We don't know what we would do without your daycare. Candie is such a precious little girl, and we try to make up for the suffering she experienced as a small puppy. We get so much pleasure watching her play with the other dogs during the day. She does so well despite having only 3 legs.
The dayschool training has really sped up her training. The report cards are great and we can see the difference when she is at home. We are also looking forward to watching the daycare video we just purchased. My husband gets so much pleasure out of watching her smile. Anyway, thank you and your staff again for taking care of our baby.
-- The Phillips Family - Mission Viejo
POTTY/HOUSE
TRAINING
Using the right potty training system is the number one question we get. Did you know that around 85% of all dogs turned into a shelter were dumped because the owner stated they couldn't potty train the dog. This should never happen. Every household can develop can good potty training plan. Wags & Wiggles have private lessons that can develop the proper plan for your individual household. Below are components of every good plan:
Where to go potty? Pick a spot in the backyard that will be the desired location. Close to the door is best for shy puppies. Gravel is usually a better option because any grass eventually will die. Some small dogs are offended by wet grass which is also a good reason for gravel. Be sure to give treats for successful on-leash potty in the proper spot. Start adding the cue "Go Potty" when they are successful.
Potty Pads? Yes, for very young puppies. Owners should get away from using pads as quickly as possible. This only teaches the dog to go to the bathroom inside. However, they can be a useful tool for dogs who are left for long periods in the house.
Got Leash? All dogs that come into a new household should be on a leash to aid in behavior and potty training for the first few weeks.
What is a Tie Down? A tie-down is a leash, rope or cable that is 2-4 feet long and is attached to an immovable object (like a piece of furniture, or an eye bolt that is placed in the wall) and to your dogs buckle (or martingale) collar. A tie-down trains your dog to relax and keeps him out of mischief. However, this is only for when you are home and supervising your dog. (See separate article on Tie Down)
Crate, yes or no? That depends on the dog. Usually a confinement area is needed when you are not home. Most dogs do not want to be near their own waste which is why reducing their space can assist your effort. However, dogs from pet stores often are used to stepping in their own poop and a private plan will need to be developed by a skilled behavior consultant. (See separate article on Crate Training)
Can I punish? If you have implemented the above strategies, you should have prevented 99% of potty mistakes. This leaves the 1% of the time that management failed. If you catch them in the act, you can just say "Oops", remove them, and clean it up. If you don't catch them in the act, then late punishment is cruel. If you decide to punish harder you will only teach the dog to never pee in front of you. This could develop into submissive peeing, dog picking new private spots like behind the couch, and generally stress the dog. Submissive peeing is a more serious issue that needs to be addressed by a behavior consultant.
Doggie Door? Sometimes this can lead to a problem. If the dog is too nervous to go through the door, or be outside by themselves, or just don't want to leave the warm house then a doggie door is a convenient excuse for owners to say the dog can't be trained. The moral of the story is to pay attention to the dog to make sure he actually does his business on schedule even if it means going out in the cold with him.
Difficult Cases? Encouraging shy dogs to pee on walks outside of the house will aid in potty training. Having shy dogs be around more confident dogs who will pee outside can help. Throwing kibble in the grass can help. It puts the dog into hunting mode and the exercise can stimulate a bowel movement.
