One of the less than wonderful things about getting a new puppy
is having to housebreak it. Luckily, poodles are intelligent and
most pick up on where you want them to urinate and defecate quickly.
Even if the poodle puppy knows where it is supposed to go, however,
it may still have accidents due to the immaturity of its little
bladder.
The basic rules for poodle housebreaking are as follows:
Decide Where You Want the Poodle to Eliminate
Before you ever bring your puppy home, you should know where
you want your poodle to go potty. This should be the first place
it sees, even before you bring it into the house. When the poodle
urinates or defecates in the right spot, pet and praise it.
Use Crate Training
Poodle puppies view their crates as a den. Their instinct is
to keep the den clean, so they will try to control bowel and bladder
until they are out of the den. Place your puppy in its crate during
the night and for a few minutes after each meal. Then immediately
take it the elimination spot. The puppy should go potty right
away. When it does, give it plenty of praise.
Stay on Schedule
If possible, take your poodle puppy to the same spot at the same
times every day. While your puppy is small, you'll probably need
to schedule several visits to the potty site. As it gets older
and more able to control bowel and bladder functions, the number
of visits will decrease.
Watch for Cues
Your puppy may let you know through its behavior when it has
to go. Common signs of a full bladder include restlessness and
uneasiness, sniffing about the house looking for its "spot,"
and hanging around the door. Take the hint and get your puppy
to the elimination site right away. As always, praise your puppy
for doing the right thing.
Clean Accident Sites Thoroughly
If you come upon an accident, clean it up and use deodorizer
to mask the smell. Puppies rely on their nose to tell them where
to potty. If they can pick up the scent of urination or defecation
in the house, they'll go back to that spot and do the same thing
again.
If you do find an accident, don't rub the puppy's nose in it,
don't hit the puppy, and don't yell at it. Too much time has passed
for effective correction. Even if you think the puppy looks guilty,
it's probably just anxious from picking up on your anger.
If You Catch Your Puppy in the Act
If you come upon your puppy about to do, or doing, its business
on the floor, say, "No!" in a firm voice. Scoop the
puppy up and whisk it outside to its designated spot. When it
completes the job in the right place, give it plenty of praise.
Housebreaking an intelligent puppy like the poodle is not very
difficult.
Some people who want poodles, however, prefer to avoid the whole
puppy scene altogether. They are interested in poodle
rescue/adoption.
Got Dog
Problems? The GOOD news for YOU is that it's easier than you may think
to regain control of your Poodle. Discover all the latest PROVEN methods and
techniques YOU can use to train your Poodle. Find out about
Poodle Obedience Training
NOW!
