POTTY TRAINING SEMINAR

  NOTES

Dogs are not born potty trained.

Dogs are not born knowing what to do.

Dogs do not know “good” - “bad” - “right” - wrong” - “positive” - “negative” - “appropriate” - “inappropriate”

DOGS JUST ARE

It’s up to us, their PetParents to teach them - just like we taught our human children.

An accident is just that - an accident

A mistake is just that - a mistake.

Your dog did not stay up all night trying to figure out how to irritate you. He had an accident - a mistake - if he knew better - he’d do better.

He isn’t being stubborn. He isn’t being spiteful. Dogs don’t think that way.

He doesn’t know what he did. He doesn’t look guilty. He looks scared and fearful. If you punish a dog for a potty training accident - the only thing you’re doing is teaching your dog to fear you. He will still go - but he will hide it. Behind the couch, in another room, in the dining room - down the hallway.  All they know is that they have to potty - a natural bodily function - but when he does he gets into trouble. He may even get to a point where he will not potty in front of you - fearing he will get into trouble. He might not potty on his walk but will hurry back home to potty.

Your dog waits anxiously all day for you to come home. He’s not thinking about the accident he had earlier in the day - he’s thinking how wonderful it will be when you get home. You get home and see his accident. You scream - you punish - you pull you dog to the accident - all you’ve done is make your much anticipated homecoming a nightmare. He doesn’t know why you’re acting like a maniac - only that you are and you’re making him the object of your angry behavior. You have just taught your dog to fear to fear you.

Do not just open the door and let your dog out to potty on his own. Then 30 minutes later call him inside - thinking he’s had plenty of time to potty. Put his leash on. Take him outside to his “potty spot”. Tell him to “go potty”. Give him 10 - 15 minutes to potty. If he doesn’t potty - take him back inside and in his crate. Five minutes later - same thing - leash - potty spot. His reward for potty-ing in the yard is to be allowed to play in the yard.

Set up a schedule and stick to it.

Do not free feed.

What goes in on schedule comes out on schedule.

You dog should never be allowed in your home unsupervised. If you can’t supervise him - he needs to be in his safe place. In his crate. In a puppy playpen - behind a gate in the kitchen or powder room.

Get down on your hands and knees and look at the word from your puppy/dog’s level. Look for cords, chemicals, chair legs - table legs.

 Don’t use the word “no”. I’ve had dogs in class that thought part of their name was “no”. “No-Spot” “Spot-No”.  If you want you dogs attention - if you want to redirect him - use the sound “eh-eh”. It’s loud, it’s sharp and it’s all you need to get his attention.

You have three to five SECONDS to reward or redirect. More than that your dog won’t know why he’s being rewarded. Redirection will mean nothing to him.

The last thing your dog did before you rewarded or redirected is what you rewarded or redirected.

No treats, or praise, or affection unless he has four feet on the floor. He can be sitting, standing or laying but he must have four feet on the floor.

Reward and redirect. Just like children.

Read the label on the dog food bag. Just like food for humans - the label is very revealing. The first ingredient is 95% of the product. If corn is listed as the first ingredient then that dog food is at least 95% corn. Corn is a filler. There is no nutritional value in corn. Corn goes in one end and out the other. A product with 95%+ corn will make it difficult to potty train - as the food isn’t absorbed by your kiddos body. It just passes through. A premium brand may seen more expensive but really it’s not.  It will take more of the corn product to satisfy you dog. You will feed twice as much. A premium food will be absorbed and you dog will use all of the ingredients and nutrition. You’ll find your dogs poop will be smaller and more concentrated. No huge piles.

LET'S GO!! (Positive Reinforcement Dog Training) LLC

832-282-1686