Dog Housebreaking

Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
by Ben Waterworth

You've obviously heard of the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" and in a lot of cases this is a true fact. However as with any old living thing, there comes a time when certain bodily functions aren't what they once were and there must be some specific training conducted in order to make sure they can maintain a sense of control and dignity when it comes to relieving themselves. Here are some tips to pet care and training your pet with correct potty control and usage.

1. While working with dogs, your first focus in any form of training with an older pooch is ensuring you are teaching it to DO whatever you are training it to do rather than teaching it to NOT DO what you want them to not do. You may have trained your dog to relieve itself inside in a pre-determined area and it can be more difficult to teach them not to do that anymore than you think. A great idea is attempting to get your pooch to go outside in a safe and hygienic manner that will not involve the surprise of finding doggy urine and faeces in areas for you to step in and discover. Teaching your dog to do something new is a lot easier than stopping it from doing something it's always been used to.

2. A great idea is to find an area in your backyard that you want your dog to relieve itself on and stick to training it in that area. As soon as your dog eats, a dog sitter should take it outside straight away and wait until it relieves itself, in much the same way one would with a new puppy. It is also important not to immediately clean up your dogs business so that it knows that is the spot it can go and not an area that is bad and needs cleaning up straight away. Consistency is the key, as is patience.

3. Dog sitters should ensure that they use the same words and phrases when it comes to the dog's toilet time. Simple commands as "outside" and "toilet time" can help a dog remember the situation, in much the same way it becomes familiar with terminologies such as "sit", "stay" and "heel".

4. If unfortunate accidents happen inside, clean the area thoroughly so that you don't confuse your dog. With such a strong sense of smell, your dog may assume that the inside part where they last relieved themselves is the correct area in which to go again next time. Eliminating such instances is vital in maintaining order inside the house.

5. Make the dogs sleeping quarters as tight and compact as possible while at the same time ensuring ample space for them to relax and remain comfortable. It is not a pleasant area for a dog to sleep in if they have relieved themselves during the night, so ensuring they do not have the space or capabilities to do so is important.

6. Don't feed your dog late at night or allow it to drink too much water. Just like humans, a digestive system works on what food it eats and what it drinks, so going to bed with a belly filled with water is just a late night toilet stop waiting to happen. Why not feed your pooch in the late afternoon instead of early evening? This way you can ensure your dog goes to the toilet before bedtime and avoid any midnight doggy doo findings.

7. Be quick! As soon as you think your dog needs to go outside to use the toilet, take them out immediately for successfully working with dogs or puppies! It's better to be safe than sorry and avoid any potential cleaning up!

With these tips in mind, it can be possible to teach your beloved pooch the correct procedure when it comes to relieving itself in a safe and hygienic manner! While hiring dog sitters, ensure you have laid down the dos and don'ts of dog sitting. Students studying in Australia often opt for pet jobs such as a pet sitter and help dog owners with animal care tasks, such as house-breaking. They usually apply to suitable ads on jobs with animals to get a viable pet job for themselves.