Edwards Extraordinary Dachshunds
Kevin & Tina Edwards in East, TN
Home land line (423) 345-4415
House breaking tips for your Puppy
With hard work and discipline, all of you will be celebrating soon enough.
Housebreaking Basics
Like people, puppies do best when they consistently receive clear expectations and are rewarded for good behavior. Here are some general guidelines to get you started:
It is up to you to set clear, consistent rules your pup can follow. Do this by choosing a general potty location, but realize a puppy probably can't tell the difference between piddling on pine cones and petunias. Note that once he/she "initiates" a chosen space, she'll use the odor from the first visit as a clue to tell her where to go in the future.
Then, pick a key word or phrase like "Lucky, do your business," and repeat it each and every time he/she is expected to pee or poop. This way, they knows what you want her to do. (In a perfect world, you would utter the command and he/she'd go instantly. Dog trainers call this trick "vocal command elimination". It is an ideal situation, but don't expect it quite yet.
Make a huge deal of successes, clapping, cheering, even rewarding him/her with a treat on occasion to let him/her know he/she's done a good job. Eventually, he'll/she'll connect the actions to the praise and, wanting more praise, he/she will repeat the action.
-------------------------------------------------------
Timing is Everything:
Frequent Elimination is Necessary
The bladder of a six- to eight-week-old puppy needs to be emptied every two to three hours; older animals can wait a little bit longer between. Consider using potty time to bookend the activities in your puppy's day. For example, take him/her outside after the following events -
Waking in the morning
Napping
Eating
Playing or training (and sometime during)
Being left alone
Prior to bedtime
-------------------------------------------------
What Goes In Must Come Out:
Scheduling Your Pup
Lucky for you, puppies' bodies fall into a routine pretty quickly. You can make their natural biorhythms even more predictable by setting regular mealtimes as they are older and affording frequent potty breaks but we personally do not feel little Dachshunds should be restricted from food unless they end up being over eaters and or over weight (that is a completely different story). They say that most are up for a "sniff of air" about an hour after feeding. Thus, by making an educated guess as to when your boy/girl has to go, you can significantly limit the number of accidents inside. For further predictability, consider setting a schedule for you pet that includes:
Mealtimes when you are home to let him/her out of the house
Limiting meals to 30 or 40 minutes (10 times a day) to ensure that food and water are consumed prior to potty time
Completing the final feeding before she's confined for the night
Even thou we believe it is best for dry food to be left out all the time for one to eat is the "healthiest", we know that does not make it easy to potty train with a schedule. But restricting a little puppy from eating can be very unhealthy depending on the pets age, temperament, amount of puppies or dogs being fed at the same time as the little puppy might not get enough. Please just be careful and pay attention as little puppies can go down hill "VERY" very quickly.
------------------------------------------------
There's No Place Like Home:
Considering Crate Training ?
There will come a time when you've got to leave your puppy alone, your prized book collection just out of reach (Or so you think.) If you don't want to risk it, you might believe crate training is the only option — requiring your pet to stay within his/her kennel - while you're out. No matter what age they are they should NEVER be left unattended in a cage until you have spend days and weeks very slowly getting him or her use to it and you are 100% confident he or she is not going to hurt them selves trying to escape! The horrors stories would change most peoples minds on ever using a cage again. There are also apartment types kennels that we highly recommend using if you want to crate your baby as you put sections together to give them ample room and you have better chance of them feeling like there not locked up in a cage! Or you can do what we always suggest and highly recommend doing and gate off a room kitchen, laundry room, etc. A lot puppies eventually find their kennels as cozy niches, a den, safe havens from the world but the door needs to be left off of it so there can eat and drink (which should NEVER be restricted from at all as a puppy under 1 year of age!) also to be use the pee pad. The idea is to keep him/her confined safely while maintaining the rule about pooping and peeing outside your home. We personally "do not" use or believe in caging up a baby and we do not use them for raising our babies or confining our adults. Some love them but we "STRONGLY" believe it should be a choice the puppy makes as they age. A cage/kennel should NEVER be used because you are tired of dealing with one or because you just do not have the time for dealing with him/her. Try to remember that you asked them to live in your home and be part of the family.
----------------------------------------------
Here's how you can do it:
Begin at multiple mealtimes, making a game of tossing kibble pieces into the kennel. This ensures she has a positive experience with the crate
Move toys into the forum, even hide a biscuit, to make the place fun. Also can keep the door off of the kennel in the beginning as well.
Once he's/she's comfortable with the space (after weeks of the door being off), lock her/him in, but stay nearby reading or listening to music, talking to her/him in soothing tones. You don't want him or her to feel as though they are being punished, ever when being put in the kennel.
Slowly extend the amount of time he/she spends kenneled to meet your needs, but never ask him/her to stay in it for longer than he or she can hold his/her bladder or bowels. VERY important the time in the crate is not ABUSED!
If you must keep your pup in the crate for extended periods, provide her ample room to do her business in the kennel, but ensure the space she is expected to soil is adjacent — not on top of — his/her resting place. Bigger the better in this situation. But keep in mind once they are put in the situation to eliminate them selves in a crate/kennel it is "REALLY" hard to break them of it later and actually can take years to change the habit. So if you have to use the crate for longer than age possible to not have to go to the bathroom then you really should not be using it all. Gate and area off instead. That is why it is "SO" important that they are trained very slowly and properly to use the kennel as a choice they make to be there safe place, den, nap place, etc. There are also apartment types kennels that we highly recommend using as you put sections together to give them ample room and you have better chance of them feeling like there not locked up in a cage!
They should be "happy" as they are a your new family member that is a little "baby" and really is confused a lot of the time. Try to remember that you asked them to live in your home and be part of the family.
--------------------------------------------------
The Trickle That Makes You Prickle:
Nervous Peeing and Your Puppy
In the world of dogs, there is a specific order of power. And though you don't have four legs, you will be in the role of alpha dog (provided your pup is well trained, that is). He/She should be submissive, in that he/she follows your rules. But for some youngsters, submissive behavior might mean wetting when they first see you. Don't scold your pet, as punishment makes the scenario worse.
There are two options:
Teach your puppy to sit down when greeting people by rewarding her with a treat when she does so;
Line your hallway and or kitchen with newspaper and wait it out. Most puppies outgrow the problem.
-------------------------------------------
No Puppy is Perfect:
Expect Some Mistakes
Puppies are not considered fully housebroken until they've gone at least four consecutive weeks without eliminating in the house. And, yes, you can expect a few accidents. Remember this is a new skill for your pet and it takes time and patience to develop routines. Until you're in the clear, try the following strategies to minimize messes:
Keep your little one within eyesight at all times.
Prop up baby gates to control your pet's movements.
-------------------------------------------
Become a Cleaning Machine:
Take Care of That Carpet
If your puppy does pee or poop on the floor, it is imperative you thoroughly remove any potty odors. If the scent lingers, your pet will continue to return to the area to mark her territory. Remember to:
Use a commercial product specifically designed for doggy smells
Saturate any contaminated area with the product
Keep your puppy out of any rooms where continual accidents occur
---------------------------------------------
Being the Heavy:
How to Discipline While Housebreaking
Be ready with disciplinary strategies before your pup has an accident. Remember, this is tough work for him/her, so be gentle in your reprimand. A nasty voice may scare him/her into thinking he/she shouldn't void in front of you, even outside.
Instead, try this:
If you catch him/her in the act, provide a startling distraction like stomping your foot or saying "No!" loudly. Then, correct the behavior by taking her immediately outside to the potty place. If she continues to go, praise her effusively;
Scold your pet only once, then drop it. There will be plenty of other opportunities to practice;
Despite the old cliché, never rub a puppy's nose in him/her own waste. This will serve only to scare him/her. Besides, it is simply unkind and gross!
----------------------------------------------------
Keep On Trying:
Your Puppy Will Succeed
Yes, the process of housebreaking your puppy will try your patience. But know the majority of pups get the idea pretty fast, providing you offer them consistent rules and praise. While you're waiting, remind yourself that housebreaking is a skill, like reading and writing, which demands the alignment of both mind and body. If all else fails remember this: Puppies are ultimately irresistible and you won't be able to stay angry for long.
What we recommend when you take one of our babies home
At the beginning ( first couple weeks) we recommend you limit the treats to hardly at all. They have stomach issues sometimes just with the trip, travel, home change, schedule changes, and the list goes on. So we think it is best to wait a little while on treats until they are COMPLETELY adjusted to there new home and are showing "NO" more signs of stress or adjustment issues.
When treats are introduced we recommend you use natural based ones like bits of chicken, carrots, cheese, etc.. There is a LOT of crap on the market to feed dogs and they will mess up a puppies stomach big time and if given to often they will not eat there puppy food that is specially made for them with lots of protein and well balanced nutrients in it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More New Puppy Tips
With hard work and discipline, all of you will be celebrating soon enough.
Housebreaking Basics
Like people, puppies do best when they consistently receive clear expectations and are rewarded for good behavior. Here are some general guidelines to get you started:
It is up to you to set clear, consistent rules your pup can follow. Do this by choosing a general potty location, but realize a puppy probably can't tell the difference between piddling on pine cones and petunias. Note that once he/she "initiates" a chosen space, she'll use the odor from the first visit as a clue to tell her where to go in the future.
Then, pick a key word or phrase like "Lucky, do your business," and repeat it each and every time he/she is expected to pee or poop. This way, they knows what you want her to do. (In a perfect world, you would utter the command and he/she'd go instantly. Dog trainers call this trick "vocal command elimination". It is an ideal situation, but don't expect it quite yet.
Make a huge deal of successes, clapping, cheering, even rewarding him/her with a treat on occasion to let him/her know he/she's done a good job. Eventually, he'll/she'll connect the actions to the praise and, wanting more praise, he/she will repeat the action.
-------------------------------------------------------
Timing is Everything:
Frequent Elimination is Necessary
The bladder of a six- to eight-week-old puppy needs to be emptied every two to three hours; older animals can wait a little bit longer between. Consider using potty time to bookend the activities in your puppy's day. For example, take him/her outside after the following events -
Waking in the morning
Napping
Eating
Playing or training (and sometime during)
Being left alone
Prior to bedtime
-------------------------------------------------
What Goes In Must Come Out:
Scheduling Your Pup
Lucky for you, puppies' bodies fall into a routine pretty quickly. You can make their natural biorhythms even more predictable by setting regular mealtimes as they are older and affording frequent potty breaks but we personally do not feel little Dachshunds should be restricted from food unless they end up being over eaters and or over weight (that is a completely different story). They say that most are up for a "sniff of air" about an hour after feeding. Thus, by making an educated guess as to when your boy/girl has to go, you can significantly limit the number of accidents inside. For further predictability, consider setting a schedule for you pet that includes:
Mealtimes when you are home to let him/her out of the house
Limiting meals to 30 or 40 minutes (10 times a day) to ensure that food and water are consumed prior to potty time
Completing the final feeding before she's confined for the night
Even thou we believe it is best for dry food to be left out all the time for one to eat is the "healthiest", we know that does not make it easy to potty train with a schedule. But restricting a little puppy from eating can be very unhealthy depending on the pets age, temperament, amount of puppies or dogs being fed at the same time as the little puppy might not get enough. Please just be careful and pay attention as little puppies can go down hill "VERY" very quickly.
------------------------------------------------
There's No Place Like Home:
Considering Crate Training ?
There will come a time when you've got to leave your puppy alone, your prized book collection just out of reach (Or so you think.) If you don't want to risk it, you might believe crate training is the only option — requiring your pet to stay within his/her kennel - while you're out. No matter what age they are they should NEVER be left unattended in a cage until you have spend days and weeks very slowly getting him or her use to it and you are 100% confident he or she is not going to hurt them selves trying to escape! The horrors stories would change most peoples minds on ever using a cage again. There are also apartment types kennels that we highly recommend using if you want to crate your baby as you put sections together to give them ample room and you have better chance of them feeling like there not locked up in a cage! Or you can do what we always suggest and highly recommend doing and gate off a room kitchen, laundry room, etc. A lot puppies eventually find their kennels as cozy niches, a den, safe havens from the world but the door needs to be left off of it so there can eat and drink (which should NEVER be restricted from at all as a puppy under 1 year of age!) also to be use the pee pad. The idea is to keep him/her confined safely while maintaining the rule about pooping and peeing outside your home. We personally "do not" use or believe in caging up a baby and we do not use them for raising our babies or confining our adults. Some love them but we "STRONGLY" believe it should be a choice the puppy makes as they age. A cage/kennel should NEVER be used because you are tired of dealing with one or because you just do not have the time for dealing with him/her. Try to remember that you asked them to live in your home and be part of the family.
----------------------------------------------
Here's how you can do it:
Begin at multiple mealtimes, making a game of tossing kibble pieces into the kennel. This ensures she has a positive experience with the crate
Move toys into the forum, even hide a biscuit, to make the place fun. Also can keep the door off of the kennel in the beginning as well.
Once he's/she's comfortable with the space (after weeks of the door being off), lock her/him in, but stay nearby reading or listening to music, talking to her/him in soothing tones. You don't want him or her to feel as though they are being punished, ever when being put in the kennel.
Slowly extend the amount of time he/she spends kenneled to meet your needs, but never ask him/her to stay in it for longer than he or she can hold his/her bladder or bowels. VERY important the time in the crate is not ABUSED!
If you must keep your pup in the crate for extended periods, provide her ample room to do her business in the kennel, but ensure the space she is expected to soil is adjacent — not on top of — his/her resting place. Bigger the better in this situation. But keep in mind once they are put in the situation to eliminate them selves in a crate/kennel it is "REALLY" hard to break them of it later and actually can take years to change the habit. So if you have to use the crate for longer than age possible to not have to go to the bathroom then you really should not be using it all. Gate and area off instead. That is why it is "SO" important that they are trained very slowly and properly to use the kennel as a choice they make to be there safe place, den, nap place, etc. There are also apartment types kennels that we highly recommend using as you put sections together to give them ample room and you have better chance of them feeling like there not locked up in a cage!
They should be "happy" as they are a your new family member that is a little "baby" and really is confused a lot of the time. Try to remember that you asked them to live in your home and be part of the family.
--------------------------------------------------
The Trickle That Makes You Prickle:
Nervous Peeing and Your Puppy
In the world of dogs, there is a specific order of power. And though you don't have four legs, you will be in the role of alpha dog (provided your pup is well trained, that is). He/She should be submissive, in that he/she follows your rules. But for some youngsters, submissive behavior might mean wetting when they first see you. Don't scold your pet, as punishment makes the scenario worse.
There are two options:
Teach your puppy to sit down when greeting people by rewarding her with a treat when she does so;
Line your hallway and or kitchen with newspaper and wait it out. Most puppies outgrow the problem.
-------------------------------------------
No Puppy is Perfect:
Expect Some Mistakes
Puppies are not considered fully housebroken until they've gone at least four consecutive weeks without eliminating in the house. And, yes, you can expect a few accidents. Remember this is a new skill for your pet and it takes time and patience to develop routines. Until you're in the clear, try the following strategies to minimize messes:
Keep your little one within eyesight at all times.
Prop up baby gates to control your pet's movements.
-------------------------------------------
Become a Cleaning Machine:
Take Care of That Carpet
If your puppy does pee or poop on the floor, it is imperative you thoroughly remove any potty odors. If the scent lingers, your pet will continue to return to the area to mark her territory. Remember to:
Use a commercial product specifically designed for doggy smells
Saturate any contaminated area with the product
Keep your puppy out of any rooms where continual accidents occur
---------------------------------------------
Being the Heavy:
How to Discipline While Housebreaking
Be ready with disciplinary strategies before your pup has an accident. Remember, this is tough work for him/her, so be gentle in your reprimand. A nasty voice may scare him/her into thinking he/she shouldn't void in front of you, even outside.
Instead, try this:
If you catch him/her in the act, provide a startling distraction like stomping your foot or saying "No!" loudly. Then, correct the behavior by taking her immediately outside to the potty place. If she continues to go, praise her effusively;
Scold your pet only once, then drop it. There will be plenty of other opportunities to practice;
Despite the old cliché, never rub a puppy's nose in him/her own waste. This will serve only to scare him/her. Besides, it is simply unkind and gross!
----------------------------------------------------
Keep On Trying:
Your Puppy Will Succeed
Yes, the process of housebreaking your puppy will try your patience. But know the majority of pups get the idea pretty fast, providing you offer them consistent rules and praise. While you're waiting, remind yourself that housebreaking is a skill, like reading and writing, which demands the alignment of both mind and body. If all else fails remember this: Puppies are ultimately irresistible and you won't be able to stay angry for long.
What we recommend when you take one of our babies home
At the beginning ( first couple weeks) we recommend you limit the treats to hardly at all. They have stomach issues sometimes just with the trip, travel, home change, schedule changes, and the list goes on. So we think it is best to wait a little while on treats until they are COMPLETELY adjusted to there new home and are showing "NO" more signs of stress or adjustment issues.
When treats are introduced we recommend you use natural based ones like bits of chicken, carrots, cheese, etc.. There is a LOT of crap on the market to feed dogs and they will mess up a puppies stomach big time and if given to often they will not eat there puppy food that is specially made for them with lots of protein and well balanced nutrients in it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More New Puppy Tips
- Puppies are babies. They need to sleep a lot, be fed a lot, be kept warm, and have fresh water available at all times.
- The first vaccination shots do not totally protect your puppy from deadly diseases. Consult a vet, and follow his recommended vaccination schedule. Until your puppy has at least two series of vaccinations, do not take him to locations where other dogs have been.
- Feed a high quality dog food, and do not switch food until the puppy is about 6 months old. (This makes housebreaking much easier for both you and the puppy.) If you must switch, take a week to do slowly.
- Any behaviors your puppy exhibits that would be objectionable in an adult dog should be discouraged immediately in the puppy.
- Puppies are very inquisitive and will eat and drink almost anything, some of which are deadly. Keep all poisons out of the puppy's reach.
- Chocolate for a puppy can cause fatal heart problems later in life.
- Onions and garlic and raisins are all toxic to dogs. As few as 7 raisins can be fatal to a puppy or small dog.
- Never leave your puppy (or any dog) in a closed vehicle - it can lead to a horrible death.
- In all training, consistency is the key. Unwanted behavior can only be changed by catching the puppy in the act. Moments later, the puppy won't understand why you are upset.
- Anything you don't want chewed on should be kept out of range of the puppy. Offer your puppy a variety of toys and rotate them often to prevent boredom (a major cause of destructive behavior).
- Rewarding good behavior is far more effective than punishing bad behavior.
- Unless you plan on breeding your pet, have it spayed or neutered at about 6 months of age. Additionally, this eliminates the risk of several cancers common to dogs.
- A puppy loves having his own bed and will retreat there when he needs a break.
- I.D. your puppy with collar tags, micro-chips, or tattoos.
by The JavaScript Source