Luvk9s Dog Training

Is eliminating faster a bone of contention? 

 
Is there any dog owner who hasn’t experienced the frustration of standing outside in the cold, rain or snow waiting for their dog to “do his business?” Why does it take some dogs so long to decide to go?

“Good Morning America” resident veterinarian Marty Becker, in his book “Why do dogs drink out of the toilet?,” feels that feces, like “pee mail,” is an important form of communication for dogs.

“A dog might well want to carefully evaluate the pros and cons of planting a fecal flag in some other dog’s territory,” he notes. “Obviously, this is a decision that requires careful thought.”

In reality, for most dogs, taking their time to do their business is a learned behavior.

Look at it from a dog’s point of view. Many dogs are taken out for what trainers call a “potty walk.” The dog is taken out on leash for a walk – one of a canine’s greatest pleasures – and as soon as the dog potties, the walk ends. No wonder most dogs dally to extend the time they are outdoors for as long as possible.

There is no better time than the present to address this behavior – and it’s very easy to do.

+ Take the dog outside on leash to potty and wait three minutes.

+ If the dog doesn’t eliminate, bring him back inside.

+ Puppies that are not completely housetrained should be taken out again in 10-15 minutes. Take a house-trained dog back outside in about an hour.

+ If the dog eliminates, praise him – and then give him the ultimate reward – a walk.

+ If the dog does not eliminate, keep repeating the first three steps until he does.

+ Eventually, your dog will learn that going potty results in a walk – and he will hurry to get to his walk faster.

Focus on teaching this behavior now while the weather is nice, and, hopefully, you will never need to wait your dog out in bad weather again.ype your paragraph here.