Doggy Mentor

The key to house training your puppy to make the transition from going to the bathroom on paper indoors to holding it and waiting until it can go outside is a bit of common sense and outdoor manners. Going from the papers to the outside means you need to carry your puppy to the right area. Small puppies are easy to carry outside, but you may need a carrier of sorts for bigger dogs if you are not strong enough. Once you have taken the dog outside without any accidents occuring and you are face to face with city block after block, where do you begin to go?

It should go without saying, that all areas frequented by people, including flower beds, children’s play area, city trees and other landscaping are all off limits. Letting a male dog lift his leg on somebody’s garbage can or other things that might be touched by humans is not very nice. Make sure you are properly prepared to invest a lot of time outdoors with your puppy potty training. A fearful puppy won’t be relaxed enough to want to potty and the puppy can be so distracted by all the stimuli that it won’t want to go outside.

Will your puppy ever learn to go on concrete amid the commotion of people and cars? With training, yes. One method for outdoor potty training sessions is called ‘curbing’ which is where your dog eliminates over the curb into the gutter. Position your puppy’s rear end over the curb and let it eliminate. Give gentle and somewhat quiet praise to your puppy while he is going then praise with exuberance afterwards. It is important to understand that overly praising the puppy while he is going can be distracting and cause him to wiggle around, which is never pleasant while in the act.

If your dog makes an error, just pick up the mess and don’t be perturbed about it, just smile and nod. Don’t drag the pup over in mid-poop and scold it for going in the wrong place, instead get it to the right place next time. Make it a habit and praise your dog and very soon your pup will catch on with his dog potty training. Life will be easier if you teach your pup to potty on cue. Once it’s about to start urinating or defecating, calmly say the cue words and praise your pup and after it’s done, praise it once again.

A Few Other Potty Training Choices

Those who live in cities and other restricted spaces may have other potty areas they hadn’t even considered, such as a walled or fenced rooftop area might actually be quicker to access than the street. Be sure the area is secured with a strong fence that pups can’t wriggle through. If there is a wall, you may want to keep the dog leashed to prevent the puppy from exploring the other side. A terrace is one other option that works well for larger dogs. Also, there are buildings that have storage or basement areas that can also be used as a potty place, just ensure it is a surface like concrete or tile that can be easily washed off.

A few people have installed graveled pits or grass strips, fake and real, on their patios for dogs to use, however, these tend to get dirty quickly. You must be extra vigilant about cleaning up and replacing the grass when needed to keep those pristine enough for your dog to want to use them. The last point is to remember your neighbors as the smell can become pretty intolerant especially through the hot summer, so cleanliness is key. Dog house training, inside or out needs a little bit of time and patience, but it is well worth the effort.

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