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CARING FOR YOUR DOG    

Tips on Potty Training Your Cavalier

1.       Set up your dog's crate before you bring him home.

2.       Choose the outdoor potty area before bringing your dog home.

3.       Take notice of your dog's pre-potty routine.

4.       Make sure to take your puppy out every one or two hours immediately after bringing him home.

5.       Use the same words and take the same route to the potty spot during training.

6.       Praise your dog when successfully using potty spot, a treat is also an effective reward for a job well done.

7.       Do not punish your dog if he has an accident in the house.

8.       Never give an untrained puppy the run of the house without your direct supervision at all times.

9.       Don't place your puppy in extended solitary confinement in either his crate or in your yard.

10.   Avoid distracting your puppy while he is going in the potty area.

11.   Do not expect your puppy to hold it the whole day while you're at work.

How to Avoid/Handle Potty Accidents

1.       If your puppy doesn't go during the scheduled time at the potty place, take him back to his crate immediately.

2.       If after a few attempts there is still no business done, you might try taking him out of crate but don't take your eyes off him.

3.       Signs that a pup has to go include: intense sniffing, pacing, circling and any sudden stop during an activity.

4.       Take your puppy out every 20 minutes until he goes, and he will eventually go, then praise him lavishly when he does.

5.       If an accident occurs inside do not punish him, scold him, or rub his nose in his mistake.

6.       Puppies are not capable of associating your punishments with any past event, and will not understand why it is happening.

7.       Refusal to look at you or a tail between the legs is not a sign of guilt over a potty accident.

8.       Puppies have no concept of guilt, and the body language you observe are most likely an expression of uneasiness, distress, or even fear.

9.       When faced with an accident, simply clean it thoroughly and focus on what you can do differently to prevent it from happening again.

10.   If an accident occurs while your back is turned, the solution is not to have him outside of his crate unless you can pay full attention to him.

11.   If he goes in his crate, the crate is probably too big. A crate should be just big enough for him to stand up in and turn around.

12.   Crate accidents usually occur if your puppy is left alone in the crate for more than 3 to 4 hours.

13.   If there seems to be no warning before an accident, observe and review his behavior before the event occurred and look for it next time.

14.   If repeated accidents occur in the same place, make sure you clean the accident thoroughly, and remember not to give an untrained dog too much indoor freedom.

How Age Relates to Training

1.       Though your puppy may show a good deal of success while training, avoid declaring him fully house-broken if he's less than 6 months old.

2.       6 month old puppies can know when and when not to go, however, they are not yet physically capable of preventing an accident.

3.       Avoid pushing the limits of your puppy's training during this period, and continue to keep him in the crate when he can't be supervised.

4.       After he is half a year old, some unsupervised freedom can be given, but continue to stay vigilant and avoid giving too much freedom too soon.

5.       Gradual expansion of freedom can be accomplished by giving him the run of just 1 or 2 rooms for starters.

6.       While observing your puppy, don't only look for whether he holds him business, but also watch for whether or not he digs at or chews any off-limits objects.

 



Outdoor Training Schedule

7:00 a.m. - Get up, take your puppy outside, and then put puppy back in crate.

7:30 a.m. - Feed puppy, give water, take your puppy outside, play with puppy for 15 minutes, then put back in crate.

9:30 a.m. - Give water, take your puppy outside, play with puppy for 15 minutes, then put back in crate.

12:00 p.m. - Feed puppy, give water, take your puppy outside, play with puppy for 15 to 30 minutes, then put back in crate.

2:30 p.m. - Give water, take your puppy outside, play with puppy for 15 minutes, then put back in crate.

5:30 p.m. - Feed puppy, give water, take your puppy outside, play with pup for up to an hour or let pup spend time with family.

7:00 p.m. - Take your puppy outside, play with puppy for 15 minutes, then put back in crate.

Before Bed - Take your puppy outside, then put back in crate.

During the Night - Take puppy outside if necessary.

 

 
 
 
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