How Do I Train My 1 Yr Old Cockapoo?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
We adopted a dog & are having difficulties training him. We have tried everything! When he comes in he poops on the rug, usually upstairs. We are very frustrated & not sure what else to do. Please help
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Training a dog is a really tough job and requires a lot of paitence so the first thing to remember is to keep calm and assertive in any situation, believe me I know that this is sometimes easier said than done.
One of the most important parts of training a puppy is teaching the dog that it is you that is in charge. This can be done in many simple ways:
- pretending to eat the dogs food before setting it down (a pack leader would eat first)
- making the dog sit and let you go through doorways first in order to show that you are ahead of him.
- dictating playtime, you should be the one that chooses when to play and when to stop. This can be done by occasionally ignoring your dog asking to play when he brings you a toy or asking to be petted and stopping play after a game.
With toilet training, take your dog to the toilet before he needs to go and repeat commands in order to teach him to go when you ask. He will still have a few accidents as he is in a new place and is still learning. Use a spray (I use bob martins stain and odour remover) so he cannot trace his scent and go in the same place. It may also be an idea to purchase a stairgate in order to stop him getting upstairs to go in his favourite place.
Hope this all helps.
Do you have a crate for him? Have you put him on a food schedule so in time you can know when he needs to defecate? Does he go on a walk or a jog? A brisk walk or a jog helps to stimulate the bowels. Shortly after they will usually do their business. If you haven’t started crate training, I suggest buying a crate and using it consistently. Feed him at specific times during the day, and get him on a set schedule. Soon enough you will know precisely when he needs to go and when he does not, just from the simple change of scheduling.
the trick is to give them love and affection when they’re being good, and ignore them when they’re being bad. Watch them, stalk them if you have to, until you catch them in the act of doing it in the house, when you do, stamp your feet and yell to let them know that your not happy, then take them straight out the back to where they can do this. Also, when you seem them doing it where they’re suppose to, praise them. They will get the message, it just takes time.
Puppies are easier because you can lock them in their crate of a night time and it teaches them to hold it in.