A puppy is a great addition to any household. They will be providing you with a lot of love through the years. However, there are several things that you are going to need to do to ensure that they become a proper member of your family. One of them is ensuring that they are properly housebroken.
Fortunately, as puppies, they will be able to learn quick. The problem is that housebreaking a puppy is a big task. If you live alone and work full-time, it can be hard to do it. This is because you won’t be there all of the time to keep your new puppy following their routine.
The thing to remember is that you need to take your puppy outside every time your puppy does something. This means eating, drinking, playing, sleeping, and more. This is because they may start needing to poo or pee after. The problem is that you are not going to have the time to do all this maintenance when you have a full time job.
To make things easier, here are five tips that will make it a lot easier for you to do your housebreaking training – especially with you not around most of the time.
Pack Things Up
The best way to protect your possessions from untrained pets with no bowel control is to pack them up in crates. When you leave your puppy alone in your home for a long time, they won’t care where they will relieve themselves. This is mainly because they are puppies and don’t know any better.
If you leave your puppy home alone, they will make a mess and use anything as a toilet. This is why you will have to pack any of your possessions you want to protect.
It is not just your possessions though. You may want to think of getting a cardboard box for your puppy, too. A large cardboard box should give them enough space to move around and to relieve themselves in peace.
But since they are in box, they will not be able to move away from their waste – which should teach them to control themselves better. If they are left alone, they’ll just move away from their mess and find another part of the house to relieve themselves in
Don’t Do It Alone
The problem with housebreaking puppies is that if they are under six months of age, they can only control their bladders and bowels for three to four hours. If you work full-time, then you won’t be there to help them out.
This is why you are going to have to ask a friend to look after the pup to ensure that are able to relieve themselves properly. For those who are desperate, a dog sitter is also a good option.
The main idea is that every three hours, the puppy should be taken out of the box and outside so they can relieve themselves. They can then be brought in back to their box – you can even reward them for it if you want.
Set A Schedule
A schedule is always useful. If you schedule an activity, then you will be able to ensure that something happens. A schedule can become a habit. This is why giving one to your pet is a good idea.
With a regular potty schedule, your puppy will start to realize that after they eat or sleep, they will be able to relieve themselves. Dogs are smart and they will catch on to the schedule.
Without a schedule, your puppy will develop the habit of just going whenever and wherever they are. This is going to be bad for you since this will disrupt your own schedule.
Create A Space
If you can’t get a box for your puppy, then you will need to resort to another option. This is to create a small space for them. This should be in a place with tiled floors since they are easier to clean than carpeted areas. Just block out a small area with small obstacles and lay down newspapers to line the floor.
The size of the space should be enough to give your puppy space to move around, while allowing them relieve themselves. You don’t want to come home to find your pup covered in poo. When you come home, just clean up the space and wash the floors then you can take your puppy out.
Buy A Cleaning Solution
Housebreaking a puppy will take time and while this is going on they will be making a mess. This is where getting good cleaner comes in. Along with the toys and treats, you should look for solution that cleans out and disinfects where your pet goes to pee or poo. This is essential if you want your home to be livable.
Ordinary cleaners won’t do. This is because dogs have sensitive noses so even if it seems clean to you, your pet will still smell it. Ever notice your pup smell an area and you don’t smell anything?
That’s their sense of smell at work and they are looking for a place that they have not marked to relieve themselves. Outdoors this is not a problem, but indoors, your pup will be bothered by the smell.
There are several cleaners that should be able to meet your need. Look around for something that will fit your budget and needs and see if they would be able to help.
With A Little Patience and Diligence
Housebreaking a pet is a major effort. Puppies are actually the best choice for this since they are smart and are very obedient. All you need is to put some effort and intelligence into it.
Working all day and coming home to a mess may seem tiring but after a few months, your puppy will start learning how to relieve themselves and control themselves. All you can do is to ingrain the habit into their brains and clean up after them. It will be all worth it in the end.
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