Potty training a puppy is like potting training a child. It takes a lot of time, patience and perseverance. The right potty training products can help make the transition easier for canine and their human. Essential dog training products for housebreaking include training pads, cleaning supplies, and items that help corral a puppy in certain areas of the house.
Training pads
Puppy training pads are placed in crates used to help prevent accidents. Replacing the newspapers owners used before, they are more absorbent to prevent leaks. There are many different versions of these pads, and combined with crate trays, they make cleanup and sanitation much easier.
While these are great for emergencies, they shouldn’t replace proper house training. Training pads a best for a puppy who finds they have to go suddenly in the middle of the night, or when an owner is delayed at work and misses a scheduled walk. If an owner is using training pads because he is out and does not have time to walk the dog, this may indicate a possible problem. Puppies are an investment of time and love. Those who have busy work or social lives may want to reconsider purchasing a puppy.
Dog potties are an advanced version of training pads. They are larger, look like grass, and can even come equipped with decorations such as a hydrant or fence. They are a good training product for puppies because they help the animal get used to going to the bathroom in an environment similar to the outdoors. This can help make the transition to going to the bathroom only outside easier for dogs. It can also be beneficial for older dogs, which sometimes have issues with mobility or their bladder. Apartment dogs and dogs that have emergencies from time to time can also benefit from these house training aids.
Cleaning supplies
Accidents will happen from time to time. It is important for the owner to understand that they shouldn’t punish their animal when they pee indoors. It is up to the human to train the puppy and make sure they get out when they need to for potty breaks. Instead of scolding the dog, the person should just decide they will do better next time and make sure they clean the area thoroughly.
Animals’ senses are stronger than human senses. The owner may think they removed all traces of the urine or feces when the animal can tell it is still there. Therefore, it is important to use products that help remove the stain and the odor from the area where the accident occurred. Otherwise, the puppy may return there and backslide on their housebreaking progress.
Dog training products for housebreaking include powerful cleaners, a black light to locate urine stains, and scrubbing brushes and cloths. Some cleaning products work better than others, and there are also organic products on the market that are safe for the environment and effective. Read labels and ask pet store clerks for recommendations for the best cleaning product for rugs, linoleum or wood floors.
Dog crates, pens, and gates
One way to make house training more effective is to restrict the canine to specific areas of the house, especially if the owner will be away for a period of time and the puppy may have an emergency. Dog crates, play pens and gates help keep the puppy in an area where there is a training pad and cleaning messes is easier. If the owner has carpeting, they may want to keep the puppy out of those rooms until they are completely trained.
Other dog training products
Puppy training bells are gaining popularity in the market as an effective house training tool. Puppy training bells are a leather strip with two bells on it a few inches apart. The purpose of the device is to help the owners understand the dogs need to go outside to relieve themselves. The owner hangs the training bells by the door that will be used to take the dog outside. When the owner is going to take the dog out to see if they have to go potty, the owner first rings the bell and uses a phrase like “let’s go potty”.
The dog then learns that the sound of the bell means going out to the bathroom. The dog will eventually ring the bell on their own when they have to go outside. This helps the owner know the puppy has to go out, instead of trying to figure out why they are whining, barking, or running to the door. Trainers say the bells are highly effective as a method to make training easier.
Scheduling regular walks, talking the puppy outside after they eat or drink, and making sure the animal doesn’t have food or water after a certain time at night are other effective training methods owners can use to house break a puppy. Combining these methods with dog training products will make the process easier, and help when accidents do occur. The most important training products for owners, however, are patience and consistency. Even though it seems like forever, the puppy will eventually urinate on the tree outside instead of the sofa.