Monday, May 11, 2009

potty training 101

“Ah, isn’t he cute, just look at him…peeing on the floor!” A dog will not pass the therapy test if it cannot hold its bladder so proper potty training is essential.
Don’t fret this as potty training is easy, but you have to make the time to do this. A small puppy should go out after play, after every nap, after eating, and every hour in-between! If you purchased an older dog that was kept in a kennel thereby eliminating when ever he felt like it you will also have to start a potty training regiment. Although an older dog may not have to go out as often, you must still keep a watchful eye on him. Take the dog on a leash to the area in the yard you want him to eliminate. Repeat the phrase ‘go potty’ (or whatever phrase suits you) over and over, even as he is eliminating. Don’t speak in a high pitched voice as it may confuse him and he’ll forget about needing to potty and want to play. Use a calm monotone voice as if you were a robot. Once he has finished his business, click (with the clicker you bought for training, see below if you have not started basic obedience yet)  and reward.

 There will be times when you will take the puppy out and the slightest breeze in the air may turn his attention away from eliminating, try to get his focus back to the task at hand by walking in a circle and returning to the potty area. Should he just stand there and look at you, give him a few seconds to rethink what he is out there for. If after a total of ten to fifteen minutes he does not eliminate bring him back inside and keep him under a watchful eye. Wait another ten to fifteen minutes and try again. To keep him under watchful eye you can either crate him or tether him to you so he must stay near you at all times. The younger the dog the more distracting the outside world will be so your reward has to be something  to work toward for the dog and it should be the only time the dog gets this particular reward. Hot dog slivers or cheeese chunks work well.

Should your dog ever have an accident after you have brought him back inside or whenever you have left him alone, never scold him. If you catch him in the act of eliminating in the house, calmly say “oops” and bring him outside to finish up. Remember to click (with the clicker you have bought for training) and treat once he is done. Let me explain what your dog thinks when you walk through the door and find he has left you a special package. The door opens and your dog greets you whole heartedly even if you’ve only been gone two minutes. You see the mess and start ranting a bunch of human garble as your hands are trying to scoop up the poop. Your tone of voice is getting angry as the poop rolls off the paper and back onto the floor hitting you new leather shoes! It is your tone and body language that sets the pace for the dog’s reaction as he slinks away from you, his head seemingly hung low in guilt. “He knows what he’s done, right? Wrong!” The only thing the dog takes from this experience is that every time the person he adores walks through the door he gets hollered at. He has no idea why you are angry, rather he only associates that mood with you walking through the door. The best thing to do is greet him happily as the damage has already been done and you can’t turn back the clock, so just clean it up with no reaction. I have also heard of people who say you should rub his nose in it. So I pose these questions to them. “ If you poop and I rub your nose in it each time, wouldn’t you eventually start pooping in spots so I would not find it?”

Well, that is what your dog will start doing. To avoid an unpleasant greeting he will start pooping in your closet, your shoes, and behind furniture. Toilet training your puppy is the same as toilet training a two year old child, it takes time, patience, and repetition. Should your dog soil in the house use a solution of white vinegar and water to clean it up. Never use ammonia based cleaners as a dog’s urine is ammonia based and his nose will lead him back to that spot. There are also cleaning solutions on the market specifically for dog and cat markings.

basic obedeince training method for clicker  www.clickerlessons.com

dog training tools

Training Collar:
Buy a Martingale collar for a medium to large size dog if your dog's neck is bigger than its head. Buy a harness for a toy type dog. The collar or harness is used in conjunction with the clicker for training and to keep the dog safely beside you. For the collar Measure your dog’s neck and add two inches to the size of the collar. For instance, your dog’s neck measures at twenty four inches, then you should purchase a twenty six inch collar. I use a harness on smaller dogs because pulling around the neck could cause damage to the trachea if done too hard. Measure the dog’s girth (around the chest) to get the proper fit of a harness.

Dog Clicker:
Thankfully unlike a few years ago, this can now be found at most pet stores for fewer than three dollars since the clicker training method has become more popular. The clicker is a small hand held box with a piece of metal inside. When the metal is depressed, you will hear a clicking sound. This is used as the “marker” for the dog. You will click as soon as the dog does the command you’ve asked of him. After the click you will reward him with the treat. Remember that the click is the ‘instant marker’ so you will use it as soon as your dog has done the command or is caught in the act of good behavior. The click is always more important than the treat. Before purchasing a clicker, know what your dog’s sound sensitive limits are. Take the dog to the pet store and test different clickers as some are not as loud as others.

Treats:
Treats are used for a reward when your dog has done what you have asked of it. (given after they hear the sound of the clicker.) Do not use regular dog biscuits, they crumble when chewed and the dog ends up sniffing out the crumbled pieces when you want his full attention on you. Buy soft treats that can be eaten quickly, or you can use cut up pieces of hot dog or chicken. I found that the hot dogs worked best as you can buy a large pack, freeze them, and defrost them as needed. They are also easier to cut into different sized pieces depending on the size of your dog. You may also want to purchase a treat carrier. This is a little bag that hooks onto your belt and holds a fair amount of treats. Since the click and reward have to come immediately after the dog has done what you asked, it is best to have the treats close at hand. Trying to hold treats in one hand, hold the leash in the other and hold the clicker can be a bit cumbersome so anything to lighten the load will help.

Six foot leash and twenty foot leash
:
The six foot leash will be used for a majority of the commands and the twenty foot leash will be used for the ‘come’ or ‘here’ command. Both leashes are used in the testing of a Therapy Dog. Keep in mind that a cotton leash is easier on your hands when training. A leather or rope type leash can really make your hands sore after a training session.