5 minute read
POTTY TRAINING YOUR PUP
By Dr. Ruben Castro
Many people have been contacting me regarding potty training for their puppy. Even though I no longer potty train dogs, I have successfully potty trained hundreds, including my own. So, I figured that this month would be a great time to offer insightful information for those people who have been struggling to potty train their dogs. There’s not much to it; however, the primary thing to consider when establishing a potty routine for a puppy is time, consistency, and location. Here is some information and tips to help get your puppy on a potty schedule.
The first thing to understand is that dogs are domesticated wolves, as they are direct descendants of the grey wolf. Why is this important to know? Because the mother wolf had an excellent track record of successfully potty training her pups. How did she do this? The mother wolf would dig a den before she gave birth. The den would serve multiple purposes: It would serve as a safe place from the weather and predators, give birth to her pups, nurse her litter, and raise them until they are old enough to leave the den.
When wolf pups are born, they are deaf, blind, and paralyzed. These abilities are not fully developed when born, but they can smell and taste. They must defecate when they drink milk from their mother in the den. Since they cannot go anywhere to potty, they do their business in the den. Mom does a great job of cleaning it all up by licking it up. Pretty gross, huh? Her saliva contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which keeps the den nice and clean. Within the first 0 to 2 weeks, her pups get used to living in a den that is always clean. During the 2 to 4-week
period, puppies begin to have their teeth, eyes, hearing, and legs develop. At this stage, wolf pups no longer need to be weaned by their mother and can potty on their own. Where do they go? They surely do not potty inside their den. No way! The den is associated with cleanliness and a safe sanctuary where they can eat, drink, and sleep. They explore their world by leaving their den and going outside to potty.
The den is akin to a dog kennel. Your puppy should only use its kennel to eat, drink, and sleep. To successfully get them on a potty schedule, you must take them out regularly and consistently to the area you want them to go potty. Ideally, this area should be outside, away from where people can see, smell, or step on poop. Your puppy should always be taken out on a leash because you must guide it to where it needs to go potty. Usually, after about 30 minutes, a puppy must defecate. Give your puppy about 5 minutes to eat and drink, then remove their bowls. Wait about 30 minutes, and then take them outside to the area you’ve designated for them
to potty. Taking them on a leash will prevent them from wandering off and get them used to leash walking. Once you’re at the designated area, within about 3-5 minutes, your puppy should pee and poop. Once this happens, you may reward your puppy by giving it freedom inside your home, under your supervision. This freedom isn’t for an extended period of time. After about 30-45 minutes of freedom, take them out again to allow them to potty.
If you’ve waited 30 minutes after your puppy has eaten and then take it outside to potty, but it only pees, you shouldn’t be out there for too long. A mistake would be to bring your puppy back inside the house
because as soon as it steps inside, it will defecate. That is why you must constantly be supervising your young pup. The telltale signs that your dog will defecate are that it will suddenly begin walking and sniffing in ‘S’-shaped patterns, its tail will be elevated, and its anus will begin to change size, shape, and pinkish-reddish in color. When you see these signs, immediately put a leash on your puppy and take it outside.
Successful potty training comes down to three things: 1) consistency, 2) frequency, and 3) location. Using a kennel will speed up the process, much like a den would for a wolf pup.
Dr. Castro is a proud Catholic who is a husband, father, and educator born and raised in the RGV. He is a graduate of Northcentral University with a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Educational Leadership. He also holds a Master of Science in Sociology from the University of Texas-Pan American and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a minor in Psychology from the University of Texas-Pan American. Dr. Castro’s current research focuses on Education, Crime and Deviance, and Race and Ethnicity. He is also the owner of the K&B Dog Learning Cener, Inc. www.kbdoglearningcenter.com
