Sharda Baker
Welcome to this complimentary article on Potty Training.
As you know, one of the most exciting things that most dog lovers can imagine is bringing home a new dog for the first time.
Unfortunately, this excitement often wears off quickly when the new little addition to the family begins using the house as a bathroom area.
Fortunately, with a bit of consideration and understanding of some of the basic principles of potty training your Labrador, it is easy and simple to teach your Lab this very important behavior.
There are some points to keep in mind when planning or starting your Labrador potty training routine.
No matter which method you decide to use, there will be accidents. Plan for them, accept them and move on with as little fuss and negative actions or punishment towards the puppy as possible.
Usually with any puppies, accidents are due to very small bladders and bowels and poor control as their bodies develop, very similar to young human infants in fact.
Avoid Punishing Your Labrador
Avoid punishing or reprimanding your puppy for an accident, as it is likely to be more a fault of the owner for not taking the puppy to the potty area soon enough. Learn from mistakes and keep notes on when the puppy has accidents.
Try to see if there is a pattern developing that can assist you in the training, rather than become frustrated with the dog. Virtually every puppy wants to make his or her owner happy, and this can be used as an effective motivator in potty training even young puppies.
The Older Labrador
Older Labs that are being housebroken or potty trained for the first time will also have accidents, until they understand what you want. Again, patience and a positive attitude will help the training process.
Remember that dogs aren’t aware of the value of antique rugs or wall-to-wall carpeting, rather they tend to relieve themselves where they feel they should - usually somewhere out of the way, like behind the couch or in the corner behind the potted palm.
Is There Anything I Can Do To Help?
YES, There are many things that pet owners can do to make the process of potty training easy for their new dog or puppy.
Good planning, an understanding of the potty training method to be used, plus other factors such as high quality food, lots of exercise, attention and love can all have a bearing on the time that it takes to potty train your Labrador.
Finally, each dog is somewhat different in personality and temperament. Some puppies and dogs seem to almost potty train themselves where others, even from the same litter, may require additional training but will soon learn what is expected.
What method Should I Use To Potty Training My Dog?
Well, there are several different potty training methods that can be used for a dog.
Deciding on the best potty training method is important and depends a lot on the age of your Lab, the time that you have to interact with the dog or puppy, your living area, and what method you are most comfortable with.
Some of the potty training methods encourage your dog to use an outside area to relieve themselves, whereas others focus on containing the area the puppy or dog uses inside of the house - by the use of litter boxes, potty training pads or even newspapers.
Here, we will cover one popular method, Crate Training.
CRATE TRAINING
Crate training is one of the most effective ways to potty train any dog as it uses the natural “denning instinct” of the dog to encourage it to keep the area that it sleeps clean and free from waste materials.
In the wild, the den is kept clean by the mother while the puppies are young. Once they get older and are able to walk, they naturally go outside of the living area or den to relieve themselves.
In houses there are no dens, and the area is simply too large for puppies to feel that this is “their spot”.
By providing a den, in the form of a crate, your Labrador puppy will learn to wait until he or she is taken outside before soiling in the crate.
Crate training does require active participation and monitoring on the part of the dog owner.
The following is an outline of how to complete a crate training routine for your Labrador:
Purchase an appropriately sized crate, either plastic or wire, that is large enough for your dog to stand and stretch out comfortably.
Make sure the crate is comfortable - use soft, washable liners or dog blankets.
Sit with your Lab at the door of the crate. Place a small treat inside the crate. Praise the puppy for going into the crate and getting the treat. Let the puppy come out when he or she wants, do not close the door at this time.
Only praise for going in the crate, ignore the puppy when he or she is coming out.
When your dog walks into the crate say “Crate” or “Den” or whatever word you wish to associate with going into the crate.
When your Lab is staying in the crate on their own to eat the treats, close the door for a few seconds, then open it up. Only praise when the dog goes in, never when it is exiting. Soon the dog realizes in is good, out is neutral.
After the puppy or adult Lab is fine with being in the crate for more than a few minutes, put a chew toy in with the dog to keep it occupied. Try very slowly and gradually increasing your distance away from the crate, and the time in the crate with the door closed.
Since the puppy or dog will generally not eliminate when they are in the crate because it is their den, take them outside to eliminate when they come out of the crate.
After feeding, crate the puppy with a chew toy. In about 10-15 minutes take the puppy out of the crate and to the designated toilet area. Do not play or interact with the puppy at this time, simply take them to the spot.
If the puppy relieves itself, praise the puppy and spend some time interacting. If, after about 3-5 minutes the puppy has not toileted, return it to the crate, again without saying anything, for an additional five minutes.
Repeat the process without interacting with the puppy until it goes to the bathroom. Praise and play always follow toileting while crate training.
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At night, keep the crate in the bedroom or somewhere that you can easily hear the puppy. If he or she whines, take them to the toilet area and return them to the crate with as little interaction as possible. Just a simple “good girl” or boy will do when they toilet.
Too much praise will be seen as play, and may encourage the puppy to whine throughout the night. Remember though, the crate is only to be used until Potty Training is under control, not forever!
What Are Some Advantages of Using A Crate?
The advantages to crate training include the fact that it uses the puppies or dogs natural instincts to help with the learning process. It minimizes the dangers of messes and accidents around the house when done correctly. In addition the puppy feels secure, and they can understand what is required in a relatively short time.
What Are Some Disadvantages of Using A Crate?
Disadvantages to crate training are few, but the biggest one is that it will only work if the trainer monitors the puppy closely while in the crate, and follows the attention/inattention guidelines.
Some owners may think that crate training is cruel, but this is simply not the case. Once people understand the crate is not used as a punishment but as a safe and secure place for the puppy, they change their opinion quickly.
Need Some More Help ?
I hope this short outline introduction to Potty Training and specifically CRATE Training has been helpful to you.
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Bye for now.
Wishing you great success with your Labrador.
Warmly,
Dedicated To Helping Make All Of Your Dog Experience happy Ones
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