Housetraining For Dummies

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You're Not to Read 3

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book Is Organized 4

Part I Preparing to Potty Train Your Pooch 4

Part II Putting a Plan in Place 4

Part III Solving Housetraining Problems 5

Part IV The Part of Tens 5

Appendix 5

Icons Used in This Book 5

Where to Go From Here 6

Part 1 Preparing to Potty Train Your Pooch 7

Chapter 1 No, Virginia, It's Not That Hard: Understanding Housetraining Basics 9

What Housetraining Is - and Why It Matters 10

Why Your Dog Can't Be "a Little Bit Housetrained" 11

Exploring Housetraining Methods 12

Location, location, location: Outdoor versus indoor training 12

Looking at lifestyle factors to help you choose your method 14

Surviving Setbacks and Special Situations 14

Understanding the Role You and Your Family Play 15

Chapter 2 Training the Housetrainer: Taking the Right Approach 17

Leaving Behind Housetraining Methods of Yesteryear 18

Using Your Pooch's Instincts to Lay a Foundation 18

The training your dog has already had 19

Learning from his mom 20

Denning dynamics 22

Cleanliness is next to dog-liness 23

Life without guilt 24

Learning by repetition 24

The need for attachment 25

How instincts can be thwarted 26

Taking the 21st-Century Approach to Housetraining 28

Seeing your dog's point of view 29

Being benevolent 29

Working with your dog's instincts 30

Creating a schedule 30

Rewarding the good, ignoring the goofs 31

Being consistent 32

Attending to details 33

Chapter 3 Getting Your Home in Housetraining Order 35

Readying Your Dog's Room: The Crate 35

Understanding why every dogneeds (and wants) a crate 36

Finding the right fit: Types of crates 36

Adjusting for size 38

Investing in crate accessories 39

Situating your doggie's den 39

Gearing Up for Outdoor Training 40

Selecting a potty spot - no matter where you live 40

Securing collars and leashes 41

Containing the situation: Fencing 44

Installing a doggie door 45

Prepping for Indoor Training 46

Exploring types of indoor potties 47

Setting up your dog's indoor living area and potty spot 47

Doing the Dirty Work: Cleanup Equipment 49

Choosing an outdoor cleanup method 50

Indoor cleaners 53

Other cleaning aids 54

Chapter 4 Feeding Fido: What Goes In Must Come Out 55

Knowing How Feeding and Watering Affect Housetraining 55

Understanding Nutrients: What Dogs Need to Eat 56

Proteins 56

Fats 57

Vitamins and minerals 58

Determining the Diet That's Best for Your Dog 58

Considering commercial dog foods 59

Making home-prepped dog foods 61

Serving Your Dog 64

Picking the place to feed your dog 64

Setting the canine dining ambience 65

Selecting your dog's dinnerware 66

Deciding when to feed your dog 67

To Treat or Not to Treat 69

Buying commercial treats 70

Preparing homemade treats 72

Choosing low-calorie treat options 72

Working with Your Dog's Drinking Habits 74

Part II Putting a Plan in Place 75

Chapter 5 Training to Love the Crate 77

Introducing the Crate 78

Tie one on: The open-door policy 78

Encourage exploration 78

Shut the door (but not for long) 79

Leave the room 80

Build up her tolerance 81

Encouraging Appreciation If Your Dog Hates the Crate 81

Limiting Crate Time: How Much Is Too Much? 83

Continuing to Use the Crate 84

Keeping the love alive 85

Beyond housetraining: Other uses for the crate 85

Chapter 6 Heading to the Outside: Outdoor Housetraining 87

Understanding How Outdoor Training Works 88

Introducing Puppies to Outdoor Training 88

Getting an early start 89

Taking the first trips outside 89

Responding when your puppy potties 90

A matter of timing: Setting up a puppy potty schedule 92

Scheduling Outdoor Trainingfor Adult Dogs 95

Dealing with Boo-boos 96

Catching your dog in the act 96

Finding messes: Don't scold - just clean 'em up! 96

Preventing further accidents 97

Providing Indoor Potty Areas for Outdoor Trainees 98

Chapter 7 Making Some Inside Moves: Indoor Housetraining 101

Understanding How Indoor Training Works 101

Identifying good indoor-training candidates 102

Opting for indoor training only 103

Pick Your Potty: Deciding Which Type to Use 104

Newspapers 104

Puppy training pads 105

Litter boxes 106

Grate/tray potties 106

Introducing Puppies to Indoor Training 107

Deciding where to put the indoor potty 108

Starting out 109

Scheduling bathroom breaks 111

Switching a vaccinated puppy to outdoor training 113

Using Indoor Training for the Adult Dog 113

From outdoors to papers 114

From outdoors to litter box 114

From outdoors to grate/tray combo 115

Responding to Mistakes 116

Chapter 8 Fine-Tuning Housetraining 117

Decoding Pre-potty Maneuvers 118

Getting Your Dog to Ask to Go Out 120

Encouraging Elimination 122

Peeling on cue 123

Prompting Mr. (or Ms.) Independent 124

Deciding When to GrantMore Freedom 125

The age factor: How old is old enough? 126

The responsibility factor: Should she have freedom of the house? 127

Part III Solving Housetraining Problems 129

Chapter 9 Accident-Proofing Small Dogs and Other Problem Potty-ers 131

The Teensy-Weensy Tinkler 131

Choose the right potty place 132

Don't push your luck (or her bladder) 132

Don't excuse lapses 133

The Dog Who Pees Lying Down 133

Play it cool 134

Get down to her level 134

Don't stare her down 135

The Dog Who Leaves His Mark 135

Neuter him 135

Remove (or at least contain) the target 136

Remind him who's top dog 136

Build a peaceable kingdom 137

Start remedial housetraining 137

The Uptight Canine 138

The Dog Who Gets Distracted 140

The Fair-Weather Piddler 141

The Bedwetter 141

The Dog Who Gets Amnesia 142

The Dog Who Can't Hold It 143

Rule out other issues 143

Find a holistic vet 143

Consider diapers 143

The Poop Eater 144

The Bleeding Lady, or the Canine Fertility Goddess 144

Chapter 10 Understanding How an Oh-No Can Become a Problem-o 147

A Whiz of a Problem 147

Constant peeing 148

Constant drinking and constant peeing 149

Pee that comes out slowly or not at all 150

Oddly colored pee 150

The Scoop on Poop Problems 151

Poop on the run(s) 151

Soft, stinky poop 152

Oily poop 153

Poop that comes out slowly or not at all 153

Poop that contains other things 154

Gray, black, or red poop 155

Skinny poop 156

Gaseous Emissions 156

Chapter 11 Sorting Out Humans' Housetraining Challenges 159

Crafting a Family Housetraining Plan 160

Dividing duties: A plan to relieve the primary caregiver 161

Getting the adults on the same page 161

Getting the kids on board 162

Balancing Crate Time 162

Relieving the Home-Alone Dog 164

Getting a pet-sitter or dog walker 164

Bringing your dog to work 164

Going home for lunch 165

Working from home 165

Creating a potty-proof home-alone area 165

Sticking to the Schedule 166

Managing Snacks 167

Messing Up the Cleanup 167

Anticipating Lapses Due to Household Changes 168

Helping the Newly Adopted Housetrainee 169

Hitting the Road with Your Housetraining Graduate 171

Part IV The Part of Tens 173

Chapter 12 Ten Housetraining Mistakes You Don't Have to Make 175

Thinking the Crate Is Cruel 175

Getting a Crate That's Too Big 176

Failing to Stick to the Schedule 177

Failing to Clean Up Completely 177

Not Cleaning the Indoor Potty 178

Thinking Your Dog Looks Guilty 178

Scolding Her after the Fact 179

Rubbing His Nose in You-Know-What 180

Changing the Menu Abruptly 180

Declaring Victory Prematurely 181

Chapter 13 Ten Reasons Housetrained Dogs Live in Happier Households 183

The Houses Smell Nicer 183

The Owners Save Money 183

The Owners Are Less Cranky 184

The Dogs Aren't Scared When Their Owners Come Home 184

The Owners Don't Worry about Stepping in You-Know-What 185

The Dogs Have One Less Way to Embarrass Their Owners 185

The Owners Know Right Away When Their Dogs Are Sick 186

The Dogs Have a Great Foundation for Further Training 186

Dogs and Owners Communicate Better with Each Other 187

The Owners Are More Likely to Keep Their Dogs 187

Appendix: Other Helpful Pit Stops for Housetrainers 189

Go Online 189

Book 'Em! 191

Flip through These Mags 192

Index 193