Puppy Litter Box Training

Some people have second thoughts about training their dogs and using a litter box. Others find it impossible because just training for a dog’s obedience is already a difficult task, and training for a litter box use is doubly hard.

It is best if you can train your dog while he is still a pup. Small dogs are easier to train for litter box use because they have small bladders, and they can go anywhere.

So how will you start? You’ll need a litter box; you can use a large dog litter box or a cat litter box (get the largest size). Use a smoothing tool or a rough sandpaper to smooth the litter box’s edges. Dogs do their thing more often than cats do, and dogs bury their wastes not the same way as cats do.

The litter pans or fillers will largely depend on you. Other people use absorbent pee-pads while others use newspapers. Choose one that will work best for you and your dog. And make sure that you can dispose of the dog’s waste easily.

You’ll need a lot of cleaning supplies like paper towels, mops and brooms. These things are necessary to keep the place clean and free from bad odor. You should clean the area every now and then so that you won’t have problems with the odor.

If you’re training your dog and starting from scratch, you’ll need to monitor him closely. The dog must always be within your sight or you can confine him in a designated area where the litter box is located. Create a word that pertains to him doing his ‘thing’ like ‘get busy’, ‘use you box’, and other words. At this stage, your dog needs more attention and praise.

A dog’s sense of smell is quite incredible so be sure to clean accident areas. You can soak a small amount of your dog’s urine in a newspaper or a paper towel and put it in his litter box. If he smells it, he will use the litter box area whenever he ‘goes’.

While training your dog, make sure that he is also having fun. If he looks tired and won’t pay attention to any of your commands, stop and do it again the following day.

Help your dog to get accustomed to getting in and out of the litter box, and use the same command repeatedly. Make sure to praise or reward your dog once he does the right thing.

It might take days or even weeks, and you should be patient. Never hit or spank your dog, instead show him that you are in charge. Always give a short and sharp command for him to follow.

Some dogs are used to using paper. Gradually introduce the litter box to your dog. Make sure that your dog will not notice the measured change that you’re trying to do. At this stage, you’ll need plenty of boxes and paper. But after weeks of ‘gradual’ changes, you can remove the paper altogether.

To sum it all up, to effectively litter box train your dog, you should be consistent, constantly watch your dog, never beat/hit your dog, keep the dog’s litter box clean, and always deal with accidents or relapses.

After some period, you can let your dogs roam the house freely and you’ll be confident that they will do their ‘thing’ on the box. Investing patience and hard work will give both you and your dog a lot of benefits.