How to train a dog to a place, to the toilet, to sleep on its own mat, to a command, to train an adult dog

From the first days of the puppy’s stay in the house, the animal should be accustomed to the fact that it will have its own separate place for sleep and rest. Unconditional execution of the command “Get in place!” necessary for both miniature breeds and large pets. Along with this command, in the alphabet of dog etiquette, toilet training the puppy is of paramount importance.

Setting up a resting place for the puppy

With the appearance of a furry fidget in the house, the owner should take care of arranging a cozy nest. The animal should associate it with safety, warmth and evoke positive emotions.

For this purpose, a place for sleeping and rest should be arranged in a quiet corner of the living room. The bed or house where the dog will rest should not be placed on the aisle or in damp and cold rooms. Air conditioning systems and close proximity to heating appliances should be avoided.

Experienced breeders recommend setting up a place to rest in a quiet and peaceful part of the house. For miniature and medium-sized dog breeds, you can purchase a comfortable dog bed in specialized pet stores. Pets are happy to live in foam houses. For large dogs, special beds are available for sale, reinforced with a frame structure and equipped with soft textile sides.

You can arrange a place for your pet to rest and sleep yourself. For these purposes, a small mattress or blanket is suitable, which should be equipped with a removable cover so that it can be cleaned regularly.

Having prepared a warm bedding or bed, the owner can begin training the puppy. The first steps in mastering the “Place” command should be taken as soon as the animal gets tired after playing or walking.

A tired puppy usually begins to lie down to rest. At this moment, the pet should be taken to an equipped bedding or bed and in a friendly but firm voice give the command “Place” and step aside. If the dog settles down, he should be petted and treated with a treat. When training, you need to show patience and perseverance, as the puppy can get too excited, forget about sleep and follow the owner.

The animal should be taught to sleep and rest in a strictly designated area every time the puppy gets ready for bed. Treats and petting will help reinforce the skill. The owner should ensure that the young pet flawlessly carries out the command without encouragement. The puppy should develop only positive associations with the “Place” command, therefore, during training, punishing the dog for disobedience is excluded.

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Defining tasks

The hardest part about finding a special place for your dog to sleep each night can be choosing the right spot. Unless you plan on having your dog sleep in your bedroom with you, even if not in your bed, you need to choose a place where he will feel safe and comfortable away from you.

Sleep training for dogs is mostly about time and repetition. He will want comfort and security all night long. Creating a repeating routine for this sleep-only space is essential to teaching him where he needs to be when it's time to go to bed.

The second most important thing in training your dog to know where to sleep each night is to provide him with a comfortable bed that he will want to stay in all night. This means you can change beds as they grow and also know how your dog sleeps. For the first few nights, you can start with your dog on a folded blanket on the floor.

If your dog sleeps curled up, he may need a small bed with raised sides to ensure safety and comfort. If your dog sleeps spread out, he will be uncomfortable in a bed with high sides, but he may prefer a larger bed that can accommodate his longer body.

How to accustom a dog to a new place

If, due to some circumstances, the owner has changed the pet’s sleeping and resting area, or the animal is in an unknown habitat, the dog should be shown its personal territory. It is advisable to take the bedding from the old one and lay it on the new bed. This technique will calm your four-legged friend and make you feel safe.

To get accustomed to a new place, the dog should be allowed to sniff it and get used to it. Having called your pet with a friendly shout, you need to point to the bed prepared for him and give the appropriate command. A positive result must be reinforced with treats and affection.

Teaching an adult animal to sleep on its own bed

Quite often an adult animal comes into the house. Training in this case becomes more complicated. An adult dog has his own habits and may lack certain skills. An unfamiliar environment also makes learning difficult.

For the training process to be successful, the owner first needs to introduce the dog to the new home, let the dog sniff everything, go around all the corners and hidden corners. When the dog calms down, you can begin to accustom it to your territory using exactly the same techniques as a small puppy.

To learn how to choose a dog bed, watch this video:

Busy evenings and weekends

Finally, the question of how to teach an adult dog to stay alone at home is often asked by owners who do not pay enough attention to their pet. Remember - it is in you and your family that the whole meaning of the animal’s life is concentrated. For him, you are alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, practically a god.

Pamper him more often, spend as much time with him as possible. An excellent choice would be a regular walk, a joint evening jog (you can ride a bike, matching the dog’s running), and a variety of games.

It is thanks to such a rich life that the dog feels loved and will be much easier to endure separation.

We train the animal for the command “Place!”

In order for training sessions to accustom a pet to a bed or bedding to be effective, the owner must adhere to the following rules and recommendations of dog handlers:

Dog training should be carried out after a walk or meal, when the animal is physiologically ready to rest.
Do not train the dog on an empty stomach, when feeling unwell or in an excited state.
Practice the “Place” command only in relation to the lounger.
During training, do not put the dog down by force.
Reward with affection and treats only after the dog lies down on the bedding on its own.
Under no circumstances should you take away a puppy’s treats or favorite toy, which he happily brought to his bed.
In order for the animal to perceive its territory as a safe and inviolable home, toys brought by the dog should not be removed in front of it.
The command should be given kindly, but with firmness in the voice.

Training your pet to perform the “Place” command should take place in a calm environment. At first, you should avoid distractions and conduct classes without strangers. However, when the dog learns to flawlessly carry out a command, you can complicate the task and carry out training in the presence of other household members, achieving its precise execution.

To learn how to train a dog to sit, watch this video:

Proper farewell and meeting

Remember - partings and meetings should not be excessively long. The owner - he is always the alpha in a healthy relationship with the dog - must remain firm, confident, and calm. Say goodbye to your pet briefly and firmly, tell him to behave well, promise to return quickly. The meeting should also not be too emotional. You can pet the dog, hug it, even give it some small treat, but nothing more. Yes, the puppy gets bored being alone. And he can only outgrow this with your help.

How to toilet train a dog

A puppy should be taught to relieve himself in a strictly designated place at the age of 2 - 4 months. Training tactics depend on the breed of the animal and the toilet chosen by the owner. Miniature pets, such as Chihuahuas, in apartment living conditions are often accustomed to a tray or a special oilcloth. Medium and large dogs are most often walked on the street or in the courtyard of a private house.

Be patient until you go outside

Most owners prefer to walk their pets in the fresh air. Dogs not only relieve themselves, but also play and develop physical strength and endurance. Adult animals can wait until the next walk and not crap in the apartment. Due to their physiological characteristics, puppies up to eight months of age cannot endure for a long time, and the owner should know this.

Before the age of 4 months, puddles and more serious consequences on the carpet and floor are common. You should not punish the puppy, much less rub his nose in “dirty tricks.” Teaching a dog to be clean is a long process and requires endurance and patience from the owner.

Once the puppy reaches four months of age, toilet training should begin. Every time after waking up and feeding, the animal must be taken outside. When the pet does its business, you need to praise it and treat it with something tasty. Only after this can you play and walk with the dog. You should choose a place for the toilet outside that is quiet and windless, so that foreign odors and other animals do not distract the dog.

Until the age of 6 months, your pet should be walked at least 5 times a day. If a puddle does appear, you should not punish the puppy. At the age of six months, the frequency of toilet walks can be reduced to three.

Walk on oilcloth/tray

Recently, dwarf dog breeds have become incredibly popular in megalopolises and large cities: Yorkshire terrier, Chihuahua, toy terrier, Petit Brabançon and others. The miniature size allows you to organize a toilet for them in a city apartment. For this purpose, trays or special absorbent diapers are used.

The principle of training a dog to wear a diaper is to limit the free space. To do this, the puppy is fenced off from the rest of the room using boxes, providing him only with a place to rest and an absorbent diaper. Carefully observing the animal, it should be praised and treated with a treat at the moment when the puppy does its business after sleeping on a special cloth.

It should be placed on a diaper after feeding and active play, rewarding each time for a positive result. The fact that the puppy wants to go to the toilet is indicated by his behavior: he spins around in one place, sniffs the floor in search of a diaper.

Some dogs for some reason do not want to use a diaper. In this case, you can use newspapers. When the dog gets used to shitting on them, they can be placed in the tray.

For diaper or litter box training to be effective, it is important to choose the right location for it. To do this, you should watch the puppy. At first, the tray or diaper can be placed in the place chosen by the animal. Gradually, when the pet gets used to going where it should, the tray can be placed in a place convenient for the owner.

Relieve yourself in one place on the site

If the dog is kept in a country house or dacha, it will be convenient for the owner if the dog relieves itself in a designated area, and not throughout the entire area. You can teach this behavior by walking your dog after eating near the preferred toilet area. When the animal does its job where it needs to be, it needs to be praised and treated with something tasty.

This manipulation should be carried out every time you walk the dog. After some time, the dog will develop the habit of shitting in the same territory. But only if it is periodically cleaned.

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Accustoming an animal to the “Place” command and cleanliness is the basis of canine literacy. Knowing your territory and unquestioningly obeying the owner is not an easy task, requiring patience and goodwill. Consistent actions aimed at developing the necessary skill will help to accustom your pet to cleanliness.

Useful video

To learn how to toilet train a dog, watch this video:

What to do, if

A tired pet who is not hungry, thirsty, and in no pain should not whine. But what to do if the puppy:

does not want to be alone;
wants to sleep with the owner.

Puppy whines before bed

If before meeting you the pet slept with its mother and littermates, then it will whine. He is scared and unusual in a new place, so he whines. Soft toys placed on the bed help partially solve the problem. Just wait until the puppy stops on his own. Don't start games to distract him. When your pet calms down, praise him so that he understands that “not whining” is the right thing to do. Return him to his sleeping place and leave the room.

Do not pick up the puppy or react if the whining expresses reluctance to be there. If the dog understands that after he starts whining, you take him with you, then the next time the whining may last several hours.