A Lifetime of Wellness - 33

INDOOR
HOUSETRAINING
CONSISTENT SCHEDULE
The first thing each morning, take your dog from
his crate to his elimination spot. Dogs respect
their sleeping quarters and will not soil their crate
if they are taken out at regular intervals and not
made to remain confined longer than they can
hold their bladder or bowel.
CONSISTENT PARAMETERS
During housetraining when your dog is out of
his crate, he should not be allowed to have the
run of the house unless you are there to watch
him. When you are away, leave him in his crate or
confine him to one room that can be easily cleaned
- kitchen, laundry room or bathroom. Remember
that a puppy should not be confined to his crate
for long periods, as his bowel and bladder control
are not yet fully developed. A rule of thumb: add
one to his age in months (for a maximum of
8 hours) to equal the number of hours he or she
can be confined comfortably. For example, a
2-month-old puppy should not be confined for
more than 3 hours.
You can also use an alternative indoor
housetraining - you may use it long-term,
if you live in a high-rise apartment or have
difficulty taking your puppy outside regularly
or as a back-up method.
» Use a confined area or an exercise pen, which
comes in panels and can be made into any size
or shape.
» Place your puppy's crate at one end of the
pen with the door open.
» Put his food and water dishes next to his crate
along with a few safe hard rubber or nylon
chew toys.
» Add puppy pads or dog litter on the other end
of the pen as far away from his eating and
sleeping area as possible.
A Lifetime of Wellness

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of A Lifetime of Wellness
