All dogs are trainable, and you must be prepared to spend some effort on house training small breed dogs. It is not necessary that they should be sent to obedience school. The truth is that as long as you have patience, consistency, and are willing to do some extra preparation, potty training your small dog or puppy, can be done very easily.
It’s perfectly normal for most small breeds to require a lot of your attention. They need to be walked frequently, played with regularly, and taken napping. That means they need to be potty trained.
Without training, small dogs can be very difficult to manage. They typically have a tendency to go wherever and whenever they want, instead of staying put in the yard or doing their “business” in designated spot.
There are many ways to potty train a small dog. Paper training is a good way to begin with. Of course, you have to choose a spot which is covered with newspaper for your pet to do his potty outside. When you see him sniffing, take him out to the designated spot.
Once your dog is taken outside for his potty, give him lots of praise while he is doing his “business”. You need to let him know that he is being a good dog. This will help to reinforce his potty action. After he is done, give him lots of love and a treat.
Even trained dogs will periodically have a lapse of memory, a lack of concentration, and forget where the actual potty area is. If you catch him going to the wrong spot, move him back to the right place quickly and then praise him enthusiastically.
There maybe times when your small dog may have an “accident” in the house. When this happens, here is what you can do: clean the area and then ignore him for a while. You need to let him know that this action is not acceptable. You should never hit your dog when he has an accident. This is not a good way to punish him. Just ignore him and he will stop.
If you want your puppy to be properly house trained, he needs to go out on a regular schedule. This is especially true if you want him to understand the word “toilet”. You can begin to teach him this word, along with a particular designated spot, preferably in the early stage of his puppyhood. Just like a child, he needs to be taught on how to use the toilet.
Keep an eye on the signs that your dog is ready to do his potty. If you see him doing an unusual action, then it may be best to take him out for potty. For example, some dogs like to sniff at some corners when they are ready to do their “business”. If you see your dog doing this, then bring him to the door and say the word potty to him.
Try to maintain a regular potty schedule with your small dog, if you are able to. This will help him to learn how to “hold” until you take him outside for potty. By following this approach, you will begin to see a pattern. Your dog will begin to “ask” when he needs to go for potty.
You will also need to encourage your dog to go to a specific spot when he needs to do his potty. The more consistent you are on this, the faster he will learn. Take him out at the same time every day, and place him in the spot you want him to go.
Crate training can also be another effective method for house training that is humane and easy. When done correctly, it is not physically or mentally disturbing your dog. In fact, crate can be an area where your dog feels safe and secure, and he views it as a place of refuge. Not only does it provide a safe place for your dog to sleep at night, but it also provides a safe place for your dog to go potty.
It’s important to understand that puppies and dogs develop habits and once these habits are reinforced, it’s hard for them to stop. Obviously, you have to train your dog to stop these unacceptable habits before they become norm for your dog.
Once you’ve house trained your dog, you will need to continue helping him to reinforce the behavior from time to time. Repetitive is the key to success in training your dog.
This is just a few tips on potty training a small dog. If you follow these tips, you will see success. Just remember to have patience and you will have no problem with housebreaking your small dog.