6 Tips on House Training Your Puppy

House-training a puppy can be challenging, to the point where many owners simply resign themselves to just cleaning up wherever their canine companion leaves its doings. But house-training has more to offer than just allowing you to spend less time cleaning up after your puppy: it also helps them become a more well-mannered and disciplined pet, one that you can depend on to look after themselves on the occasions that you have to leave them unsupervised or in someone else’s care.

With that said, here are some tips that should make house-training your puppy an easier affair.

1. Get your puppy a good collar and leash. Contrary to the belief that you should let puppies go collarless until a certain age, it’s in fact to their benefit that you get a dog collar for your puppy as soon as possible. This not only allows them to get used to wearing one earlier, but also helps you secure them to a specific location when you’re not around to supervise them - thus protecting them from any danger their curiosity may put them into. A collar and leash is also definitely mandatory whenever you take them out for walks. Yes, we know that it’s irresistible to want to just carry them everywhere, but puppies need to be active.

2. Use the fifteen-minute rule to your advantage. A puppy’s digestive tract is very active and very small, so they’re very likely to need to go to the bathroom within five to fifteen minutes of doing pretty much anything: eating, drinking, exercising, or even waking up from a nap. You can take advantage of this regularity to teach them where exactly they can do their business. Bring them every time to this exact spot and they’ll soon remember it. You can also reinforce this lesson by rewarding them with a snack every time they eliminate in that spot.

3. Don’t punish accidents. Accidents can and will happen, especially when you’re house training a puppy. While it’s tempting to discipline your puppy for going where they weren’t supposed to go, either with a gentle hit on the nose or a chiding lecture, many trainers agree that it’s a very counter-productive move to do so.  Instead, simply clean the area where they eliminated as much as possible, enough that they won’t be able to smell any trace of themselves when they return to that area. Puppies and dogs are more comfortable eliminating in areas that they can smell their own urine and feces on, so in cleaning up their accident thoroughly they will be discouraged from returning to that place. You can then proceed with your training of your puppy as normal.

4. Always keep in mind your puppy’s ability to hold their bladder. As a rule of thumb, a puppy can hold their bladders for as many hours as they are how many months old, plus one. So a month-old puppy can hold their bladder for two hours maximum, a two-month old puppy can hold theirs for three, and so on. Keep this time limit in mind whenever you do activities with your puppy – letting them hold onto their urine for too long may not only cause them to have accidents but also make them feel comfortable about reveling in their own filth. It’s imperative that you don’t allow this behavior to take place by being mindful of their limits. 

5. Don’t rely on pads and newspapers. One of the most tried-and-true ways of house training is to train your puppy to eliminate on puppy pads and newspapers. While it’s possible to wean your pet off of them when the time comes, it may just complicate matter further and confuse your puppy in the long run. By training them to eliminate on a specific spot outside as soon as possible, you make things easier on both your dog and yourself.

6. Get a professional involved. If you’ve tried everything and it just doesn’t seem to be working out, remember that you can always ask for a professional’s help in house-training your puppy. However, this should only be your last resort, as having someone else house-train your dog in another location could obviously make it difficult for your puppy to get comfortable with eliminating when it needs to.

House training may seem like it’s more trouble than its worth, but by taking the time and effort to do so will instill important self-discipline in your pet, as well as ensuring their happiness and healthiness in the long run. 

"I Love You, Baby Girl" ~ Dogs Have Feelings Too

Our two year old Shih Tzu named Bite got our neighbor friend's female Shih Tzu named Bella pregnant. They had 4 puppies, 3 males and 1 female. One of the male puppies died because he was born with deformed hind legs. Poor thing.

Bite and Bella's babies

Doing a "puppy share" deal with Bella's owner, we were given the female puppy. We named her Chloe. Since we could not keep two dogs in the apartment, we gave Chloe to my son's girlfriend who absolutely loves dogs.

Chloe's first picture. This was taken a few days after she was born. 

She was so tiny she could fit in the palm of my son's hand.

Yesterday, our Daddy Bite paid a visit to his daughter Chloe. My son and his girlfriend went nuts taking pictures of the father and daughter bonding moments. Who says animals don't have feelings? Simply look at the pictures below and you can immediately feel the love they have for each other. Bite was all over his daughter, walking alongside her, hugging her, and doing his daddy duties just like humans do.

Here are some of their pictures. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

"Hello, baby girl! Oh my, you are so pretty!"

"You have such nice fur, sweetheart." 

"You want to go for a walk, baby?"

"Daddy, you are so big!" 

"And you are handsome too!"

"Promise you'll always come to visit me, Daddy." 

"I will, my little sweetheart. You be a good girl. I'll be back soon." 

"Give daddy a kiss. I love you, baby Chloe. I love you, my little girl."

Until they meet again. 

My Furry Grandchildren ~ Fang and Bite

After seven years living in this apartment, our landlady has finally given us approval to have a dog. Yay! At long last, my longing for a pet was fulfilled.

At first, we had a "weekend dog," which was exactly what it was. My son and his girlfriend had a dog in their dorm room and when they went home for the weekend, they took the dog home to me. Their dog's name is Fang. He is a Japanese Spitz-Pomeranian mix. He was a frisky little puppy and oh so cute! Fang now permanently lives with my son's girlfriend's parents. He got big and was too much work for two college kids to take care of. I miss him though. Maybe someday he can visit too.

Baby Fang

Asleep and content

Fang at 8 months

And then last December, my youngest son asked permission if he could "adopt" his girlfriend's dog. It was a tiny little 18 month old Shih Tzu. My son's girlfriend and her siblings are out of the house most of the time and there was no one left to care for the dog. Now we have a permanent pet. Officially adopted. Ours to keep. His name is Bite and he is the sweetest little creature!

Bite's selfie shot

Doing his role as "The Protector"

Bite and his toys taking over the apartment!

Bite is my stress reliever. He loves being hugged and petted. I love taking him for his walk, bathing him and just being near him. Despite his tiny size, he is over-protective of my husband. He follows him everywhere and patiently waits for him while he is in the shower or in the toilet. When I leave for work at night, Bite stays by the door while my husband is still awake and then moves to the foot of the bed when it is time for my husband to sleep. I know dogs have a very strong sense of smell and it just amazes me when he would just sniff and lick my husband's legs and feet days before he would catch a cold or be in agony with arthritis pain. I just cannot think of any other reason for Bite's strange sniff and lick habit. Could he be trying to get rid of something bad to prevent my husband from getting sick?

I treat Fang and Bite as if they were my grandchildren. Every time I get paid at work, I make sure I come home with a treat - a big can of dog food (delicious beef and chicken with gravy) or a new chew toy. They may have fierce sounding names, but they are the gentlest, sweetest, furriest little source of happiness!