| Because dogs/puppies are creatures of habit, schedules are very
important. You need to schedule when to feed, water, exercise and take your dog/puppy
outdoors to eliminate. You will want to get your new friend housebroken very quickly
and, without a schedule, housebreaking can be a very long drawn-out ordeal.
If you know when he ate and filled his bladder up with water you will have a pretty
good idea when he will need to be taken outdoors to eliminate. You will also be
training his digestive system as well, which will help take some of the guesswork
out of housebreaking. Remember preventive training - it's always best to be thinking
ahead. Take your dog outside when you think he might have to eliminate, rather
than wait too long and run the risk of your puppy/dog having an accident indoors.
The more times your puppy/dog eliminates outdoors where you want him to, the slimmer
the chance for him to have an accident indoors. The clearer the picture to the
dog/puppy, the quicker they will catch on to what you want from them. They really
want to please you and you can show them how to do it. Always accompany
your dog/puppy outdoors. That way, you can take him to a pre-selected area in
your yard to eliminate in, therefore doing away with the habit of smelling the
whole yard to find the desired area to eliminate. You will also be assured that
your dog/puppy has eliminated before bringing him indoors, and you can praise
him. Exercise is important for all dogs. Between 40% to 60% of all adult
dogs are either overweight or likely to get that way due to diet and lack of an
exercise program. Lack of exercise can cause dogs/puppies to exhibit destructive
chewing behavior because they become bored or are trying to burn off excess energy.
Taking your dog/puppy for a 15-20 minute walk can help socialize him, give you
both something to do together (bonding), and what a great way to exercise. -------------------------------------------------
// ------------------------------------------------ Reprinted with permission
by Ralston Purina | 
