Withholding… a Difficult Housebreaking Problem 

Courtesy of Lori Verni i who s a freelance writer, Certified Master Trainer and owner of Best Paw Forward Dog 

Education in Holly Springs, NC. 

One of the most difficult housebreaking problems that can occur with a puppy or adult dog is when they don’t want to “make” in front of you outside. This can be a huge problem for pet owners who walk and walk their dog, only to have them have an accident as soon as they return indoors and the owner looks away for a moment.

This problem is caused by the dog’s misunderstanding about his bathroom “business.” Instead of realizing that outside is good and inside is bad, some dogs become confused and think that all eliminating is bad, not understanding that only applies to indoors!

This confusion is usually caused by having been corrected “after the fact.” When owners find a housebreaking accident and “drag their dog over and put his nose in it,” the dog may not understand that this is only bad inside. When this is combined with just “letting the dog out” instead of personally leash walking the pet, it can be even more confusing because the humans have not been outside to praise the dog for doing it outdoors.

A very frustrating situation, the only way to alleviate this confusion is to go back to the very beginning and follow an appropriate housebreaking schedule. Regulate food and water. Supervise constantly when indoors. And most importantly, personally leash walk your dog for as long as it takes so you’ll get the opportunity to praise him outside.

Obviously, making sure never to correct your dog after the fact is another important part of solving or preventing this problem, and working on some basic obedience training can help develop the trust between you and your dog while making the meanings of “no” and “good dog” more clear to him so he really understands what you’re saying when you praise him outside.

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