The Potty Wars
In an ideal world, puppies come from a highly reputable source, where
someone keeps the litter area clean at all times. A new caretaker has a
fenced-in yard to which no other dogs have access, and a stay-at-home schedule
that allows frequent potty trips to that yard. Under these circumstances, most
dogs are housebroken in only a few weeks. However, most of us live in the Real
World.
Real people, real pets
In the Real World, our puppies may have spent enough time in a second-rate
facility, puppy mill or pet shop to become accustomed to lying in their waste,
which makes crate training difficult. We may hold jobs that preclude a
schedule compatible with a puppy's developmental needs, or live in housing
without fenced-in yards, thus forcing us to paper-train until our pups are
fully immunized. The further a lifestyle varies from the ideal, the greater
the challenge housebreaking is.
Real World housetraining requires a strategy based on three components:
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Consistency: a consistent
walking schedule catered to the dog's developmental stage and individual
preferences
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Confinement: a method
that helps build bladder and bowel control
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Cleaning: a good
enzymatic odor neutralizer to clean up accidents
Pencil him in
What is a suitable schedule? Puppies can control themselves roughly one
hour for each month of age, up to nine or ten hours. At three and a half to
four months, they can usually stay clean for six to seven hours overnight, but
soil more frequently during the day. Three walks a day is fine for most dogs
eight months or older.
A puppy usually needs to eliminate after waking, eating and exercising.
Charting his output will help you predict his needs more accurately. Does he
soil 5 or 15 minutes after dinner, 2 or 10 after waking?
Hold it!
For the first few weeks in a new home, a new puppy may seem like a
pee-and-poop machine, but as he matures and develops muscle tone, he will
learn to control himself for longer periods between potty trips. Confinement,
preferably in a training crate, builds control by associating the pup's
distaste for soiling in his special area with soiling inside the house in
general. (For more on crating, see Companion Lines, Animal Watch Summer 1995).
It is patently unfair to crate a pup for longer than he is physically able to
control himself. In these cases, confine him to a small space such as a
bathroom or kitchen with papers at one end and a bed and toys at the other. It
slows the housebreaking process and confuses the dog a bit, but it is the best
option, short of hiring a pet sitter, if no one can be home with the puppy
during an average work day.
Whether using papers or a yard, the pup should wear a leash and collar and
remain under your control. If you don't acclimate the pup to your presence
while he's relieving himself, you may create a dog who won't soil in front of
you but waits until he's back in the house and can disappear behind the sofa
or under the dining room table. Do not allow puppies access to carpeting,
especially wall-to-wall, when it nears time to eliminate, for they often
return to and re-anoint accidents here. Should an accident occur, get out the
odor neutralizer immediately and clean, clean, clean.
For the average dog, that's really all there is to housebreaking -
well-timed walks, confinement and a good cleaner when all else fails. It
sounds so simple; but if it were, related problems wouldn't be rated number
one on our Behavior Helpline hit parade.
For some pups, the three basics just aren't enough. Part II of 'The Potty
Wars,' appearing in our Spring 1997 issue, will offer extra help for people
with problem dogs.
Troubleshooting
In our last issue, 'The Potty Wars: Part I' outlined Housebreaking 101,
stressing the importance of the Three Cs: Consistency of schedule, Confinement
to a training crate when alone and Cleaning up accidents with an enzymatic
odor neutralizer. Part II addresses four complaints often heard when the Potty
Wars continue to rage.
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"My dog eliminates in her crate."
There are two common causes for crate soiling. First, the crate may be too
large for current housebreaking purposes, thus allowing your dog to soil at
one end and lie high and dry at the other. Second, bedding in the crate may be
acting like a diaper, wicking offensive waste away.
The solutions are easy! If the crate is too large, reduce its size with a
barrier that blocks off excess room. The pup should have just enough room to
stand up, turn around in a circle and stretch out. As for bedding, your dog
must earn it by keeping her crate clean for approximately seven days. When she
accomplishes that, add thin bedding, such as a sheet or worn towel. If that
too stays clean, then you are safe to add whatever bedding you like.
However, if the problem stems from behavior learned during an extended stay
at a pet shop, you will probably need to work hands-on with a professional
trainer to develop a customized protocol.
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"No matter how long we stay outside, my dog waits until we are
home to soil."
This problem is common in urban dogs who were paper-trained until they were
fully immunized. Most folks paper-train by putting down papers in one spot,
taking the puppy to the spot until the dog seems to "get it," then
leaving the dog in peace to eliminate. The puppy learns that housebreaking
means going to a particular place in private to soil. The papers are almost
incidental. Avoid this problem by simulating outdoor walking habits indoors.
Put down the papers on a schedule instead of leaving them out constantly, and
place them in a few different places instead of just one. Take your pup to the
papers on leash, teaching her a toileting command such as "Do your
business," and praise her for a job well done. This routine easily
transfers to walks outdoors.
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"My dog keeps me outside for hours before he goes!"
Some folks walk their pups just until they eliminate and then promptly turn
around and head for home. In no time, dogs learn that they can extend the fun
only if they can "hold" themselves. A walk should be the reward for
soiling. When you leave your home, take your dog immediately to a suitable
toileting spot, such as a lamp post, patch of grass or curb in front of a fire
hydrant. It's helpful if this is a spot other dogs use. Issue your potty
command. Circle the spot with your dog for 5 minutes, 10 minutes tops. If he
urinates, praise and go play. If he holds, go right back in and crate him. Try
again in an hour or two. Before you know it, you should have a dog who will
soil on command in his spot.
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"My dog was housebroken, but when he turned nine-months-old, he
started baptizing the sofa near the window."
As a male dog matures and begins to lift his leg, he marks his territory,
leaving olfactory messages for other canines. Consider castration, since an
unneutered male is more likely to engage in marking behavior than a neutered
one. A well-timed verbal correction when he is lifting his leg is helpful,
too. Confinement will once again be necessary when he is alone until the
problem is resolved.
The Potty Wars too often make adversaries of dogs and their caretakers. It
should be a battle waged together, on the same side, because the spoils of
this war - a clean and dry home - spell victory for all parties concerned.
For a list of topics on which you can receive informational literature,
write to: ASPCA Companion Animal Services, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY
10128-6804
ASPCA Animal Watch-Spring 1997
