House training dog - methods

[lariat]

Got a pup and would like options on how to house train it without the old way of beating it. Not into that. Let me know what methods you have used that work.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

I put a small jingle bell on the door. I ring it and say "outside" before taking the dog out. Walk the dog until it does the deed and give it praise "good boy" and then a small treat. Usually a piece of cubed ham.The dog learns to ring the bell to go out. There's going to be accidents. It's no different than training children.

 

[Northfl]

Also be consistent with the pup and patient. I am doing the same thing with my new little boykin spaniel.
he is learning pretty quick. Fixing to start the bell training shortly
There will be accidents but dont let it get to you. They are just like a little kid. They eat, play, shit and sleep.

 

[Alabusa]

Set a schedule and take the dog out on the schedule. Stick to it religiously. The dog will learn and stick to the schedule.

Never thought about adding in a bell like above. That is a good trick.

 

[Strykervet]

You mean not shitting in the house? Super easy. Just don't let him. Crate training. Basically he stays in the crate unless he's with you. He goes outside before he goes in the crate and as soon as he comes out. He goes as soon as he eats or if he gets a bellyful of water after playing. Look for signs too, wandering off, sniffing, circling, especially squatting: pee squats or poo squats. Go outside. Say that or whatever your keyword is when you do go outside. I just say "go outside". Now my 8yo dog hears that and if he has to go he'll go circle by the door. Or he'll "talk" to me and let me know what he wants. Also try and remember to keep the crate a fun, relaxing place to go, not a punishment. That can be hard sometimes, especially if they come to associate it with you leaving. It should be big enough for him to lay down comfortably but not big enough he can poo on one end and curl up and make do on the other. This means you're likely gonna need a smaller one when he's younger and a bigger one when he's closing on a year.

You can restrict water too but ONLY at night so he's not drinking and wanting to go at 4am. Do it right after he goes out last time and you go to bed. Otherwise he needs fresh water always. You may not need to do this for long, may need to do it his whole life. It's rare my dog has to go in the middle of the night now, he goes at bedtime and sometime after sunrise, few times during the day.

My Llewellyn Setter's breeder was very dedicated and he cleaned the litter box each day and had a little fenced in area around the box. He'd take the whole box outside on nice days, which was most of that spring/summer. The saw mom go outside, they went outside when they were big enough to get over the side of the box. So my dog literally came house trained at 9 weeks, he just always associated going with outside. Whole litter did. Few accidents too. If this isn't a fundamental rule of dog breeding then it absolutely should be.

With him, he also likes to grab clothes and parade 'em around the house. Usually if you're going somewhere, he wants to "help". So instead of getting onto him, which never works with a spirited bird dog anyway, I turned it around on him and taught him to bring it to me. Then I stopped him from grabbing certain things in the first place. Ended up with him bringing shoes, socks and other handy items when it's time to go now.

My American Cocker was trained with the crate method, His breeder let ALL the dogs go in the house apparently. It was a hard habit to break a pup of but the crate method did it. You just gotta stick with it. No unsupervised time out until he can be trusted not to go.

My Springer, when I was a kid, was raised the old way --nose in piss/shit, spanking, outside. I don't think he ever got it but he grew to resent my father.

There's at least one shitstain on this site that will advocate all sorts of sadism so I'm glad you're on the right track with positive training. My dog only wants to please me, he's my buddy, always by my side. He's not afraid of me (unless I break out nail clippers or a toothbrush).

Sorry for the text wall, good luck with the pup.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Do not put down pee pads.
There's nothing worse than un-training a habit.

When the pup is very young, take it out every 20-30 minutes, (If you can)
after a meal or when it drinks.
While out there use the command "go potty" or which ever phrase you like.

Do not play with the pup or anything else until it does it's business.

I Repeat,
Do not play with the pup or anything else until it does it's business.

Once it does, praise it well and reward it. Make a big deal over it and get the pup excited.

Buy a gallon of Odo-ban. You'll probably need it.

The bell works.

 

[Mike Casselton]

You mean not shitting in the house? Super easy. Just don't let him. Crate training. Basically he stays in the crate unless he's with you. He goes outside before he goes in the crate and as soon as he comes out. He goes as soon as he eats or if he gets a bellyful of water after playing. Look for signs too, wandering off, sniffing, circling, especially squatting: pee squats or poo squats. Go outside. Say that or whatever your keyword is when you do go outside. I just say "go outside". Now my 8yo dog hears that and if he has to go he'll go circle by the door. Or he'll "talk" to me and let me know what he wants. Also try and remember to keep the crate a fun, relaxing place to go, not a punishment. That can be hard sometimes, especially if they come to associate it with you leaving. It should be big enough for him to lay down comfortably but not big enough he can poo on one end and curl up and make do on the other. This means you're likely gonna need a smaller one when he's younger and a bigger one when he's closing on a year.

You can restrict water too but ONLY at night so he's not drinking and wanting to go at 4am. Do it right after he goes out last time and you go to bed. Otherwise he needs fresh water always. You may not need to do this for long, may need to do it his whole life. It's rare my dog has to go in the middle of the night now, he goes at bedtime and sometime after sunrise, few times during the day.

My Llewellyn Setter's breeder was very dedicated and he cleaned the litter box each day and had a little fenced in area around the box. He'd take the whole box outside on nice days, which was most of that spring/summer. The saw mom go outside, they went outside when they were big enough to get over the side of the box. So my dog literally came house trained at 9 weeks, he just always associated going with outside. Whole litter did. Few accidents too. If this isn't a fundamental rule of dog breeding then it absolutely should be.

With him, he also likes to grab clothes and parade 'em around the house. Usually if you're going somewhere, he wants to "help". So instead of getting onto him, which never works with a spirited bird dog anyway, I turned it around on him and taught him to bring it to me. Then I stopped him from grabbing certain things in the first place. Ended up with him bringing shoes, socks and other handy items when it's time to go now.

My American Cocker was trained with the crate method, His breeder let ALL the dogs go in the house apparently. It was a hard habit to break a pup of but the crate method did it. You just gotta stick with it. No unsupervised time out until he can be trusted not to go.

My Springer, when I was a kid, was raised the old way --nose in piss/shit, spanking, outside. I don't think he ever got it but he grew to resent my father.

There's at least one shitstain on this site that will advocate all sorts of sadism so I'm glad you're on the right track with positive training. My dog only wants to please me, he's my buddy, always by my side. He's not afraid of me (unless I break out nail clippers or a toothbrush).

Sorry for the text wall, good luck with the pup.

I agree, totally.
Glad you covered the crate thing and the don't be mean thing.

For my pooch, her crate has always been her space.

She's three and hasn't had a door on it for a long time, but she uses it when she wants it, and that's every day. She hates it when the fat assed cat takes over it. She'll push his fat ass out.

She likes this spot too.

Be consistent.

Use commands and never plead with the dog or try to carry on a conversation.
Dogs don't understand human language. They understand a command = a desired behavior.
That behavior gets rewarded at least while they are young.

Some very old dog training books that work are by Barbara Woodhouse.
She does tend to oversimplify things but the methods work.

Did I mention that you need to be consistent?

 

[atepointer]

I agree, totally.
Glad you covered the crate thing and the don't be mean thing.

For my pooch, her crate has always been her space.

She's three and hasn't had a door on it for a long time, but she uses it when she wants it, and that's every day. She hates it when the fat assed cat takes over it. She'll push his fat ass out.

She likes this spot too.

View attachment 7561147


Be consistent.

Use commands and never plead with the dog or try to carry on a conversation.
Dogs don't understand human language. They understand a command = a desired behavior.
That behavior gets rewarded at least while they are young.

Some very old dog training books that work are by Barbara Woodhouse.
She does tend to oversimplify things but the methods work.

Did I mention that you need to be consistent?

Cher-bear! She looks malnourished please give her some of that hog shoulder! And peanut butter. And some jerky.

 

[vh20]

As others have said, Crate Training Method is pretty much the standard accepted practice. If you google it you will find lots of info, but it's pretty simple.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

I forgot to mention the use of the crate. My dogs know the schedule and routine. They will go to the crate like they can read time. One would go in just before my wife left for work and would stay in it until about 10 minutes before she returned. Then the dog would wait at the back door for her. The door was on it but after the first year it was never closed.
At 10 pm they just get up and go to the crate and will stay in there until the morning.
It's also a good place to direct them to when people come over or for any other reason. I use the command of "Crate" or "Place". Place is a spot I want them to be, different from the crate, when someone comes to the door.
Cubed cheese and ham will teach them rapidly.

 

[Jigstick]

Crate training. 100%. House broke my last two dogs in about 3 days. There’s plenty of info about the technique on the web and in books.

 

[P-Squared]

I trained my last dog in about 3 days.

When he 'went' in the house, I'd rub his nose in it and throw him out the window. After about three days, he'd shit in the living room and jump out the window.

(I couldn't resist, old joke, new audience)

 

[LuvDog]

Crate training is ok... we have one, but hardly ever use it with our current dog. I don't equate crate training with house breaking though.

One dog, we used to put in the crate whenever we left the house for long periods of time. I also hate wearing socks, and pretty much only wear them when I'm leaving the house. That dog got so trained, that whenever I put on socks, she would go get in her crate.

As for potty training, take it out very often when you first get it. Every 30 minutes to an hour. This is why I think getting a pet for Christmas is a terrible idea in colder/snowy climates.

Give them the command you choose. Then reward them with praise, pets, and treats.

Repeat that over and over... slowly stretching out the time between outside breaks. Get on a schedule. Our dogs have been on schedules for years.
They go out first thing in the morning, lunch, dinner and bedtime. About every 6 hours.

You'll get an occasional accident, but that usually means they are distressed in some form. If you catch them doing it in the house, immediately take them outside.

If you get on a schedule, it's also very easy to spot when they aren't feeling well.

 

[MarinePMI]

Another vote for crate training.

Took our dog about 3 days and she figured it out. Some take longer, but the smarter ones pick it up fairly quickly, as long as you're consistent. And Malinois certainly are smart....

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Damn dude. Nothing like putting pressure on someone.
"Your dogs a retard if it's not house broken in three days."

Another vote for crate training.

Took our dog about 3 days and she figured it out. Some take longer, but the smarter ones pick it up fairly quickly, as long as you're consistent. And Malinois certainly are smart....

Crushed ego leads to drinking and drugs then homelessness and urinating/crapping outside. Mission accomplished as long as he keeps the dog with him.
^^^^^^^ sarcasm^^^^^

 

[Laser1]

Crate training is a must as stated above. When the pup isn't with you, put it in the crate. Saves you from his negative behavior and him from yours. Don't let it walk out of the crate. Pick it up and carry it outside into the area you want it to go and set it down. When its pottying, say something like "go potty". Shortly, the dog will learn that the word "go potty" means to pee/poop. Once it goes, then it can walk into the house and interact with the family. Once the family is done with the dog, take it back outside and repeat, before putting it back in the kennel. Might take a few weeks, but this system works.

 

[Hattrick]

Crate training and put a string of bells on the door, ring them before you let them out and they will pick it up fast

 

[Bringtherain]

some are easy some are not. both my dogs are rescues. my shepherd (I actually don't know if she is a pure shepherd because we found her in a field in Texas. and she is only 35 pounds) she learned in about 6 hours. once I rehabilitated her to not be afraid of me and let her inside. she tried to pee once in the living room carpet. I scolded her and put her outside. she didn't do it again. except for that one time I fed her sausage with crushed red pepper in it. don't do that. its a laxative for dogs. even then she went by the back door. well... sprayed it on the back door is more accurate. I think she is an exception though. probably the smartest dog I have ever met. she can read my mind like I am an open book.

my other rescue is a male chihuahua and he wanted to mark everything. took several months of consistent scolding when we caught him in the act. and immediately put him outside. after a while he just stopped trying. we kenneled him when we weren't at home and used a dog diaper when we couldn't watch him closely. patience and consistency. now he holds it through the night without being kenneled. and both dogs will let us know they need to go outside.

 

[lariat]

both dogs will let us know they need to go outside.

My oldest is too smart and a liar at times. He will stand at the door asking to go outside to do the deed, just so he can stand on the porch and survey his territory. I don't mind it, he's a great dog, old and has earned the priviledge of being an occasional ass. Who knows what's going on in his bladder anyway.

 

[davsco]

crate training is good, but it doesn't teach them to NOT go in your house. what i did is follow ours around the house and as soon as he started going i screamed holy hell and picked him up and rushed him outside, then praised him when he peed.

funny story on our current golden. did the above. then started to find some poop balls. wtf. so i followed him around again and screamed holy hell as he was going to poop and took him outside. never happened again. but i guess he thought pee and poop were two separate things...

but if you find pee or poop in the house after the fact, do not beat your dog as they won't associate the two.

 

[Bringtherain]

but if you find pee or poop in the house after the fact, do not beat your dog as they won't associate the two.

this is the truth. if you do one thing do this. although some do understand what forbidden behavior is. my shepherd will run to one of us when the little dog decides to break the rules. last month my wife didnt take them out because it was pouring rain and the little one decided he couldn't hold his poop any longer. my shepherd ran into the bathroom where my wife was and jumped in the tub to get away from the behavior she knew was not allowed. when we were trying to house break him and he did the deed she would run to me and try to get my attention. let me know something was going on and she was not responsible! even the one time she did crap all over the back door she was really upset that morning until I found it and told her it was ok.

but unless you catch them in the act. they wont associate it.

 

[HeavyAssault]

I worked on 9 pups from birth till the weeks they were sold. I think it was like 8-9 weeks, whatever the usual time people wait to sell pups. On a RIGID schedule they were outside, fed and watered, kennel was cleaned out, etc etc etc at least 3 times a day. By the last week I had them they were SO close to being house broken. Very minor "accidents" in the kennel if at all. I'd open the outside door, then the kennel door, they would hit the ground running, and taking care of business. Then food, and water.....damn they were fun.

If anything works....it's a schedule, a very rigid, on time schedule. Live with the "clean up" till they get the idea, after that they will be easy.

 

[Choid]

I worked on 9 pups from birth till the weeks they were sold. I think it was like 8-9 weeks, whatever the usual time people wait to sell pups. On a RIGID schedule they were outside, fed and watered, kennel was cleaned out, etc etc etc at least 3 times a day. By the last week I had them they were SO close to being house broken. Very minor "accidents" in the kennel if at all. I'd open the outside door, then the kennel door, they would hit the ground running, and taking care of business. Then food, and water.....damn they were fun.

If anything works....it's a schedule, a very rigid, on time schedule. Live with the "clean up" till they get the idea, after that they will be easy.

This is the right way to raise pups.

 

[HeavyAssault]

LOL....Before they really got their legs under them I would load them up in a clothes hamper. LOL Barrel of monkys I tell ya.

 

[matthew877fox]

With luck, a degree of tolerance, then understanding, and THEN discipline.

The best few words of advice that I've ever been offered regarding dogs is 'Think like a dog'. I'd add to that, 'Consider that your puppy doesn't speak or understand English, at least not until you teach her'. Lessons for both humans and dogs are very rarely 'light-bulb' moments! More training tips here

 

[...]

Honestly I didn't do anything special....

When they went in the house, I would bring them over to it, point to it, and give a firm "No".

When they went outside, I tell them "good boy" and give them a treat.

Simple positive and negative reinforcement.....dogs are smart, they learn quick.

Add some bells on the doors so they can signal when they need to go out, and you should be good.


The only real "trick" you need to do is maintain that reinforcement....even when they've learned the wanted behavior...that's where a lot of people run into trouble, not keeping up with it once they think the dog has learned it

 

[KnowNothing256]

Most have covered it, but one more vote for crate training, plus being very proactive with potty trips outside. The proactive piece is the one that usually gets me in trouble, since I'm lazy; I tell myself, "Ah, she can make it two hours, surely," when in fact maybe she can, maybe she can't, but I'm inviting an accident. Take them out every hour while they're active, and they'll very quickly learn that outside is where potty happens. You can start stretching the time between outside trips when you see them either not pee, or pee only a very little.

And don't get mad when there are accidents, because they will definitely happen. Enjoy the pup!

 

[hlee]

Give it all the water it can handle. Every time it looks at the door, or walks near the door, or thinks about the door, take it out. When it relieves itself outside, give it praise. If it has an accident, clean it up and use that urine cleaner you can get at PetCo. No use with punishment, they don't know why you're mad. Whatever you do, don't use those "pee pads" to let him/her urinate inside- unless you want him/her to urinate inside.

We bought a GSP pup 2 years ago and had the damnedest time house training. Come to find out, they had pee pads all over the house. At 8 weeks, the pup had recognized anything on the floor that was not actual flooring as the correct place to pee. Towels, my gym bag, anything on the floor. Fuck those pee pads.

Oh, and crate training.

 

[AllenOne1]

Take them outside to pee every hour, after they eat, after they drink, after they play. Praise them and play when they get it right. Put them in the crate when you have to be gone for a little while, put them in the crate to sleep at night. A stuffed animal in the crate helps too but not with house training. When you get them up in the morning it's outside first thing no matter what. If they look at the door get them out there.

It's like having a newborn that first couple of weeks but it gets better quicker.

Never stop messing with them lift up their feet, inspect their teeth, turn them upside down, give them a bath, it all helps to have a well mannered pet that you can love on for years.

 

[34SF]

Crate training. And...go outside with them when they're young so they know why they are out there. You need to tell them what you want them to do. I went out side with my Australian Cattle Dog (which are smart enough to actually read books and train themselves, but not till they're older) and just when she started to go, gave the command "Go potty" and "hurry up" followed by the rowdy praise when she was done. After a week I only go out a few times and after two she almost always went by herself. The upside to this is that they learn to go on command. Running late to work "hurry up" rest stop with the world's supply of smells, "hurry up" going inside a building "hurry up". Worked great and scared the hell out of my girlfriend the first time she saw my dog poop on order (I was told to get out more). We now have Akitas which are a little less focused but still "go potty" when told. My girl (the dog) will squat and do nothing just to let me know she heard what I said. We had only one "accident" with them and it was my fault. And crate train.