Puppy housebreaking

So you got your new puppy and the little bugger is really cute. The only problem is, that he pees in all kinds of inappropriate places, runing your floor with urin stains. This can become a real problem. Just imagine your houseguests noticing it – or even stepping into a puddle of dog urin! To prevent this from happening, new dog owners need to adhere to strict housebreaking practices. Up until 12 weeks, dogs can'T hold their urin, so you have to first find a designated spor for him to urinate. You can use layers of newspaper, but it's better to use special pee pads for dogs. The reason for this is, that a dog is more likely to pee where there is any urine smell. So make sure to get really absorbant pads. Then, you can take your dog to the pad whenever he had some food or drinks. Make sure to praise him, after he did his „job“. This way, he learns, that peeing on the pad is the right thing to do. Never use physical violence against your dog. It only creates anxiety, and a promotes a bad, unloving relationship. You don't want that to happen!

If you have the luxury of not living in the city, you can take your puppy outdoors after every meal, so he can learn to pee outdoors. This is very hard if you are living a busy life in the city, because puppies pee up to 6 times every day, You better have a good and dedicated dog sitter/trainer on hand.

The only problem with using pee pads is, that they work best for smaller breeds, because big dogs pee too much and the pads won't hold. Still, they're a great solution for toy breeds. I'm wishing you lots of success, housebreaking your new puppy :)

How to find the best dog walker

Are you living in a small appartment with your dog? Sometimes, this is the only way to afford a place to stay in big citys like New York. Still, your pet needs a lot of activity and because you can't offer him a large patch of land to run around freely, you have to walk him. Unfortunatly, most of us lead a very busy life. We have to attend meetings, we got our friends and social life. A dog puts on an additional strain. But: We decided to be responsible for our friend. That is why we have to walk him, to keep him healthy and happy. The best solution to this dilemma is a dog walker. Sure, you have to pay them good money, but in the end, it is only fair to your dog to get enough fresh air. If oyu have already decided to bite the bullet, here are a couple of tips to help you choose the right service.

Do you like it personal?

It is always advisable to think about the kind of service you'd like. If you know king of queens, there is holly, a nice and friendly girl from the neighbourhood walking dogs. Over the time of the show, a relationship between the heffernans and Holly develops. This is something that can be very nice. It's an advantage over big, anonymous dog walking companies. They do have the advantage of offering security – you know what you will get!

Do interviews!

If you want to go the personal route, conduct personal interviews. This will help you get to know the person better. Try to feel her/him, probe his or her mind a little to find out the dog walkers trustworthiness. Does he have a reference? Can he handle your dog? Does he walk him in groups or alone? While group walks are cheaper, they are no option, if your dog is kinda „complicated“!

About trust...

You are entrusting your new walker with your dog. This is already a huge step. But you have to trust more. In order to make this whole endeavour work, you need to give your dog walker a spare appartment key, to access your pet while you are away or at work. Some people worry about this. You can still set up a small IP Webcam, to monitor the situation at home – even from the workplace (make sure your boss allows it!). This does not build trust, but eases your mind.

Additional tips

Prepare a list of places your dog likes to go. Dog parks are nice most of the time. Do not fear to let your new dog walker make the decision. He propably has a lot experience to offer. That's also the reason why you should not fear letting your doggie go. Relax. Everything will be fine. If you did your job in the selecting the right person, you have nothing to worry – he will be in good, caring hands.

Problems of public dog parks

If you own a dog, it is not enough to do obedience training. He needs to stay healthy and fit at all times. You may already walk him several times per day, but off-leash excercice is even better to strengthen your pets body and healthy. Dog parks offer the perfect venue for this kind of training. These are fenced areas, often designated by the city to cope with dog owners demands, to have a plot of land, where their pets can run around freely. And: It is good that these dog parks exist! Afterall, it's not only the unrestricted movement which makes them a must visit for dog friends. It is also easy for doggie to socialize with other dogs. This can also improve his health. You might also find other dog owners tot talk to – so a visit to the dog park is time well spent!

There is one problem with public parks though: They're often not well maintained and completely unrestricted. While having a lot of freedom isn't a bad thing, it can also lead to problems. There have been quite some serious incidents over the past years, were some dogs were bullied. The reason for this is, that dogs with very aggressive attitudes are allowed into the par as well.

A private dog park on the other hand side, can restrict bad behaving dogs from entering. This way, especially anxious dogs profit. A private owner can also designate certain areas for smaller bread dogs, so they won't be hassled by big dogs. Because privatly owned dog parks cost money to enter, their are better maintained, they can invest in better ground preparation and work on ensuring a satisfiyng user experience.

Still, it is the main responsibility of the dog owner to make sure his pet stays safe. The responsibility starts with choosing the right dog park.

Does your dog hate your partner?

It is a very bad situation to be in: Your dog dislikes your new partner. Or at least it seems to be the case! He barks at him all the time, even bites him. This behaviour is not acceptable. Not amon humans, and not in human-pet relationships. That is the reason why you should think about the possible causes for your dogs agressive behaviour.

The first question your should ask yourself is, if he hates every male. It is very common for traumatized dogs to hate males because they were severely mistreated, even abused by males in the past. So if your dog is from an animal shelter, or an animal rescue organisation, this could be the case. It is very hard to deal with such a pet, but not impossible with the help of experienced dog training specialist.

A more likely cause could be the status of your new partner in the social hirarchy. Dogs live in packs and they do have alpha dogs who lead. You have established yourself as the pack leader so your dog behaves and follows your orders. But a new person in the household needs to prove himself first. So what can you do? The first thing is to advice him, to look out for his body language. It should signal strength at all times. He should treat the dog with consequence and should not let the pet dominate him in any way. This quickly solves the hirarchy problem..

It might show, that it wasn't your pet „hating“ your partner, but dominating him. Not a good situation to be in, but solvable. I wish you all the best, because i know, that such problems can seriously damage a new relationship. But this should not stop you. A dog is a variable to look out for, but that is all.