No More Accidents
The following are some steps that can be taken to help train the animal to be house trained with fewer occurrences of “accidents”:
- Picking a particular spot where the owner wants the dog to eventually identify as the toilet area is something that should be done in a consistent manner. By observing when the dog is likely to need a toilet break and taking the animal immediately to the designated area until the deed is done will teach the animal the significance of the designated area. Also lavishing praise when the deed is accomplished will further help to reinforce the idea behind taking the dog to the specified area.
- Take the time to understand the dog is also an important part of training the dog. Most dogs are not able to associate disapproval with the actual act of relieving themselves as owners often don’t catch them in the act. An owner’s reprimand is usually only meted out upon discovery of the “accident” or mess. Therefore, the animal will eventually associate the disapproval to the mess and not the actual action of relieving itself. It is important for the owner to establish the disapproval at the time the deed is actually done rather than after, to ensure the animal understands the “misdemeanor”. Once this is established, both parties can work together to find a solution that would be as stress free as possible. The owner should always remember not to put undue pressure on the animal as it only has a limited capacity of understand things.
