Pet Goddess

Puppy will make mistakes.  If he is nervous or afraid, this can lead to his using the bathroom in the house where he is not supposed to go.   

Yelling at puppy will only make the situation worse.  Rubbing his nose in his mess, besides being gross, is no way to discipline a puppy.   

Puppy pee pads that are treated with a scent which encourages them to go can be very helpful, especially if you have to leave them alone for a couple of hours and are afraid of accidents. 

Beware of puppy diarrhea, which can stunt its growth if not treated in a timely manner. 

Posted December 8, 2008 Comments(0)

Set feeding times when you can be home to take puppy to the bathroom.  That usually triggers a ‘go response.’ So does walking the dog, allowing the muscles to do their work to help them void their wastes. 

The hard part will be to maintain the same schedule on the weekends.  You may be tempted to sleep in, but for the sake of puppy and the various corners of your home, keep to the status quo as much as you can. You can always go back to bed once he’s done his business. 

Offer puppy praise or discipline when he deserves it.  When it is time to go outside, lead puppy to the area that you have designated as his bathroom.  Be patient while he does his business.   

Think up a command to use each time he goes to the bathroom.  Afterwards, praise him for doing well. 

Do this as many times a day as you need to in order for puppy to remember the spot.  This includes using the same route to reach the back yard.   

Keeping everything the same will help speed up the process and make it easier for puppy to learn.  Be patient with puppy as he learns his new routine.

Posted December 6, 2008 Comments(0)

It would be great if puppies came to us knowing all there was to know.  Unfortunately, they don’t, but even worse, they grow very quickly, from puppy to adult in less than a year in most cases, so that you have to start training them as soon as you get them. 

One of the things your new puppy doesn’t already know is where to go to the bathroom.  This article details how new owners can housetrain their puppy with a minimum of fuss and muss. 

Dogs are creatures of habit.  Giving them a routine makes them comfortable.  It also makes housetraining easier to learn when things are done in the same way and at the same time every day.   

Puppies need to go to the bathroom more often when they are young.  They still need time to grow into their bodies.   

So, how do you know how often to take puppy to the potty?  About every couple of hours to start with, and then gradually, about 4 to 6 times a day as an adult dog. 

How much they go will depend on a lot of factors, including how much water they drink, whether or not you give them  wet or dry food, and whether or not the food is one of the high-quality, ‘low-residue ones’ which will produce less poop.

Posted December 4, 2008 Comments(0)

Learn how to grow along with puppy at Raising Spot.  You can find them at www.raisingspot.com.  Here, all the mysteries of puppy life are revealed.  They offer helpful hints on various training for puppy, relationships between the puppy and your young kids, and puppy behavior. 

Are you a puppy owner that is into the lighter side of life?  Check out the Dog Channel.  Here you can find out about the latest trends in dog fashion, dog toys, and what people around the world are teaching their dogs.  Post a picture of your pup for the entire world to see.   

This site is user friendly and full of free information and ads that will enhance puppy’s life and yours.  Their site address is www.dogchannel.com. 

So, the bottom line is that you can learn tons about puppies without ever having to leave the house or spend a ton of money.  Tune into these websites and become more knowledgeable about man’s best friend, who will hopefully become your best friend soon.

Posted December 2, 2008 Comments(0)