Dogs

» aspenbloom - I have a 4 month shihpoo and would like to know what to do with

Hi Maddie,
Thank you for your question. I'm not an expert on dog training but you can train any dog -mixed or purebred doesn't matter - with persistent consistence. Meaning that understanding the nature of a dog is critical to training your dog.

Dogs think going potty in the house is fine unless taught to do otherwise because, well they're dogs and that isn't a big issue for them. If they have a specific place to sleep each night, they will not typically go potty in their own beds -nor will any animal.

So since your puppy is young, you may want to understand a couple of things:

1. After naps, it is a good idea to take your puppy outside to potty right away and encourage your dog to go potty by saying so -seriously! I just say "go potty". As soon as your puppy is done, don't stop and play because that will only confuse him/her. Bring your dog back in the house. Make play time separate.

2. Again, about 15-30 minutes after feeding your puppy, take them outside and repeat the steps above. Your dog will get the idea that going outside to potty is the whole idea. They're smart, they'll get it IF you remain consistent in this approach.

Also for a great resource on dog training look around and read the articles here. There is an online course available in puppy training here:
http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/18373...

Also a good friend of mine has some great articles on his site that can also help you in basic training of your puppy at http://www.master-dog-training.com

Hope this helps!

-- posted by aspenbloom