The latest information and tips on making housetraining easier for your pet and yourself
Did you know that what you feed your dog can effect help or hinder the housetraining process? That''s just one of the valuable tips you''ll find in Housetraining For Dummies 2nd Edition, the authoritative housetraining reference for new and veteran pet owners alike.
This new edition features plenty of new and revised material on everything from the latest housetraining equipment to the latest information on diet and nutrition and the crucial role it plays in housetraining. You''ll also find useful tips and techniques for creating environmentally safe cleaners from natural products found in the home and alternatives you can use if you have a sensitive pet.
- Features the latest findings on how pet nutrition can influence housetraining success
- Offers proven housetraining strategies
- Introduces new methods for housetraining multiple pets at once
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 2
What You’re Not to Read 3
Foolish Assumptions 4
How This Book is Organized 4
Part 1: Preparing to Potty Train Your Pooch 5
Part 2: Putting a Plan in Place 5
Part 3: Solving Housetraining Problems 5
Part 4: The Part of Tens 5
Appendix 6
Icons Used in This Book 6
Where to Go from Here 6
Part 1: Preparing to Potty Train Your Pooch 7
Chapter 1: No, Virginia, It’s Not That Hard: Understanding Housetraining Basics 9
What Housetraining is — and Why it Matters 10
Why Your Dog Can’t Be “a Little Bit Housetrained” 11
Exploring Housetraining Methods 12
Location, location, location: Outdoor versus indoor training 12
Looking at lifestyle factors to help you choose your method 14
Surviving Setbacks and Special Situations 15
Understanding the Role You and Your Family Play 15
Chapter 2: Training the Housetrainer: Taking the Right Approach 17
Leaving behind Housetraining Methods of Yesteryear 18
Using Your Pooch’s Instincts to Lay a Foundation 19
The training your dog has already had 19
Learning from his mom 21
Denning dynamics 22
Cleanliness is next to dog-liness 23
Life without guilt 24
Learning by repetition 25
The need for attachment 26
How instincts can be thwarted 26
Taking the 21st-Century Approach to Housetraining 29
Seeing your dog’s point of view 30
Being benevolent 31
Working with your dog’s instincts 31
Creating a schedule 32
Rewarding the good, ignoring the goofs 32
Being consistent 34
Attending to details 35
Chapter 3: Getting Your Home in Housetraining Order 37
Readying Your Dog’s Room: The Crate 37
Understanding why every dog needs (and wants) a crate 38
Finding the right fit: Types of crates 38
Adjusting for size 40
Investing in crate accessories 41
Situating your doggie’s den 42
Gearing Up for Outdoor Training 42
Selecting a potty spot — no matter where you live 42
Securing collars and leashes 43
Containing the situation: Fencing 47
Installing a doggie door 48
Prepping for Indoor Training 49
Exploring types of indoor potties 50
Setting up your dog’s indoor living area and potty spot 50
Doing the Dirty Work: Cleanup Equipment 53
Choosing an outdoor cleanup method 53
Indoor cleaners 55
Other cleaning aids 57
Chapter 4: Feeding Fido: What Goes in Must Come Out 59
Knowing How Feeding and Watering Affect Housetraining 59
Understanding Nutrients: What Dogs Need to Eat 60
Proteins 61
Fats 62
Vitamins and minerals 62
Determining the Diet That’s Best for Your Dog 63
Considering commercial dog foods 64
Making home-prepped dog foods 66
Serving Your Dog 69
Picking the place to feed your dog 69
Setting the canine dining ambience 70
Selecting your dog’s dinnerware 71
Deciding when to feed your dog 72
To Treat or Not to Treat 74
Buying commercial treats 76
Preparing homemade treats 77
Choosing low-calorie treat options 78
Working with Your Dog’s Drinking Habits 80
Part 2: Putting a Plan in Place 81
Chapter 5: Training to Love the Crate 83
Introducing the Crate 84
Tie one on: The open-door policy 84
Encourage exploration 84
Shut the door (but not for long) 86
Leave the room 86
Build up her tolerance 86
Encouraging Appreciation If Your Dog Hates the Crate 88
Limiting Crate Time: How Much is Too Much? 90
Continuing to Use the Crate 92
Keeping the love alive 92
Beyond housetraining: Other uses for the crate 93
Chapter 6: Heading to the Outside: Outdoor Housetraining 95
Understanding How Outdoor Training Works 96
Introducing Puppies to Outdoor Training 96
Getting an early start 97
Taking the first trips outside 97
Responding when your puppy potties 98
A matter of timing: Setting up a puppy potty schedule 100
Scheduling Outdoor Training for Adult Dogs 104
Dealing with Boo-Boos 105
Catching your dog in the act 105
Finding messes: Don’t scold — just clean ’em up! 105
Preventing further accidents 106
Providing Indoor Potty Areas for Outdoor Trainees 107
Chapter 7: Making Some Inside Moves: Indoor Housetraining 111
Understanding How Indoor Training Works 111
Identifying good indoor-training candidates 112
Opting for indoor training only 114
Pick Your Potty: Deciding Which Type to Use 114
Newspapers 115
Puppy training pads 116
Litter boxes 116
Grate/tray potties 118
Introducing Puppies to Indoor Training 119
Deciding where to put the indoor potty 119
Starting out 120
Scheduling bathroom breaks 122
Switching a vaccinated puppy to outdoor training 124
Using Indoor Training for the Adult Dog 125
From outdoors to papers 125
From outdoors to litter box 126
From outdoors to grate/tray combo 127
Responding to Mistakes 128
Chapter 8: Fine-Tuning Housetraining 129
Decoding Pre-Potty Maneuvers 130
Getting Your Dog to Ask to Go Out 132
Encouraging Elimination 135
Peeing on cue 136
Prompting Mr. (or Ms.) Independent 137
Deciding When to Grant More Freedom 139
The age factor: How old is old enough? 140
The responsibility factor: Should she have freedom of the house? 140
Part 3: Solving Housetraining Problems 143
Chapter 9: Accident-Proofing Small Dogs and Other Problem Potty-ers 145
The Teensy-Weensy Tinkler 145
Choose the right potty place 146
Don’t push your luck (or her bladder) 147
Don’t excuse lapses 147
The Dog Who Pees Lying Down 148
Play it cool 148
Get down to her level 149
Don’t stare her down 150
The Dog Who Leaves His Mark 150
Neuter him 150
Remove (or at least contain) the target 150
Remind him who’s top dog 151
Build a peaceable kingdom 151
Start remedial housetraining 152
The Uptight Canine 152
The Dog Who Wants a New Bathroom 155
The Dog Who Gets Distracted 155
The Fair-Weather Piddler 156
The Bedwetter 157
The Dog Who Gets Amnesia 157
The Dog Who Can’t Hold it 158
Rule out other issues 158
Find a holistic vet 158
Consider diapers 159
The Poop Eater 159
The Bleeding Lady, or the Canine Fertility Goddess 160
Chapter 10: Understanding How an Oh-No Can Become a Problem-o 161
A Whiz of a Problem 162
Constant peeing 162
Constant drinking and constant peeing 163
Pee that comes out slowly or not at all 164
Oddly colored pee 165
The Scoop on Poop Problems 165
Poop on the run(s) 165
Soft, stinky poop 167
Oily poop 167
Poop that comes out slowly or not at all 168
Poop that contains other things 169
Gray, black, or red poop 170
Skinny poop 171
Gaseous Emissions 173
Chapter 11: Sorting Out Humans’ Housetraining Challenges 175
Crafting a Family Housetraining Plan 176
Dividing duties: A plan to relieve the primary caregiver 176
Getting the adults on the same page 177
Getting the kids on board 178
Balancing Crate Time 179
Relieving the Home-Alone Dog 180
Getting a pet-sitter or dog walker 181
Bringing your dog to work 181
Going home for lunch 182
Working from home 182
Creating a potty-proof home-alone area 182
Sticking to the Schedule 183
Managing Snacks 184
Messing Up the Cleanup 185
Anticipating Lapses Due to Household Changes 186
Helping the Newly Adopted Housetrainee 187
Hitting the Road with Your Housetraining Graduate 189
Part 4: The Part of Tens 191
Chapter 12: Ten Housetraining Mistakes You Don’t Have to Make 193
Thinking the Crate is Cruel 193
Getting a Crate That’s Too Big 194
Failing to Stick to the Schedule 195
Failing to Clean Up Completely 196
Not Cleaning the Indoor Potty 196
Thinking Your Dog Looks Guilty 197
Scolding Her after the Fact 198
Rubbing His Nose in You-Know-What 198
Changing the Menu Abruptly 199
Declaring Victory Prematurely 200
Chapter 13: Ten Reasons Housetrained Dogs Live in Happier Households 201
The Houses Smell Nicer 201
The Owners Save Money 202
The Owners are Less Cranky 202
The Dogs Aren’t Scared When Their Owners Come Home 202
The Owners Don’t Worry about Stepping in You-Know-What 203
The Dogs Have One Less Way to Embarrass Their Owners 204
The Owners Know Right Away When Their Dogs are Sick 204
The Dogs Have a Great Foundation for Further Training 205
Dogs and Owners Communicate Better with Each Other 205
The Owners are More Likely to Keep Their Dogs 206
Appendix: Other Helpful Pit Stops for Housetrainers 207
Go Online 207
Book ’Em! 209
Flip through These Mags 210
Index 213
