Housetraining For Dummies

Susan McCullough has written articles about dog care and training for Family Circle, The Washington Post, and AKC Family Dog, among others, and blogged about dog care and culture for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Susan is a six-time winner of the Dog Writers Association of America Maxwell Award for her work, and has also won the Eukanuba Canine Health Award for outstanding writing about canine health.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 2What You’re Not to Read 3Foolish Assumptions 4How This Book is Organized 4Part 1: Preparing to Potty Train Your Pooch 5Part 2: Putting a Plan in Place 5Part 3: Solving Housetraining Problems 5Part 4: The Part of Tens 5Appendix 6Icons Used in This Book 6Where to Go from Here 6Part 1: Preparing to Potty Train Your Pooch 7Chapter 1: No, Virginia, It’s Not That Hard: Understanding Housetraining Basics 9What Housetraining is — and Why it Matters 10Why Your Dog Can’t Be “a Little Bit Housetrained” 11Exploring Housetraining Methods 12Location, location, location: Outdoor versus indoor training 12Looking at lifestyle factors to help you choose your method 14Surviving Setbacks and Special Situations 15Understanding the Role You and Your Family Play 15Chapter 2: Training the Housetrainer: Taking the Right Approach 17Leaving behind Housetraining Methods of Yesteryear 18Using Your Pooch’s Instincts to Lay a Foundation 19The training your dog has already had 19Learning from his mom 21Denning dynamics 22Cleanliness is next to dog-liness 23Life without guilt 24Learning by repetition 25The need for attachment 26How instincts can be thwarted 26Taking the 21st-Century Approach to Housetraining 29Seeing your dog’s point of view 30Being benevolent 31Working with your dog’s instincts 31Creating a schedule 32Rewarding the good, ignoring the goofs 32Being consistent 34Attending to details 35Chapter 3: Getting Your Home in Housetraining Order 37Readying Your Dog’s Room: The Crate 37Understanding why every dog needs (and wants) a crate 38Finding the right fit: Types of crates 38Adjusting for size 40Investing in crate accessories 41Situating your doggie’s den 42Gearing Up for Outdoor Training 42Selecting a potty spot — no matter where you live 42Securing collars and leashes 43Containing the situation: Fencing 47Installing a doggie door 48Prepping for Indoor Training 49Exploring types of indoor potties 50Setting up your dog’s indoor living area and potty spot 50Doing the Dirty Work: Cleanup Equipment 53Choosing an outdoor cleanup method 53Indoor cleaners 55Other cleaning aids 57Chapter 4: Feeding Fido: What Goes in Must Come Out 59Knowing How Feeding and Watering Affect Housetraining 59Understanding Nutrients: What Dogs Need to Eat 60Proteins 61Fats 62Vitamins and minerals 62Determining the Diet That’s Best for Your Dog 63Considering commercial dog foods 64Making home-prepped dog foods 66Serving Your Dog 69Picking the place to feed your dog 69Setting the canine dining ambience 70Selecting your dog’s dinnerware 71Deciding when to feed your dog 72To Treat or Not to Treat 74Buying commercial treats 76Preparing homemade treats 77Choosing low-calorie treat options 78Working with Your Dog’s Drinking Habits 80Part 2: Putting a Plan in Place 81Chapter 5: Training to Love the Crate 83Introducing the Crate 84Tie one on: The open-door policy 84Encourage exploration 84Shut the door (but not for long) 86Leave the room 86Build up her tolerance 86Encouraging Appreciation If Your Dog Hates the Crate 88Limiting Crate Time: How Much is Too Much? 90Continuing to Use the Crate 92Keeping the love alive 92Beyond housetraining: Other uses for the crate 93Chapter 6: Heading to the Outside: Outdoor Housetraining 95Understanding How Outdoor Training Works 96Introducing Puppies to Outdoor Training 96Getting an early start 97Taking the first trips outside 97Responding when your puppy potties 98A matter of timing: Setting up a puppy potty schedule 100Scheduling Outdoor Training for Adult Dogs 104Dealing with Boo-Boos 105Catching your dog in the act 105Finding messes: Don’t scold — just clean ’em up! 105Preventing further accidents 106Providing Indoor Potty Areas for Outdoor Trainees 107Chapter 7: Making Some Inside Moves: Indoor Housetraining 111Understanding How Indoor Training Works 111Identifying good indoor-training candidates 112Opting for indoor training only 114Pick Your Potty: Deciding Which Type to Use 114Newspapers 115Puppy training pads 116Litter boxes 116Grate/tray potties 118Introducing Puppies to Indoor Training 119Deciding where to put the indoor potty 119Starting out 120Scheduling bathroom breaks 122Switching a vaccinated puppy to outdoor training 124Using Indoor Training for the Adult Dog 125From outdoors to papers 125From outdoors to litter box 126From outdoors to grate/tray combo 127Responding to Mistakes 128Chapter 8: Fine-Tuning Housetraining 129Decoding Pre-Potty Maneuvers 130Getting Your Dog to Ask to Go Out 132Encouraging Elimination 135Peeing on cue 136Prompting Mr. (or Ms.) Independent 137Deciding When to Grant More Freedom 139The age factor: How old is old enough? 140The responsibility factor: Should she have freedom of the house? 140Part 3: Solving Housetraining Problems 143Chapter 9: Accident-Proofing Small Dogs and Other Problem Potty-ers 145The Teensy-Weensy Tinkler 145Choose the right potty place 146Don’t push your luck (or her bladder) 147Don’t excuse lapses 147The Dog Who Pees Lying Down 148Play it cool 148Get down to her level 149Don’t stare her down 150The Dog Who Leaves His Mark 150Neuter him 150Remove (or at least contain) the target 150Remind him who’s top dog 151Build a peaceable kingdom 151Start remedial housetraining 152The Uptight Canine 152The Dog Who Wants a New Bathroom 155The Dog Who Gets Distracted 155The Fair-Weather Piddler 156The Bedwetter 157The Dog Who Gets Amnesia 157The Dog Who Can’t Hold it 158Rule out other issues 158Find a holistic vet 158Consider diapers 159The Poop Eater 159The Bleeding Lady, or the Canine Fertility Goddess 160Chapter 10: Understanding How an Oh-No Can Become a Problem-o 161A Whiz of a Problem 162Constant peeing 162Constant drinking and constant peeing 163Pee that comes out slowly or not at all 164Oddly colored pee 165The Scoop on Poop Problems 165Poop on the run(s) 165Soft, stinky poop 167Oily poop 167Poop that comes out slowly or not at all 168Poop that contains other things 169Gray, black, or red poop 170Skinny poop 171Gaseous Emissions 173Chapter 11: Sorting Out Humans’ Housetraining Challenges 175Crafting a Family Housetraining Plan 176Dividing duties: A plan to relieve the primary caregiver 176Getting the adults on the same page 177Getting the kids on board 178Balancing Crate Time 179Relieving the Home-Alone Dog 180Getting a pet-sitter or dog walker 181Bringing your dog to work 181Going home for lunch 182Working from home 182Creating a potty-proof home-alone area 182Sticking to the Schedule 183Managing Snacks 184Messing Up the Cleanup 185Anticipating Lapses Due to Household Changes 186Helping the Newly Adopted Housetrainee 187Hitting the Road with Your Housetraining Graduate 189Part 4: The Part of Tens 191Chapter 12: Ten Housetraining Mistakes You Don’t Have to Make 193Thinking the Crate is Cruel 193Getting a Crate That’s Too Big 194Failing to Stick to the Schedule 195Failing to Clean Up Completely 196Not Cleaning the Indoor Potty 196Thinking Your Dog Looks Guilty 197Scolding Her after the Fact 198Rubbing His Nose in You-Know-What 198Changing the Menu Abruptly 199Declaring Victory Prematurely 200Chapter 13: Ten Reasons Housetrained Dogs Live in Happier Households 201The Houses Smell Nicer 201The Owners Save Money 202The Owners are Less Cranky 202The Dogs Aren’t Scared When Their Owners Come Home 202The Owners Don’t Worry about Stepping in You-Know-What 203The Dogs Have One Less Way to Embarrass Their Owners 204The Owners Know Right Away When Their Dogs are Sick 204The Dogs Have a Great Foundation for Further Training 205Dogs and Owners Communicate Better with Each Other 205The Owners are More Likely to Keep Their Dogs 206Appendix: Other Helpful Pit Stops for Housetrainers 207Go Online 207Book ’Em! 209Flip through These Mags 210Index 213