OT: How do I house-train a puppy?

[SK in CV]

[quote=martink110] I got my puppy at 5 weeks, no problem with potty training. Some breeds are ‘cleaner’ than others. ([/quote]

I agree completely that some breeds are cleaner than others. My big Akita, as dumb as he is, is like a cat. Festidious about his grooming. Perfers walking on the clean floor inside than on dirt. That’s one of many behavior problems with many terriers, they don’t seem to give a shit where they shit.

On the 5 week thing. Housebreaking is only 1 of the many many possible problems. Generally, 5 weeks is just way too early. Puppies learn NOTHING the first 3 or 4 weeks of life. Half of that, their eyes aren’t even open. They eat, eliminate and sleep. Then learn how to walk, run and that’s about it. All of their socialization learning comes after 4 weeks. They learn to vocalize and what their various vocalizations mean to other dogs. They learn about canine hierarchy. What I call doggy manners. This is a key component in how a dog will relate to you, other members of your household, other people and other dogs. It is stuff that is virtually impossible to teach outside of the litter setting.

Dogs separated at 5 weeks, as compared to those separated at 8 weeks or later, tend to be skittish, very hard to socialize with other dogs or pets, agressive towards strangers, not good with small children, and often inconsistent in learning desired behaviors because they have an incomplete imprinting of hierarchial standards. They also tend to lick incessantly.

It’s not an absolute. There are dogs separated at 5 weeks with none of these behavior problems. And some owners will never notice them as problems. But the likelihood of problems is so much greater, there is simply no good reason to ever take the risk. (As a disclaimer here, I have to admit, my assistant dog was separated at some time before 5 weeks. She was a rescue from the mean streets of Rosarito, where she was abandoned. She is a good dog, but has many of these undesirable traits. I can’t trust her alone with small children. Can’t take her to a dog park. Has no clue where she fits into her pack. If she hadn’t been rescued by the daughter of a former dog trainer, I doubt she would have survived.)

[kicksavedave]

One more thing about house training. Even if you do everything right, its possible that your dog will have an accident or two at some point. You may not see it doing the sniff looking for a place to potty, or you may come home and discover a nice pile in the corner.

Its important when this happens that you avoid any and all emotional response, no angry “what did you do”, no rubbing his nose in it. Just clean it up and continue to show the dog where to go and those accidents will reduce to nothing in time.

The issue is that dogs have associative memory, but not connective memory. When you come home and get mad at that pile in the corner and take it out on the dog, ALL the dog knows is that when you come home you are likely to be irrational and angry. The dog has no concept that the reason you are mad is because of him going potty where he’s not supposed to. By using any negative reinforcement well after the fact, the dog is unable to make the connection between you punishing him and what he did to cause it. All he can do is know that you appear to be angry for reasons unknown. It can lead to the dog becoming afraid or unsure about you, which can lead to any form of other behavior problems.

Its critical, as others have pointed out, that any corrective actions or reinforcement be made at the instant the dog is performing the unwanted act. Even a few seconds later and the connection between the act and the correction can be lost. Minutes or hours later and its assuredly lost. Positive reinforcement is the same way… right in the act of doing the proper behavior is the time to praise, not 10 seconds later when you fish the treat out of your pocket.

Good luck with the puppy… little bundles of joy 🙂

[kicksavedave]

One more thing about house training. Even if you do everything right, its possible that your dog will have an accident or two at some point. You may not see it doing the sniff looking for a place to potty, or you may come home and discover a nice pile in the corner.

Its important when this happens that you avoid any and all emotional response, no angry “what did you do”, no rubbing his nose in it. Just clean it up and continue to show the dog where to go and those accidents will reduce to nothing in time.

The issue is that dogs have associative memory, but not connective memory. When you come home and get mad at that pile in the corner and take it out on the dog, ALL the dog knows is that when you come home you are likely to be irrational and angry. The dog has no concept that the reason you are mad is because of him going potty where he’s not supposed to. By using any negative reinforcement well after the fact, the dog is unable to make the connection between you punishing him and what he did to cause it. All he can do is know that you appear to be angry for reasons unknown. It can lead to the dog becoming afraid or unsure about you, which can lead to any form of other behavior problems.

Its critical, as others have pointed out, that any corrective actions or reinforcement be made at the instant the dog is performing the unwanted act. Even a few seconds later and the connection between the act and the correction can be lost. Minutes or hours later and its assuredly lost. Positive reinforcement is the same way… right in the act of doing the proper behavior is the time to praise, not 10 seconds later when you fish the treat out of your pocket.

Good luck with the puppy… little bundles of joy 🙂

[kicksavedave]

One more thing about house training. Even if you do everything right, its possible that your dog will have an accident or two at some point. You may not see it doing the sniff looking for a place to potty, or you may come home and discover a nice pile in the corner.

Its important when this happens that you avoid any and all emotional response, no angry “what did you do”, no rubbing his nose in it. Just clean it up and continue to show the dog where to go and those accidents will reduce to nothing in time.

The issue is that dogs have associative memory, but not connective memory. When you come home and get mad at that pile in the corner and take it out on the dog, ALL the dog knows is that when you come home you are likely to be irrational and angry. The dog has no concept that the reason you are mad is because of him going potty where he’s not supposed to. By using any negative reinforcement well after the fact, the dog is unable to make the connection between you punishing him and what he did to cause it. All he can do is know that you appear to be angry for reasons unknown. It can lead to the dog becoming afraid or unsure about you, which can lead to any form of other behavior problems.

Its critical, as others have pointed out, that any corrective actions or reinforcement be made at the instant the dog is performing the unwanted act. Even a few seconds later and the connection between the act and the correction can be lost. Minutes or hours later and its assuredly lost. Positive reinforcement is the same way… right in the act of doing the proper behavior is the time to praise, not 10 seconds later when you fish the treat out of your pocket.

Good luck with the puppy… little bundles of joy 🙂

[kicksavedave]

One more thing about house training. Even if you do everything right, its possible that your dog will have an accident or two at some point. You may not see it doing the sniff looking for a place to potty, or you may come home and discover a nice pile in the corner.

Its important when this happens that you avoid any and all emotional response, no angry “what did you do”, no rubbing his nose in it. Just clean it up and continue to show the dog where to go and those accidents will reduce to nothing in time.

The issue is that dogs have associative memory, but not connective memory. When you come home and get mad at that pile in the corner and take it out on the dog, ALL the dog knows is that when you come home you are likely to be irrational and angry. The dog has no concept that the reason you are mad is because of him going potty where he’s not supposed to. By using any negative reinforcement well after the fact, the dog is unable to make the connection between you punishing him and what he did to cause it. All he can do is know that you appear to be angry for reasons unknown. It can lead to the dog becoming afraid or unsure about you, which can lead to any form of other behavior problems.

Its critical, as others have pointed out, that any corrective actions or reinforcement be made at the instant the dog is performing the unwanted act. Even a few seconds later and the connection between the act and the correction can be lost. Minutes or hours later and its assuredly lost. Positive reinforcement is the same way… right in the act of doing the proper behavior is the time to praise, not 10 seconds later when you fish the treat out of your pocket.

Good luck with the puppy… little bundles of joy 🙂

[kicksavedave]

One more thing about house training. Even if you do everything right, its possible that your dog will have an accident or two at some point. You may not see it doing the sniff looking for a place to potty, or you may come home and discover a nice pile in the corner.

Its important when this happens that you avoid any and all emotional response, no angry “what did you do”, no rubbing his nose in it. Just clean it up and continue to show the dog where to go and those accidents will reduce to nothing in time.

The issue is that dogs have associative memory, but not connective memory. When you come home and get mad at that pile in the corner and take it out on the dog, ALL the dog knows is that when you come home you are likely to be irrational and angry. The dog has no concept that the reason you are mad is because of him going potty where he’s not supposed to. By using any negative reinforcement well after the fact, the dog is unable to make the connection between you punishing him and what he did to cause it. All he can do is know that you appear to be angry for reasons unknown. It can lead to the dog becoming afraid or unsure about you, which can lead to any form of other behavior problems.

Its critical, as others have pointed out, that any corrective actions or reinforcement be made at the instant the dog is performing the unwanted act. Even a few seconds later and the connection between the act and the correction can be lost. Minutes or hours later and its assuredly lost. Positive reinforcement is the same way… right in the act of doing the proper behavior is the time to praise, not 10 seconds later when you fish the treat out of your pocket.

Good luck with the puppy… little bundles of joy 🙂

[Anonymous]

(troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags!

[Anonymous]

(troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags!

[Anonymous]

(troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags!

[Anonymous]

(troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags!

[Anonymous]

(troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags!

[SK in CV]

[quote=dogonit](troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags![/quote]

McConnell is good, but I don’t think she’s perfect. Her liberal use of treats at some stages of training, as reward for desired behavior, diminishes the importance of the relationship between the handler and the dog. Treats are great for teaching tricks, which is why they’re used for for show dogs (and other show animals like seals, porpoise and killer whales). They’re less than optimal for teaching trust and absolute consistent behavior. It is the only gripe that I have with any of her methods.

[SK in CV]

[quote=dogonit](troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags![/quote]

McConnell is good, but I don’t think she’s perfect. Her liberal use of treats at some stages of training, as reward for desired behavior, diminishes the importance of the relationship between the handler and the dog. Treats are great for teaching tricks, which is why they’re used for for show dogs (and other show animals like seals, porpoise and killer whales). They’re less than optimal for teaching trust and absolute consistent behavior. It is the only gripe that I have with any of her methods.

[SK in CV]

[quote=dogonit](troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags![/quote]

McConnell is good, but I don’t think she’s perfect. Her liberal use of treats at some stages of training, as reward for desired behavior, diminishes the importance of the relationship between the handler and the dog. Treats are great for teaching tricks, which is why they’re used for for show dogs (and other show animals like seals, porpoise and killer whales). They’re less than optimal for teaching trust and absolute consistent behavior. It is the only gripe that I have with any of her methods.

[SK in CV]

[quote=dogonit](troubled loner’s wife here) I’m a huge dog fan, and have trained our dogs to follow hand signals, etc. The best dog training books, hands down, are by Patricia McConnell. Each publication is very short and easy to successfully follow. I suggest “The Puppy Primer” Her website: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books
Happy Wags![/quote]

McConnell is good, but I don’t think she’s perfect. Her liberal use of treats at some stages of training, as reward for desired behavior, diminishes the importance of the relationship between the handler and the dog. Treats are great for teaching tricks, which is why they’re used for for show dogs (and other show animals like seals, porpoise and killer whales). They’re less than optimal for teaching trust and absolute consistent behavior. It is the only gripe that I have with any of her methods.

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