Puppy Pile-Up

You've signed the papers, written the check and bought enough toys and pet supplies to last you a lifetime. The excitement and joy of bringing home your new puppy - gazing up at you with sleepy puppy dog eyes - is enough to break your heart.

"This is your new home," you tell your littlest one, the warm bundle of fur cradled in your arm. Sitting on the floor, you gently place your baby on the carpet in front of you. Sniff, sniff, sniff! There he goes, his wet nose twitching with new smells and his happy, puppy paws stumbling about. He stops, looks at you lovingly and lowers his bum just above the carpet, leaving you a lovely thank-you present.

Housebreaking your pet is one of the primary steps in the development of your dog, and if you think you're unique in your experiences, - that your puppy might be "special" in more than one way - you're not alone. Training a pet is a long and difficult task, and if you choose to do it yourself, take advantage of the advice of those that have gone before you.

The most important (and easily forgotten) thing to remember is that your puppy is not a person; he or she is an animal. This idea is furthest from your mind when your dog is in your lap, giving you those irresistible puppy kisses, and it is quickly forgotten when he or she has an accident, and all reason seems to fly out the window. A dog's natural state of mind is one of a pack mentality, and according to National Geographic Channel's "Dog Whisperer," Cesar Milan, you must assume the position of pack leader to effectively teach your dog. As in all relationships, it is not enough for your dog to love you; he or she must also respect you in for him or her to be able to respond to you and develop. It is not easy and may feel unnatural for a human to be the leader of the pack, but maintaining a calm demeanor and dominant body language will help your dog understand that you're the boss. It's so easy to fall into a submissive pattern and to let the fur ball take control of your home, but remember that your dog wants you to be the leader and to follow behind you.

The first way so many owners go wrong is in yelling at their dog or spanking him or her for going potty in the wrong place. It's natural for an animal to pop a squat wherever it is. Chances are the reason your dog went in the wrong place is your fault. You will need to take your puppy outside at least every hour to give him or her the opportunity to go in the right place. It will take many weeks, even months, for your dog to understand that the outside world is his or her toilet. A good idea for a brand-new puppy is to make puppy pads (which you can find at any grocery store in the dog-food aisle) readily available and not spaced too far apart. If your dog needs to go in between those hour breaks, gently pick him or her up and place your dog on a pad. Soon, your pet will realize that the carpet is not where he or she should go! When your puppy learns to use the pads, - and only sometimes misses them - reduce the number of pads until eventually you have only one pad near the door. This will help strengthen the connection in his or her brain that "pottying" is done outside. Regularly praise your dog for good behavior, but firmly, not angrily, let your dog know what is bad. The simple words "bad" and "good" go a long way. Patience is the key. Our dog was not even proficiently potty-trained until we had had him for more than two months. We took every step along the way to help him learn. But what he learns now he will remember forever. Homie, our black Labrador, will stretch out to pee in the yard, looking at you steadily, remembering how he was praised as a puppy when he went potty outside.

Crate training is a highly controversial method for training your dog. I prefer to use the crate as little as possible, because long periods in a crate are inhumane. Teaching a dog acceptable behaviors in the environment in which he or she will live works much better than doing so in a crate. A great alternative is to create a special area for your dog in a bathroom or blocked-off area of the kitchen. This way, the dog is still in his or her environment, but he or she is restricted from getting into off-limits items. The catch phrase in our home is "Homie-ize" when we take away anything that we don't want Homie to reach. Start by Homie-izing your pet's area and creating three, spaced-out areas within his special place (i.e., a bed, a living/playing area, and the potty). Make sure that the potty is farthest away from the bed, because dogs don't go where they lie, or at least that's what some say. (I have come home and found Homie in his stinky, wet bed.) Still, having the potty area in your dog's special place will help to reinforce the knowledge that it's not OK to potty wherever he or she wants. When you have prepared your dog's room and are ready to leave for work, errands, etc., make sure to always leave the door. Block your dog's access instead with a baby gate. Being able to see out of his or her confinement will help your dog realize that he or she is not being punished. This will also eliminate separation anxiety. Be sure to leave plenty of toys for your dog's entertainment. If you don't, dogs will find something else - something with which you really don't want them to play!

Teach your dog early what is acceptable and what is not, but be careful not to bombard your pet. Teach him or her one or a few things at a time, adding new ones as he or she masters the others. Play with your puppy as often as possible; stimulate your dog's brain with toys to form synaptic connections in his or her brain, which encourages spatial depth and perception. The extent to which your dog will become a cheerful, bright and loving companion is up to you.