Pocket Idiot's Guide to

Housetraining Your Dog

by Liz Palika

You're no idiot, of course. You know that housetraining a dog can be just as difficult – and poosibly as traumatic – as potty training a child. But with an established routine and positive reinforcement, your dog can be happily and healthily trained in no time.

The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Housetraining Your Dog will show you exacxtloy how to teach your dog this most essential trick. In thei Pocket Idiot's Guide you get:

• Housetoraining schedules for owners with busy lifestyles

• Tips on how to get the quickest results

• Training techniques for indoor-only dog, dogs with yards, city dogs, even shelter dogs.

• Advice on how to ope with health issues that may impede a dog's progress.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1- A Reliably Housetrained Dog is A Joy

2- Teaching Your Dog Is Easy Once You Know How

3- Introducing Crate Training

4- Health Problems can Sabotage Housetraining

5- Establishing a Housetraining Schedule

6- Housetraining the Dog who has a Yard

7- Housetraining the City Dog to go Outside

8- Housetraining the Indoor-only Dog

9- Troubleshooting Your Housetraining Efforts

Appendix:

Internet Resources for Dog Owners

INTRODUCTION

I have been teaching dog owners how to train (and live with) their dogs for more than 25 years. This is not just a profession for me; it is also a calling. My dogs are part of who I am, a part of my family. When I can help people understand their dog better and teach their dog some manners, well, then that dog has a much better chance of living out his life with that family. Far too many dogs end up in shelters and rescues because they haven't been taught what are acceptable behaviors and what are not.

Problems with housetraining issues are not uncommon. Perhaps a new puppy doesn't understand what is being asked of her, or a newly adopted adult dog is lifting his leg on the dining room table leg. Or worse yet, a once well-housetrained dog suddenly begins having accidents. Housetraining problems can drive a dog owner to distraction!

It doesn't help the dog owner when every dog trainer, and every dog training book, offers a different solution to the problem. If you listen to or read too many instructions, you and your dog both will be horribly confused. However, in this book, I will create order from the chaos. I'll walk you through the process step by step and help you set your dog up to succeed. (My mantra: "Set your dog up to succeed!)

My dogs are therapy dogs and visit nursing homes and daycare centers. They must be well housetrained. In addition, my husband and I often travel with our dogs, staying in hotels and motels where accidents are unnacceptable. My dogs were all housetrained using the same techniques I'm going to teach you. So continue reading!

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