House Training & Going Outside
From Day One, your new puppy's habits are developing,
you have the opportunity to directly influence his or her future habits
From Day One, your new puppy's habits are developing,
you have the opportunity to directly influence his or her future habits
Establishing a working routine will help you accommodate both the needs of your puppy, as well as yourself. A strong start towards successfully raising a puppy in your home is one of the most beneficial elements to a lifelong harmony. By guiding your puppy while avoiding accidents, encouraging positive behavior, and rewarding only good habits, you can achieve your ultimate goal of a successful new addition to the home.
Since your puppy has just entered your home for the first time, you can take the appropriate steps to avoid setting the precedence of going in the house, and learning that relieving themselves inside is a possible choice. All dogs, including beagles, rely on their nose for an accurate perception of their environment. While our beagles are specifically bred & raised to focus on humans, their nose can still tell them things about their surroundings. One of the facts they can sniff out about an environment is whether or not it has already been marked as an appropriate area to urinate. This is one reason why it is important to avoid accidents now, in order to avoid more later.
Do Not let your new beagle have free roam of the house.
They must first gradually earn your trust before being let loose.
By setting up a contained area for your new puppy, he will feel confident in choosing the paper for "Hurry Up", as we call it, instead of his bed. He can learn to master this positive choice, and will enjoy the comfort of knowing exactly what to do. You are helping him learn steps appropriate to his developmental stage. Similar to human toddlers, the puppy is still learning how to behave, and until he has grasped the concepts, it is best to avoid putting him a situation where he must make an uneducated decision on what he should do next.
Once a mind is forced to make a decision before it has matured appropriatly and can fully understand the concept, it will feel more comfortable with making that uneducated choice in the future. Until your puppy has learned what to do, avoid exposing him to the option of choosing to do something bad. You can set everyone up for success by setting your puppy up with a confined area appropriate to his learning stage, so that he is allowed puppy-size decisions, and can take baby steps towards mastering the rules of life.
Since your puppy has just entered your home for the first time, you can take the appropriate steps to avoid setting the precedence of going in the house, and learning that relieving themselves inside is a possible choice. All dogs, including beagles, rely on their nose for an accurate perception of their environment. While our beagles are specifically bred & raised to focus on humans, their nose can still tell them things about their surroundings. One of the facts they can sniff out about an environment is whether or not it has already been marked as an appropriate area to urinate. This is one reason why it is important to avoid accidents now, in order to avoid more later.
Do Not let your new beagle have free roam of the house.
They must first gradually earn your trust before being let loose.
By setting up a contained area for your new puppy, he will feel confident in choosing the paper for "Hurry Up", as we call it, instead of his bed. He can learn to master this positive choice, and will enjoy the comfort of knowing exactly what to do. You are helping him learn steps appropriate to his developmental stage. Similar to human toddlers, the puppy is still learning how to behave, and until he has grasped the concepts, it is best to avoid putting him a situation where he must make an uneducated decision on what he should do next.
Once a mind is forced to make a decision before it has matured appropriatly and can fully understand the concept, it will feel more comfortable with making that uneducated choice in the future. Until your puppy has learned what to do, avoid exposing him to the option of choosing to do something bad. You can set everyone up for success by setting your puppy up with a confined area appropriate to his learning stage, so that he is allowed puppy-size decisions, and can take baby steps towards mastering the rules of life.
The puppy will need to hurry up within 5-10 minutes after waking up, eating, or drinking.
Do Not bring your puppy onto the carpet during those 5 minutes after he wakes up, eats, or sleeps
He needs to go to the bathroom first.
You can begin taking your puppy outside to a designated spot in the yard from day one. This is a good oppurtunity for you to set the precedence of going outside as the best choice. Guide your puppy to the appropriate area for future bathroom breaks whenever possible. By consistently taking your puppy out the same door for hurry up breaks, he can begin to associate that door with going outside, and will know where to go in the future to let you know he needs to go out.
One customer who had us board their dog asked to place a ribbon on our doorknob with a bell attached to the end of it. They had trained her to ring the bell with her paw when she wanted to go out!
They trained her by placing her paw on the bell every time they took her outside, so she learned to do this when she wanted to go out. Many other customers have written to tell us this worked for them too!
Do Not bring your puppy onto the carpet during those 5 minutes after he wakes up, eats, or sleeps
He needs to go to the bathroom first.
You can begin taking your puppy outside to a designated spot in the yard from day one. This is a good oppurtunity for you to set the precedence of going outside as the best choice. Guide your puppy to the appropriate area for future bathroom breaks whenever possible. By consistently taking your puppy out the same door for hurry up breaks, he can begin to associate that door with going outside, and will know where to go in the future to let you know he needs to go out.
One customer who had us board their dog asked to place a ribbon on our doorknob with a bell attached to the end of it. They had trained her to ring the bell with her paw when she wanted to go out!
They trained her by placing her paw on the bell every time they took her outside, so she learned to do this when she wanted to go out. Many other customers have written to tell us this worked for them too!
Accidents occur, especially if you do not follow the Puppy Stage Protocol.
New Puppies who are still being housebroken are to be in their setup area with paper and bed at all times, unless your are holding them in your arms, or someone is able to fully supervise them on the carpet, and watch attentively for warning signs. Accidents happen when a puppy is given free roam of the carpet, and the caretaker did not recognize the warning signs of needing to go.
Warning signs
The warning signs include
Correct the Accident
If an accident does occur, do not lose your composure, but do make the point of explaining to your puppy that this will not be an acceptable behavior in your household.
If you can catch him in the process of going, or within moments, that is the best time to correct him so that he can easily make the connection between his action, and the repricussion.
If you did not witness the accident, but notice it later, be patient with the process of showing him what he did wrong, and then reprimanding him for that behavior. Bring the puppy to the spot and slowly show him the accident, allowing him to smell the mistake. Meanwhile, speak with a firm tone (Not whiney, or hyper) as you explain to him that we do not hurry up inside.
"NO hurry up in the house." Do not offer the puppy any rewards or praise, and maintain a firm but calm & in control demeanor.
Proceed to take him outside. You've corrected, and now your connecting. With a more expectant voice, Remind him that he goes "Hurry Up outside", as if to say "Now its okay. This is my point, Outside Hurryup is Good, now do you understand?
New Puppies who are still being housebroken are to be in their setup area with paper and bed at all times, unless your are holding them in your arms, or someone is able to fully supervise them on the carpet, and watch attentively for warning signs. Accidents happen when a puppy is given free roam of the carpet, and the caretaker did not recognize the warning signs of needing to go.
Warning signs
The warning signs include
- sniffing around looking for that scent,
- wandering away from you, and/or going behind furniture,
- whining and looking around
Correct the Accident
If an accident does occur, do not lose your composure, but do make the point of explaining to your puppy that this will not be an acceptable behavior in your household.
If you can catch him in the process of going, or within moments, that is the best time to correct him so that he can easily make the connection between his action, and the repricussion.
If you did not witness the accident, but notice it later, be patient with the process of showing him what he did wrong, and then reprimanding him for that behavior. Bring the puppy to the spot and slowly show him the accident, allowing him to smell the mistake. Meanwhile, speak with a firm tone (Not whiney, or hyper) as you explain to him that we do not hurry up inside.
"NO hurry up in the house." Do not offer the puppy any rewards or praise, and maintain a firm but calm & in control demeanor.
Proceed to take him outside. You've corrected, and now your connecting. With a more expectant voice, Remind him that he goes "Hurry Up outside", as if to say "Now its okay. This is my point, Outside Hurryup is Good, now do you understand?
Clean up an accident thoroughly.
Dogs are scent triggered. They know where to go by smelling a previous spot, which will often trigger the urge to go again. This is another reason to avoid accidents inside the house. When faced with an urge to go, and no immediate alternative, a developing puppy may find it easier to simply remark that familiar spot. Be sure to thoroughly soak up any residue, clean the entire area with a good, non-amonia based, product such as Simple Solution.
Dogs are scent triggered. They know where to go by smelling a previous spot, which will often trigger the urge to go again. This is another reason to avoid accidents inside the house. When faced with an urge to go, and no immediate alternative, a developing puppy may find it easier to simply remark that familiar spot. Be sure to thoroughly soak up any residue, clean the entire area with a good, non-amonia based, product such as Simple Solution.
Taking your Puppy Outside
Once you are outside, walk slowly around the area you want him to go, and repeat "Hurry Up". If he has just woken up, eat, or drank, you know he needs to go. Wait until he does before allowing him to come in and have the option of carpet.
Sometimes puppies don't realize they need to go yet, and will want to stand on your foot to be picked up to go back inside, and worry about hurry up later. Simply continue walking, and do not acknowledge this behavior so that he will learn to go ahead and do what he needs to do. As he follows your feet, he will likely pass over an area where he has previously gone, and will be triggered by the scent to go again. Dogs are scent triggered, and they will usually re-mark an area they have previously gone on.
"Hurry Up"
As the puppy squats to go, praise him with a consistent word. Your happy voice repeating that word will reinforce that he is doing something good and motivate him to continue good behavior. By calling it the same word each time, he will learn to associate that command with going to the bathroom. Our word of choice is "Hurry Up" so while he is in the process of doing it, we say "Good Hurry Up". By learning "hurry up" means go to the bathroom, future breaks, walks, and traveling will be much easier, and you can communicate to your dog what he needs to do. Before finishing up the Hurry Up break, its best to be sure he has had a good oppurtunity to go both number 1 & 2, so that you know he is all done and you can both proceed without another call from nature!
Now that your puppy has finished going 'hurry up', its time to reward his positive behavior, and proceed to the next activity. While praising the puppy, you can pick him up with a congratulating hug, or gentle and smooth pet on the back of the head. He will feel good about himself, and will continue to develop a love for making you happy, because obviously when you're happy, he's happy.
You can now lead him away from the hurry up site, and play on another part of the yard, or if he had initially wanted to go back inside when you first came out, you can now reward him for doing his business by going back in the house to play or snuggle. He will gradually realize that if he wants to go back inside in the future, then he needs to 'hurry up' & do his business so that you both can proceed on and get back to the good stuff!
You can set your puppy up for success by guiding him through the rules of life.
Setting boundaries and limitations now, allows your beagle to benefit by enjoying fewer restrictions in the future, as he earns your trust, and feels motivated to develop positive habits
Once you are outside, walk slowly around the area you want him to go, and repeat "Hurry Up". If he has just woken up, eat, or drank, you know he needs to go. Wait until he does before allowing him to come in and have the option of carpet.
Sometimes puppies don't realize they need to go yet, and will want to stand on your foot to be picked up to go back inside, and worry about hurry up later. Simply continue walking, and do not acknowledge this behavior so that he will learn to go ahead and do what he needs to do. As he follows your feet, he will likely pass over an area where he has previously gone, and will be triggered by the scent to go again. Dogs are scent triggered, and they will usually re-mark an area they have previously gone on.
"Hurry Up"
As the puppy squats to go, praise him with a consistent word. Your happy voice repeating that word will reinforce that he is doing something good and motivate him to continue good behavior. By calling it the same word each time, he will learn to associate that command with going to the bathroom. Our word of choice is "Hurry Up" so while he is in the process of doing it, we say "Good Hurry Up". By learning "hurry up" means go to the bathroom, future breaks, walks, and traveling will be much easier, and you can communicate to your dog what he needs to do. Before finishing up the Hurry Up break, its best to be sure he has had a good oppurtunity to go both number 1 & 2, so that you know he is all done and you can both proceed without another call from nature!
Now that your puppy has finished going 'hurry up', its time to reward his positive behavior, and proceed to the next activity. While praising the puppy, you can pick him up with a congratulating hug, or gentle and smooth pet on the back of the head. He will feel good about himself, and will continue to develop a love for making you happy, because obviously when you're happy, he's happy.
You can now lead him away from the hurry up site, and play on another part of the yard, or if he had initially wanted to go back inside when you first came out, you can now reward him for doing his business by going back in the house to play or snuggle. He will gradually realize that if he wants to go back inside in the future, then he needs to 'hurry up' & do his business so that you both can proceed on and get back to the good stuff!
You can set your puppy up for success by guiding him through the rules of life.
Setting boundaries and limitations now, allows your beagle to benefit by enjoying fewer restrictions in the future, as he earns your trust, and feels motivated to develop positive habits
Let's Review the Rules of Housetraining:
- Keep your puppy in a contained area so that he will can confidently choose paper of bedding for hurry-up, and avoid confusing situations during his learning stage.
- Do Not let your new beagle have free/unsupervised roam of the house to avoid accidents
- Do Not bring your puppy onto the carpet after he wakes up, eats, or sleeps.
Let him go to the bathroom first. - Take your puppy outside more often as you can for the hurry-up break and begin forming a working routine for the puppy in your home.
- Go out the same door each time to the same spot of the yard you want him to go. In the future your beagle will know where to run to when its time to go out.
- Praise him for relieving himself outside with a key word. Consistently call the action "hurry up", or your own word, in an encouraging tone. Most pups quickly learn it means go to the bathroom and will learn to do so almost on command. This makes your job much easier when working to housetrain your pup & taking breaks outside!
- If he does have an accident, Reprimand him if he has an accident inside, and then proceed to take him outside to that spot in the yard to remind of where to go.
- Thoroughly clean an accident area with a non-amonia based product such as Simple Solution