they want to go outside. They'll pace back and forth or bark at the door without any training at all. These dogs, however, are few and far between. Most owners must teach their dogs how to ask to go outside. A very effective way to teach your dog this skill is what I call the "Bell Method". It's pretty simple:

1. Tie a small bell to a long piece of string. Tie the other end of the string to the handle of the door you use to let your dog outside.

2. Take your dog's paw in your hand and swipe the bell so it rings.

3. The moment the bell rings, praise your dog (say "Good dog!" in a peppy voice) and open the door to let him outside.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 EVERY TIME you let your dog outside.

If you consistently use the Bell Method, within a week or so your dog will begin to use the bell to let you know when he wants to go outside. When you hear your dog ring the bell on his own, respond immediately by praising him and letting him outside. Seriously, get your dog out the door as fast as you possibly can when you hear the bell ring; the immediate positive reinforcement will make your dog more likely to repeat this good behavior.

SUGGESTION #2: Install a pet door

If you've already tried unsuccessfully to teach your dog to signal when he needs to go outside - or if you don't have the time to teach your dog a new skill - a pet door is probably your best solution. With a pet door, your dog can go in and out whenever he wants, even when you're not home. If you're worried about critters other than your dog using your pet door, choose an infrared or RFID-keyed pet door that opens and closes only for your pet.

Because installing a pet door is a detailed project that requires special tools, most folks rely on a professional rather than trying to install the door themselves. Local pet professionals in most metropolitan areas offer affordable pet door installation services (visit www.GoodDogAustin.com for pet door installation in the Greater Austin, Texas area). If you are unable to find a local professional who specializes in pet door installation, a handyman is probably your next best option.

Pet professionals usually install many, many pet doors each year and are experts at ensuring the door is correctly installed. "Correctly installed" means that:

• The pet door fits snugly in the wall or door in which it is installed.
• The pet door is installed at an appropriate height for all pets who will use it.
• The pet door looks good (is perfectly level, etc).

Most professional pet door installers will also work with your pet to make sure he is comfortable using his new door.

Learn more about pet doors.

SUGGESTION #3: Appropriately use a crate

Appropriate use of a wire or plastic crate can be a very effective way to stop indoor soiling problems. "Appropriate use" means using the crate for relatively short periods of time when you cannot directly supervise your dog. When your dog is out of the crate, watch him closely so that you can respond quickly when he begins to soil in your home. The best response is to give a loud verbal correction ("No!") and immediately take your dog outside to potty. Screaming, hitting, or rubbing your dog's nose in his mess will usually not solve an inappropriate pottying problem and may actually make the problem worse.

An easy way make sure your young puppy (8 months and younger) isn't "overcrated" is to never leave him in a crate for more hours than his age in months. For example, crate a 3-month old dog for no longer than 3 hours at a time. I generally recommend crating adult dogs for no longer than 8 hours.

If you do decide to use a crate for potty training:

• Make sure to give your dog lots of love and attention when he is out of his crate.
• Make the crate a fun place for your dog. Give him treats or chews to occupy his attention while he's crated.
• Never open the door to your dog's crate while he is vocalizing (whining, barking, etc.), or you may accidentally reinforce this bad behavior. Instead, ignore your dog until he is quiet, then quickly praise him and open the door.

Get more free dog training advice from a professional dog trainer at FixDogProblems.com.