Cavaliers King Charles Spaniels, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians, Pekepoos, Maltese Breeder | Riverside Kennels

Housebreaking Your Puppy

Remember that repetition is necessary. Your puppy will not understand what you want unless you repeatedly show him/her the desired behavior MANY times.

Keep in mind also that your puppy does not know what is expected and must be shown the proper place to eliminate, and when.
Your best potty training friend is your crate. When you cannot watch your puppy, use a crate. Think of the crate the same way you think of a playpen for a human child. Even if you are only leaving the room for a "minute," either take the puppy with you or use the crate. After all, you would not leave a toddler in the house alone "for just a minute" would you?
Crate training can be fun for the puppy if you make it a POSITIVE experience. The DEN is an integral part of the wild dogs upbringing and safety zone. The same thing applies to the "crate". Giving the pup special "treats" is a great way to introduce him to his crate. The only time the puppy receives these special treats is when he is in the crate; the treats become associated with the crate.
Use the crate wisely. Don't crate only when you are leaving the house. Place the puppy in the crate while you are home as well. Use it as a "safe" zone. The crate is the puppy's room.

By crating when you are home AND while you are gone, the puppy becomes comfortable in the crate and not worried that you will not return, or that you are leaving him/her alone. This helps to eliminate separation anxiety later in life.
Most puppies will not soil their "den." The first couple of tries you might have some accidents, but don't be discour-
If the CRATE is too large, the pup can easily soil on one side and sleep on the other. The way to prevent this is to buy a crate that will accommodate your pet when it is fully grown. Then get a box that will fit inside the back of the crate. The box should be large enough that there is only room for the puppy to stand and lie down comfortably.
As the puppy grows, provide more room by putting in a smaller box, or cutting down the size. When the puppy reliably asks to be put outside to eliminate, remove the box so the puppy can use the whole crate.
If the puppy messes the crate, replace the box size to the point at which the puppy was reliable, and just give the pup a little more time to learn. In conjunction with crate training, potty training starts immediately.
Whenever you remove the puppy from the crate or just want the puppy to "go potty," take the dog to the door that will always be used to "go outside." Use the SAME door throughout the training period.

During housebreaking DO NOT allow the pup outside to eliminate alone or loose in the yard. Yes, that means in the rain, snow, whatever: YOU GO OUTSIDE ALSO. Give the puppy plenty of time. Don't rush or you will be sorry. When the puppy urinates or defecates, praise the puppy and give the puppy a very tiny soft treat. If the puppy does not "potty" even after staying outside 15 minutes, return back inside, place the puppy back into the crate, wait 15 minutes and start again from the beginning.
If done religiously, this training process should take only a few weeks for the puppy to understand. Be PATIENT and this method WILL work.
Take it slow and easy...be PATIENT....and have FUN with your dog!

Puppy Care

When you get your new puppy home make sure he/she has plenty of rest, puppies are like babies and get tired out easily. We suggest putting corn syrup in their water for a couple of weeks after you get your puppy home. 1 TBSP to 2 cups of water. It is important to feed a high quality dog food. We feed Nutri Source Puppy and California Natural Puppy.

If your puppy does not want to eat well after you get him/her home, you can entice a poor eater with some cooked chicken, or roast beef and cut it into small pieces and mixing it with a little bit of the dry. Also Science Diet canned food can be used. If your puppy refuses to eat mix beef baby food, corn syrup and a little water and syringe this in his mouth until his tummy feels full.

If your puppy is lethargic, listless, shaky give 3 TBSP of Karo corn syrup and watch very closely, if not recoveredin 1 hour call your vet. If this happens repeat corn syrup for the next 3 days. If you have questions feel free to call or email me.

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