FEEDING AND POTTY TRAINING

Question
1.  WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY 3 MO. OLD JACK RUSSELLS?
THEY CURRENTLY EAT PURINA ONE - PUPPY, BUT I'D LIKE SOMETHING WITH LESS WASTE.  

2.  WHEN I STARTED POTTY TRAINING, I WAS TOLD TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE PLACES WHERE I DID NOT WANT THEM TO "GO".  THIS HAS WORKED O.K., EXCEPT THAT MEANS I MUST KEEP THEM CRATED MORE THAN I'D LIKE TO.  ALSO, SO FAR, THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO "GO" OUTSIDE.  I TAKE THEM OUT OFTEN, SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MANY ACCIDENTS.
    I'D LIKE TO LET THEM PLAY IN THE HOUSE MORE, ON THE TILED FLOOR.  WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
    ALSO, DO I NEED TO USE SPECIAL CLEANERS ON THE TILE FLOORS?
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
LEE  

Answer
Hi Lee;
Science diet, Walthams, and Eucanauba are brands that have no "fillers" so they cause less waste.
Not the greatest advise about potty training.
Better the teach them where not to go than to rely on keeping them away from that area.
That isn't training, that is just that,restriction.
Obviously they won't go in an area they can't get into.
Maybe to keep them primarily where you don't mind an accident as much, because a puppy doesn't have fully developed organs that he/she has complete control over.
Just like a toddler can't control their organs, so they have to wear a diaper and training pants until they can.
Raising a puppy is pretty much just like raising a baby.
With a baby animal, you have to watch them and be able to know when they need to go potty so you can put them where they are supposed to do it, and give them a lot of praise about what a good puppy they are for going there.
A tiled floor is an idea place for them to play. Accidents are easy to clean up there, not like on carpet.
To remove the smell so they won't be attracted to go in the same spot again, use simple solution to mop up.
You can get it at pet stores, maybe even Walmart. It comes in a formula for dogs, and another formula for cats.
I use it for other stains too, because it is the best stain remover I have even found.
I use it in my steam cleaner because it does clean so well and removes the stains from things my grandchildren spill on my carpet, and because it smells so nice.
My dogs don't have accidents in the house. They are older dogs, trained, and they have a doggy door so they can come in and out as they please without calling me to open a doog.I have 4 dogs, and they don't always want to go in and out at the same time, so they were running my legs off opening the door for them. We put in a doggy door! LOL
I foster dogs for several rescue groups, so they do sometimes soil indoors because all of them are not housebroken completely, they are nervous in new surroundings, and some of them a little puppies too young to completly have control.
I just DO NOT use a crate, except to transport my dogs in a car. In case of a car wreck they would be safer. The dog seat belts don't secure them right to keep them safe, and I live in the Dallas area.
Lots of traffic and lots of wackos on the streets.
You could also get puppy pads at the pet store ( or you can buy all this stuff online if you don't live in a large area and have access to many petstores etc.
I have never used the pads because to me, this confuses them if you want them to do their business outside.
In an apartment where it would take longer to get them outside when they have to go, or no access to a yard, so they need a place to potty indoors, the poop pads would be the way I would go.
You don't need to mop the whole floor when they have an accident. I keep Simple solution diluted one part Sim. Sol. and 1 part water,in a trigger spray bottle. I pick up the poop and mop up the pee, they spray the area and leave it a few minutes and then mop it up.
If there is an accident on the carpet, I blot it up as much as possible, spray with Simple solution, striaght, and wait about 15 minutes to make sure all the area is soaked, that was soked by the pee.
Hope that helps you.
write any time you feel I can help.
Charlotte