Bringing up Puppy
House Training

Puppies will circle around sniffing in an agitated
fashion when they are ready to relieve themselves

Young puppies have a natural instinct not to foul their home, however to a puppy home may be perceived just as their bed or indoor kennel.

The process of house training is about teaching the puppy that home means the whole house.

Your puppy will want to relieve its self when it wakes up after sleep and shortly after it has fed.

When your puppy is in the house watch for the signs of puppy wanting to relieve himself - usually circling around with his nose down sniffing the ground. At night restricting the puppy in an indoor kennel or pen will help to encourage cleanliness and make it easy for you to clear up any accidents.

Each time your pup wakes up take him outside into the garden and stay with him until he has emptied himself, do not put the puppy outside by himself and hope that he will oblige.

As soon as your puppy starts to relieve himself use a key word such as "puddles" or "messes", be happy and enthusiastic and give the puppy plenty of praise and a small treat such as a tiny piece of cheese.

Sometimes puppies do not like being watched when they are attending to hygiene matters but you should make sure that you can see puppy even if he cannot see you so that you can praise him when he has finished.

There will be accidents in the house but never scold a puppy for being dirty, dogs are clean animals and if your puppy is dirty it is either because he does not yet understand that he must go outside, because he is frightened or confused, or because you did not take him out in time. If you scold or punish a puppy for being dirty in the house he will think that you are angry with him for making a mess and may refuse to relieve himself when he knows you are near. This may mean he will learn to hide behind a sofa or the curtains in the house to mess or he may wait until you have left the room rather that relieving himself outside when you are with him.

Any accidents in the house should be interrupted if you catch puppy in the act, quickly scoop up the puppy and put him outside to finish, then praise him.

If you find an accident has happened whilst you were not around simply clean it up without a word and resolve to be more careful next time. House training takes several weeks before the puppy gets the basic idea and several months before he is totally reliable, sometimes he may be clean for several weeks and may then have an accident but patience, kindness and perseverance are the key to a house trained dog.

If your puppy makes a mess in an inappropriate place never, never, rub his nose in the mess, it is a disgusting thing to do and will only frighten and upset the puppy and destroy his trust in you.

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Puppy Page	Socialisation

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