Housebreaking can be a challenge for even the most experienced pet owner. Many dogs quickly learn to go outside to do their business, but some dogs have a much more difficult time learning where to urinate. Training pads have become a valuable tool for many owners who have dogs that develop house-training problems. Retraining your dog to use training pads can take a little time, but a clean, mess-free house is well worth the effort.
Things You'll Need
- Training pads
- Treats
Instructions
Place the pads in a quiet area of your home that is easy for your dog to access. A low-traffic place such as a laundry room or spare bathroom is ideal. It is quiet enough to allow the dog to relieve himself undisturbed, but easy for the dog to access.
Feed your dog on a set schedule. Most dogs need to urinate after waking up and after meals, so feeding him at the same time every day will help make his bathroom habits more predictable.
Move the dog to the training pad and give him a command for potty. It can be any word of your choice, as long as you use the same word each time. The dog will learn to associate the act of going to the bathroom with the command and the pad and will learn to go each time he hears the command.
Stand quietly near the dog and wait for him to go. Some dogs will relieve themselves right away when they get on the training pad, but other dogs can take a few minutes before they are ready. Give him the command to potty and wait for him to go.
Praise him and offer a favorite treat as soon as he goes. The reward makes going potty on command a positive experience for him and he will want to use the pads in the future.
Repeat the process until the dog learns to use the pads without being given the command. The positive reinforcement of the praise and the command will let the dog know that going on the pads is a good behavior and he will seek out the pads on his own when he has to go.