Why Do Dogs Dig Holes
You spent the afternoon digging in your flower bed, planting , weeding, having all kinds of fun! Anyway that's what your dog must have thought as he watched from afar. But after you went back in the house for dinner, Rover took over!!
So, Why Do Dogs Dig?
Lack of exercise. Digging is a good way for a hyped-up, under-exercised dog to burn off some of that nervous energy.
Boredom. Bored dogs need a “job” to do, something rewarding and interesting, to help the time pass by.
Digging is often the ideal solution for a bored dog: it gives him a sense of purpose, and distracts him from an otherwise-empty day.
The need for broader horizons. Some dogs are just escape artists by nature – no matter how much exercise and attention they get, it’s nearly impossible to confine them. It's simply exploring the unknown.
Separation anxiety. To a dog that’s seriously pining for your company, digging under those confining walls represents the most direct path to you. Separation anxiety is an unpleasant psychological issue relatively common among dogs – but it’s too complex to discuss within the content of this blog.
Many of the reasons contributing to your dog’s desire to dig suggest their own solutions: if your dog’s not getting enough exercise (generally speaking, at least forty-five minutes’ worth of vigorous walking per day), take him for more walks. If he’s bored, give him some toys and chews to play with during your absence, and wear him out before you leave so he spends most of the day snoozing. An escape-artist dog might need to be crated, or at least kept inside the house where he’s less likely to be able to break free.
Basic Tips For Controlling Inappropriate Digging
Restrict your dog’s access. This is the most effective thing you can do: if he’s never in the yard without active supervision, there’s no opportunity for digging.
Use natural deterrent. 99.9% of dogs will shy back, horrified, from the prospect of digging anywhere that there’s dog poop. Even the ones who like to eat it, won’t dig anywhere near it – it offends their basic, fastidious dislike of soiling their coat and paws.
Use nature’s own wiles. If the digging is bothering you because it’s upsetting the more delicate blooms in your garden, plant hardier blossoms: preferably, those with deep roots and thorny defenses. Roses are ideal.
A more time-consuming, but super-effective way of handling the issue: roll up the first inch or two of turf in your yard, and lay down chicken-wire underneath it. Your dog won’t know it’s there until he’s had a few tries at digging, but once he’s convinced himself that it’s pointless (which won’t take long), he’ll never dig in that yard again.
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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Why Does My Dog Eat Grass
How To Stop A Dog From Eating Grass
My dog crops grass like a cow. He eats it with gusto whenever he encounters it, to the extent that my friends have begun to refer to him, jokingly, as ‘The Ruminant’. This habit of his doesn’t bother me at all, since it seems to have no ill-effects on him whatsoever.
Unless your dog’s digestion is suffering unwanted upheavals from his grass-eating habit, it’s not really a problem. Dogs have been eating grass since the dawn of time (or at least, of the species) with few ill-effects, aside from the odd bout of vomiting - and really, this is one of those things that seems to bother owners a lot more than their dogs; most dogs, will simply re-ingest the vomitus and go about their day unfazed.
But WHY do they eat grass...that is the question. Growing up, we were led to believe from our parents that it meant it was going to rain...And /or they had an upset stomach. Another thought out theory pertains to the fact that dogs are not, actually, carnivores. They’re omnivores, which literally means, “eat anything”.
This theory claims that the modern-day dog eats grass in a deliberate attempt to supplement his diet with nutrients that are missing from his daily meals. The main crux, thrust, and gist of this argument centers around the idea that dogs, as omnivorous animals, are eating too much meat and need to balance this out with a nice tart salad to go with our steak.
Another popular theory is that dogs use grass as a sort of natural emetic: that, since a nauseous dog lacks the phalangeal structure necessary for the good old ‘finger down the throat’ move, he’ll resort to nature’s bounty as an alternative. It’s true that grass does sometimes make dogs vomit – those tickly stems can irritate the stomach lining, and there have been a few occasions when I’ve seen dogs vomit up a chunk of something that’s proved to be indigestible, and along with the offending article, there’s also been a clump of grass in the vomit too...Interesting!!
All very interesting theories, but there is no truth to back any of them up. Really, grass-eating is nothing to worry about – it’s a life-long habit with many dogs, and if yours does decide that it’s no longer in his best interests, he’ll simply stop eating it all by himself.
Do worry about recently treated lawns, or anywhere where nasties like pesticides, snail bait, and rat poison could be around, since most garden chemicals are highly toxic to dogs. Ideally, you’d be keeping an eye on him anyway if he’s around those substances, but grass-eaters are at higher risk than most since they’re more likely to ingest plant matter that herbicides and other toxic chemicals have been sprayed onto.
In addition to this, it’s also best if he’s kept away from those clumps of dried-out grass that lie around on the lawn after it’s been freshly mowed. It shouldn’t be a problem if the grass is mowed by a push-mower; but if it’s been through a gas-operated machine, the grass will be tainted with petrol fumes and grease, which at best will taste horrible and at worst can make him pretty sick.
If you want you can try varying his diet slightly. Unlike humans, dogs do not need a widely varied diet to keep them “interested” in food; they’re creatures of routine, and diet is no exception to this rule. However, since one of the theories that attempts to explain why dogs eat grass is centered around a lack of nutritional variety, you can try introducing various tasty vegetables into his food: most dogs enjoy tomatoes, carrots (either steamed or raw) and chopped apples. Be sure to stay well away from grapes, raisins, and onions, since these are toxic to dogs.
The general consensus from the experts seems to be that grass-eating, although somewhat of an enigmatic pastime to us humans, is just ‘one of those things’ as far as your dog is concerned. It won’t do him any harm, and you can be sure that if he’s eating it, he’s enjoying it – so there’s really not a lot to be said for depriving him of that simple pleasure.
TO CLEAR YOUR MIND OF OTHER CANINE CONCERNS -CLICK HERE
lovethatpup@gmail.com
My dog crops grass like a cow. He eats it with gusto whenever he encounters it, to the extent that my friends have begun to refer to him, jokingly, as ‘The Ruminant’. This habit of his doesn’t bother me at all, since it seems to have no ill-effects on him whatsoever.
Unless your dog’s digestion is suffering unwanted upheavals from his grass-eating habit, it’s not really a problem. Dogs have been eating grass since the dawn of time (or at least, of the species) with few ill-effects, aside from the odd bout of vomiting - and really, this is one of those things that seems to bother owners a lot more than their dogs; most dogs, will simply re-ingest the vomitus and go about their day unfazed.
But WHY do they eat grass...that is the question. Growing up, we were led to believe from our parents that it meant it was going to rain...And /or they had an upset stomach. Another thought out theory pertains to the fact that dogs are not, actually, carnivores. They’re omnivores, which literally means, “eat anything”.
This theory claims that the modern-day dog eats grass in a deliberate attempt to supplement his diet with nutrients that are missing from his daily meals. The main crux, thrust, and gist of this argument centers around the idea that dogs, as omnivorous animals, are eating too much meat and need to balance this out with a nice tart salad to go with our steak.
Another popular theory is that dogs use grass as a sort of natural emetic: that, since a nauseous dog lacks the phalangeal structure necessary for the good old ‘finger down the throat’ move, he’ll resort to nature’s bounty as an alternative. It’s true that grass does sometimes make dogs vomit – those tickly stems can irritate the stomach lining, and there have been a few occasions when I’ve seen dogs vomit up a chunk of something that’s proved to be indigestible, and along with the offending article, there’s also been a clump of grass in the vomit too...Interesting!!
All very interesting theories, but there is no truth to back any of them up. Really, grass-eating is nothing to worry about – it’s a life-long habit with many dogs, and if yours does decide that it’s no longer in his best interests, he’ll simply stop eating it all by himself.
Do worry about recently treated lawns, or anywhere where nasties like pesticides, snail bait, and rat poison could be around, since most garden chemicals are highly toxic to dogs. Ideally, you’d be keeping an eye on him anyway if he’s around those substances, but grass-eaters are at higher risk than most since they’re more likely to ingest plant matter that herbicides and other toxic chemicals have been sprayed onto.
In addition to this, it’s also best if he’s kept away from those clumps of dried-out grass that lie around on the lawn after it’s been freshly mowed. It shouldn’t be a problem if the grass is mowed by a push-mower; but if it’s been through a gas-operated machine, the grass will be tainted with petrol fumes and grease, which at best will taste horrible and at worst can make him pretty sick.
If you want you can try varying his diet slightly. Unlike humans, dogs do not need a widely varied diet to keep them “interested” in food; they’re creatures of routine, and diet is no exception to this rule. However, since one of the theories that attempts to explain why dogs eat grass is centered around a lack of nutritional variety, you can try introducing various tasty vegetables into his food: most dogs enjoy tomatoes, carrots (either steamed or raw) and chopped apples. Be sure to stay well away from grapes, raisins, and onions, since these are toxic to dogs.
The general consensus from the experts seems to be that grass-eating, although somewhat of an enigmatic pastime to us humans, is just ‘one of those things’ as far as your dog is concerned. It won’t do him any harm, and you can be sure that if he’s eating it, he’s enjoying it – so there’s really not a lot to be said for depriving him of that simple pleasure.
TO CLEAR YOUR MIND OF OTHER CANINE CONCERNS -CLICK HERE
lovethatpup@gmail.com
How To Stop Your Dog From Barking
Your Dogs Unwanted Behavior - Barking!
First of all,should we try to stop their barking, or start to understand why your dog is barking? Some owners seem to want their dogs to stop barking, period: a good dog is a quiet dog, and the only time that barking’s permitted is when there’s an intruder trying to steal you blind in the middle of the night.
Dogs don’t see barking in quite the same light. Your dog has a voice, just like you do, and uses it just how you do too: to communicate something to the people she cares about. I don’t think that barking is necessarily a bad thing – in fact, I think it’s encouraging that my dog wants to “talk” to me. Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans can be a problem. So it's up to us to use the context, the body language of our dogs, and the circumstances of the vocalization to make some meaning out of the barking dog.
So why do dogs bark? It’s not easy to say (it’s like trying to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” in so many words). Let’s start off by saying that dogs bark for many different reasons. A lot of it depends on the breed: some dogs were bred to bark only when a threat is perceived (this is true of guarding breeds in particular, like Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds); some were bred to use their voices as a tool of sorts, to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal (sporting breeds such as Beagles and Bloodhounds, trained to ‘bay’ when they scent the quarry), and some dogs just like to hear themselves talk (take just about any of the toy breeds as an example of a readily-articulate dog!).
Circumstances When Any Dog Will Bark
She’s bored
She’s lonely
She’s hungry, or knows it’s time for a meal
Something is wrong/someone is near the house
She’s inviting you to play
She sees another animal
She needs the toilet
If your dog is barking for any of these reasons, it’s not really realistic for you to try to stop her: after all, she’s a dog, and it’s the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations. Presumably you were aware of this when you adopted your friend (and, if total silence was high on your list of priorities, you’d have bought a pet rock, right?). Of course, there are times when barking isn’t only unwarranted, it’s downright undesirable. Some dogs can use their voices as a means of manipulation. In the same manne as a child when he or she screams , stomps their feet until you give in , and give them what they want. The end result: you have rewarded them for being bad. If she learns that she can get what she wants by barking, then your house is going to become a Noise Pollution Zone (and this is not going to endear you to your neighbors, either).
I’m sure you know that respect is an essential part of your relationship with your dog. You respect her, which you demonstrate by taking good care of her regardless of the convenience of doing so, feeding her nutritious and tasty food, and showing your affection for her in ways that she understands and enjoys. In order for her to be worthy of your respect, she has to respect you, too. Something that many kind-hearted souls struggle to come to terms with is that dog ownership is not about equality: it’s about you being the boss, and her being the pet. Dogs are not children; they are most comfortable and best-behaved when they know that you are in charge. A dog has to respect your leadership to be a happy, well-adjusted, and well-behaved pet.
When you ignore your dog, she’ll probably be confused by this, and will likely bark harder. This is particularly true if you’ve given in to her bully-barking in the past – the more times you’ve reinforced the behavior, the more persistent she’s going to be. In fact, the barking will almost certainly get a lot worse before it gets better – after all, it’s worked for her the past, so it’s understandable that she’ll expect it to work again.
Here’s what you do to stop your barking dog. When she’s barking, give her a second to ‘get it out of her system’ (it’s a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance - however brief – to express herself before asking her to be quiet). If she doesn’t calm down under her own steam, reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She’ll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar to give you greater control. This method is useful for two reasons: firstly, it effectively silences the barking (since no dog, no matter how loud, can bark with her mouth shut!). Secondly, it reinforces your authority: you’re showing her through direct physical action that you’re a benevolent but firm leader who will brook no nonsense, and who won’t balk when it comes to enforcing your guidance.
Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she’s stopped trying to break free: only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she’s accepted your authority. When she’s still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her. In addition to this short-term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog’s need to bark in the first place.
The number-one cause for unwanted barking (as in, the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy – the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her – but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then she almost definitely needs more.
The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention. Pretty simple isn't it, when you break it all down and understand the barking dog from the dogs point of veiw.
CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTION TO A HAPPIER DOG!!
lovethatpup@gmail.com
First of all,should we try to stop their barking, or start to understand why your dog is barking? Some owners seem to want their dogs to stop barking, period: a good dog is a quiet dog, and the only time that barking’s permitted is when there’s an intruder trying to steal you blind in the middle of the night.
Dogs don’t see barking in quite the same light. Your dog has a voice, just like you do, and uses it just how you do too: to communicate something to the people she cares about. I don’t think that barking is necessarily a bad thing – in fact, I think it’s encouraging that my dog wants to “talk” to me. Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans can be a problem. So it's up to us to use the context, the body language of our dogs, and the circumstances of the vocalization to make some meaning out of the barking dog.
So why do dogs bark? It’s not easy to say (it’s like trying to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” in so many words). Let’s start off by saying that dogs bark for many different reasons. A lot of it depends on the breed: some dogs were bred to bark only when a threat is perceived (this is true of guarding breeds in particular, like Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds); some were bred to use their voices as a tool of sorts, to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal (sporting breeds such as Beagles and Bloodhounds, trained to ‘bay’ when they scent the quarry), and some dogs just like to hear themselves talk (take just about any of the toy breeds as an example of a readily-articulate dog!).
Circumstances When Any Dog Will Bark
She’s bored
She’s lonely
She’s hungry, or knows it’s time for a meal
Something is wrong/someone is near the house
She’s inviting you to play
She sees another animal
She needs the toilet
If your dog is barking for any of these reasons, it’s not really realistic for you to try to stop her: after all, she’s a dog, and it’s the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations. Presumably you were aware of this when you adopted your friend (and, if total silence was high on your list of priorities, you’d have bought a pet rock, right?). Of course, there are times when barking isn’t only unwarranted, it’s downright undesirable. Some dogs can use their voices as a means of manipulation. In the same manne as a child when he or she screams , stomps their feet until you give in , and give them what they want. The end result: you have rewarded them for being bad. If she learns that she can get what she wants by barking, then your house is going to become a Noise Pollution Zone (and this is not going to endear you to your neighbors, either).
I’m sure you know that respect is an essential part of your relationship with your dog. You respect her, which you demonstrate by taking good care of her regardless of the convenience of doing so, feeding her nutritious and tasty food, and showing your affection for her in ways that she understands and enjoys. In order for her to be worthy of your respect, she has to respect you, too. Something that many kind-hearted souls struggle to come to terms with is that dog ownership is not about equality: it’s about you being the boss, and her being the pet. Dogs are not children; they are most comfortable and best-behaved when they know that you are in charge. A dog has to respect your leadership to be a happy, well-adjusted, and well-behaved pet.
When you ignore your dog, she’ll probably be confused by this, and will likely bark harder. This is particularly true if you’ve given in to her bully-barking in the past – the more times you’ve reinforced the behavior, the more persistent she’s going to be. In fact, the barking will almost certainly get a lot worse before it gets better – after all, it’s worked for her the past, so it’s understandable that she’ll expect it to work again.
Here’s what you do to stop your barking dog. When she’s barking, give her a second to ‘get it out of her system’ (it’s a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance - however brief – to express herself before asking her to be quiet). If she doesn’t calm down under her own steam, reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She’ll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar to give you greater control. This method is useful for two reasons: firstly, it effectively silences the barking (since no dog, no matter how loud, can bark with her mouth shut!). Secondly, it reinforces your authority: you’re showing her through direct physical action that you’re a benevolent but firm leader who will brook no nonsense, and who won’t balk when it comes to enforcing your guidance.
Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she’s stopped trying to break free: only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she’s accepted your authority. When she’s still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her. In addition to this short-term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog’s need to bark in the first place.
The number-one cause for unwanted barking (as in, the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy – the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her – but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then she almost definitely needs more.
The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention. Pretty simple isn't it, when you break it all down and understand the barking dog from the dogs point of veiw.
CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTION TO A HAPPIER DOG!!
lovethatpup@gmail.com
The Ultimate House Training Guide
Easy Steps To Dog Training
House training a dog is an intimidating task for most people, but when it's broken down for even the greenest of owners to understand, that really helps!. Check lists, do’s and don’ts, how to appropriately deal with “accidents”, as well as helpful training products available is really a plus!
What I am referring to is the "The Ultimate House Training Guide". I found it to be a very important part of me and my puppys life for quite a while. There’s a quick section on the tools of the trade (“patience, persistence, consistence, and common sense”) along with some morale-boosting advice on how to keep your cool through the training process, and then it’s straight into the meat of the matter: the nitty-gritty on how to house train, with a detailed section (one for pups, one for older dogs) on each of the three methods recommended (paper-training, crate-training, and the direct method.)
Common house training problems are dealt with, which is particularly handy! A huge variety of issues are covered, from territorial marking to poop-eating; and on top of that, each problem comes with a case study, which helps you to put the information into context.
Next, health-related problems are covered in some depth. There’s a section on congenital problems (problems your dog was born with); a section on the disease-related problems that develop later in life; and a section on other problems related to house training, like inappropriate outdoor elimination, or lawn-burn from urination.
Finally, there’s the Top Ten Tips for hassle-free house training, which is essentially a recap of the most helpful and necessary attitude adjustments, practical tips, and useful nuggets of general knowledge which will come in most handy in your dog’s training. Sound like a handful? It’s actually very user-friendly. Not only is this book packed with sound practical advice, but the whole thing is laid out in a very logical and easy-to-understand format: the tone is light and non-threatening (no confusing terminology or strange gaps in logic here!) and it proceeds in a logical manner from step to step, with the assistance of helpful how-to illustrations from the book’s charming mascot (a pooch called, of all things, Spot-Less).
And one of the best parts is a free, personalized email consultation with the team at Kingdom of Pets. If you’d like additional help with your own dog’s toilet-related vagaries, just flick them off an email and you’ll get an individualized professional opinion on how best to handle the problem - plus any additional tips and strategies necessary to get your house training under control.
You Owe It To You And Your Dog - Click Here For The Ultimate House Training Guide.
Anything To Do With Dogs!!
lovethatpup@gmail.com
House training a dog is an intimidating task for most people, but when it's broken down for even the greenest of owners to understand, that really helps!. Check lists, do’s and don’ts, how to appropriately deal with “accidents”, as well as helpful training products available is really a plus!
What I am referring to is the "The Ultimate House Training Guide". I found it to be a very important part of me and my puppys life for quite a while. There’s a quick section on the tools of the trade (“patience, persistence, consistence, and common sense”) along with some morale-boosting advice on how to keep your cool through the training process, and then it’s straight into the meat of the matter: the nitty-gritty on how to house train, with a detailed section (one for pups, one for older dogs) on each of the three methods recommended (paper-training, crate-training, and the direct method.)
Common house training problems are dealt with, which is particularly handy! A huge variety of issues are covered, from territorial marking to poop-eating; and on top of that, each problem comes with a case study, which helps you to put the information into context.
Next, health-related problems are covered in some depth. There’s a section on congenital problems (problems your dog was born with); a section on the disease-related problems that develop later in life; and a section on other problems related to house training, like inappropriate outdoor elimination, or lawn-burn from urination.
Finally, there’s the Top Ten Tips for hassle-free house training, which is essentially a recap of the most helpful and necessary attitude adjustments, practical tips, and useful nuggets of general knowledge which will come in most handy in your dog’s training. Sound like a handful? It’s actually very user-friendly. Not only is this book packed with sound practical advice, but the whole thing is laid out in a very logical and easy-to-understand format: the tone is light and non-threatening (no confusing terminology or strange gaps in logic here!) and it proceeds in a logical manner from step to step, with the assistance of helpful how-to illustrations from the book’s charming mascot (a pooch called, of all things, Spot-Less).
And one of the best parts is a free, personalized email consultation with the team at Kingdom of Pets. If you’d like additional help with your own dog’s toilet-related vagaries, just flick them off an email and you’ll get an individualized professional opinion on how best to handle the problem - plus any additional tips and strategies necessary to get your house training under control.
You Owe It To You And Your Dog - Click Here For The Ultimate House Training Guide.
Anything To Do With Dogs!!
lovethatpup@gmail.com
Paper Training Puppies
Paper Training Your Dog - How To Do It - Common Problems
What’s paper training? Paper training is a specific form of house training for your dog: you’re teaching her where in the house is appropriate for her to eliminate (pee or poop). When you paper train your dog, you teach her to only go on newspapers (chosen for their absorbency, ready availability, and cheap cost) which you gather up and throw away after each use.
You can choose to use paper training as an intermediary step for eventually only going outside (although not everyone recommends this: it’s easier on the dog, and more effective all round, to choose one method and stick with it.)
When Paper Training Is The Best Option For Everyone Involved
- When you don’t have easy access to a yard (for example, you live in a hi-rise apartment block)
- It’s not easy for you to take your dog outside for any other reason (for example, elderly or unwell people)
- You have a full-time job, or other time-consuming commitment which can’t be got around (meaning that you’re not able to spend the large amounts of time supervising your dog that crate training requires)
- You’re planning on training your dog to go outside the house eventually, but not just yet (for example, it’s the dead of winter with four-foot snow drifts outside)
Paper training isn’t suitable for all dogs: it really only works for small males and small-to-medium females, since a dog larger than these just produces too much waste for the newspaper (and you!) to handle.
How do you paper train your dog? First, pick a convenient area of the house for your dog to use as the elimination area. Because she’s going to be peeing and pooping in this area, it’s best if you can choose somewhere without carpet: most people choose a corner of the kitchen or laundry (since these rooms usually have tiled or linoleum floors, making hygiene a non-issue.)
Spread newspaper thickly in a corner of this room. At first, you’ll need to make the newspaper area pretty big, since your pup has no idea that she’s meant to go on the paper at all. To make sure that she’s able to go only on the paper, you’ll either need to restrict her movements to the papered area of the floor (which you can do by erecting barriers to keep her in – if the room you’ve chosen is large or busy, this is probably the most user-friendly option for you), or paper the whole floor (which is a viable option if the paper-room is small and there’s not much thoroughfare.)
At first, your puppy will go pretty much at random on the paper. It’s important for the paper-training process that she only gets to go on the paper – you need her to form a strong association between the feeling of paper under her toes, and relieving herself.
After a week or two, you can begin to shrink the papered area of the floor, allowing her more access to unpapered surfaces (leave the barriers where they are for now so she doesn’t get the chance to eliminate anywhere else.) Do this gradually, a couple of sheets at a time. If you’ve given her enough time to get used to the paper, she should naturally restrict her elimination areas as the papered area shrinks.
NOTE: If at any time she begins to go off the paper, then increase the size of the papered floor surface to the size it was when she was still eliminating only on the paper, and give her more time to get used to it before beginning to reduce the papered area again. There’s no need to panic: this doesn’t mean that the paper training isn’t working, it just means you’re moving a bit too fast for your puppy’s capabilities.
Most dogs take a couple of months (eight to twelve weeks) to get used to the paper training method. Until she’s reliably going on the papers only, you should restrict her access to the rest of the house unless you’re actively supervising her- which means 100% of your attention is focused on the pup. In general, a good rule of thumb is that your puppy is confined to the papered area unless she’s sleeping, eating, or being played with/actively supervised.
You will still have to closely watch your puppy, and be ready to praise for a good job, and interupt an accident as it happens! I hope this information on paper training helps you in your decision as what method to use on your dog.
Do You Want More? Click Here For The Ultimate House Training Guide.
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What’s paper training? Paper training is a specific form of house training for your dog: you’re teaching her where in the house is appropriate for her to eliminate (pee or poop). When you paper train your dog, you teach her to only go on newspapers (chosen for their absorbency, ready availability, and cheap cost) which you gather up and throw away after each use.
You can choose to use paper training as an intermediary step for eventually only going outside (although not everyone recommends this: it’s easier on the dog, and more effective all round, to choose one method and stick with it.)
When Paper Training Is The Best Option For Everyone Involved
- When you don’t have easy access to a yard (for example, you live in a hi-rise apartment block)
- It’s not easy for you to take your dog outside for any other reason (for example, elderly or unwell people)
- You have a full-time job, or other time-consuming commitment which can’t be got around (meaning that you’re not able to spend the large amounts of time supervising your dog that crate training requires)
- You’re planning on training your dog to go outside the house eventually, but not just yet (for example, it’s the dead of winter with four-foot snow drifts outside)
Paper training isn’t suitable for all dogs: it really only works for small males and small-to-medium females, since a dog larger than these just produces too much waste for the newspaper (and you!) to handle.
How do you paper train your dog? First, pick a convenient area of the house for your dog to use as the elimination area. Because she’s going to be peeing and pooping in this area, it’s best if you can choose somewhere without carpet: most people choose a corner of the kitchen or laundry (since these rooms usually have tiled or linoleum floors, making hygiene a non-issue.)
Spread newspaper thickly in a corner of this room. At first, you’ll need to make the newspaper area pretty big, since your pup has no idea that she’s meant to go on the paper at all. To make sure that she’s able to go only on the paper, you’ll either need to restrict her movements to the papered area of the floor (which you can do by erecting barriers to keep her in – if the room you’ve chosen is large or busy, this is probably the most user-friendly option for you), or paper the whole floor (which is a viable option if the paper-room is small and there’s not much thoroughfare.)
At first, your puppy will go pretty much at random on the paper. It’s important for the paper-training process that she only gets to go on the paper – you need her to form a strong association between the feeling of paper under her toes, and relieving herself.
After a week or two, you can begin to shrink the papered area of the floor, allowing her more access to unpapered surfaces (leave the barriers where they are for now so she doesn’t get the chance to eliminate anywhere else.) Do this gradually, a couple of sheets at a time. If you’ve given her enough time to get used to the paper, she should naturally restrict her elimination areas as the papered area shrinks.
NOTE: If at any time she begins to go off the paper, then increase the size of the papered floor surface to the size it was when she was still eliminating only on the paper, and give her more time to get used to it before beginning to reduce the papered area again. There’s no need to panic: this doesn’t mean that the paper training isn’t working, it just means you’re moving a bit too fast for your puppy’s capabilities.
Most dogs take a couple of months (eight to twelve weeks) to get used to the paper training method. Until she’s reliably going on the papers only, you should restrict her access to the rest of the house unless you’re actively supervising her- which means 100% of your attention is focused on the pup. In general, a good rule of thumb is that your puppy is confined to the papered area unless she’s sleeping, eating, or being played with/actively supervised.
You will still have to closely watch your puppy, and be ready to praise for a good job, and interupt an accident as it happens! I hope this information on paper training helps you in your decision as what method to use on your dog.
Do You Want More? Click Here For The Ultimate House Training Guide.
lovethatpup@gmail.com
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