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expected.) However, some apartment dwellers don’t have these
options. Especially for dogs who don’t have access to an
outside area, potty needs should be planned for in the house.
Dogs who have been house trained will prefer to go outside, and will wait as long as they can to do so. It is a kindness to provide something in case no one gets home in time to let the dog out. You can use the time-honored newspaper solution, or buy pads at the pet store that are made specifically for house training puppies or providing indoor dogs with a place to eliminate. If there’s no way to have your dog let out often enough to fulfill his toileting needs, designate an uncarpeted area as far away as possible from your dog’s sleeping and eating area, and place the toileting pads there. Show your dog the pads, and if he has an accident off the pads, lead him first to where the accident occurred, and then over to the pads. Explain what they are for, and place him on the pads to give him the idea. Since dogs would rather not go inside if they can help it, it won’t be long before your dog realizes that with the pads placed away from his bed and food, they are a proper place for eliminating. If your dog tries to cover his “accident” by dragging the pads on top of the mess, tape the pads to the floor.
Although your dog should always have access to fresh water, he only needs to be fed twice a day. Rather than leaving a big bowl of food out (which invites overeating and encourages pests), feed him when you first wake up and when you come home at night. Plan walks around feedings to avoid indoor toileting as much as possible. A feasible walking schedule is a quick one on arising, a longer one after breakfast, one upon your return, and a quick one before bed. If you are consistent about the frequency and timing of walks, your dog will come to rely on them, and will be more likely to “hold it” if he knows there’s a walk coming soon.
A crate can be a really helpful in keeping your dog comfortable while home alone. If you haven’t used a crate before, you’ll need to crate-train your dog first, or it’ll end up causing the animal more stress. But if your dog is comfortable with and used to the crate, it can be a safe place to rest and sleep, to chew comfortably on a toy and to dream little doggie dreams when alone in the house. Your dog’s bed should be placed where he can go to it for comfort when no-one else is around.
Dogs have a tendency to prefer the furniture people like. If you can’t stand to have your dog on your bed or sofa, the only way to keep your furniture dog-free is to lock your dog out of the pertinent rooms while you’re away. Modern science is curing all sorts of diseases these days, but to date, no-one has come up with the definitive way to keep your dog off your favorite chair if the two are in the same room together. A well-trained dog will jump off the furniture as soon as he hears your car in the driveway, but that’s about the best you can hope for.
If you are resigned to the fact that your dog and your sofa are going to spend time together, you can minimize the dogginess of your furniture with slipcovers or old blankets placed strategically around the house. For doggy smells on unwashable fabrics, try using Febreze – a mysteriously effective odor-removing (but scented –beware if you are allergic to fragrances) fabric spray.
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