Every dog is different. The time it will take in housebreaking a dog will differ from dog to dog. Some are quick learners and will grasp commands within few repetitions. Other dogs are slow learners and will need to listen to the command 100 times before grasping the concept. Its okay, just learn to work with your dog, with lots of patience and love he will get it.

The way you deliver the command also impacts how long it will take your dog learn it. If you consistently incorporate the commands in your every day life, he will catch on quicker.

The first thing you need to do in housebreaking a dog, it to put together a potty training plan. Make sure that it’s a simple plan and that it works for both of you. Here are few tips to get you started:

Steps in Housebreaking a Dog
1. Decide what command you are going to use to let your dog know its potty time, such as “potty time” (always use more than one word). Also, determine where your dog’s potty area is.

2. Once you decided on the potty area you need to stick to it. For example, if you decide that your dog’s potty area is inside the house, then start the training with a litter box. Don’t take him outside to potty, as it will only confuse him and stretch the training time.

3. The next step in housebreaking a dog is to estimate how many times your dog is going to need to go potty. If you don’t know, then contact the breeder or an animal shelter and get the information from them. The number they give you, should be the minimum number of times that you should be taking your dog to the designated potty area. While housebreaking a dog it always better to take him too often than risking an accident.

If needed, set up reminders in your blackberry to help you be consistent with your dog’s potty schedule.

Keep in mind that puppies need to empty their bladder more often. Just to be on the safe side take them to their potty area after eating, walking or drinking water.

4. When you take your dog to his potty area, say the command “ex. potty time” and wait few minutes. If he empties his bladder give him a verbal praise and a tasty treat. If he doesn’t empty his bladder, then walk away and come back in few minutes and try again. Continue this process until your dog associates the potty area with the praise and treat.

If you are training him inside the house and he doesn’t empty his bladder just take him to another room for few minutes and then try again.

Be realistic and understand that there will be accidents while housebreaking a dog. Never get violent with your pet, just take a deep breath and move on. Make sure to clean the area with a strong cleaner and don’t leave any traces of urine to avoid your dog from getting confused. Try not to use ammonia since it smells similar to urine and can encourage your dog to urinate in that same area.

With time your dog will start to give “potty time” signals, such as scratching the door, whining, or placing his paw on your lap. If you are consistent while housebreaking a dog, he should be potty trained in few weeks.

Many Pugs are not allowed to roam around wildly at will. Since pet owners usually have a busy schedule, most Pugs wind up indoors all day which can make things difficult when trying to house train a Pug.

A good way to combat this is by incorporating a crate and leash into your Pug’s daily routine. If the Pug is full grown or just returning to your house from the kennel, you may need to treat the training process as if your Pug was a puppy.

One popular option is to leave your Pug in his crate while you are away from home and take him out on the leash when you return. Restricting a Pug all day every day is not healthy for your Pug so you need to make sure that he gets plenty of breaks.

Begin the housetraining process as if your Pug were a puppy and schedule regular breaks for the potty. Take your Pug outside when he is ready to eliminate instead of right after meals when puppy hasn’t had much time to digest. You want to make sure that each trip is a meaningful one.

Take time off or spend a weekend carefully watching your Pug and make note of any signs that he needs to use the bathroom. Typically, a Pug will shake, act antsy or even begin to squat. These signs mean that you need to quit whatever you are doing and lead your Pug to a safe spot to do his business.

Remember to praise him lavishly when he does his business during the potty break. That’s the positive reinforcement needed to show your Pug where he’s supposed to do his business.

Perhaps you were on vacation and your Pug had to stay in a kennel for a while. During his stay he probably had to potty in the same areas where he ate and slept. This behavior can hinder any previous housetraining accomplishments and may have made your Pug very sad and depressed.

Pugs really don’t like to incorporate potty space with living space. Your Pug will need you to boost his confidence with his bathroom skills.

An older Pug probably has better bladder control than a puppy, so he can usually go longer periods between potty breaks. However, your Pug may have a urinary tract infection, diarrhea or other medical problem that’s the real cause of his accidents.

If you notice a drastic change in your Pug’s behavior, particularly potty behaviors for no apparent reason, you will want to have him checked out by a veterinarian. The problems might be something more serious.

If it turns out that your puppy has a medical condition, take it easy with the potty training. Your Pug needs lots of love and affection and may not be able to control his urges or be able to focus on them. Keep your Pug on a leash when he’s not in the crate and keep a close eye on him for signs that he needs to potty while he is recovering..

Now that you’ve achieved a reliable “sit”, its time to start on the “down” command.

Clicker Training – “Down” Command

Now, this won’t be quite as easy as sit, but have patience it will come!

A good, solid “down” command is a really important thing for dogs to learn – think about when you’re out on a walk and he sees a cat something equally as enticing. Imagine if, when he started racing over to whatever it is, you shouted “DOWN”, and he actually stopped in his tracks and lay down. It really is one of the most important commands that we can teach. (It’s also the start move for lots of fun tricks that we can try later!!)

Put your dog in the sit position and crouch in front of him, leaving enough space between you for him to lie down. Let him know that you have a treat, put it in front of his nose and move it slowly towards the floor. If you move it too fast, he’ll stand up, so have patience! He may try to get the treat out of your hand, but don’t let him have it yet!!

As you move the treat down, he should follow it with his nose.

When the treat and his nose are on the floor, move it slowly (remember, slowly, or he’ll try to stand up!!) away from him, towards you.

Although he may not lie down at this stage, he should be clicked and treated for lowering his body, which should happen naturally when he follows the treat with his nose, whilst in the sit position.

As with the sit, we need to build this behaviour up. Become more selective with clicking and treating, waiting until his body is much closer to the floor, and eventually only clicking when he is lying down.

When he is lying down with reasonable regularity, we should introduce the command “down” *. As with the sit, we need to build up to only clicking and treating when he lies down on the verbal command.

*NOTE: I do not use my dog’s name before giving the “down” command. I give this command firmly and quickly and expect an instant response. Don’t use “lie down”, as this takes longer to say and can’t be said with the same urgency as “down”.

Continue to train the “down” command, whilst standing up instead of crouching, like we were at the beginning of the training.

When you first started training the “down” command, you were putting him in the “sit” position first. You should move on to practicing the command “down” without first asking him to sit. He may be confused at first because it is different to how he first learned, but persevere and he will work it out!

A good training exercise when he is lying down reliably, is to train him with the clicker, but only click when he lies down very quickly. This should reinforce a stronger, quicker down.

You both deserve a pat on the back when he understands and follows the “down” command, so well done!!

Being man’s best friend, dogs are one of those animals that humans pamper and treat as if part of the family. And just like children, they are given vaccines, bathed regularly, provided with their favorite foods and even groomed to look great. In fact, many businessmen are making profit out of dog beauty parlors because many dog owners out there would gladly spend their cash just to make their dogs feel and look wonderful.

More often than not, dogs are allowed to sleep with their owners and stay anywhere in the house and play with the kids. Children may even kiss them sometimes. Because they are loved just like the other members of the family, we cannot help but feel worried when our dogs get sick or when they seem to be unwell.

Have you ever noticed white foam in your dog’s mouth? There’s no need to panic because this occurrence has several explanations and this is neither deadly for your dog nor dangerous to your family’s health. When your dog happens to eat bits and pieces from the ground and not digested well, the dog’s system will automatically protect itself by rejecting these substances. It is the same for humans, too. Whenever something bad is ingested, a person will throw up anything that it making him or her sick. In similar manner, dogs vomit everything that causes his stomach upset together with the white thick foam.

Too much bile in the dog’s stomach can also be the cause for the white foam. To get rid of the excessive bile, dog’s vomit and it is comparable to humans’ acid reflux. Generally, it happens after a long and sound night’s sleep and is referred to as a bilious vomiting syndrome. It should not be a cause for your worries especially if there are no other signs of pain or ailment in the dog.

What needs to be done?

When dogs start acting strange, lose appetite, look uncomfortable and seem edgy for a few days before or after vomiting the white foam, you have to bring him to a veterinarian to check for rabies, poison or any reasons causing the upset stomach. If the doctor finds out that it is just bilious vomiting syndrome, he can also give your dog something to solve the problem.

Just a word of advice, ask for your vet’s opinion first before you try any suggestions from friends or from the internet regarding how to solve a problem like this because you might be placing your dog’s health at a much greater risk.

For every activity- the daily walks, the romps in the park, the all-important, rejuvenating naps- your dog craves a great-tasting, life-enriching food.

Everyone knows we should eat healthy and in moderation along with getting plenty of exercise. The idea doesn’t change for our pets and dog food. If your dog lives healthy by avoiding dog eating health problem, you won’t have to see the vet as often! If your dog is confined to a yard or other area, give it lots of space and things to play with or explore, to encourage exercise. Dog biscuits and table scraps should be saved for very special occasions. Don’t believe everything you hear from the so called experts concerning commercial dog food and supplements.

Having your dog examined by a vet is expensive but necessary. Even with your best attempts to avoid any dog eating health problem. Every pet will need to be examined by a vet occasionally. Dog illnesses, like human illnesses, if caught early are often more treatable. Regular exams by a vet are your best chance for early warning of disease.

Even if your dog is the healthiest pet ever known, it may have an accident; this could call for immediate emergency care. Also if your dog is Older it may be in pain from age-related matters. So, no matter how you cut it, you’re going to have to take your dog to the vet sooner or later. Accept it and be ready to pay for it! Your little buddy is more than worth it! Above all keep him exercised and eating a good diet, avoid a dog eating health problem.

Clicker training has over the years become a very popular and widespread training method for horses, however like all methods it has its benefits and shortcomings. We took a look at clicker training and what you would need to know before undertaking this type of training with your horse.

What is clicker training?
Clicker training originates from animal actor training and trainers. It is used to train animals to hit their marks and to combine required movements, gestures and actions as required by the director. It is a very powerful training tool when used correctly and can cause numerous complications if applied incorrectly.

Uses for clicker training
Clicker training for the owner is useful for encouraging the horse to perform and focus better. The clicker is used to notify the horse that it has done well, or has done what is needed. Thus building confidence in the horse, strengthening the relationship between horse and owner, both of these resulting in a more willing horse. (And hopefully a happier owner)

Clicker training from a horses’ point of few is clearer than most other methods. Horses are very compliant in nature and will willingly work hard for praise and reward. With clicker training there is a definite conformation (clicker clicking) when the horse has done correctly. It then understands that it has done well and develops confidence in its abilities to do things correctly.

In most instances clicker training has proved useful in correcting problems or fears that a horse may experience, or have acquired whilst in training.

How does it work?
The clicker is a little handheld box containing a metal clicker that when pushed down makes a clicking sound. To start off the trainer is armed with this clicker, a touching rod and treats (carrots, cut up apples, whatever the horse likes). At the starting phase the horse is trained to touch the rod, on touching the clicker is clicked and the horse given a treat, thus the reward for good or desired behaviour is installed. Most horses catch on very quick, and learn to look for the rod as finding it and touching it brings rewards. Initially the food is associated as the reward, later only the clicker is required.

Is my horse suitable?
Most horses are suited to clicker training, as most horses are willing to work on this system, some horses even excel. These horses are considered natural animal actors, being able to pick up a queue and to progressively work through a series of steps with minimal time spent on training.

However there are some horses that should not be clicker trained. Of these, horses with bullying natures are at the top of the list. And by bullying we don’t mean biting and kicking, we’re talking about a horse that has little respect for ones space or that is willing to walk over you if needed.

Because clicker training is done on a reward system it is important that your horse be willing to comply before getting a treat. Horses with bullying natures do little and want everything, so for your own safety and sanity do not attempt to do clicker training with one of these.

The benefits for your horse
• It allows for the development of a trusting relationship between horse and owner or trainer,
• Horse will become more confidant and be more willing to work,
• Horse will become more attentive and focused as its confidence grows,
• Horse will become more willing as the training is progressive,
• Horse will be capable of overcoming its fears as it focuses more on what is asked.

The benefits to you the owner
• You will become a more confidant handler,
• You will understand the use of progressive training and that things are done in steps and stages, you will also learn how to break training stages up into these steps,
• The communication with your horse will become clearer and less frustrated,
• You will have more fun with your horse.

Clicker training is a great way to play and have fun with your horse whilst training, it allows for the development of deeper bonds. It is one of the few training systems around that encourages the trainer and handler to think of what is required, then break it down into simpler steps before building those steps up into the required result.

Or as a movie director would say “I need him to gallop up to his mark, rear up then turn and run off again” and you the clicker trainer will hear, gallop to mark and halt “Click” Rear “Click” turn and gallop off “Click.” The three steps needed to complete the movement.

Simple isn’t it?

There are good and bad points to owning a puppy and one of the bad points is having to clear up the little accidents that happen while your house training your puppy. So it makes sense to use a system that will make house training a quick and easy process. There are methods that could see your puppy house trained in around seven days.

There are many variations of systems and methods involved in house training a puppy but some involve considerable time and inconvenience.

Crate training is one of the most popular methods and is a good example of how a system can be taught correctly or incorrectly. Crate training by itself will house train your puppy, although some of the books and courses available on house training a puppy make it a very time consuming process.

More recently certain discoveries have been made that will enable a puppy to be house trained in a miraculously short period of time.

So what are the magic ingredients that some dog trainers have discovered, well its not just a matter of crate training or any other sort of training, but it is the basic system combined with a little dog psychology and understanding of instinctive puppy behavior.

There are triggers and times hardwired into your puppy’s instinctive behavior that will help in house training your puppy in the most efficient manner.

For example in crate training, a puppy will not soil his eating and sleeping area provided it isn’t too large.

Another example is a puppy has triggers that will activate his toilet response i.e. the smell of food, through this sort of attention to detail its possible to train your puppy to toilet when and where you wish him to at times he feels he has to.

From this sort of detailed knowledge it is possible to create schedules that target exactly when and where your puppy will need to toilet.

There are other factors but using a sound method of toilet training such as create training combining it with a proven system and written schedules all add up to a very exact way of house training your puppy in a very short amount of time

So what would you prefer months of little accidents dotted around your home or a happy toilet trained puppy in around seven days.

Puppies are fragile little things, and can be at risk of injuries and diseases because they don’t yet know the world round them, but also because their immune system is not yet strong.

Because it is helpless during these critical months, preventing these ailments is largely your responsibility. Therefore, if you want to keep your puppy healthy and happy, familiarizing yourself with the most common ailments in advance can be the best thing you can do for him.

To help you get acquainted with what it takes to keep your puppy in good shape – I’ve compiled a list of the most common FAQs and answers about puppy health.

1. Distemper – The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) calls this disease the “greatest single threat to the world’s dog population”. Unvaccinated dogs from four months to four years old are at the greatest risk.

It is caused by a viral infection spread through saliva, urine, feces, even through inhalation of droplets from sneezes and coughs.

Symptoms include vomiting, red eyes, shivering, fever, weight loss, nose discharge, loss of appetite and energy, thickened footpads, and seizures.

There is no specific treatment for this, and many dogs don’t survive infection. This is why prevention is a much better option. Make sure your puppy gets vaccinated, and keep its surroundings as clean as possible to prevent infection.

2. Diarrhea – This is extremely common among puppies that are just starting to eat solid foods. Be aware, though, that it may also be a symptom of a more serious problem, such as a viral infection.

Make it a habit to check your dog’s feces regularly, and bring your pet to the vet at the first sign of an abnormality, such as bloody stools, or if diarrhea persists for longer than 3 days.

3. Constipation – Another very common problem for puppies. You can prevent this by ensuring your puppy always has fresh drinking water and enough physical activity.

Feed him a natural diet; if you wish, you can also add some fiber to his diet, in the form of a teaspoon of ground flaxseed.

However, if you notice that your puppy has particular difficulty doing a poo, or if doing so seems painful, have a vet check him immediately for a possible intestinal blockage. If you leave constipation untreated, your puppy may suffer intoxication because of waste back-up.

4. Vomiting – This is a normal occurrence when a puppy has eaten too much or too quickly. And that can happen often, as puppies don’t have an internal trigger system that alerts them when they are full. Prevent over-eating by feeding him the right amount. And make sure you always have fresh water for him to drink.

If your puppy shows distress or pain after vomiting, however, bring it to the vet right away. It might be a symptom of poisoning. Chronic vomiting and loss of appetite (for more than 24 hours), on the other hand, may arise from worm infestation or infectious illnesses.

5. Ear mites – If your puppy is always scratching its ears or shaking its head, check the inside of its ears. If it smells or contains brown wax, this may be due to ear mites. This condition is very contagious and may lead to outer ear infection and even hearing loss. Give your puppy some Vitamin C to combat the infection, clean its ears, and consult with a vet for proper treatment.

6. Parvo – This virus is another extremely contagious condition which typically affects puppies that are being weaned. It can cause serious cardiac and intestinal problems. Symptoms usually include extreme lethargy, agitation, loss of appetite, restlessness, and fever. Parvo often leads to death if not treated, so take your puppy to the vet immediately if you see these symptoms.

7. Scabies – Also known as sarcoptic mange, this skin condition results in hair loss and brown lesions and can make your puppy extremely irritated and agitated. Scabies are highly contagious and can even infect people, so be careful when handling your puppy if you think it has this condition. Bring it to the vet for appropriate treatment.

8. Cough – Hacking cough or kennel cough is caused by a bacterial or viral infection. This can be treated with commercial medicines or herbal home remedies. If coughing is chronic, however, it may be a sign of a more serious disease, such as heartworm. If your puppy continues coughing for more than a week, consult with your vet.

9. Fleas and ticks – These parasites feed on your puppy’s blood, causing itching and extreme discomfort, and potentially spreading illnesses such as Lyme Disease.

Fortunately, there are many sprays, topical medications and shampoos that can help remove these pests from your dog. Make sure your puppy is over the minimum age (usually 8 to 10 weeks) before using these products. Once you’ve eliminated all parasites, put your pet on flea and tick prevention medication to avoid this problem in the future.

10. Heartworm – These parasites live in your dog’s bloodstream and are transmitted through mosquito bites. They can cause severe damage to the heart, lungs and liver, typically causing death due to heart failure.

Worse, they are usually undetectable until your dog is already ill with the disease. Treating this illness usually involves costly and powerful medicines, and sometimes actual heart surgery. Prevention is far more desirable. Make sure your dog is on a heartworm preventive medication by 8 weeks of age.

It should be given once a month during peak mosquito season, without fail. Consult with your vet for the brand that will suit your puppy best.

As you can see, these common problems are best addressed by early detection, preparation and prevention. Keep your pet’s vaccinations updated and always be on the lookout for any possible symptoms. Learn to understand your puppy’s predisposition, and that way you’ll be able to notice any difference in his condition – to ensure early detection. This way, you’ll ensure a long, happy and healthy life for your puppy.

There are lots of ways to potty train a dog. Some of them work and some do not work. It is normal as virtually everything is trial and error! In this article, I will show you a simple but highly effective method of potty training your dog!

The method I want to introduce to you is called clicker training. What on earth is clicker training? This type of training is a practical application of operating conditioning and an effective scientific method of behavior modification for training any animal, even dogs. Do not get it wrong, this is not another fad in dog training. Like I earlier said, it is highly effective not just for dogs but any kind of animal!

It includes the use of cheap little plastic noise maker that is generally called clicker to note a dogs good behavior and compensate it with either food or any other compensation available. The major reason why this is a very effective method is because of its precision. You should note that timing is very important in dog training that is why it is very effective. When you click, the dog realizes that whatever he did was rewarded for, that means it was right so it wants to repeat it.

This method helps you shape the behavioral pattern of your dog to perfection. It helps eliminate the wrong behavior from the right one, simply because whatever behavior the dog does not get rewarded for, it senses it is not right and desists from it. It really is fun!

Are you tired of your Yorkie using the bathroom all over your household? Buying all that stain remover and disinfectant over and over again has to get old. Housetraining your Yorkie can be beneficial to both you and your dog and can relieve you of having to worry about if your Yorkie secretly went somewhere while you weren’t home.

Yorkies already have a bad reputation when it comes to housetraining. You have probably heard from other Yorkie owners that “they are impossible to housetrain, housetraining takes way too long, they never want to go when you take them outside” etc. Well after about 12 weeks old, a Yorkie is physically able to hold their bladders and bowels.

Despite the fact that they can be stubborn and might present some challenges while housetraining, Yorkies can be housetrained to use the bathroom in strict designated areas. Once trained, they will behave better and they will reliably go wherever their spot is.

The key with housetraining a Yorkie is being diligent and consistent. You can’t expect your dog to be trained overnight. It takes time and patience but with these techniques you will be on your way to having an obedient, healthy, happy Yorkie.

The first thing you have to do is establish designated bathroom areas for your Yorkie to use. The most effective indoor method I have witnessed is the use of “potty pads” or training pads. When your Yorkie is about to go to the bathroom take it straight to the designated bathroom area to let them know that this is the right place.

Cleaning up after your Yorkie when it has an accident is crucial to removing any scents that their urine left behind. Using a disinfectant cleaning solution to eliminate the smell will prevent your Yorkie to being lured into that spot again.

Housetraining your Yorkie will be much more difficult if you don’t have a set schedule. Creating a schedule when to feed your Yorkie and let it out to use the bathroom at routine times will help enforce a strict schedule upon your dog. This will help to eventually “burn” these times into his or her brain and your Yorkie will know exactly when it is time to potty every day. Don’t forget to use positive reinforcement and reward your Yorkie when they do use the right potty area even if it’s inside or outside.