| Puppies are cute, that's for sure! But accidental | | | | heavy rain or wintry conditions). Similar to a cat's litter |
| mishaps around the house are not. So to avoid | | | | box, an open-ended box for a dog can be lined with |
| mishaps and enjoy your puppy more, here are some | | | | newspapers, or line the floor of the laundry room or |
| helpful tips. | | | | half bathroom or other area with newspapers. |
| When to Begin | | | | If you are going to use a crate, make sure the |
| The best time to start training your puppy is when it | | | | puppy can't get hurt in between or slip between |
| ranges from 8 to 12 weeks old. You can actually | | | | slats, and only leave the pet in there for one to two |
| begin earlier, but don't expect overnight success. | | | | hours max. Note you can train with the crate so that |
| Training takes time and patience - and TLC (tender | | | | the puppy's sleeping area remains clean. |
| loving care). | | | | Other tips include: |
| Paper, Box or Crate Training Help | | | | Â- Rule of thumb: your puppy will need to |
| To begin with, puppies don't want to dirty their own | | | | head to the bathroom roughly every 3 hours. So |
| bed areas. So whichever area you use to train your | | | | watch the clock or set your microwave or oven |
| puppy for potty grounds, make sure this is not the | | | | timer and nudge the little guy every so often. |
| same area you use for your pet's sleeping. | | | | Â- Watch for pre-potty heads up activity. If |
| Otherwise, you could cause confusion and accidental | | | | your puppy starts sniffing around, it might be time to |
| bathroom messes could result in the sleeping areas. | | | | go outside or to the training area. |
| Likewise, do not leave your pet confined in the potty | | | | Â- Reward your pet when he or she does |
| training area too long, either, even if it's for | | | | good and goes in the right place. Light pats on the |
| punishment purposes. Young dogs need to learn the | | | | head, treats, and saying, "Good dog!" work wonders. |
| difference between free space, bed and potty areas. | | | | Most importantly, have fun and love your little puppy. |
| When you are ready to begin your pet's potty | | | | If you need help with more training, seek out more |
| training, some dog trainers recommend training | | | | articles, helpful books and other resources starting |
| puppies to head to an area covered in newspapers | | | | with those at your local library and online. |
| at first or if outdoor weather is too miserable (like | | | | |