Puppy mill breeder dogs are often kept in small cages for their entire lives.
Rescuing a puppy mill breeder dog is a challenge, especially if the dog has lived in a small cage at the puppy mill for its entire life. These dogs can be extremely fearful of their new environment, including the outdoors. Housetraining an adult dog that's lived in a cage can be a long process. Don't ever punish the dog when it has an accident. Instead, give it a special treat as a reward when it goes in the right place.
Instructions
1. Provide the dog with a crate to allow it to feel secure. Place the crate in a small, quiet room or space, and confine the dog to that area of the house. Leave the door of the crate open so the dog can leave its bed to relieve itself in another area of the room. Cover the entire floor with potty pads so you can clean it easily when the dog has an accident. As the dog's training progresses and it becomes more consistent, you can reduce the area covered with pads.
2. Anticipate the times when the dog needs to relieve itself and take it outside to a specific area if it's not too fearful of the outdoors. If it's too fearful at first to take it outside, wait to see if the dog chooses an area of its space to relieve itself. If the dog doesn't choose an area outside its crate, pick one and take the dog to that area every few hours.
3. Praise the dog and give it a special treat such as a small piece of cheese or meat whenever it uses the designated area to relieve itself, whether the space is outdoors or indoors. Reserve the special treat for this accomplishment so the dog learns to associate the reward with going in the right place.
4. Take the dog to different rooms in the house or outdoors for short periods of time before returning it to its own space. This will introduce a fearful dog to different sights and sounds gradually and is also a way to introduce it to walking on a leash. If the dog begins to sniff or circle, or starts to pass waste in the wrong place, attempt to move the dog to the designated area. If it is too late to move the dog, clean up the mess and do not punish the dog.
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