House training your dog can be quite the task, and everyone has their own methods that they find will work best for them or their dog. However, beware of these ten things that could be a major setback to your doggy’s potty training progress.
- Sticking your dog’s nose in their accident.
Why it’s wrong: Dogs can’t make the association with what they did wrong because you’re punishing them after they had the accident. They don’t understand why you’re punishing them and it’s emotionally distressing for them.
- Picking up your dog to go the bathroom.
Why it’s wrong: Your dog won’t ask to go to the bathroom if they don’t know how to get there on their own legs. Guide them instead of carrying them.
- Showing your dog where to go to the bathroom.
Why it’s wrong: Dogs are dogs, remember. You pointing to the accident then pointing to where they’re supposed to go won’t mean anything to them.
- Not letting your dog see you clean up the mess.
Why it’s wrong: It’s not wrong, it’s just not necessary. Your dog seeing you clean up the mess will not make them think “Oh, okay, I’ll go inside now because they’ll clean it up.”
- Avoiding talking to your dog while they are going potty.
Why it’s wrong: It won’t distract them if you talk to them, especially if you use the same phrase like “Potty” or “Go” or “Do it”. Then they associate that phrase with going to the potty and will better respond to you when you use it.
- Yelling at your dog while you see them in the process of an accident.
Why it’s wrong: Making loud noise while your dog is going potty will only scare them and make them nervous to go potty in front of you.
- Using a boarding facility as a training method.
Why it’s wrong: It’s your own responsibility to house train your dog. At boarding facilities, they are kept in crates and taken out for certain periods of time, but this will do nothing to assist their house training.
- Assuming your dog can go on schedule.
Why it’s wrong: They go when they need to go, just like humans! Eventually, your body can adjust to your work schedule and so can a dog’s, but only eventually. It won’t happen right away.