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Potty Training Your Puppy

The term crate training may sound cruel to some but what it boils down to is confining your pet for a period of time to a small area so that should he/she need to potty, they should prefer to hold it until they can get out to potty and not soil the area in which they lay.  Initially a small puppy can only hold it for a few hours at a time and need multiple breaks throughout the day and night.  Ideally they will whine when they need to go but that is not always the case which is why giving them multiple opportunities to go will hopefully soon result in a routine in which they understand where to go potty.  You want to create a routine from the very beginning and Maltese love routines!!  Remove them from the crate giving them a short verbal command as you take them out the door, to the spot in which they can potty and give them that same verbal command once there.  Keeping this routine the exact same each and every time will soon register with your puppy and they will be trained in no time.  Remember! Go out the same door, to the same area for the to potty and give the same command (ie., go potty) and once they finish you can praise them with your voice and that should make their tale wag and they will know they did something good.  Some people feel the need to give a treat but I don’t feel its necessary. You can also add a bell to the door that you will be going out and allow their paw or nose to ding the bell before going out so when they are allowed to walk around and are near that door they will soon ring the bell to go out.

It’s important to design their area in which you will leave them according to the time they will be left.  If you are only leaving a few hours at a time (2-4), a crate adequate for their size is plenty of room as long as you take them out to potty before leaving them.  If you will be away longer than that you will need to design an area with a gate that gives the more room or have a crate that allows enough room to put a pee pad at one end and their bed with food and water at the other end.  This will allow you to be gone as needed and your pet can relieve himself when needed.  You can still follow up with taking him/her outside to the area in which they are used to going potty once you are home.  I have Maltese that do both all the time and are not confused by it.

Here are a few ideas and you can also see more detailed information on my website under Puppy Preparation on my home page. www.petitepawsmaltese@gmail.com

Richell Expandable Pet Crate with Floor Tray – Dark Brown. Choose either a small (for dogs up to 26.4 lbs.) or medium (up to 44 lbs.) crate. Each crate is crafted from a solid frame made from rubberwood and features wire sides that allow air circulation. An adjustable width lets you expand the crate from 35.4- to 60.6-inches wide, increasing in sizes as your puppy grows. An expandable tray is included to keep your floor protected from digging and stains. A lift-n-lock side door let you easily add food and water without letting the puppy escape. A sliding door makes it easy to let the dog in and out of the interior. A wire top and divider available but sold separately.

Pup-Pee-Poo Palace is a neat idea with everything already in place for you. Choose the size according to how long your pet will be staying in the crate.  The small one allows for room to sleep and potty but not a lot of room if having to stay there all day while you are away at work.  http://puppeepoopalace.com

 

Modern Puppies Puppy Apartment is a neat idea as well and choose the size according to how long your puppy will be left in the crate.  Discount code: 27592 http://www.modernpuppies.com

Training pad holders can be found by searching on Google. Tons of options will come up and I recommend these because some puppies take the pads and run with them and even shred them while you are away leaving a cotton mess for you to clean up not to mention some puppies may eat parts of the pad.

Artificial grass turf, portable potty trainer also found by searching on Google and another great idea for indoor potty training.

 

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