Puppy/Kitten Training

Crate training

Why crate train? Crate training teaches your dog to spend time in a kennel or crate. Dogs are naturally den animals, meaning that their instinct is to find a quiet area where they can escape when needed, rest, and recuperate from the day. By providing a crate to sleep and eat in, you are giving your dog the perfect den. Most dogs won’t eliminate where they sleep and eat, so crate training can be a big help with housetraining. A crate also provides a dog with a safe place to go when scared or nervous. Plus, crates can be a great way to keep a dog out of trouble when you are not at home or are unable to provide proper supervision. Staying in a crate can prevent your dog from finding his way into your closet and eating your favorite shoes; having a feast in your garbage can; or urinating in a less than ideal place in the house.

Crate training tips: Crates, especially when you are beginning training, should be just large enough for dogs to sit, stand, lay on their side, and turn around comfortably. For large breed puppies, select a crate that can be sectioned off so that as they get bigger you can increase the size of the crate area. If a crate is too large, your dog may try to potty in one area and sleep at the other end. Aim to make the crate one of your dog’s favorite areas of the house. You can feed meals in the crate as well as use the crate for bedtime and naptime. You may also want to give your dog a special chew toy that can only be enjoyed while in the crate. Make sure this is a toy that can be safely played with while unsupervised. Avoid using the crate as a place of punishment, such as time-outs for bad behavior. You don’t want your dog to associate special den with times of stress or fear. To get your dog comfortable with spending time in the crate, start by firmly saying a command or cue word, such as “crate” or “kennel,” and placing your dog in the crate. The cue word will help your dog to eventually associate the word with going into the crate alone, so that over time he/she will go into the crate without being physically put there by you. Give your dog a treat and lots of praise immediately and close the crate door for about 5 minutes. Praise your dog again once you let him/her back out. Over several days to weeks, gradually increase the amount of time your dog spends in the crate.

Words of caution: No dog should spend most of the day in a crate. Puppies especially should be limited to the amount of time they spend in a crate to avoid elimination accidents and future behavior issues. A good rule of thumb for the maximum amount of daylight hours a puppy should spend in the crate at a time is to add one to the puppy’s age in months. For example, a 2-month-old puppy should spend no more than 3 hours straight in a crate during the day. After 3 hours, give the puppy a break, go outside to eliminate, and provide some time to play before putting him/her back. Dogs with separation anxiety can be difficult to crate train, and their anxiety behaviors may worsen if you attempt to keep them in a crate. Discuss your dog’s behaviors with a veterinarian. Your dog may need a combination of anxiety medication and behavior modification therapy before crate training can be successful.

House training

Dog and puppy development: Puppies start learning to leave their family and den area to use the bathroom between 3 and 12 weeks of age. This means that some puppies may not be fully capable of learning where and when to use the bathroom before the age of 3 months. For those puppies that are ready to learn, they may not be able to hold their bladder for more than a few hours (typical of puppies less than 4 months of age). Why is that important to know? Owner expectations and the puppy’s ability to learn are not always in sync. Housetraining can be a lengthy and sometimes frustrating process. Housetraining an adult dog can also be difficult because he/she may have been going wherever and whenever was desired up until now. You will have the troublesome task of teaching your dog that previous bathroom methods are no longer appropriate, and on top of that, teaching brand new methods for elimination.

Housetraining tips: Puppies and dogs will provide you with many opportunities for successful trips to go potty. To help make timing bathroom trips easier, feed your dog on a consistent schedule, ideally 2-3 times a day. This way, 15-30 minutes after eating or drinking, you know it is time for a trip to the elimination area. Puppies tend to go right after playing or sleeping. A good rule of thumb during the beginning of housetraining is to take your dog out every 2 hours for the first couple weeks, plus after sleeping, eating, drinking, or playing. Be sure to take your dog out right before bedtime too. Use a cue word such as “bathroom” or “potty” every time you take your dog to the bathroom area, so the dog will learn to associate the word with what you want achieved. Try to take your dog to the same area each time. In the beginning, you will need to go with your dog and make sure she actually poops or pees. If successful, immediately reward your dog with treats and praise. It may be helpful to lead your dog with a leash instead of carrying him/her to the elimination area so that going straight to the appropriate spot becomes a habit. Constant supervision is important when you begin housetraining your dog. You need to catch your dog in the act of going in the wrong place to correctly redirect your dog. If you find pee or poop on the floor, the dog will not understand and make the connection with why you are upset. Imagine being in a foreign country, with foreign customs, where you do not speak the language. Someone suddenly begins shouting at you over a mistake you made, which you are unaware of making because the local culture is so different. How are you to know what mistake you have made and when? How are you to prevent this from happening again? Given that you may be completely unaware that you have made a mistake, this person’s behavior towards you might just seem plain rude. At best, you will try to ignore that rude person and go about your business, right? So, it is with housetraining! Catching your pet in the act of a mistake will help them correct it in the future. Rubbing your dog’s nose in hours-old pee, however, is probably just plain rude. If your dog does eliminate in the house while you are watching, interrupt immediately (such as with a squeaker sound or a sharp clap noise) and take him/her to the elimination area. Use your cue word. If your dog finishes going in the right area, give treats or praise. Keep an eye out for clues or signals that your dog needs to eliminate. Circling, wandering off alone, whining, or going to the door you typically use to go to the elimination area are common signals. If your dog is demonstrating any of these signals, stop what you are doing immediately and take him/her to the bathroom. If he/she uses the bathroom when you take him/her to the designated area, be sure to reward your dog with praise or treats so he/she will continue to provide these signals. Housetraining and crate training can be tough but rewarding. If you are ever in doubt as to whether you or your pet are on the right track, call your veterinarian for advice. Otherwise, be consistent and persistent, and your pet will love you for it!

Be positive and patient: While your litter box training, there are bound to be accidents. Don’t punish or scold your kitten; just clean up the mess with an enzymatic cleaner and keep reinforcing the training. Some kittens will get it right away, but some can take a month to figure it out. When you do see your kitten using the box successfully, reinforce the behavior with treats and praise.

Troubleshooting litter box training

1. Quick fixes: Some cats can be quite picky about the conditions in which they’re willing to go. If you’ve followed the guidelines suggested above, but your kitten doesn’t seem to be getting the hang of using the box, there could be a few possible explanations. For example, your cat might dislike:
   • The size or shape of the box: Provide large size litter boxes that the cats are comfortable moving around in. Some older, arthritic cats may prefer a box with low walls, or a low door cut in the box. Climbing over high walls may be painful.
   • The smell or texture of the litter: Use unscented clumping litter. Most cats prefer this texture best, next to sandbox sand. Scented litter can be unpleasant and even painful to cats, since their sense of smell is significantly more sensitive than a human’s.
   • The location of the box:
     1. Provide more than one location in the household for litter boxes. Consider having one on each floor if space allows and avoid moving the boxes around.
     2. Keep food and water dishes in a separate room or more than 5 feet from the litter boxes.
   • Sharing the box with other cats: Provide one litter box per household cat PLUS one additional box. For example, a household with three cats should have four litter boxes.
   • A covering on the box: They might find it too confining. Alternatively, they might feel too exposed and would prefer a covered box.
   • The cleanliness of the box: You may need to scoop it out more often. Cats prefer clean boxes, so it’s recommended to scoop any time your cat goes number two, and scoop urine clumps daily or every other day.
2. Medical Explanations: If you try all of this and are still struggling, consult with your veterinarian or a certified feline behaviorist. Sometimes cats won’t use the litter box due to medical reasons. A few examples include:
   • Urine spraying: Kittens who have yet to be spayed or neutered might spray urine throughout the house to mark their territory, even after being fully litter box trained. Spaying or neutering your kitten often stops this behavior.
   • Age: If you have an older cat, they may be dealing with joint pain or stiffness that makes accessing the box difficult to navigate. Consider whether the sides of the box might be too high to comfortably climb over, or whether your cat must climb stairs or jump up on something to get to the box.
   • Stress/anxiety: If your kitten uses the box consistently over a period of time and then suddenly stops or does so inconsistently, there might be an underlying problem. Stress and anxiety can cause a cat to stop using the litter box, so consider whether there have been any major changes in the environment and talk to your vet.
   • Medical issues: Often, no longer using the litter box can be a sign of an underlying medical problem, such as cystitis or a urinary tract infection, which will need to be treated. If you suspect an underlying medical issue, reach out to your vet.

Fortunately, most kitties take to a litter box like a duck to water, so now that you know how to litter train a kitten, you’re well on the road to a happy, harmonious relationship with your new furry family member. Have fun!