Puppy and Small Dog Crate Training Set up
Small dogs and puppies can be difficult to housetrain, especially when many of us work all day. In some instances tea-cup dogs may never be able to go more than 6-8 hours without needing a potty break. This set up allows you to teach your puppy or small breed to go on grass and enable you to go to work or be away for more than 8 hours is necessary.
Fig 1
Fig 1 shows the set up, a crate, exercise pen (Foster and Smith) and a doggie litter box with a piece of sod in it. The set up should be initially set up where the puppies will spend most of their time with humans. Over the next 6 weeks this set up will be moved into the laundry room and the litter box will be treated much like a cat litter box. In this example its being used for 2 tea-cup Pomeranians. At 12 weeks of age one of the Poms was already using the litter box consistently enough to be left out several hours if needed. The puppies were also taught to go outside and since the puppies are acclimated to going on grass they also go readily outside. Fig 2 and 3 show the same set up from different angles.
Fig 2&3
You will still need to watch your puppies when using this set-up. When they are not confined to the exercise pen you will need to follow the normal housetraining routine. This includes a consistent feeding and watering schedule, keeping the dog tethered to you so you can see them or confined to the room with you. If the puppy starts to have an accident immediately place the puppy on the grass and praise them when they go on the grass in the litter box. A puppy may miss the grass on occasion, but with practice they will seek out the grass and relieve themselves their when needed.
This will work wonderful and you may even see the puppy or small dog seek out his area to potty instead of going in other places in the house.
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