Did you know you can teach your dog how to do his "thing" on command? This especially comes in handy when you are in a hurry or freezing your buns off this winter and want to get back indoors. Let me warn you that this exercise is boring and uneventful but the rewards will be priceless as your neighbors watch you tell your dog to do his business and he immediately does and you move along to the next activity!
This is easiest to teach a puppy, but it works with an adult dog too (it just takes longer). When you take your puppy outside to the "designated business area", keep repeating "do your business"...yes, over and over again. Do this EVERY TIME you take him outside...it takes a few weeks of this repetition before you notice that he is actually doing it because you told him to!
With an adult dog, repeat "do your business" as he is squatting and doing his thing. After about a month of this, say "do your business" BEFORE he squats. If he follows along, then you know he's learned it. If not, then he is a little show (which is okay) but means you have to go back to the beginning. Be patient.
My dog is now four years old and does it when he is told. If you want them to do both duties, repeat it again after the first squat and they'll keep squatting as long as you say "do your business". Always follow up with "good dog" and make a fuss over them...now if I could only teach my cat to use the toilet...
Photo by (c) FreeFoto.com
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