| Having a pet dog is one great joy that many | | | | 5. When a good level of consistency is |
| people share. Dogs make great guards and | | | | achieved, let the dog roam around the house |
| companions to have at home. But being a dog | | | | and observe it during the times it is |
| owner is great responsibility. You have to | | | | supposed to go potty. If you see the dog |
| provide the dog a lot of things, food, | | | | whining and sniffing at a certain point, |
| shelter, exercise, toys, among many others. | | | | bring it immediately back to its potty spot. |
| One of the most dreaded responsibilities of a | | | | |
| dog owner is potty training. | | | | 6. Use terms for going potty consistently. Do |
| | | | not confuse the dog by saying different |
| However, this is not really a difficult | | | | phrases to refer to elimination. Eventually, |
| ordeal with the various techniques invented | | | | the dog would learn the terms as if they were |
| by pet owners in teaching dogs how to | | | | commands to do its business in the spot you |
| eliminate properly. One great, time-tested | | | | assigned it to. |
| technique is paper training. | | | | |
| | | | 7. Avoid feeding or letting the dog drink |
| Here are some tips for paper training a dog: | | | | before it sleeps. This will help you and the |
| | | | dog avoid accidents during a time when it is |
| 1. Spread newspapers over your dog's living | | | | difficult to move to its potty spot. |
| space. Use old newspapers - you would not | | | | |
| want to soil papers you have not even read | | | | 8. Always praise the dog when it goes potty |
| yet. Watch the dog carefully and as soon as | | | | on the right spot. Have treats available to |
| you notice it to whimper, sniffing the ground | | | | give the dog rewards when it has done the |
| and running in circles, bring the dog | | | | right thing quite well. |
| immediately the spot where you want it to do | | | | |
| its business. When the dog goes potty in the | | | | 9. Do not punish the dog extremely, as this |
| right newspaper-covered spot, praise it | | | | would only teach it to avoid you. If you |
| lavishly, before removing the soiled paper. | | | | would scold do the dog, do it with a light, |
| | | | yet firm and commanding tone. |
| 2. Leave a small piece of soiled paper on the | | | | |
| right spot to potty to guide the dog where | | | | 10. Keep the dog's sleeping area very clean |
| the "toilet" area is. | | | | and fresh-smelling. Keep it also far away |
| | | | from its potty spot, but not too far that the |
| 3. When the dog makes accidents, simply wash | | | | dog would not be able to reach it in time to |
| the area with warm water and rinse with | | | | go potty. |
| diluted vinegar to kill the odor the dog has | | | | |
| left. | | | | Potty training a dog is not really a |
| | | | difficult ordeal with these tips in mind. |
| 4. Soon enough, the dog would get used to the | | | | With some degree of patience and |
| idea of using the newspaper and the spot to | | | | determination, you could teach your dog to |
| go potty. As the dog becomes consistent, | | | | eliminate at the right place using paper |
| gradually reduce the area of the newspaper, | | | | training. Soon enough your dog will learn |
| making sure that it still goes to that spot | | | | where to do it and be the good dog you have |
| where it is supposed to. | | | | always wanted it to be. |
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