Blog — House-training

  Many people are aware that puppies go through a "fear period" where they are particularly sensitive to experiences, and that it is important to protect them from having bad experiences during this time. Did you know that there is a second "fear period" during adolescence? As dogs become sexually mature, they go through another imprinting phase where positive and negative experiences become especially salient to their learning and ultimately end up shaping their personality.      This is a great time to keep training and hand feeding high on the priority list. You will probably see breed traits become...

No matter what age your dog is, it's important to use a crate or kennel when housetraining, and also to keep them on a strict feeding and potty schedule. Dogs naturally keep their "den" clean, so by restricting their movement with a crate or kennel, you are encouraging this natural behavior. Keep to this strict crating protocol for at least six months. Once going to the bathroom outdoors becomes a habit, your dog should start asking to go out. Test them by gating them in a room with solid floors like tile, so if they do have an accident it...