Are You Making These Common Dog Potty Training Mistakes?

 Potty training your dog can be incredibly frustrating.  It's easy to become irritated and cause the problem to become worse.  This article will show you mistakes you could be making and how to fix them, so you and your dog can live in harmony.

One of the most common mistakes you can make while potty training your dog is to punish them after the fact.  I know it's hard to keep your cool when you come home from a long day at work and Fido has left you a present in your favorite shoes.  You just have to keep in mind that punishing your dog will not break this habit.  The dog will have no idea what he's done.  So, if you don’t catch him in the act, you can't punish him.

Another common mistake you should avoid is rubbing the dog's nose in the mess.  This really teaches the dog nothing but to be afraid of you.  In fact, the dog could start trying to hide the mess under furniture instead.  Even worse, the dog could develop coprophagia.  This is where a dog ingests its own feces. Although it is completely disgusting, it does happen.  

So instead of punishing your dog in a way that encourages worse behavior, you could try another approach.  When you catch the dog in the act, say "No" very sternly, and take the dog outside to finish his business.  Make sure you always reward your dog for going outside. 

Taking your dog outside when you catch him is really the key to this approach.  If you just tell him "No" or yell at him, he may think that it's wrong to go to the bathroom at all.  This can also lead him to hide his mess.  It also may cause him to be fearful of going around you at all, even in the appropriate places. 

The last mistake is changing your dog's diet or schedule.  During the potty training process, it's important for you to keep your dog on a consistent diet.  If you change the dog's food, it can really affect bowel movements, making it harder for your dog to hold it in the house.  It's also important to try and stick to an eating and drinking schedule.  This way it will be easier to have a routine for going outside to use the bathroom. 

Remember that it take time to potty train a dog.  They are not born knowing where to do their business.  You don't want to make them feel like they are doing something wrong, but you do want them to use the appropriate places.  So try to avoid these mistakes and your potty training should go much better.  If you want to learn how to potty train your dog quickly, you can click on the link below.