How to Housebreak A Puppy Using A Cat Litter Box
Training a puppy to use a litter box is similar to traditional house training methods; consistency and repetition are still key. However, it is not similar to litter training a cat, so don't expect to show your puppy the box and immediately have a house-trained dog. Puppies cannot jump into a standard cat litter box very easily, and puppies don't have the same instinct as cats. A litter box is cleaner than using newspaper or puppy pads, and it is helpful to have an indoor potty when owner or dog is sick or injured. Although smaller breeds are a natural choice, any breed or size can use a litter box. Some people have trained large breeds, such as Rottweilers, to use an indoor litter pan.
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Instructions
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An exercise pen comes in varied sizes, either plastic or wire. Set up an exercise pen for the puppy in a room without carpet. An exercise pen is a wire or plastic gate consisting of several panels hinged together. These can be clipped together in a circle to enclose the puppy. Ex-pens come in different sizes and provides ample space for a small puppy to play, eat, sleep and use a litter pan.
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Buy or make a litter pan that is shallow on at least one side. Your puppy is not going to be adept at jumping into the pan, as a cat would. There are dog litter boxes in pet stores, but these are rather small for all but the tiniest breeds. If you have room, a 4-feet-square washing machine overflow pan makes an excellent, shallow litter pan for almost any dog, and provides space for a dog that moves around. A hot water heater overflow pan is fine, too, for smaller dogs. An under-bed storage box can be a good litter box, if you cut a notch in at least one side for the puppy to enter.
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Confine the puppy to the exercise pen when you can't supervise. Encourage it to eliminate in the litter box by placing a small sample of its urine and feces in the litter to attract the puppy. Clean up any accidents immediately, and always place a shred of dirtied tissue into the litter box.
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Crate train the puppy and walk it on leash to the litter box, as you would do to teach a puppy to eliminate outside, if you find the puppy is not getting the idea quickly.
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Tips & Warnings
Puppies may be messier with the litter than cats. Experimentation will determine the best litter type for your puppy. A corn-cob based litter sometimes works very well for puppies. Make sure it's non-toxic in case the puppy tries to eat the litter; silicon-based litters are not safe if ingested.
If you may ever want your dog to eliminate outside, train it to go outside and in the litter box simultaneously. The puppy will not want to change substrates once it gets accustomed to only a litter box.
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