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Having a puppy in your household never lets a dull day knock on your door. What could be more exciting than having a fur baby live with you? For some of you, it may also be a lifelong dream finally coming true. While everything about sharing your space with a pup sounds delightful, it starts going south when an untrained puppy takes over the house.
Procrastinating the process of house training a puppy can drive your pooch to eliminate in your house and ruin carpets and furniture. This is not a pretty scenario in the long run because not being able to control your little pup can put you and your family into distress. And most first-time pet parents are clueless regarding how to handle and control their furry companion. If you are one of them, here’s everything you need to do to house train your puppy.
This is not something that you take lightly. You need to be determined and consistent with the process if you want this to stay with your pup forever. House training a dog requires patience and perseverance. Create a routine and stick to it. Try to get your puppy used to walking on leash before you start potty training.
Note: You need to know that your dog is new to your house, it will need time to adjust in the brand-new environment. So, make sure that you do not develop a plan that is too overwhelming for your pet.
A routine always helps in the long run, whether it is for us or for our dogs, establishing a routine will help your dog to understand that there is a specific time to eat, play, sleep, or potty. So, with this, your dog will know that there is a particular time to poop as well. It is better to have a dog with a routine than the one who defecates anytime, anywhere.
Taking your puppy out at appropriate times is non-negotiable. Take it out for a walk right after it wakes up, during its play time, and after it eats or drinks because these are the times when dogs are most likely to want to go. Hence, keep a good gap between meals and water, and bedtime, so your pup does not have to hold their business in for too long.
As a dog parent, you must know that for every month of age, puppies can control its bladder for an hour! So, if your pup is 2 months old, it can hold its bladder for 2 hours. However, 6 hours is the limit. Dogs cannot control their bladder for more than 6 hours.
Commands can help pet parents in communicating with their pooch. If you use a command repeatedly for a certain action, your dog will begin to pick up on the relation between your words and the act. For example, if you keep using the phrase ‘go fetch’ while you throw a toy or a stick, your pet will start understanding that it needs to go and retrieve the object. Similarly, when you take your dog out on a leash and want them to defecate, use the phrase ‘go potty’ and point to a particular spot. This will help them realise that they need to go.
Rewards can help establish a healthy relationship between you and your four-legged friend. These rewards can be in the form of treats or playtime with its favorite toy. It will help you teach new commands while also encouraging good behavior. Make sure you are not showering treats on your pup before the task or action is complete. For example, give your pooch a treat after it has finished its potty round and not when it is in middle of it. Wondering why? Because then, your pup might not finish what it’s doing and have an accident later inside the house.
Note: If you feel that there's little to no progress, consult your veterinarian to rule out medical issues like bladder infections.
Now that you know how to house train a dog, you must understand that it is a time-consuming process. Your pup might take time to learn, however, with consistent practice, your dog will be obedient. Here are a few things you must know before you two get down to training:
When it comes to potty training, you must know that dogs do best on a thorough schedule. Hence, it is imperative that you make a routine for your dog. If you follow the feeding schedule, your puppy will automatically excrete at fixed times. Use positive potty-training methods to make sure that your puppy is not scared of you.
You can start training potty training your puppies at 12-16 weeks of age. At this stage they can already control their bladder and bowel movements. It takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be potty trained. However, it can even take a year for some dogs. If your dog doesn’t show any progress, please take it to a vet.
The objective of house training is to ensure that your pet poops at the right place.
Author: Dr. Diah Pawitri
When visiting the store, dog owners can get overwhelmed by the array of dog food options available, from dry kibble to canned wet food and more. These processed foods may not be appealing to humans, but they contain all the nutrients that dogs need to stay healthy. Like humans, dogs also need a variety of nutrients from their food, not just from meat as their main diet, but also from grains, vegetables, and fruits. This kind of balance is usually weighed by pet food labels in kibbles or wet food in grams for different types of dogs.
For optimum health, dogs need food that is tailored and customized to their life stages, starting from when they are puppies and all the way into adulthood. Puppies have completely different nutrient needs compared to adult dogs as they are still in their early stages of life. They need enough nutrients to fuel a speedy growth, especially after transitioning away from their mother's milk. Puppies require complete and balanced nutrition with protein to help build their tissues, fats or healthy skin, hair, brain, and vision, carbohydrates for energy, vitamins, minerals, and water.
The need for balanced nutrients in puppies starts with the mother during pregnancy, followed by lactation and growth. Sufficient nourishment for the mother is pivotal in enhancing the puppies’ growth inside the womb and preparing them for life after birth. Both mother and puppy should receive well-proportioned antioxidants, DHA, and prebiotics to support their health and growth as provided by the IAMS product line, which contains DHA that is essential for puppies' brain development while also supporting the mother's pregnancy and quality of milk produced.
While puppies need the primary nutrients for growth, adult dog food has a different level of complexity. Adult dog food requires the same make-up of nutrients as puppies do but tailored to their specific needs. Recent research indicates that an adult dog requires at least 10% of its daily calories from protein and at least 5.5% from fat. Adult dogs need quality protein for firm muscles and a healthy immune system. Additionally, an adult diet can contain up to 50% carbohydrates, with fiber ranging from 2.5 to 4.5%. There is no specific prescribed amount of fibre for adult dog consumption daily, however, it is still one of the most important components in dog food to address constipation and support a healthy weight.
Adult dogs in their prime also require a balance in antioxidants to reduce systemic inflammation and restore active muscles. They should receive Vitamin E and C to support their immune system, joint health, and prevent inflammation. As they grow older, they may be exposed to different diseases from diabetes to cancers, which can be prevented by polyphenols. Parents to adult dogs must acknowledge the most suitable food for their loved one that is comprised of the right amount of nutrients and can look to the IAMS line as they are formulated to support healthy bones and joint health, scientifically proven for healthy digestion with a good fibre and prebiotic blend, as well as antioxidants for a strong immune system.
Besides life stage, balanced nutrition should be adjusted to their breed, which give insight to different factors like weight, mouth size, and energy level. This will then determine the type of kibble and food given. Smaller breeds tend to be more active, requiring the same essential nutrients and prebiotics for a healthy body as well as smaller-sized kibble designed specifically for their smaller mouths. As smaller dogs relatively have a high metabolism, higher levels of protein, fat, and essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 are some of the important nutrients that should be available in their food. On the other hand, larger breeds require foods that are lower in fat and calories, contain slightly lower levels of calcium and phosphorus, and have a specific balance of calcium-to-phosphorus ratio to support stronger bones and muscles. Owners can look to products like the small breed line from IAMS, containing 7 essential nutrients to build strong muscles, support their tiny immune system while protecting their healthy skin and coat, and the product line for adults for large breeds.
Dog parents must acknowledge and understand the unique needs, life stage and characteristics in their dog to choose the right dog food so their furry ones can grow into their healthiest selves. Make sure to visit your vet regularly to check these components as well!
