Your new puppy will bring many years of joy to your family, but one of the first hurdles you will have to overcome is housetraining him. Housetraining a dog is never simple, but the right supplies make the training process a little easier on both you and the dog. Be prepared for the task by buying these supplies before you bring your new puppy home.
Barrier Gate: A pet or baby gate will allow you to confine your puppy to a specific room of the home, such as the kitchen, while he is in training. If you confine the puppy to a room with easier to clean floors during those times when you cannot watch him, you will spend less time cleaning up messes.
Cleaning Supplies: Puppies will have accidents in your home, so invest in quality cleaning products. Do not buy a generic carpet cleaner, but rather one that is designed to deal with pet messes. If you have hard floors in your home, invest in a hard floor cleaner specifically designed for pet messes.
Crate: If you are crate-training your puppy, which means teaching him to be comfortable in a crate during times when you cannot supervise him, choose a crate that is just large enough for the puppy to turn around in to get comfortable. If there is too much extra space in the crate, the puppy might choose to use it as a bathroom.
Lead and Collar: A lead and collar will help you keep track of your puppy in your home while you are training him to go in the designated spot. You can keep the pup under your control, watching him for signs of needing to go, such as sniffing the floor, pacing or whining. When he shows these signs, take him to the spot and give him a command, such as “go potty.” If he does, reward him with a treat.
Paper and Training Pads: For training your puppy to go indoors, invest in puppy training pads. These are super absorbent pads that are scented to encourage the dog to go on them. You can teach him where to go by placing the training pads consistently in the same spot in your home. Once he has established the habit, you can change the expensive puppy training pads for newspaper.
Treats: Since many dogs are highly food motivated, invest in some tantalizing food treats for your pup. After he has gone in the correct place, whether outside or on the paper, give him a treat and tell him “good dog.”
Article written and submitted by Nicole Harms of The Daily Puppy
