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House Breaking Puppys
Hey All;
I know this is a loaded question that will probably give me numerous opinions, so I will try to be as specific as I can. I would like to know when and how I should house break puppies. My two boys are almost 12 weeks. I have no intention of using a crate and as winter is upon us, I would be more comfortable teaching them to use newspaper in a specific spot or preferably a litter box with woodchips/newspaper. John http://24.101.203.113/hollywood/ |
#2
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(John) wrote:
My two boys are almost 12 weeks. I have no intention of using a crate and as winter is upon us, I would be more comfortable teaching them to use newspaper in a specific spot or preferably a litter box with woodchips/newspaper. Not a good idea. While you're trying to teach them that they're not supposed to go inside, giving them an option to go inside can confuse the issue. Since you don't want to use a crate, just substitute "puppy-proofed enclosed area" for the crate instructions he http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/potty-training.html --- Canine Action Dog Trainer http://www.canineaction.com It's A Dog's Life http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html Get Healthy, Build Your Immune System, Lose Weight http://www.re-vita.net/dfrntdrums |
#3
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John wrote:
Hey All; I know this is a loaded question that will probably give me numerous opinions, so I will try to be as specific as I can. I would like to know when and how I should house break puppies. My two boys are almost 12 weeks. I have no intention of using a crate and as winter is upon us, I would be more comfortable teaching them to use newspaper in a specific spot or preferably a litter box with woodchips/newspaper. Dogs are creatures of habit. If you teach them to eliminate on paper or a litter box (I call them both paper training), you'll have a horrible time ever teaching them to eliminate outside (I call that housetraining). Not impossible, just difficult as in really hard. The principle of both paper training and house training is the same. You put the pups on a schedule and take them to the appropriate spot when you know they're about to go anyway. Then you praise like crazy when they get it right. You clean up promptly and dispassionately when they get it wrong. You don't have to use a crate if you don't want to. Crates make it easier when you can't watch your pups every second, but many a dog has been successfully housetrained without a crate. I'd like to urge you to consider house training rather than paper training no matter what the weather. In addition to its being easier in the long run in terms of cleaning, walking dogs is fun. Playing with dogs outside is fun. Sure it can be a bother putting on the galoshes when the weather is nasty and you don't feel like it, but in the long run, one of the great joys of having dogs is the romps outside. Don't deprive either yourself or your dogs of that. --Lia |
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John said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:
I have no intention of using a crate and as winter is upon us, I would be more comfortable teaching them to use newspaper in a specific spot or preferably a litter box with woodchips/newspaper. Why is winter stopping you from taking them outside? -- --Matt. Rocky's a Dog. |
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Rocky wrote in message ...
John said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: I have no intention of using a crate and as winter is upon us, I would be more comfortable teaching them to use newspaper in a specific spot or preferably a litter box with woodchips/newspaper. Why is winter stopping you from taking them outside? They are papillons, so they are small to start off with. We have sliding glass doors leading off our bedroom to the backyard. This is where I let Hollywood, the mom, out. The puppies seem very interested in where she is going and either stare out the window at her and/or paw at the window. So a few times I have carried them out when I let their mother out and they just shake. Not sure if they are scaird or cold. I read somewhere that even adult Paps pads are too small to handle the cold ground. The cold can dry up their pads, cause them to crack and is very painful for the dog. I figured for a puppy Pap it would be worse. Although it is only negative single digits right now, our winters can see -30 to -40 temperatures. So I figured for this season to train them to go indoors in a designated are and then next year, when they are bigger, outside, even if it is twice the work. What do you think? http://24.101.203.113/hollywood/ |
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John said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:
I figured for a puppy Pap it would be worse. Although it is only negative single digits right now, our winters can see -30 to -40 temperatures. So I figured for this season to train them to go indoors in a designated are and then next year, when they are bigger, outside, even if it is twice the work. What do you think? Your winters sound like the ones here. I don't have Paps, but I know people who do, as well as people with Italian Greyhounds and other breeds which don't do well in cold weather. In my experience, if you had a sheltered spot in your yard where you could carry your dogs, they'd be fine. Papillons are very smart dogs - use this time while it's not overly cold outside to train them to pee and poo on command, that way they (and you) won't have to stay outside very long. -- --Matt. Rocky's a Dog. |
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Rocky wrote: John said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: I figured for a puppy Pap it would be worse. Although it is only negative single digits right now, our winters can see -30 to -40 temperatures. So I figured for this season to train them to go indoors in a designated are and then next year, when they are bigger, outside, even if it is twice the work. What do you think? Your winters sound like the ones here. I don't have Paps, but I know people who do, as well as people with Italian Greyhounds and other breeds which don't do well in cold weather. In my experience, if you had a sheltered spot in your yard where you could carry your dogs, they'd be fine. Papillons are very smart dogs - use this time while it's not overly cold outside to train them to pee and poo on command, that way they (and you) won't have to stay outside very long. There are a lot of toy breeder owners that train their toy breeds to use litter boxes. Just an option I have heard if very doable for toy breeds. Also John mentioned their pads of their feet. I know mushers use this stuff for the pads of their dogs feet. But I don't have the link handy. Gwen |
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Gwen Watson said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:
Also John mentioned their pads of their feet. I know mushers use this stuff for the pads of their dogs feet. IMO, the dogs' pads will be fine during the short time they'd be outside. -- --Matt. Rocky's a Dog. |
#10
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Rocky wrote: Gwen Watson said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: Also John mentioned their pads of their feet. I know mushers use this stuff for the pads of their dogs feet. IMO, the dogs' pads will be fine during the short time they'd be outside. I agree with that. I was mostly just suggesting a product that helps with paw pads. I don't think these paps are going to be out long enough to need it but it wouldn't hurt either. Gwen |
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