Housebreaking: Why Walking Your Dog is Essential

Whether you have a puppy or a senior dog, one problem you may face is housebreaking. Your dog has go when your dog has to go, but it’s never fun to find out they went inside the house. If accidents are a recurring problem for your pup, try tailoring a daily walk routine to suit them! Housebreaking walks help your dog learn when and where to go, and it gives you the peace of mind knowing they did their business outside.

For puppies, frequency is crucial to housebreaking. They can’t hold their tiny bladders long, so you’ll likely find yourself outside often. Pee pads help contain inevitable accidents, but the long-term goal is to teach your puppy to exclusively expel waste outdoors. Luckily, a little bit of training on housebreaking walks can go a long way! The combination of praise and cue words is one of the best methods of housebreaking. On every walk, make sure to praise your dog every time they potty. You should also pick a word to act as a command of sorts to help the process. If your dog learns the word “potty,” for example, you can use that to establish the purpose of the walk from the get go. Just avoid using that command word inside to avoid confusion!

Housebreaking walks for a senior dog tend to work a little differently. In most senior cases, the duration of the walk matters more than the frequency. An old dog may need more time to get their bowels moving. While a secure yard also does the trick, taking your senior dog on long walks instead has the added benefit of you monitoring their potty habits. If your dog has trouble going or passes waste of unusual colors, you’ll catch those warning signs more quickly if you’re right there at the end of the leash.

Even if your dog isn’t very young or very old, walking helps prevent recurring accidents. Some dogs have frequent accidents as a means of acting out. Daily walks will discourage this disruptive behavior. Many causes of such “bad” behavior can be addressed by incorporating a walking routine.

Any dog can benefit from housebreaking walks. Puppies need to be trained. Senior dogs need time and close watching for warning signs of health complications. Misbehaving dogs need a reminder of good habits. For any dog who commonly have accidents inside, a daily walk routine can help fix the problem. To get the best results, tailor frequency and duration of walks to your dogs needs, and consider assigning a word or phrase to use to let your dog know when its time to do their business. Once you find a walk routine that works for you and your dog, your pup will be housebroken in no time!

Whether you have a puppy or a senior dog, one problem you may face is housebreaking. Your dog has go when your dog has to go, but it’s never fun to find out they went inside the house. If accidents are a recurring problem for your pup, try tailoring a daily walk routine to suit…