Question of the day: How do I go about House Training my new puppy?
Answer: There are a few things you can do that will help you in house training your puppy or new dog. First thing is to know what times a puppy is most likely in need of going out such as after; eating, sleeping, playing, drinking, & training. When it comes to house training, its also important to know puppies have very small bladders and need to go out very often. Sometimes as often as every 10 - 15 minutes. They key to house training is to time how long before they need to go out each time (youll see they tend to keep on track) then set a timer to remind you a few minutes before they should need to go out.
Next key to house training, is going outside with your puppy. Dont just put your puppy outside and expect them to go do their business, they will just sit at the door wanting back in. When you let them back in, they will pee on the floor. So go outside with your puppy, walk around with your pup and tell them to go potty. If they go, praise them! You can give them a treat or even play with them a bit to make it rewarding to go outside. If they dont go, bring them in and put them directly in their crate for about 5 minutes for a very young puppy and 15-20 minutes for an older puppy. Then take them directly outside to go potty again. Repeat this until they go.
Your puppy will soon realize going potty outside is rewarding, where as, not going outside equals crate time and no fun. They key to house training is CONSTANT Supervision. A good trick is called a tether. Use a 6 ft leash, your puppy on one end and the other end tied to your belt. This way you dont get distracted and forget to keep an eye on your puppy. They cant wonder off and pee behind the couch this way, or go off to chew anything up. If you cant watch them or have them tied to you, then they need to be in their crate. Dont allow for any accidents to happen and your puppy will soon know that they need to potty outside. Tethers also help you to get to know your puppies signs of when they need to go out.
If an accident happens, if you catch them in the act then tell them no and take them outside quickly. If they finish outside, praise them. If you find an accident later after the fact, you are too late. Watch the puppy better next time. Prevention is the key.
Books on House Training: These books will further help you on your road to successfully house training your new dog or puppy.
Breed of the Week: The Weimaraner!
I chose the Weimaraner for this weeks dog breed since I have one myself,Pic to left, and I wanted to share some info about them.
Weimaraners are a medium to large breed dog. They are usually highly active and bred for working in the field all day as a hunter. There are two types of Weimaraners including Show and Field. Their are some breeders out there trying to get the best of both worlds, then their are some going more for field or show. A field bred Weimaraner are usually a little smaller and can be on the medium side of dogs. These dogs are usually more active and ready to go all day. Show dogs on the other hand are usually more on the calm side, yet they are still a highly energetic breed and need lots of daily exercise. A Weimaraner isnt for everyone.
Weimaraners are a very versatile breed, first bred in Germany, as a large game dog, hunting Bears & Wild boar. Now days they are used mostly for hunting birds. Weimaraners are a pointing breed, but they can also retrieve and usually love to swim which makes them good for water retrieves when the weather is right.
Weimaraners are great at a lot of things including, but not limited to; Agility, Tracking, Hunting, Flyball, Retrieving, Pointing, Search & Rescue, Service Dogs, and even Police Dogs.
Weimaraners have a very short coat and require very minimal grooming. They do require a lot of exercise and you must be willing to give it to them or they will put their energy towards something your most likely not going to like, such as digging or chewing. Weimaraners are also known for counter surfing, training while they are young is a definite must!
Weimaraners life span is usually about 10-12 years. They are prone to bloat, research is needed to be sure you do what you can for this not to happen. They are also prone to health issues such as Hip Dysplasia, Excessive rapid growth (Hypertropic osteodystrophy), and Tumors.
When looking for a Weimaraner, if you are getting one from a breeder, you want to be sure they are doing health checks on the parents such as OFA testing, Checking hips, Elbows, thyroid, eyes..etc.. The more health checks the better.
Theres a lot to learn about Weimaraners, if your thinking about this breed I definitely recommend doing your research! Check www.akc.org , look for reputable breeders that do health checks, go to dog shows, and read books! Even if you plan to rescue a Weimaraner, these resources are key!
Some books on Weimaraners:
If your already a fan of Weimaraners, heres a nice Calender
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