Use a leash to train dogs to eliminate in one spot.
Training your dog or puppy to go potty in one spot can make daily dog care a lot easier. And in wintertime it can help bring you and your pooch in from the cold faster. It also can save you and your visitors the task of cleaning shoes soiled by an embarrassingly wrong step in your yard. Some lawns benefit from training dogs to go potty in one spot. The high nitrogen content in dog urine can cause lawn burn patches on many types of grasses. Properly training your dog can restrict damage to one area.
Instructions
1. Contain your crate-trained puppy or dog in its crate at bedtime, if you're working with a crate-trained dog. Make sure the animal is comfortable being in the crate and exhibits no signs of distress. The crate should be large enough to accommodate the dog or puppy but not so large that the dog will be tempted to eliminate at one end of it. Sophia Yin, D.V.M., author of "Behave So Your Dog Behaves" suggests restricting access to fresh water until morning if you're working with a puppy.
2. Take your dog outside first thing in the morning on a leash. Bring a few dog treats with you. Walk your dog to the designated elimination spot quickly. Stand still to prevent your dog from wandering around.
3. As soon as your dog begins eliminating, use a verbal cue in an encouraging voice. This cue can be, "Go potty," "Hurry up" or any other phrase or word that you'll use every time you want to remind the dog to eliminate.
4. Immediately after your dog eliminates, feed it a treat while praising it warmly and petting it. Don't allow any time to lapse between when your dog is finished and when you give it the treat and praise. Your reinforcement of your dog's behavior should be immediate in order to be effective, says the Humane Society of the United States.
5. If your dog does not eliminate after you stand outside with it for 10 minutes, take it back inside. Wait 15 minutes before repeating the entire procedure again. Make sure you always walk your dog to the same spot. Repeat as often as necessary. In between attempts offer your dog food, water and playtime according to its regular schedule. Watch the dog carefully. Eating, drinking or playing may make it want to go potty, especially if it is a puppy. If you observe the dog whining, circling, sniffing the floor or panting, take it outside immediately.
6. Prompt your dog to go potty in one spot, after several weeks of practice. When you take it out, say the cue before it begins to eliminate. Quickly offer it a treat as soon as it is finished.
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