Why Do I Have To Teach You How To Use the Toilet?
The first challenge after welcoming a dog is toilet training. It’s something that requires patience, but it’s also very important. So, why is toilet training necessary? There are several reasons for that.
Reason for Remembering the Toilet
One reason for teaching toilet training is to first establish a good relationship between humans and dogs. Dogs are now sources of comfort for humans, but when coexisting in human society, it’s important to teach them the rules of the human world.
Neglecting toilet training can lead to inconveniences, particularly in public settings. Frequent mishaps can draw unfavorable judgments from those in proximity. Hence, a comprehensive toilet training regimen coupled with effective discipline is imperative.
Toilet training holds significance not only for dogs but also for the well-being of humans navigating societal norms. Let us approach this task with unwavering dedication. Dogs possess remarkable intelligence, which, once harnessed for this purpose, can significantly streamline their care and upkeep.
When Do You Want To Start?
Toilet training is most effectively carried out during a puppy’s early stages. Puppies, at around 2 to 3 months of age, are in a phase where they readily absorb various lessons, making it an opportune time for training. Hence, not confined solely to toilet training, this period is also conducive to imparting commands like “wait” or “lie down.”
With that being noted, abiding by animal protection laws, puppies should not be sold until they are at least 49 days old, and in the future, this will be extended to 56 days. Consequently, the earliest they could join your household would be when they are around 2 months old. Once they are settled at home, it’s recommended to commence training as promptly as possible.
However, this doesn’t mean that toilet training cannot be pursued beyond this timeframe. With patient instruction, they will undoubtedly grasp the concept. Thus, kindly engage in training while relishing the process.
Get Everything You Need for Toilet Training
When embarking on toilet training, there are several key preparations to consider. Ensure that all necessary items are in place to prevent any shortcomings.
Primarily, four essential components are required for successfully toilet training your cherished dog. These essential items are readily available at locations such as pet shops.
Circle or Cage
There are enclosures and cages that have ceilings and those that don’t. For active and energetic dogs that tend to be mischievous, having an enclosure with a ceiling is more reassuring as it helps prevent jumping accidents. Additionally, enclosures and cages can protect pets during disasters, so it’s recommended to have a roofed option in preparation for emergencies.
Many enclosures are available for sale that simply surround all sides, but when it comes to toilet training, it’s better to have one with a partition between the toilet area and the sleeping area. Having a partition makes it easier to distinguish between the sleeping space and the toilet area, making it easier for the dog to recognize the “toilet” area. If there is a separate door for the toilet section and the living space, it’s also convenient as it makes cleaning up after toilet time easier.
Crate
A crate is narrower than a circle and provides enough space for only one dog. It can also be equipped with a belt, so it can be used as a carrier bag for your beloved dog. Since dogs were originally creatures that lived in caves, smaller spaces are said to make them feel more secure.
To begin with, you can place the crate near a cage or circle, and keep the dog in there until they feel the need to urinate or defecate. Then, you can measure the time and when it’s time for them to go to the toilet, move them from the crate to the cage. This makes training easier as it encourages urination and defecation. Generally, dogs are clean animals and won’t use their sleeping area as a toilet, reducing the possibility of accidents.
Furthermore, by letting the dog out of the crate and leading them to the toilet, you can make them recognize that they should go to the toilet when they need to.
Pet Sheets
Pet sheets for absorbing dog urine are also essential when raising a dog. Many of them use highly absorbent materials, and some can quickly absorb urine, so choose the type that is easy to use.
First, place the pet sheet over the entire floor of an area like a circle, and when the dog uses the toilet, replace the part of the sheet that was used. Once you’ve taught the dog to use the toilet on the sheet, gradually reduce the number of sheets and eventually guide them to use the toilet in one spot. There are various sizes of pet sheets available, so choose one that matches the size of your beloved dog. Generally, for small dogs, regular size is sufficient, but for medium or large dogs, use the wide type.
Toilet Tray
During the initial stages of toilet training, it’s a good method to cover the entire floor of the cage with toilet sheets. However, once they learn to use one specific spot, let’s place the toilet tray there and have them use it.
The toilet tray can prevent the shifting of the toilet sheets and can also prevent urine from spilling out or splattering. Moreover, for male dogs that lift their leg while urinating, there are also L-shaped options available, so let’s make use of those.
Additionally, for playful or mischievous dogs that might chew on the toilet sheets, it’s a good idea to choose ones with mesh to prevent concerns of ingestion.
Practice! Training Method
Once you have prepared the necessary tools for toilet training, let’s finally put the training into practice. When conducting the training, be sure to follow the steps properly and pay attention to key points. So, before you begin, make sure to check them thoroughly.
Toilet Training Method
Even if you call it toilet training, it won’t go well if you do it blindly. There are three important points, so let’s follow the steps and try to practice.
Observe Closely
First, when conducting toilet training, it is important to observe your beloved dog’s behavior carefully. There might be moments when you think, “They had an accident while I briefly looked away!” So, try to keep an eye on your dog as much as possible and confirm their condition.
When your furry friend seems to be about to use the toilet, put them in their crate and close the door, then observe their behavior. It’s crucial not to let them outside until they’ve done their business.
They might struggle or bark because they want to be let out, but be cautious because letting them out at that point could lead to demand barking.
Once your dog is in the crate, avoid looking directly at them. Instead, glance and observe their behavior while looking away.
Let’s Move When It’s Time To Defecate
Dogs have a behavior that could be considered a marker during elimination, so it’s important not to overlook this and check it. If they’re restless and moving around, sniffing the floor’s scent and starting to circle around, it’s the dog’s instinct to ensure the safety of the place where they’ll do their business. In such cases, promptly guide them to the toilet area.
Especially after waking up, after eating, and after playing, dogs often need to go to the toilet, so during these times, please make sure not to miss the signs.
If You Can Excrete, Let’s Play As Hard as You Can!
Observe carefully and skillfully lead them to the toilet, and if you’re able to make them urinate successfully, then at that moment, praise them wholeheartedly without reservation.
While taking them out of their enclosure, holding or petting them, use comforting words like “Good boy/girl,” and your dog is sure to be delighted. Once they’ve successfully urinated, immediately praise them, take them outside, offer them a toy to play with, and this way, the dog will learn that “good things happen when I urinate there.”
In this manner, they will desire more rewards, start relieving themselves in the same way, and gradually learn the concept of using the toilet. The time spent playing with the owner is very precious and joyful for dogs, so it’s an ideal reward. Engaging in activities like tug-of-war with a toy or playing fetch with a ball also allows for communication.
How long do you remember?
Starting the toilet training for your beloved dog, you might feel anxious if they don’t learn the toilet habits easily.
You might even find yourself thinking, “What should I do if they don’t learn like this?” and feel a bit disheartened.
However, the time it takes for a dog to learn toilet habits can vary depending on the individual and their personality, so it’s not possible to simply say “they’ll learn in this many days.” Some dogs, especially quick learners, might pick it up in about a week of consistent training, while others, even after a month, might still not have learned, and there are even those that don’t learn easily even when they become adults.
Nevertheless, dogs are intelligent creatures, so if you patiently continue the training, they will surely learn eventually. It’s crucial for the owner not to give up and to provide training with love and care.
Toilet Training Tips
Even when doing toilet training, it can be concerning if your puppy doesn’t go to the designated spot to do their business. However, the difficulty in them learning might be due to not hitting the right points effectively.
So, what should you pay attention to while conducting the training?
Praise Him When He Succeeds!
When a dog successfully performs urination skillfully, it recognizes the pattern of success as a reward and learns, “This is a good thing,” when the people around it are pleased. Therefore, it’s a good idea to enthusiastically and exuberantly praise and commend your beloved dog when it successfully uses the restroom, even to the point of being a bit extravagant. Additionally, giving treats as needed will make training even easier.
Furthermore, it’s important to praise immediately at the moment of successful urination if you’re going to praise. If several minutes pass before praise, the dog won’t understand why it’s being praised, and the training effort might not go well. When your dog successfully uses the restroom, aim to praise within 3 seconds, so please be attentive not to miss the timing.
Moreover, when praising, using a high-pitched voice is also important. As part of a dog’s behavior, it’s known that when they’re happy, they whimper in a high-pitched voice, and when they experience negative emotions like fear, they growl in a low-pitched voice. Consequently, if humans also use a high-pitched voice, dogs can also feel happiness.
Don’t Shout if You Fail
During toilet training, there might be times when accidents happen and your dog urinates in places other than the designated spot. In such situations, it’s easy to involuntarily exclaim, “Oh no, what are you doing!” in a loud voice. However, when you do this, your dog might misunderstand and think, “My owner is happy!” This could lead to a higher chance of them repeating the mistake, so be cautious.
Furthermore, scolding your dog loudly can make them perceive that “urinating itself is a bad thing,” causing them to hide and urinate in secret, especially when in public. As dogs find being ignored by their owners distressing, if your beloved canine has an accident during toilet training, it’s effective to put them in their playpen or a designated area without making eye contact, and calmly clean up.
By doing this, your dog will start to understand, “Maybe I did something wrong,” and learn not to urinate anywhere other than the specified spot.
When Do You Want To Retrain the Toilet?
It is important to perform toilet training for puppies at an early stage, but there are times when you welcome an adult dog. Additionally, even if they were capable when young, they might lose that ability as they age. In such cases, if you redo the toilet training, you can teach them properly. So, let’s not give up and continue with the training.
Puppies and Adult Dogs Are Basically the Same!
When they are puppies, toilet training is easier, but that doesn’t mean it becomes impossible as they grow.
Toilet training with adult dogs often takes more time than with puppies, but with patient teaching, they will learn properly. If the training during their early stages is poor, they might start having accidents again even after they have learned to use the toilet, so be cautious.
However, even in such cases, you can effectively teach them to use the toilet by generally using the same methods as when they were puppies. Dogs are intelligent creatures, so don’t give up just because they don’t learn quickly. If they still don’t learn, reconsider their surroundings as there might be issues with the toilet area.
Dogs are clean animals, so if the area around the toilet is dirty or smelly, they might avoid using it. Therefore, it’s important to use odor-neutralizing spray and thoroughly clean up urine, keeping the area clean.
Furthermore, if a dog urinates due to excitement, they might be holding stress and frustration, so it’s a good idea to provide them with affection and physical contact to help them calm down and manage their stress.
Summary
In this instance, I have introduced methods, points to note, and key aspects regarding toilet training for dogs. There might be individuals who become anxious and wonder why their dogs can’t seem to learn the toilet habits, thinking, “Why doesn’t my pet understand?”
However, dogs are intelligent creatures that strive to fulfill human requests to the best of their ability. While the speed at which dogs learn toilet training can vary based on their personalities, with patience and consistent guidance, they can all come to comprehend.
What matters greatly is for the owner to provide training with affection, so let’s remember to teach gently rather than thinking “my pet is hopeless.” If toilet training is successfully established, it becomes possible to enjoy together places like public facilities, dog parks, dog cafes, and hotels that allow dogs.
The days spent together are bound to become even more enjoyable!
