Housetraining seems to be the most common unacceptable canine behavior followed by constant barking and aggression/attacks.

To start off, dogs are not at fault your new carpet is destroyed. It is the training method, or lack thereof, that causes this misunderstanding. Even humans have to be house-trained, we just call it potty training. If we have to be trained over the period of months to years, why do most dog owners expect a puppy to automatically go to the bathroom in the household restroom in a matter of weeks?

Every animal must relieve itself of waste at some point or another OR DIE! When we punish and animal for relieving itself in the living room because we left it loose for 4 hours, all we are really doing is making things worse (in the end.) Imagine if your neighbor came over to your house and beat you on the head because you kept trying to eat in your dining room. Wouldn't you give up and go somewhere else (say, the bedroom) to eat?

Same principle.

The behavior (the act of going to the bathroom) is totally natural and acceptable function in dogs, cats, frogs, elephants, etc. What we find unacceptable is the PLACE where the animal goes to the bathroom. And this is where you have to help your dog. In nature, dogs will go to the bathroom in generally the same places, but not where they have to lie, eat or drink. Ok that's acceptable to us, we don’t want to eat in the bathroom either, BUT dogs will go any and all other places, including carpets, moss, grass, linoleum, etc.

What we do (and have done but now have a better way of doing it) for the problem of WHERE and WHEN to eliminate is to replace one behavior with another. Instead of teaching an animal that it is ok for the dog to eliminate in the house, we crate them for a short period of time, then when they seem to grow antsy (or 1 hour wait time per month of the dog's age +1) we open the crate, carrry or lead them outside immediately. If the animal relieves him/herself, praise (and here treat) the animal every time it does it's business in the specified spot. You must be firm, consistent, and ALLWAYS (in the beginning) reward for any elimination behavior that you observe in the acceptable area (backyard, litter box….etc..)

Shortly thereafter the dog learns that eliminating is good, it just needs to be done in a specific way (on the grass when you are home or in the yard). Then you begin the series of longer and longer waits to go potty, so the animal's control over the waste system grows with the dog.

If you have any questions about details, or a "persistant peer'er"

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phone # (610)770-3477

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