Finding credible housetraining information by sifting through thousands of articles published online today can be a daunting task. To help you ignore the myths of properly teaching your dog or puppy to use the bathroom in the appropriate area, take notes of the following tips:
1) Crates Are Cruel & They Do Not Help With Housetraining
This idea is false. A properly used crate isn't cruel at all and makes the housetraining process much easier. Crates appeal to dogs' instinctive desire to have a snug, secure den to call their own. Your dog's desire to refrain from dirtying that den will help her develop the physical control she needs to become reliably housetrained.
2) You Can Consider Your 6-Month-Old Puppy Housetrained If She Hasn't Had An Accident In 30 Days Or So
This is true. Housetraining takes some time, but you can consider the process complete if your dog is at least 6 months of age and has been free of an accident for at least a month.
Younger dogs (younger than 6 months) don't have the physical capacity to hold their poop and pee dependably – and a dog of any age that keeps having accidents really can't be considered fully housetrained.
3) Your Dog Will Always Let You Know When She Needs To Go Potty Outdoors
False – at least not for a while…
Most dogs take awhile to figure out how to tell their people that they need a bathroom break – and some dogs never learn how to get such a message across. But even if your dog doesn't come and tell you she needs to “do the doo”, you can watch her for signals that a bathroom event may be imminent. Intense sniffing, pacing and circling all may indicate that a doggie doo is on the way.
4) Dogs Will Pee & Poop Inside Of The House Just To Spite You
While this may seem to be the issue, as it's hard for some owners to handle housetraining, this claim is also false. Dogs are not vengeful creatures. They eliminate in the house for one of three reasons: They're sick, they've had to wait too long for a bathroom break, or their owners haven't housetrained them properly.
5) Housetraining Should Wait Until A Puppy Gets Used To Her New Home
False. While many dog training techniques should wait until your pup reaches a certain age, housetraining should start immediately upon the pup arriving at your home. A puppy of any age can start learning proper potty control. Teach her to enjoy her crate; feed her and take her out at regular intervals; and watch her carefully whenever she's out of her crate. That said, she probably won't be fully housetrained until she's 6 months old or so.
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