Dog Obedience & Puppy Toilet Training for Inside

When a dog sees you as the pack leader, it will listen when you try to teach it when and where it's appropriate to relieve itself. Thus, obedience and toilet training go hand-in-hand. If you're new to dog ownership and aren't quite sure how to potty train Fido, starting from an obedience standpoint can make the job easier, particularly if you live in an apartment and Fido is constantly leaving "presents" on your carpeting.

  1. Basic Obedience

    • Dog obedience training involves getting your pooch to recognize certain basic commands and then obey them. For apartment dwellers or others whose pups don't have easy access to a yard or outside areas, potty training involves getting your puppy to eliminate in a designated spot, such as on a training pad or fake grass patch. Many companies make disposable "Wee Wee pads," as well as reusable grass-patch devices with a catch tray at the bottom to absorb urine.

    Function

    • Many dogs end up in animal shelters because their owners can no longer handle them. Properly training a dog to obey commands and understand proper potty etiquette can keep you from giving up on it.

    Basics

    • Using one-word commands reinforced with signs and actions can help your puppy understand what you expect of it. For instance, when teaching the basic "Sit" obedience command, you could start by saying the word, while gently helping your pup sit by pushing down on its bottom. Pair the word with a signal, such as pointing down with one finger. Likewise, when potty training, you will need to teach your pet where and when you want it to "go" by initially placing him on your designated spot, such as a training pad, and saying the word "Potty," whenever you see that it is about to eliminate in your home. A dog may be about to "go" if it's sniffing the floor, circling one particular spot, or whining.

    Motivation

    • Dogs respond well to praise and treats during training of any kind. Thus, when your pooch does what you want it to do, immediately give praise and offer it a treat. Your puppy's mind will begin to correlate the positive behaviors with positive rewards.

    Warning

    • Never punish a dog for making a mistake, such as disobeying a command or relieving himself somewhere other than the designated spot. Simply clean any accidents up thoroughly or ignore disobedience. Dogs crave attention, and negative attention is still attention, so by scolding it when it does something wrong may teach your puppy it can get your attention by doing something wrong in the future.