- Basic dog potty training tips
- Super fast 5 ½ day crate potty training system
- Day by day schedule for 5 ½ day crate potty training system.
- How to solve the 10 most common potty training problems.
- How to deal with “accident”
- How to potty train two or more dogs at the same time in the same home.
BASIC DOG POTTY TRAINING TIPS:
It is recommended that you purchase a Siberian Husky that is at least eight weeks in age. This is for maturity and vaccination reasons. Plus, after the age of eight weeks a puppy is physically and mentally ready to be potty trained.
The key, is to follow a potty training plan that has a specific schedule and is filled with consistency and persistence. If you stick with the plan discussed in this e-book you can have your cute Siberian Husky puppy potty trained in as little as 5 ½ days. Your Siberian Husky is ready to learn if you are ready to teach them.
- Consistency – Dogs thrive on routines and consistency. They are environmental learners and will associate specific times of day and certain areas as their bathroom areas. Therefore, make it a point to take your puppy to the SAME SPOT or area each time you take them outside to go to the bathroom. This not only teaches them where to relieve themselves, but saves your yard from being filled with dog waste.
- Understand your dog’s bodily waste schedule – This means you need to realize that dog’s typically have to go after meals and at certain times during the day. Your puppy will follow a similar plan to you as far as their bathroom habits. Take them outside to relieve themselves first thing in the morning and right before bedtime. They will need to go outside after eating as well as after waking up from a nap.
- Paper training can help potty train your Siberian Husky – You can use paper training to help your dog understand where to go if they can’t hold it. However, you don’t want to get them used to going indoors. To combat this you can place paper outside as well and teach them to relieve themselves on the paper outside.
- Praise, praise, praise! – It is crucial that you praise and support your puppy when they relieve themselves outside. Make a party out of it if you have to. Your puppy should associate warm, pleasant feelings with going the bathroom outside. Smile at them, pet them, and talk to them in the super sweet doggy voice.
*Note: Do not reprimand them if they go the bathroom inside, but it is on the paper. Remember, that’s ok. That is where you trained them to go. Don’t comment about it because you want them to get used to going the bathroom outside. Keep in mind that puppies may not have the best “aim” and may be standing on the paper, but actually go the bathroom next to it. Don’t get mad about it. They made an effort to go on the paper, but need a little help with their depth perception!
- Limit food and water at bedtime – Does your puppy have accidents during the night? Try limiting the amount of food and water they have available at bedtime and through the night. Don’t do this for long periods of time because you don’t want your Siberian Husky to become dehydrated. Their bladder will eventually mature so they can wait longer periods of time without the need to go outside.
- During potty training, “outside” only means bathroom – When your puppy goes outside to relieve themselves they may become distracted by the bug hopping on the porch or the leaves blowing around the yard. Do not let them play outside until they are completely housetrained.
- Try again later if your puppy doesn’t relieve themselves – Sometimes you’ll take your puppy out to go the bathroom and either a) they don’t have to go or b) they have stage fright. Take your puppy back inside and try again in a little while. Don’t scold them for not going. Maybe they really had an empty tank and didn’t need to go the bathroom.
- Watch over your puppy like “Big Brother” – The best course of action is to prevent accidents before they happen. How can you do that? You can prevent accidents by watching your dog every moment of the day. This is not always feasible so you can keep them in a secure area as well. Keep them in an area that has a floor you can easily clean.
- Be patient – We will teach you a routine to have your Siberian Husky potty trained in 5 ½ days, but remember they can fall off the bandwagon from time to time. This is normal and even expected.
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The Siberian Husky puppy will need to go the bathroom quite often. Keep this in mind during potty training. Younger puppies need to go outside more frequently then older puppies do.
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The “tinkle dance” – The tinkle dance is the classic sign that your dog is about to relieve himself. Dogs need to scope out an area to go the bathroom. They do this by sniffing around the ground (or floor). The sniffing becomes more intense and the dog will start walking around in circles. They are closing in on their target. Very soon after they will find a suitable spot and go the bathroom.
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Create a verbal cue – You can create a verbal command to help speed up the bathroom process. For example, once outside you can tell your dog to “Go potty” or “Tinkle”. This can be effective especially if your dog tends to get distracted. You don’t have to use it, but it can speed up the process.
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Create a safe outside environment – Take your dog out on a six foot leash to go the bathroom if your yard is not fenced in. You don’t want them to suddenly dash at the squirrel that is scurrying across the street. Being unattended and unrestrained can be very dangerous for puppies and dogs of any age. Remember that a fenced in yard does not always prevent your dog from wandering. However, some breeds will grow to a size that allows them to jump over the fence and escape.
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Dogs prefer a clean sleeping area – Crate training is a great method to use when potty training your dog. Your dog will not want to go the bathroom while in their crate. When using this method is critical that you supervise your dog. You don’t want lack of attention to be the cause of their potty “accident”.
SUPER FAST 5 ½ DAY POTTY TRAINING METHOD – “USING THE CRATE”
You can either use a crate or a small, enclosed area. A crate is recommended because this is the dog’s sleeping area. Dogs do not want to soil their sleeping quarters. Therefore, if they soil their crate they are soiling where they rest their head at night. The crate is an extreme motivator to get your Siberian Husky be learn to relieve themselves outside.
Make sure the crate you choose isn’t too big. You don’t want your Siberian Husky to have the luxury of soiling one end of the crate while they sleep at the other end. This will defeat the purpose of the crate as your Siberian Husky will be able to avoid sleeping where they have soiled the crate.
What are “piddle pads”? Piddle pads or puppy training pads, are pads made of a super absorbent polymer that traps in urine moisture and odors. Piddle pads have a scent that attracts puppies to them and instinctively urges them to go the bathroom on the pads. You can find a variety of piddle pads on the Internet and at pet supply stores such as PetSmart.
If you do place newspapers or piddle pads in the crate make sure to change them as often as you can. It is a matter of sanitation and comfort for both you and your Siberian Husky. Eliminate the odors and mess of soiled newspapers and pads as soon as possible.
What should I place inside the crate? The crate will be your dogs “bedroom”. Therefore, you want to make it as comfortable and inviting as possible. This is very important if you are going to leave your puppy in the crate for extended periods of time. Your Siberian Husky puppy is like your baby and you should treat him with loving care.
Items you should place in the crate include: water dish, sleeping pad/blankets, bones, and toys. Dogs, Siberian Huskys included, love to swat at their water dish every now and then. This can become a wet mess. Find a water dish that will attach to your crate. This type of water dish is much harder to tip over. Your Siberian Husky will be prevented from showering themselves and the floor with water.
Make the crate a safe haven for your Siberian Husky. Make sure, however, that you don’t put the crate in a far off corner of your home. You want a quiet space, but you don’t want your dog to feel like they have been sent to Siberia. Try to place the crate in the washroom, kitchen, or bathroom.
As mentioned earlier, you can confine your dog to a small area instead of a crate. Some people don’t like to look at the wire bars of a crate. If you don’t like this “cage” look you can purchase a heavy duty plastic travel kennel. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. In addition, you can use them when you go on trips.
If you do not want to use a crate or kennel then make sure your small space is not in a deserted area of your home. Avoid shutting a door to a room as a means of confining your Siberian Husky. They want to see what is going on and will feel lonely and isolated in this case. Use a baby gate across the door instead. Your Siberian Husky will be properly confined, but will still feel like a member of your household. Plus wouldn’t you miss looking at the cute Siberian Husky face?!
Just like a child that is being sent to their room, your Siberian Husky may put up a stink about going in their crate. They will whine and bark. Be strong and don’t give in to your Siberian Husky’s tantrum. Don’t be a sucker to their sweet black eyes because if you give them an inch they will take a mile. If the whining persists then say “no” in a low, firm voice. Eventually they will give up and fall asleep. It is a matter of wills and your will needs to last longer than your Siberian Husky’s.
If the whining doesn’t die down eventually and becomes more intense. Check your Siberian Husky to see if he needs to go outside or is hungry. If you have a separate dish for food, your Siberian Husky may hit the food bowl as indication that they are hungry. You need to keep to your feeding schedule though. Don’t give your Siberian Husky food if it is not dinner time yet. If you do, they will associate hitting their food dish with getting food whenever they want. As far as a bathroom break, watch for the “tinkle” dance.
Thankfully Siberian Huskys are a smart breed so placing them in their crate is not a big deal. However, the goal is to have your Siberian Husky walk into their crate on your command. If you have to always lift them up and put them in the crate then you need to add an extra incentive. Try saying the voice command and then placing a treat inside their crate. They will go in to eat the treat and you should praise them. Use the command each time, but vary whether you give them a treat or not. Eventually they will become used to walking into the crate at your command.
It is tempting to let your puppy have the run of the house. If you do this, you must follow them wherever they go or you are going to stumble upon “accidents”. Therefore, it is suggested that you don’t let your pooch have a run of the house until they are fully potty trained. So start with the crate and move your way up to more freedom in the house.
THE 5 ½ DAY POTTY TRAINING SCHEDULE:
Hopefully you have read this information before you brought your lovely Siberian Husky home. The reason being is that you want to start potty training from the minute you bring your puppy home. Sound too soon? Well, it’s not because dogs are environmental learners. Many times they make associations with different items in their environment. This is why you want to create the correct associations with regards to the bathroom before they cement any bad habits in their psyche.
You are probably wondering why the potty training schedule is 5 ½ days and not 5 or 6 days instead. The ½ day refers to the afternoon/night that you bring your puppy home from the breeder. This ½ day plays an integral role in your Siberian Husky’s potty training as it is when they will first experience you and your home.
Following is a step by step routine for the 5 ½ day potty training program. Adhere to this schedule diligently and your Siberian Husky will be well on their way to being potty trained. It must be noted that with any program results may vary slightly based on the needs of your Siberian Husky.
THE ½ DAY INTRODUCTION – YOUR PUPPY ARRIVES HOME:
- Your Siberian Husky will most likely need to go the bathroom. Carry him to the area in your yard where you would like him to go the bathroom. If he doesn’t go the bathroom right away, wait until he does. He may spend time exploring the area, but that is fine because you want him to become comfortable with your yard. Don’t forget to clap and smile when he does go the bathroom. You want him to associate relieving himself in this area with your approval and praise.
- Take your Siberian Husky inside right after he goes the bathroom. You don’t want him to associate being outside with play time. That comes later after he is potty trained.
- Play with him and cuddle with him for about an hour. Watch for any signs that he has to go the bathroom, such as the “tinkle” dance.
- Take him outside to see if he will go the bathroom again. You will need to take your Siberian Husky outside several times per day. Puppies have very little bladder control, and smaller dog breeds need to relieve themselves more often. Take your Siberian Husky outside every 30 minutes for a bathroom break. Your puppy may not have to go the bathroom, but praise your puppy for going outside anyway. You can extend the length between bathroom breaks as your puppy matures. Remember you need to create his potty schedule and try to prevent accidents.
- Time for dinner! Place his dinner in the crate with him. He may not eat it right away as he is still adjusting to his new environment. Immediately take him outside to go the bathroom. It might take up to a half an hour for your Siberian Husky to go the bathroom so be patient. It is very likely, though, that your puppy will defecate within 5-15 minutes after eating. This is due to the gastro-colic reflex which prompts bowel movements after eating. If your Siberian Husky appears to be just wandering around the yard, he may have become distracted and forgot why he was out there. A verbal cue such as “go potty” will help him to get back on track. Get him moving as well. Run around the yard and have him follow you. This will increase his activity level which can help stimulate a bowel movement.
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Take your Siberian Husky puppy outside for a bathroom break every 30 minutes until bedtime. Carry him from his crate to the outside and vice versa. Why? Well, if your Siberian Husky is allowed to run loose, right after he is taken out of his crate, he may be tempted to go the bathroom on the carpet.
- It’s bedtime! Take your Siberian Husky out for one last bathroom break before bed. Place him in his crate for the night. It is typical, if not expected, that he will cry and howl throughout the night. Part of this stems from adjusting to the new environment or he might have to go the bathroom.
Take him outside to see if he has to go the bathroom. If he doesn’t go the bathroom, put him back in his crate. Don’t let him sleep anywhere else or this will lessen the effectiveness of crate training. He may continue to howl. You can place a clock that ticks beside his crate. The constant tick of the clock mimics his mother’s heartbeat and might help him to fall asleep. Eventually he will fall asleep. He’s a dog and dogs love to sleep!
NOTE: It is vital to take your dog outside through the same door each time. This will cement in their mind where they need to go to head outside for a bathroom break.
THE FIRST FULL DAY WITH YOUR SIBERIAN HUSKY PUPPY:
- Carry your puppy outside first thing in the morning to go the bathroom. Do this right away. Don’t make breakfast first.
- Feed him breakfast in the crate and take him out again. After a few meals you will begin to determine whether he usually needs to outside immediately after meals or if he can wait a few minutes.
- Play with your Siberian Husky in a confined area of your home. Keep your eyes on him at all times. Prevent “accidents” whenever you can by being an all seeing eye.
- Take him outside every 30 minutes throughout the day to go the bathroom. Remember to praise him immediately after he goes the bathroom. Stay with him outside for up to 30 minutes to see if he will go the bathroom. Patience is a virtue and you definitely need it right now.
- When you are inside the time should be split between meals, playtime, and sleeping in his crate. Dogs love routines and will adjust to your daily routine in no time flat!
- Lastly, take him out before bedtime. “Accidents” are bound to happen so don’t be too upset. Be patient, consistent, and persistent and your Siberian Husky will be potty trained quickly.
THE SECOND FULL DAY THROUGH THE FIFTH FULL DAY:
Repeat the six steps from the “First full day”. It is critical that you don’t deviate from the schedule and plan. If you stick to the plan the odds are great that your puppy will be potty trained in just 5 ½ days! There was a great deal of effort involved, but it was worth every minute of it.
Your best bet—Keep to the schedule!
The very best you can do to get your dog to respond to your house training efforts is to stick to the schedule.
Are you wondering what’s the big deal if a dog gets tuned into a schedule? Are you thinking it is not what you expected from a house training book—you wanted a miracle and what you got was a ‘stick with the program’ moral?
Well the miracle lies in the fact that you could get your dog to follow a routine. Left to your dog he would have loved to jump on the bed, pull apart the cushions and pee wherever he felt like! You instead, made sure he ate on time, went to the bathroom spot outside of the house on time and bonded with you. Isn’t that sort of a miracle?
Why does a routine or schedule, a crate, and a couple of housetraining words work? It works because it has been proved that:
- Dogs always develop elimination habits in the first month of their lives if kept on a routine.
- Dogs will never mess up and eliminate in the place where they sleep.
- Dogs like to go back to the same spot they did before.
- Dogs according to Pavlov can be trained to a conditioned stimulus, which means they can be trained to eliminate in a particular spot and by repetition of certain words repeated over and over again.
- Stay calm and don’t yell at the dog—think about it, if you had kept an eye on the dog the accident wouldn’t have happened. So stay clam and don’t take it out on the dog.
- Use newspaper to soak up the urine/ or pick up the stool and let your dog watch as you flush it all away.
- Clean up the mess with the odor eliminator and take your dog outside to the potty spot.
Here’s a tip: Never use ammonia-based clean up stuff because they give off the urine smell that might attract the dog again to do potty there!
Here’s a recap of some more dos and don’ts of housetraining to keep you on track:
Do be there for the first two weeks of your dog’s arrival.
Do prepare for your dog’s arrival by marking out the elimination spot and getting a crate for the dog.
Do make sure that the area you allot for your dog has linoleum floors and is close to the elimination spot.
Do not punish your dog physically for accidents.
Do plan a schedule that is realistic enough to follow.
Do plan out the diet correctly and fix the timings.
Do make sure that the first place you take your dog to when you get him home for the first time is the elimination spot.
Do choose the right housetraining commands to associate with the elimination process so that your dog can make the connection also.
Do praise your dog every time he does his pee and poop job in the right place.
Do take your dog out to the elimination spot 10 minutes and again 30 minutes after every meal.
Do take your dog out to the elimination spot after every drink he has. • Do take your dog to the potty spot after every nap.
Do take your dog out to the potty spot every 30 minutes to an hour—set the timer if necessary.
Do make sure that you make your dog see the crate as his private den. • Do not use the crate as a place of punishment.
Do not allow your dog the free run of the house until he is housetrained. Always have the dog under your supervision till he is trained.
Do be sure to limit the water intake in the evening—have a cut off point after which you do not give water to your dog.
Have a realistic expectation for your Siberian Husky. They are after all animals—no matter what you do, you cannot expect them to open the latch, do their job, cover up the potty and walk around with a clean behind. That is a bit too much to ask for your pooch. You should appreciate yourself as well as your dog for being able to follow a routine that would bring order to both of your lives. Incorporating structure and rules will not only help the dog live in your house without any accidents but the scheduling of meals and brushing and training will help him live a longer happier life.
HOW TO SOLVE THE 10 MOST COMMON POTTY TRAINING PROBLEMS:
You have followed the 5 ½ day potty training plan, but your Siberian Husky has been stubborn and put up a fight. What is going on? Why won’t your Siberian Husky become potty trained? There are several reasons ranging from mental to physical that could be the cause of your unsuccessful potty training.
Following is a list of 10 common potty training problems and how you can solve them.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #1: Physical Problems
Your Siberian Husky may be suffering from an undiagnosed medical condition such as a parasite infection or urinary tract infection. Both of these infections can cause an excessive need to urinate. Consult your veterinarian if you think a medical or physical cause may be to blame.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #2: Territorial considerations
Dogs are territorial by nature and mark their territory with their bodily waste. Gross, yes. But it is fact of nature for your Siberian Husky.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #3: Going the bathroom in the same spot in your home
Your dog may have a penchant for a particular spot in your home. Your Siberian Husky continues to soil this area. Why? It may be due to the fact that there are still odor remnants in the spot. Your dog wishes to enhance their territorial scent and knows this is one of their markings.
Use a strong urine odor cleaning solution, such as “Simple Solution, which is geared towards animal messes. By removing the odor you will decrease the odds that your Siberian Husky will be attracted to that spot.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #4: Your yard if full of too much dog waste
Your dog does not want to have to go the bathroom in a stool infested yard! Make sure to regularly clean up his stools. Your dog will perceive your yard as dirty and will want to go the bathroom in a clean area such as inside your home. Avoid this temptation by keeping your yard clean. Having a clean yard will probably make your family and neighbors happy too!
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #5: You use the “paper training” method incorrectly
Newspaper and piddle pads should ONLY be used when you leave your dog alone for extended periods of time. Don’t place them around your home because your dog will then believe it is ok to go the bathroom in your home. Paper training in this manner will slow down, if not halt, your potty training process.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #6: Submissive urination
Does your dog urinate when you have company ring the doorbell? Or do they urinate when they are about to be scolded? This is a temporary bladder control condition that will eventually cease with maturity and behavior training. Try to avoid this situation by placing your dog in their crate when you expect company or when the doorbell rings.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #7: Separation Anxiety
It can be heart wrenching to hear your puppy whine and moan when you leave them for the day or to go run errands. They need to adapt to being alone for certain periods of time. However, they may soil your home as a result of the anxiety. This can be alleviated through maturity. You can also combat it by taking them outside to go the bathroom immediately before you leave.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #8: The wrath of phobias and fears
Some dogs have been known to have the urge to urinate or defecate after riding in a car or even seeing a car. If your dog is shaking as well they may have a phobia of the car or going to the veterinarian. Give them time to go the bathroom before you go to the veterinarian. Also let them relieve themselves the minute you get to the veterinarian to avoid any accidents in your car.
Loud noises can scare your Siberian Husky and they may urinate or defecate out of fear. Try to keep loud noises to a minimum or distract them if you can.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #9: You didn’t purchase your Siberian Husky from a breeder
Did you purchase your Siberian Husky from a puppy store at the mall or pet store? Puppies that come from these places have become accustomed to residing in bottomless wire crates. These types of crates allow them to go the bathroom wherever they want in their crate because it will sink to the bottom and be cleaned up by the store manager.
Try purchasing your Siberian Husky from a breeder to avoid this problem. If you do purchase from a pet store setting just note that it may take longer to potty train your Siberian Husky puppy. You have to break their old bad habits in addition to creating the new proper potty habits.
POTTY TRAINING PROBLEM #10: You are too slow to act
You may follow the routine, but sometimes you will have distractions of your own that stand in the way. Your Siberian Husky may be whining and doing the “tinkle” dance when the phone rings. You reach for the phone only to realize that your Siberian Husky has gone tinkle on the floor. This “accident” could have been prevented if you had tended to your Siberian Husky first and let your answering machine pick up the phone call.
These are the 10 most common potty training mistakes. However, there are two other major areas of concern when conducting your potty training program. The two areas involve how to react to an “accident” and what if you have two or more dogs to potty train?
HOW TO RESPOND TO “ACCIDENTS”:
Accidents are par for the course. How you respond to them can positively or negatively affect their frequency. Responding in the proper manner can make a drastic difference in the number of accidents.
Dogs have an extremely short attention span. Therefore, you need to catch them in the act. If you find your dog going the bathroom in your home, act swiftly. Calmly pick him up and say “no” in a low, firm voice. Yes, he might still be going to the bathroom. Immediately take him outside to your “bathroom area” and tell him that this is where he should go the bathroom.
Allow him to finish going the bathroom. Lavish him with praise the second he is done going the bathroom. It may take him a few minutes to complete the job. You want him to associate a low, scary voice and reaction with going the bathroom in the house. In contrast you want him to associate a happy, joyful reaction when he goes the bathroom outside in the designated “bathroom area”.
Many times you will catch him after the fact. If you scold him now, he will have no idea why. He may make an association between scolding and coming to you. Don’t let this happen.
Avoid rubbing his nose in the mess. Your dog may be confused and may actually perceive your actions as a means of reinforcing that this is the correct spot to go the bathroom! Do not hit or yell at your dog. Not only is this inhumane, but it will frighten your dog. You should love your little Siberian Husky and protect them from harm.
HOW TO POTTY TRAIN TWO OR MORE DOGS AT THE SAME TIME IN THE SAME HOME:
Having two or more puppies in your home has potential problems. Dogs have the “pack” instinct and will create a pecking order between the dogs. Thankfully the Siberian Husky is a smart dog and may not be as susceptible to this behavior as other breeds.
However, having two more dogs can lessen the human bond with each dog. The two dogs will view each other as their friend as opposed to the human. The two dogs will want to please each other more then they please the human. This can cause the dogs to be stubborn when you try to potty train them. Siberian Huskys have been known be a stubborn breed by nature. So you will have plenty of work on your hands dealing with their stubbornness.
You can raise two or more puppies together you just have to make sure you give plenty of individual attention to each puppy. You will need to have a separate crate for each puppy and work with them one-on-one as far as potty training. The potty training process may take longer, but it can be done.
ONE LAST NOTE ON POTTY TRAINING:
The potty training process can be aggravating at times, but is worth its weight in gold. Strive to stick with the plan to a tee and you will reach a high level of success. Make the process fun and you will create a strong bond with your Siberian Husky.
One other potty training technique you can employ has to do with how your dog informs you that they have to go the bathroom. Small breeds can sometimes be hard to hear. They may whimper to go out, but it is a soft bark. Guess what. You can actually train them to hit a bell when they want to go outside.
How do you train them to ring a bell when they want to go to the bathroom? First, find a small bell that is bigger than their paw. Place it on a hook or nail in the wall that is close to the floor and right by the door you take them out to go the bathroom. Second, take their paw and tap the bell each time before you take them out. Praise them for hitting the bell (even though you helped them).
Eventually they will associate the bell with going outside and a positive reaction from you. Remember to only allow them to hit the bell immediately before they go outside to go the bathroom. You will be ecstatic the first time you hear them hit the bell on their own!
