How To Litter Box Train Your Dog

This is so great!

Also, if one wizdog is not big enough for your dog, you can fit two together quite nicely!

As you have already discovered I am not a supporter of using litter in my boxes anyways!

Remember the litter box or whatever you decide to use for your litter box must be the adequate size for your dog.

I have found that those plastic under the bed storage bins make outstanding litter boxes and you can cut down one of the sides if necessary.

Cats can squeeze into almost any size box to go, but with dogs it is a different story.

We started our training with teaching your dog to go potty on paper or pads due to the fact that 95% of dogs will refuse to go in a box first thing.

Steps for transferring over to a box:

1. To break down the steps even smaller to make it even easier for you dog. Start out by using a tray first with paper or pads in it before you even go on to the box. (I found an excellent metal tray at Super Walmart which is actually used for an oil pan). Or you can use the lid part of the under the bed storage bin for this stage.

2. Let your dog get accustomed to going potty on the tray for a few days before introducing the box with higher sides.

3. Next step will be placing the pad or paper in the final box itself and replacing the tray or lid with the box.

4. Coax your dog to go in the box with leash and collar on, going in and out giving lots of praise!

5. Give verbal instructions using your choice of words to encourage your dog to go potty in the box.

6. For a little while you will want to be very watchful for when your dog goes potty to make sure he is continuing to go in the box.

7. Since you did such a good job in the preliminary steps you will find this part of the training to go very quickly.

     Another important point....you do not want to have to change the paper every single time they go potty, so with the bigger, wider tray or box, you have more room for your doggie to go a few times before having to change the paper.

 

     This is extremely important for those who will be leaving their dogs for several hours during the day.

 

     Most dogs will not want to stand in their own potty mess to go potty again.

 

So their must be enough room for them to be able to go potty a few times and still have a spot to stand in.

Thanks to several of my customers who contacted me about this very problem.

 

     Their dogs were not wanting to go potty in a regular size (cat litter) box and we put two and two together and I studied my dogs and realized!!!

 

     The way that cats and dogs differ when it comes to a litter box is this....dogs need more working room! So they need a larger box!

 

     Therefore, using something that is easy to climb in will make the transition to a litter box with higher sides much easier for your dog.

     I have a tiny teacup pom and it cannot climb over much of anything, so that is one reason I tried using the tray from Walmart first.

 

     Also, graduating from paper flat on the floor to something like the tray will not be much of a change for them at all.

AS you endeavor to lead your dog on to using the litter box of choice, the schedules and training methods you used for reinforcing the use of the paper are the same for the litter box itself.

 

Graduating to a litter box with higher sides should be the last and final step, it is best if there is one side that is shorter for easier entrance.

 

Depending on the size of your dog you will be able to use a plastic pan with sides about 2 inches high.

 

Continue to follow the schedule closely and be consistent and very quickly you will have discovered that your dog is completely litter box trained!!

 

Unfortunately, a lot of dogs take longer to learn to go #2 on the paper or box than #1. For whatever reason, this is quite common.

 

All I can say about that is, your consistency and not letting him off of the paper or box until he goes is mandatory. If he does not go, put him in the crate, then 15 minutes later try again.

 

Remember they do not like to go #2 in the same place where they go #1 that is another reason you must make sure your box is large enough for that.

 

And make sure you are keeping your box as clean as possible with papers or pads being changed appropriately.

 

Should you use litter?

 

**NOTE** There is an alternative filler I want to mention for your litter box that is much cheaper than the regular dog or cat litter if you are interested and that is compressed wood pellets that are used for a wood burning stove.

 

From what I have read it will not hurt them if they eat them and when they urinate in the pellets they turn to sawdust.

 

This type of litter can be thrown in the trash or poured into flower beds. Cost is only about $2.80 for a 40 pound bad...CHEAP!! These wood pellets can be found at Home Depot.

 

I still prefer paper and pads personally but I am mentioning this for those who might like to try it.

 

Also, you will want to make sure and keep all of your access links to this information because you will then have access to any and all upgrades or new tips that are added from time to time.

 

With the pellets, As with other litter it can be kicked and still will need to be vacuumed on a regular basis.