Clean up your pet’s bathroom accidents with club soda!

This is one of the most popular myths that people will call upon when discussing ways of housebreaking your dog. Inevitably, there will be some accidents in the beginning, when your pet hasn’t yet learned to go potty outside on its own. However, club soda will only help to a certain point. It may get rid of a small stain or pile, but as far as getting rid of the accompanying odor, it won’t really do much good. To make sure that your pet’s bathroom accidents don’t leave a mark (visible or otherwise), use a high-powered enzymatic cleaner that is made especially for that purpose. It’s important to get rid of the odor, not just because it’s unpleasant to humans but because your dog will recall the odor next time it needs to go, and will return to the same spot again unless you get rid of the smell. On a side note, you’ll also want to avoid using ammonia as a stain cleaner. It gives off a scent that dogs interpret as urine, or in other words, an open invitation to use that spot as a toilet.

If your dog rolls on its back and urinates, the house training isn’t working

This is a common misconception. If your dog rolls onto its back and urinates, it does NOT mean that the housebreaking isn’t working. This kind of behavior is actually a sign that your dog is intimidated or is scared of you. It’s called “submissive urination” and it happens when your dog wants to show respect or deference. How do you fix this problem? Try to be a bit more accommodating and not so intimidating. Don’t scold your dog after it performs this submissive behavior. Leave it alone for a minute and then clean up the mess. Continue with your normal housebreaking routine, but make an effort to crouch down next time you pet your dog so that you are at eye level with it. Don’t look it in the eye, as this may signal that you are trying to enforce your dominance over it. And make sure to give it plenty of love and attention.

Adult-sized crates are best, even for pups

This one is, quite simply, false. The idea of buying an adult-sized crate for your puppy stems from the belief that it’s best to get the puppy used to a bigger crate so that you don’t have to wean it out of the smaller ones gradually (something that is not just time consuming, but also expensive). However, putting a small puppy in a big, adult-sized crate will only accomplish one thing: it will encourage the pup to use one end of the crate to sleep and the other end to eliminate. Nonetheless, it is true that buying a new crate for each stage of your puppy’s development can get quite pricey. The best way to solve this crate training problem is to buy an adult sized crate with a divider that can be moved to adjust the size of the space available to your dog as it grows up.

Do NOT scold your puppy after an accident

This one, surprisingly enough, is true. For a long time people have held to the belief that scolding your puppy and rubbing its nose it its own waste was essential to teaching it not to make a mess where it’s not supposed to. When articles started coming out preaching the exact opposite, many people remained skeptical. But as any professional dog trainer will tell you, scolding your dog is an ineffective training method. Often, it will only serve to frighten and intimidate them, as they probably won’t remember what it is they did to make you so angry. The best way to housebreak your puppy is by taking it out to the yard or designated bathroom area at regular (usually 2-hour) intervals and keeping a close eye on it during its house training period so that you prevent accidents before they happen. And more importantly, reward your dog with affection and treats when it performs the desired behaviors.

Choosing a Puppy

There are thousands of breeds and mixes of canines, each with different personality quirks. If you need to be able to travel a lot with your dog, a Collie or a St. Bernard might not be the best option. Before making any final decisions on what pup to purchase or adopt, make sure you consider your lifestyle. Some dogs do not do well without constant attention, and others just love to be social with other dogs. Be sure to research the many different options before trying to get a dog that will fit in perfectly with your lifestyle. Remember, it is not easy to change dogs; you should plan on changing your lifestyle to fit your dog!

Housebreaking Your Puppy

This is one of the most difficult parts of training a puppy. It is always best to start early, though it will be difficult for a pup younger than 8 weeks to catch on to housebreaking puppy training. As soon as you have trained your puppy, both of your lives will become significantly better. Most types of dogs have to potty at least once every two hours or so. If you do not have the time and patience to devote to housebreaking a puppy, consider hiring someone or asking a neighbor to let him out throughout the day. Otherwise, it will be almost impossible for you to train your puppy appropriately.There are a few tactics to help you in the process if no one will be around to help. Many people try to use a dog litter box as well as pee pads. These can save you from cleaning up a lot of messes, and help teach dogs that there are appropriate places to urinate and defecate. Another great idea is to use a crate whenever you are not home. Not only will it keep the mess in one place, but it will also teach dogs to hold it. As they get older, they tend to avoid tainting the same area where they may eat or sleep, so they will try to hold it until you come home and let them out. Just be sure to take them outside right away so they get used to it!

Training Your Puppy

Let’s face it; puppies are like training wheels for parents. You have to teach them many things about the world, and do it all without the benefit of language. There will be ruined shoes, damaged couches, and stained rugs if you are unable to train and control your dog (and some of those things will happen regardless). The first step is to teach your dog to listen to you. Using a firm voice rather than a loud or angry voice makes a much bigger impact on the dog. If you yell at them, they will probably not associate whatever you are saying with whatever they did wrong. Affection will increase their loyalty, as well as their ability to understand your tones, and listen to your requests and demands.After you have gotten the important obedience training out of the way, you can start with the fun part! Dogs love attention, and they can tell when they have impressed people. Teaching your dog to jump, sit, and rollover is often as rewarding for them as it is for you. Not only do they get plenty of treats, but they also get much desired love and affection. You can see their enjoyment in the wagging of their tail and the energetic excitement. Using a combination of praise and treats is the best way to train your dog.Regardless of the type of dog you get, it is important to make sure that your lifestyle will support it. Many breeds of dogs are very curious and rough, and may not ever acclimate to a small apartment, or overall indoor living. Dogs are often a 15-year commitment, so make sure you have the time, money, energy, and desire to raise your canine; as well as a large dose of love and affection.

Take Your Shih Tzu Puppy Outside Every 2 hours

Shih Tzus learn better through praise than through punishment. For this reason, you must begin your housebreaking task by catching your Shih Tzu doing the right thing first (i.e. eliminating outside). Take him out every 2 hours to increase your chances of catching him in the act of going potty in the right place. If you’re persistent, your every-2-hours potty breaks will pay off. When you finally catch your Shih Tzu going potty where you want him to, be sure to give him lots of praise.

Verbal Conditioning

When you catch your Shih Tzu urinating outside, say the word “potty” out loud. Continue doing this each time your puppy goes potty outside. The idea here is to begin associating the word with the action. It will take many repetitions, but if you do this early on, after a few months, whenever you say the word “potty” your Shih Tzu will understand the association, and be more inclined to go potty.

Praise Your Shih Tzu Verbally and With Physical Affection

If there’s one thing Shih Tzu puppies crave, it is love and affection. Lots of it. So when your Shih Tzu pup does something you want it to do, praise him with your voice and your touch. Give him a lot of hugs and kind words and he’ll be eager to please you again next time by performing the action that led to your coddling him, i.e. urinating outside instead of on your Persian rug.

Watch for Warning Signs

If your Shih Tzu pup is circling an area or sniffing at it, it could be a sign that it’s about to eliminate there. When your Shih Tzu is indoors, be sure to keep an extremely close watch on him or her. Identifying warning signs before it’s too late will make your job that much easier. Your Shih Tzu will obviously have no clue at first where the “right” place to eliminate is, so you’ll have to keep an eye on him or her for the first few months if you want to avoid having to clean your carpet or hardwood floor every day.

Cut Back on Outdoor Visits Gradually

Continue the routine described in the above steps for a good six weeks or until your Shih Tzu has no more accidents inside. You can then start cutting back on the frequency of outdoor visits. If you’ve done your job right, your Shih Tzu will start letting you know when it needs to go potty by standing next to the patio door and whimpering.

Accessories

Many people use synthetic grass as a way of encouraging familiarity with the appropriate places to eliminate, while others believe that puppy pads do the trick. Synthetic grass is generally a terrible idea because it creates more of a mess, with wet and stinky paws to clean, as well. While you can certainly lie things such as puppy pads down as protection, these accessories do not normally aid in the housebreaking and training procedure.

Remember That Punishment is Not as Effective as Praise

Punishment is definitely NOT something you want to use when housebreaking a dog, and especially not when housebreaking a Shih Tzu pup. Shih Tzus don’t react well to punishment. As was mentioned before, they have short attention spans. They won’t be able to remember why they were being punished. And if anything, they’ll just hide it from you next time they potty inside. Praise is a much more effective and (in the long run) a much easier method.

Be Consistent with Outside Potty Times

The first thing you need to do is to set up a consistent schedule of potty times for your dog. If you are only taking your yorkie out to relieve himself 2 or 3 times a day, don’t expect him/her to stop peeing inside. Take your yorkie out as soon as it wakes up and right before it goes to bed. Throughout the day, you should try to take him/her out every two hours. Hire a dog sitter if you have to during this initial training period. Again, you must be consistent with this in order for it to work. Soon, your yorkie will start catching on to the schedule. Once you see him/her going out on their own, it means s/he’s used to the routine. At this point, you can start gradually increasing the time intervals.

Give Him Praise for Good Behavior

If you are outside with your yorkie terrier, either in the backyard playing fetch or on a walk, remember to praise and show affection to your dog when s/he relieves him/herself in an appropriate place. You might want to give him/her a treat as a kind of reward that s/he can associate with their good behavior. This is all part of the process that will train him/her to pee and poop outside. It will let him/her know that outside is the place to go.

Chastising Your Yorkshire Terrier

If you’re inside and you catch your yorkie doing his business on your floor or furniture, say “NO!” firmly and loudly, pick him/her up, and take him/her outside immediately. Do not chastise him/her for mistakes unless you catch him/her in the act, otherwise s/he will not make the connection between his/her actions and your anger.

Crate Training

Crate training your Yorkshire Terrier can help in the process of housebreaking a puppy. The crate will become your yorkie’s private den, and will keep him/her from running rampant around your house while you’re gone or not looking. If a yorkie gets used to the crate, it will help alleviate their anxiety and make the whole housebreaking process easier on both of you.

Don’t Rub Your Dog’s Nose in the Mess

This is one of the biggest mistakes that people make while they’re trying to housebreak dogs. DO NOT rub your yorkie’s nose in the mess when they make one, even if it’s on your favorite Italian leather couch. This kind of abuse has absolutely no positive effects for your efforts. It will only increase your dog’s anxiety and make the whole process of housebreaking him/her much more difficult.

Clean the Mess Thoroughly When it Happens

If your yorkie keeps urinating or defecating in the same spot of your house, it could be because there is still some smell remaining from a previous time. Dogs are attracted to the smell of the same spot where they did their business before. Removing all traces of odor will make it so that they don’t have a particular spot indoors for their business.

Consult with Your Veterinarian

If the training methods you’re using are just simply not working, it could be that your yorkie has some kind of medical condition that makes it hard for him/her to control their bowels or urinary tract. If you’re housebreaking training isn’t doing the trick, try taking your dog to the vet and see what the doctor has to say.Above all, make sure that you are loving and attentive. Stay consistent in your housebreaking methods and be patient. Yorkies are intelligent and loving animals, and even though it can be difficult to deal with their initial training, anyone can do it provided they stick to the plan.

Steps

1. You Want to Start by Creating a Space for Your Pup. Whether you use a small exercise pen, a crate, or fence off an area of a room in your house, make sure it is no larger than 2×3 feet. The intention here is to create an area small enough that he considers it his space for eating and sleeping. It is against their nature to urinate or defecate where they sleep, so this is a good way to start. It will teach him to “hold it” until he is let out.
2. Establish a Feeding Schedule. He will most likely have to go about thirty minutes after eating, and that is when you should take him outside. For pups under 3 months, feed them 4 times a day, 3-6 months, 3 times a day, and over 6 months, twice a day should suffice. Avoid feeding him scraps or treats in between meals when he is a pup. This will compromise his training, and lead to mistakes in the house.
3. Be Sure to Take Your Pup Out Just Before Bedtime, and Immediately Upon Waking. If he naps during the day, be sure to take him then, as well. As they grow and nap less often, they will associate waking up with being taken outside, and will be less likely to go in the house.
4. You Can Attempt to Associate Certain Words and Phrases with Urinating and Defecating. To do so, while he is going, you should say things such as, “go potty,” “go to the bathroom,” or even “go for a walk.” This word association will help you communicate when he should go. If you are leaving for the evening and you will not be around to take him out, but you need him to go before you leave, you can then use these words and phrases to encourage him to go outside. If “Want to go to the bathroom?” is always said during or just before he is taken outside to go, he will associate it with going to the bathroom.
5. Praise Your Pup for Proper Behaviors. Use positive inflections in your words, and give him positive attention for using the bathroom the proper way. Do this during and immediately afterwards. He will enjoy this, and eventually, associate it with his potty behaviors.
6. Correct His Wrong Behaviors, but Do Not Condemn Him Afterwards. If your pup makes a mistake, pushing his nose into it or yelling at him after the fact will not help. He will not understand the connection, and he will just think you are angry for no reason. If you catch him in the act and yell, “NO,” or speak sternly, he is much more likely to understand the connection and alter his behaviors as a result. Excess anger without proper conditioning will set back the house training, and will scare the pup. Chihuahuas are generally quite scared of loud noises and raucous behavior, so be cautious with your disciplinary approaches.

Tips

• Some people like to take a newspaper out for their dogs, as a way of getting them used to using a newspaper when they cannot hold it and their owners are not around to take them outside. Others like to use a wide variety of methods such as grass pads and indoor dog potties. These methods are left to the owners to decide, as dictated by schedules, preferences, and cleaning methods.
• Chihuahuas fall very naturally into schedules, and as they grow, you will want to alter these schedules very gradually. A very young pup will need to go at least every 2-4 hours, and some will have to go even more frequently than that, depending on age and size. Every time they have an accident, it sets back their training, as they are creatures of habits. Be sure to keep a watchful eye on your pup, and ensure that you have the time and energy to train him before taking him into your home.
• After a few weeks of these techniques, your pup should understand a little bit more about his acceptable potty behaviors. There will be mistakes throughout, but with these careful techniques, your pup should be housetrained in two to three months.

The Numbers:

Speaking strictly in terms of numbers, a dog litter box is a more sound financial investment. A dog litter box requires the one time purchase of the litter box (roughly $50), and with pee pee pads the expense is cumulative. Consider the following scenario: if your dog utilizes two pads per day at $18 for a package of 30 pee pee pads, that owner is facing a $450 a year expenditure on pee pee pads alone. For five years at this same rate, this dog owner is likely to spend $2,250 on pee pee pads. The annual cost of pee pee pads measured in the cost of pads alone illustrates how indoor litter boxes are a more financially feasible option. Moreover, when owners take into account the price of correcting certain problems intrinsic to pee pee pads, the true annual cost advantage of indoor litter boxes becomes evidently clear.

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Pee pads are not a perfect invention and have inherent problems associated with their usage. How do urine stained paw prints on your clean carpet sound? Or puppy pee on your hardwood floors? Dogs stepping on a pee pee pad are essentially stepping in their own urine which they then track throughout the house. Conversely, the dog litter boxes have grates which prevent even the smallest of dogs from stepping in their own urine which is safely stowed in the space below. A dog’s tracks of urine throughout the house will have accumulative costs associated with steam cleaning carpets, furniture and odor eliminating procedures. It becomes shockingly apparent that dry paws equal happy dog owners.

Aside from tracking pee throughout the house, pee pads are also known for their leakage problems. This leakage can be as a result of the dog simply urinating more than the pee pad can handle or a defective pee pee pad. Regardless of why the pad is leaking, the result is the same: soaking your home with your dog’s urine while you are away. Continued leakage in the same place will cause undo costly damage to wood and carpet surfaces, and not to mention anything else it touches. A dog litter box is does not leak and is built for easy cleaning.

There are also certain problems with using pee pee pads that are unique to puppies. Puppies like to explore, dig and chew on things and pee pee pads are a potential target. Puppies are known for chewing pee pee pads into tiny pieces and then playing with them thereby leaving urine soaked pieces throughout the house.

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Environmental Cost:

With everyone making strides towards being more environmentally sustainable, the ecological cost of your dog’s potty training or indoor toilet should also be point of consideration. With landfills already reaching maximum capacity, pee pee pads are only further attributing to the loss of landfill space as they do not breakdown easily. On the other hand, an indoor dog litter box can be lined with old newspapers which can be discarded and recycled at the end of the each day. (It should be noted that indoor litter boxes do not require newspaper to be fully operational.)

Indoor dog litter boxes are a more economical indoor pet bathroom solution than pee pee pads. Not only is the one time purchase fee associated with a dog litter box less than the yearly expense of pee pee pads, but the additional costs associated with repairing the subsequent effects on home flooring and furniture from potential pee pad leaks and urine paw print stains, makes the decision between these two options crystal clear: dog litter boxes are more cost effective. This financial consideration coupled with the overall environmental cost of pee pee pads, in comparison to a dog litter boxes’ minimal carbon footprint, catapults indoor dog litter boxes as the best option.

Taylor Momsen

The American actress, singer and star of the show Gossip Girl is all the talk of the town with this fluffy ball that she might as well have picked out in a toy store. You’d expect this pooch to be battery operated, but forget to take it for a walk, and you’ll soon find the batteries have leaked all over the carpet. This puppy is so cute you could almost sneak it through airport security, until it starts whimpering for love.

Ashley Tisdale

The American actress, singer and television producer can be seen hitting the premiere of High School Musical with this stuffed animal that yaps. It’s so small and fluffy, you’d swear there was a toy inside. The star of the 2009 film Aliens in the Attic has found a pooch so cute you’d swear it was from another planet where guard dogs are the size of cute fluffy pillows.

Britney Spears

It’s hard to believe this pretty little pooch of Spears can survive such trauma as being the night time companion of one of America’s most controversial party celebrities. We can only hope she lets the ball of fluff drive home. It’s a cute little dog, but you kind of feel sorry for her after the owner she got stuck with.

Blake Lively

The star of the TV show Gossip Girl gives her miniature Benji a scolding after it peed on her party dress. Bet she made it to the party to be the gossip of the town. Dogs need to go for walks, Blake, even if they are the size of furry slippers. Seems like Blake should be getting the scolding, since the puppy probably doesn’t know how to flush.

Lauren Conrad

The star of the MTV reality series Laguna Beach looks like it’s found the meaning of Zen in Conrad’s arms. This puppy may take a big purse, but if it’s small enough to be carried like a baby, it still qualifies as a purse dog.

Amanda Bynes

Named one of Teen People’s “25 Hottest Stars Under 25,” Bynes totes this adorable pooch everywhere she goes. The look of fear in his eyes makes you wonder if he’s watching out for the paparazzi, or maybe he’s worried he might end up as Bynes’ next fur coat. Now that’s incentive for puppy discipline training. Pee on this jacket, buddy, and you just may become the next.

Paris Hilton

Paris’ dog looks so small it could fit inside a pocket, let alone a purse. A little bigger than a gerbil, this dog puts on the cute. Too bad it has to put up with Paris. A night with Paris and Britney is enough to leave any pooch dreaming of the dog house. At least his is probably air conditioned with its own Jacuzzi and professional puppy masseuse.

Economics

Puppy diaper pads aren’t cheap. A year supply of puppy pee pads can run you $450. Patio potty systems can easily run you over a grand. That’s serious change that can be invested with better alternatives. An indoor dog litter box will only cost you $50 a year. They’re affordable, tough, and provide a sanitary site for you dog. Save your carpet and wallet by investing in a dog litter box for your home.

Convenience

When you come home from a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is clean up a dog’s mess. With an indoor dog litter box, the mess is easily contained and quick to clean up. Your dog’s remains settle easily on the top of the grates of the litter box, so clean up is easy and mess free. Simply replace the newspaper from within the dog litter box, for a fresh setting for you dog.

Cleanliness

When dogs start to lose their control, they frequently face health problems that can be further antagonized by contamination caused by standing in their own filth. An indoor dog litter box features a raised screen so that the urine is absorbed below while your puppy’s feet stay nice and dry. It’s healthy and clean, saving your dog the indecency of standing in his or her own waste while you’re away. The pad easily absorbs the mess, with the bottom replaced for easy cleanup.

Artificial grass can be very difficult to clean up. Often, the cleanup falls to the wayside, leaving your puppy to suffer.

Design

Indoor dog litter boxes don’t look like a toilet. In fact, your friends may even mistake one for a yoga mat. Unlike puppy pads that scream puppy potty, an indoor dog litter box doesn’t look like a bathroom device at all, except to your dog. Keep it clean, and the potty will blend into the rest of your home. You can keep it in the living room, hallway or kitchen.

Environmentally friendly

Using a dog litter box vs. dog diapers or pee pee pads will minimize the your affect on the environment. Puppy diapers fill up landfills and leak waste. An indoor dog litter box, on the other hand, can last a long time, so you aren’t contributing any pollution to the environment. An indoor dog litter box is an earth friendly alternative.

As dogs get older, they lose their abilities to control themselves, and in results accidents occur. Accidents can also happen as a result of diseases, infection or other physical problems. You may have to work late at the office often, and can’t get home in time. Don’t blame yourself or your dog. Place a dog litter box within your home to reduce the frequency of these accidents.

Whether you are away from home frequently or your pooch’s bathroom habits have gone senile, there are solutions beyond a roll of paper towels and a spray bottle. An indoor dog litter box may be the perfect solution. Messes get isolated without staining the carpet and are easy to clean up. You don’t have to come home boiling and frustrated every time you find a mess. Your pooch can be comfortable while you’re gone without making a mess.

The following are a few benefits of an indoor dog litter box solution.

A litter box is more economical and environmentally responsible than “puppy diapers.”

Those puppy pads add up, not only on your monthly budget, but also on the size of trash you contribute to a landfill that will last thousands of years. Similar to baby diapers, puppy pads don’t easily break down. They’ll be around about as long as the Egyptian Pyramids, but don’t contribute the same legacy. Plus, they’ll cost you a small pharaoh’s ransom over a few years. A year’s supply of puppy pads costs more than $400. Add it up over several years, and you’re paying the price of a quality used car just so your puppy can go to the bathroom. You’d be better of buying them a 1987 Toyota and letting them have their way with the bucket seats.

A litter box keeps it clean.

You can get puppy litter boxes with specialized designs that make the whole process very sanitary, both for you as well as the puppy. The bottom is raised yet absorbent so your dog’s feet stay dry and clean. Solid messes are easily cleaned up, leaving no stain. They are convenient, making it easy to clean up after you’ve gotten home from a tired day’s work.

Puppy potties don’t look like a bathroom.

A puppy litter box doesn’t even look like itself. Much different than what you’d get for a cat, puppy litter boxes don’t scream bathroom. Assuming it’s clean, a guest would look at it and probably wonder what it’s for. It looks more like an exercise mat, although you might want to explain yourself before any houseguest sits down to do yoga. A puppy litter box doesn’t look offensive. It fits inside a house comfortably. Since it’s easy to clean, you can keep it from smelling and looking disgusting. They are also durable if used outdoors, even in the rain, sleet or snow. A good dog litter box can last for years, saving you money on pee pads and contributing less to a landfill while fitting the natural environment of your home.

Saves your dog the embarrassment and you a one-sided argument.

You may not be able to get home from work on time, or your dog may be suffering problems due to age or other health problems. Messes happen. An indoor dog litter box prevents them from happening, giving the dog a clean way to do its business in peace. If you had to go, would you want to cross your legs all day until your dog decided to come home? Give your puppy a chance to relax without contributing to permanent carpet stains and owner guilt complexes that rage in the night.