Alaska Dog Works

Verbal Commands In Housebreaking

During the housebreaking/paper training stages, reward your dog with praise when he relieves himself in the area you have chosen. To help him understand what is expected of him at that moment, begin to associate a command with the act of relieving himself. This will also help speed up the process since a bran muffin and a cup of coffee is not an option. Use a command like “take a break, hurry or go potty.”  The moment your dog begins to eliminate, interject the command, “Good boy, take a break, That’s it, take a break.” Eventually your dog will respond to the word and go on command. This can really come in handy when It is freezing outside or you are trying to get back to work from your lunch break. The object of this command is to communicate to the dog that now is the time to relieve himself. This command should be given in a light, cheerful voice. You want the dog to be able to relax. Even though you are using this as a command, you are merely suggesting that if he has to go, go now!

 

You should never correct the dog for not relieving himself. When you take you dog to the designated area, give him the command “release.”   This releases the dog from discipline and he’ll know he can relax on the leash. Then tell your dog to “Hurry”, or another appropriate command.   Now he’ll know that this is his opportunity to go to the bathroom. When he does go, lavishly praise him, therefore; reinforcing the behavior.  Before every obedience training session you should give your dog the “release” command and the housebreaking command. This way the dog has an opportunity to relieve himself before getting started, and you will reduce the chances of an interruption during the training session.