Litter or regular housebreaking for my 11 week boston

Question
Hi-

Please help!   I have an 11 week old boston terrier girl I just got
last week.  I know I shouldn't expect to have her housebroken
just yet, but I just want to know if I'm doing the right things
here.

Basically, I live in Michigan right now, but will be moving to NYC
in a year.  I want the girl to go outside if the weather is alright,
or if she's visiting another house, but otherwise, I'd like if she
understood to use a litter box or paper.  I've already bought
second nature, and puppy pads.

The pads and litter box sit in the kitchen, where she is kept
while I'm not gone.  It's a fairly small kitchen.  She doesn't have a
crate just yet- I could get one, but right now she just has a bed.  
I leave her in there with her toys while I'm gone, which is usually
for about 4 hours at a time.  When I come back she's usually
peed on the pad, and done some other business elsewhere in
the room.  I've laid out three pads to border one wall, but they're
not over the entire floor.

I try to feed her on a consistent schedule, and take her out very
often after meals and naps.  Right now when I take her outside
she understands that's where she should go, and will pee almost
immediately.  

She doesn't do #2 most times when I let her out, which I guess
makes sense, but I never know if it's going to happen.  I worry
I'm waiting outside too long for her to understand outside
means bathroom-time, not wander-around-time.  I often give
up after 5 minutes and just bring her in.

I put a bell on the door, but she doesn't understand that yet.  
There really is very little warning she's going to make in the
house before she already is.

I'd be comfortable teaching her to make in the litter box
consistently, but I'm concerned that travelling, or just visiting
friends for dinner with her, she won't understand not to make in
their house, and I'd rather not have to take a litter box with me
everywhere I go.  Also, she has made on the pads several times
so far, but never in the box.

I figure maybe I should go total crate training and outdoor
bathroom mode, and then move to litter box later this year when
she's fully housebroken and it starts getting cold again.. but I
worry then it'll be too late for litter training and I'll be stuck
walking her in NYC!

So... how do I go about doing this?

Thanks, SERIOUSLY,
Jordan

Answer
Hi Jordan,

Thank you for writing to me about housebreaking your sweet puppy.

There's no such thing as an almost housebroken dog. Either she is or she isn't. Saying a dog is almost housebroke is like saying your wife is almost pregnant. When a dog is housebroken she never uses the house for her toilet.

Many people do not understand why their dog does not know what to do when taken outside. Just turning a dog out in the back yard by herself a few times a day for a few minutes is not the way to house train a dog.

Merely taking her outside also does not mean she knows what she's being taken outside for. The biggest problem between your dog and yourself is that your dog would love to please but she doesn't know how to communicate with you.

Housebreaking in theory is very simple. It is a means of preventing your dog from doing her business in the house and only giving her the opportunity to do it outside. It also means that your dog learns to communicate with you about going when told to go and about letting you know when she has to go outside.

A dog is a creature of habit and because she learns by association, if her training is consistent she will quickly learn there is no other place to relieve himself other than outdoors.

We take advantage of a very natural instinct of a dog - her desire to keep her sleeping quarters clean - i.e. not to mess her bed. We offer a dog a den in the form of a dog crate. This becomes her bed that she cannot get out of. If her dog crate is the right size she will not soil it. Puppies may not initially like it but within a few days they will accept it without a problem.

Dogs are and always have been den and pack animals. Canines naturally and instinctively prefer the shelter of a den. In the wild the young are raised in dens. They spend a great part of their first year very close to their den. In homes, dogs often choose their den. They will get under a desk, behind a couch, in a closet. ect. etc

A dog crate is a perfect, natural bed for a dog and a safe, natural spot to put your pet whenever necessary for the dog's safety or the owner's peace of mind.

You are catering to a very natural desire on the part of your dog when you crate her. In a wild state, where does a dog bed down for the night? Does she lie down in the middle of an open field where other animals can pounce on him? No! She finds a cave or trunk of a tree where she has a feeling of security - a sense of protection. The correct use of a crate merely satisfies your dog's basic need to feel safe, protected, snug and secure.

Small pups will naturally sleep 15 to 18 hours a day. This is normal. They quickly learn that the crate means taking a nap.

Keep a bowl of all-natural dog treats near the crate. Every time you put your pup in the crate give a "CRATE" command and toss 3 or 4 liver treats into the crate. It gives your pup a nice reason to go in. You will be surprised how quickly she expects to get a treat when she goes into her crate. Going in becomes a positive experience.

As your dog ages and learns, give the "CRATE" command before tossing the treats in. Expect your dog to go in on her own. This exercise is the beginning of teaching your dog to go to her crate when people come to the house. Dogs that bark and act stupid when they hear the door bell need to be told to go to their crate. This is how that training is started.

When thinking of the size of a crate needed for your dog, think small. Think den not condo! The use of too large a crate for a puppy will encourage your pet to use a small portion of it for a bed and the remainder as a relief station!

Your puppy should only be allowed to relieve herself out doors. It is OK to place the crate in your bedroom for that early morning trip.

A crate is never meant to be used as a place of punishment for your puppy, so a couple of safe toys would be welcome for crate-time. A kong filled with peanut butter or cream cheese goes a long way towards keeping a puppy quiet in a crate. Be careful of the toys you choose to leave - soft squeaky toys with bells are not healthy for pups. To often pups chew up these soft toys and get parts of them stuck in their bowels which often kills them.

Start crate training while you remain in the same room with your crated dog, frequently praising her and letting her know clearly it is pleasing to you that she remains in the crate, quietly. Frequent trips out of the room with quick returns with a treat through the bars will condition your dog to your comings and goings.

Gradually extend your absent periods, and in a short time, you can be gone several hours. While in the crate, your dog should not be scolded.

Crate confinement works so well that most dogs soon choose the crate for naps and, in general, consider it their own private domain. They learn that they can go into their crate and sleep and no one will step on them or jump on them. Feedall your dog in her crate.

At night take your puppy out and give her an opportunity to do her duties. If you are in a protected area (a fenced back yard) let her go free of the leash. Be sure to stay out there with her. Lavishly praise her with GOOD GIRL when she has completed her duties. Take her inside at once and put her in her bed.

A puppy is NEVER ALLOWED TO HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE HOUSE unless you have your eyes on the her. If she poops on the floor because you turned your back for 45 seconds - you made a mistake, not your dog.

The only time pups can be loose inside is just after they come in from going outside and then only for short periods of time.  NEVER leave a dog unattended and loose in the house until it is 18 to 24 months old and then only for short periods.

Pups must go out first thing in the morning (and I mean first thing) take your dog outside. She's been clean all night - and holding it all night - she will do her business in a hurry because SHE HAS TO GO. Now bring her in and give her freedom, but in the kitchen only.   A child's gate at the kitchen doorway is an excellent barrier to the other rooms in the house. Give her freedom while breakfast is being prepared and while you are eating breakfast. After your breakfast, and when you have time to take her out, feed her breakfast - and take her out immediately. Remember the rule - outside after each meal. Do not leave food or water down her she will do her business immediately afterward, when you aren't there to take her out.  Dogs relieve themselves after SLEEPING- EATING AND HAVING EXERCISE.

Now bring her in and put her in the crate and go about your normal routine of the morning. She should stay in the crate until about 11:00 to 11:30 A.M. Then out of the crate and outside. Bring her in, and while you are preparing and eating lunch let her have the freedom of the kitchen but only when you have "eyes on your dog".

At dinner time as soon as she has finished her last mouthful - take her outside. After she has completed her business, bring her in and again give her the freedom of the kitchen while you are preparing dinner and during the dinner hour. Give her another trip outside about 8:00 P.M. - and again just before your bedtime. Some pups need to be exercised more than others to get them to relieve themselves. Exercises always increases the urge to pee or poop. Keep your dog outside for up to 30 minutes to insure that she will go.  A dog as young as your puppy should be taken out every 2-3 hrs so as to avoid any mistakes.  Prevention is the key to success.

The bottom line is you cannot take your dog outside too much. If you take her out every hour then she learns that she is going to have a chance to go outside to do her business. So when someone tells you to wait for 4 hours - I would ask WHY if you can take her out more often? Why wait that long if you are home. We want to establish a pattern and what better way than to take your dog out all the time. Also do not underestimate how important it is to ask your pup if she WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE just before going out and praising GOOD GIRL when SHE DOES GO.

One last point on your dogs house breaking. A commercial kibble diet takes 14 to 15 hours to go through a dog. An all-natural diet goes through the dog in 5 to 6 hours. I strongly recommend that you consider doing your research on all-natural diets.

A couple of points on how to housetrain your dog:

1. Do not vary your dog's diet.

2. Snacks or treats are forbidden.

3- Bring her in as soon as she does her business.

4- Praise every time you see her pee or poop. Do this forever. Reinforcing good behavior never hurt anything.

5- Dogs who go out and just dink around and then go in their crate need more exercises when they go outside. A long walk will often cure the problem. BE SURE TO PRAISE   - then when you have your dog in the house and say "DO YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE" she will learn what you mean.

6- Older dogs are house trained exactly like young pups.

Using An Odor Neutralizer And Indoor Spray Repellent

When a handler makes a mistake and allows a dog to pee in the house, you have to get rid of the odor.  This is accomplished with an odor neutralizer, which is available in pet stores or you can try using straight vinegar. (Do not use household cleaners as they contain ammonia and will attract her back to the same spot.) When used properly it will completely eliminate these odors, discerned only by the dog, by neutralizing the scent. When areas previously used by the dog have been neutralized the incentive for using the same spot will be eliminated.

Proper Correction

Under no circumstances should your puppy be punished for relieving herself in the house, unless you catch her in the act. The punishment should be a verbal scolding not physical harm.

A puppy has no mental capacity to connect your wrath with whatever she did wrong, even a few minutes earlier. If you cannot get to your puppy while she is doing her business then you have screwed up. Pups simply cannot put two and two together to understand why you would be mad about her peeing on the rug. It is confusing to her and you only get a puzzled whimper. Catch her in the act or scolding is no good. I don't recommend scolding at all but only prevention as it is not her fault at all.

The old adage of rubbing a dogs nose in it is stupid. We don;t do this to our kids and we should not do this to our dogs. Anyone who recommends this needs a good swift kick.

Many people are mistakenly convinced that a dog messes in the house for spite or revenge, usually for having been left alone. This is incorrect. It is for reasons of anxiety, nervousness or fear that she behaves this way...or simply that she is not properly housebroken. Very often the owner comes home and finds the dog behaving in a fearful, shameful, or generally guilt-ridden manner. It is because of this that the owner is convinced the dog has messed in the house for spite. It's simply not true. The dog cringes when you come home because she associates your arrival with punishment. YOu have conditioned her (and it only takes ONE TIME) to be afraid when you came home in the past.

Some people have questions about pups that are very young wanting to go out every couple of hours. This can happen when the pups are under 12 to 14 weeks. There are a couple of things to keep in mind.:


Are you picking the water up at 6:30?

Are you giving your pup enough exercise to make her tired before she goes to bed?

Are you putting your pup in the crate all the time and not just bedtime. Your pup needs to learn that she must go in the crate and calms down.

If you are convinced your pup just wants to come out and play after a few hours , then ignore her. If there is a mess in the crate later on - then YOU MADE A MISTAKE - not your dog.

Any healthy pup 8 weeks of age or older, even in cold weather, can go outside. Of course you don't leave her out long enough to get chilled and you must put a sweater on her. You take her out just long enough to do her business.  

With a little effort on your part and the use of this method your puppy can be housebroken very quickly. But remember there is more than peeing and pooping in the house that goes along with housebreaking. Allowing your dog to be loose when you are gone is not going to work unless you are 100% sure the dog will not chew your walls, your shoes, your furniture or anything else it takes a liking to. SO KEEP YOUR DOGS IN DOG CRATES until they are 18 to 24 months old. At that time you can use a baby gate in a very safe area of the house.  Remember that couches and chairs seem to be a delicacy.

House Training :
       
House training should only take approximately two weeks to establish as a routine provided;

a) you must be consistent and committed
b) you are prepared to train your pet from the moment you take possession. Have a leash, collar, a designated area and are prepared to maintain a schedule.
       
Retraining a dog that has already established bad habits can take six weeks or more.         

As soon as possible get your new puppy to the vet for a complete check-up.  This will assure you that you have obtained a healthy pup and alert you to any medical complications that can make house training more difficult.  

Situations such as intestinal upset, intestinal parasites and urinary tract infections can make house training difficult to impossible.         

The designated toilet area can be as general as outside of the house or as specific as a particular corner of the backyard.  You must have a specific plan as to what the designated area is going to be.  You can not teach the dog what is acceptable if you are uncertain.         

Your attitude is one of the most important ingredients in house training your dog.  Your puppy does not know what is wrong.  If there is a mistake tell her "no" but do not discipline too severely.  You only want her to know that you are displeased, you do not want your pup to feel that you are the source of pain.  

When your pup has done well, pat her, praise her, let your dog know that you are very pleased.  Your pup will want to do things that please you.  

House training can be a foundation for all future training.  Affection and praise as a reward for proper response - "no" signaling displeasure and guidance to show your dog what you do want.

Scheduling:
1. Create a schedule that is practical for you to maintain.  If you can not stick to your schedule - you can't expect your dog to adhere to it.

2. Do not allow your dog to free feed until house training is well established.  Be very careful of your dogs diet - avoid foods and/or snacks that can be upsetting to her digestive tract.

3. Schedule your dog's bed time and waking-up time.  Adhere to these times as closely as possible.

4. Young pups will require frequent nap times, be sure that your schedule can accommodate the pup's naps.  Remember that your pup will need to be taken outside after each nap.

5. Emotional intensity - after intense emotional stimulation (badly scared, frightened, or a particularly rowdy play session) your pup may need to relieve herself.

6. Within two to three days, most dogs will be able to "control themselves" for eight hours during the night.  You must keep in mind that your daytime schedule will need to be somewhat flexible.  By paying attention to your dog, you will learn her nap requirements.  Your dog will learn "the routine" and you will both have a schedule that you can live with.

Supervise in the House :
1. By knowing where your dog is at all times, and what she is doing, you can avoid mistakes.  When a pup stops playing and starts to look around for a "good spot", she needs to go out.  By observing your dog you will quickly learn to tell the difference between the pup's exploring her new universe and her searching for a "good location".

2. If your pup starts to make a mistake, firmly but quietly say "No" and take her straight to her toilet area.  Do not yell at your dog.  Do not chase your dog.  At this point it is up to you to be observant of your dog.  Any mistakes that are made are due to your not paying attention.

3. If you can not supervise your dog for a period of time, put her in a confinement area (prepared with papers) or confine her to the room where you are.

4. When you are relaxing (watching TV, reading or on computer), have your dog with you.  Give her some of her toys to play with.  Have your dog on her leash or confine her to the room where you are, so that she doesn't wander out and have an accident.  Teach her that it can be enjoyable just being with you. When you can't be with your dog:

1. Provide a small area confinement area (bathroom with all "chewable" items removed, fenced off area of the garage, or a crate).

2. Do not leave food and water with your dog, or fill her with cookies or snacks before you leave.  You should schedule your pup's breakfast to be at least 2 hours before your planned departure time.  That way she can eat, digest her food and relieve herself prior to your departure.

3. Ideally, if you are going to be gone for more than eight hours, someone should give the dog a drink and an opportunity to relieve herself several times during the day.

Taking your dog out:
1. Take your dog on leash to the designated toilet area.  Stand quietly, so that she can find the right spot.  Do not distract your dog.  Do not praise her during her search.  If after about a time your dog hasn't gone to the bathroom, return her to the house (keeping a close eye on her) for about 1/2 hour, then try again.

2. When she does go, calmly praise her.  Use a chosen word or phrase (good potty or wonderful potty).  This phrase will only be used for praise in going potty.

3. When your dog has finished relieving herself praise her very enthusiastically.  Let her know that you are very proud of her.

4. Remember your dog's routine. Some dogs will "potty" two or three times per outing in the morning, but only twice per outing in the evening.  Urination is often followed by defecation, while other dogs will do the reverse.

5. Even if the weather is foul, do not let your dog know that you don't want to be going outside with her.  By teaching your dog that even in bad weather going outside is "the thing to do", to please you, then he will be more willing to convey her needs to you.

6. While you are learning your dog's "time table", take her out immediately after she wakes up, after she has eaten and after all play sessions.

Catching your dog "in the act" :
1. Without yelling, firmly say "No".  If you still don't have your dog's attention, clap your hands.

2. Get your dog outside, to the designated latrine area.  If your dog relieves herself outside praise her.  Proceed with the potty routine.

3. Clean the mess with a deodorizing or odor killing cleanser or vinegar.  If your dog smells her own scent as having been used as a bathroom area, she will continue to use the area.

If the cleanser is not able to eliminate enough of the scent so that your dog can not detect it, you can help mask the scent over with vanilla extract.  Just one or two drops will make it impossible for your dog to smell any lingering odor.

I have never trained with dog litter so I am at a loss as to how to guide you. I have always preferred having a dog go outside but I know that some people like to train their dog to go on paper, pads or litter.  I can guide you as to how to train your dog to successfully go on paper.  Please contact me with a request for this information.

I specialize in country boarding for NYC dogs so when you move to NYC please consider my service for cageless boarding in a real home.  My website is: www.bednbiscuit.com/

I wish you all the luck with training your precious puppy.    Everything you do for the first year sets the tone for the rest of your dog's life.

Best,
Shelley Davis
www.bednbiscuit.com