A new Pekingese pup is cute and adorable, but poop all over the house isn’t really a very nice sight. Sadly these two are unavoidable at first, and no, a smack with the good old newspaper isn’t the way to go. It’s not only ineffective; it also traumatizes your puppy. So how do you effectively train your little bundle of cuteness? Read on.
Prevention
Having your Pekingese pup do his business in the right place is always better than dealing with the aftermath later on. So take extra steps to make sure that he does it where you want it. Have a poop area or “bathroom” close to your puppy at all times. It could be a piece of newspaper, a litter box, or whatever suits you during the first few months since Pekingese puppies tend to pee or poop more often than mature dogs. Never let your puppy roam around the whole house. Keep him in an area where his poop area is close by and the floor is easy to clean, since accidents do happen no matter what you do. Always be on the lookout for signs like scratching or sniffing the floor, walking in circles, or disappearing behind furniture, since this indicates that he’s about to empty his tummy. If your Pekingese pup does have an accident, move him to his “bathroom” and clean up the mess right away with an enzymatic cleaner. Since dogs generally have a great sense of smell and trace odors might make your pup think that that’s his “bathroom” and do it again right there.
The food that you feed your Pekingese puppy is also important. Puppies aren’t that developed yet to handle all kinds of food. So get him high quality food meant for puppies. Avoid switching brands or feeding him table-scraps and other human food. That could cause trouble in his stomach and give him diarrhea, which won’t be good for your training efforts. Also, feed your puppy regularly. Having him eat at specific times would make it a bit more predictable when he’s about to go. A trip to the backyard a couple minutes after eating to let him do his business helps prevent accidents inside. Give him a command like “do your thing” or “hurry up” to tell him what you want him to do. Do this regularly and be consistent with your command to get him used to this routine. Don’t switch commands so you won’t confuse him.
It also goes without saying that a healthy and happy puppy is easier to train than a sick one. So keep your Pekingese puppy healthy and happy. Daily exercise by short walks and playtime would not only improve his health but develop a bond between your Pekingese pup and you or your family members. This would make him more receptive to commands and keep him from misbehaving. A trip to the vet to make sure that your puppy is in perfect health is also a must. A puppy with a bladder infection would be hard to housetrain.
Praise
Always reward your Pekingese puppy when he does his thing in the designated area. Positive reinforcement like a small doggy treat or a nice comment would motivate your puppy to keep doing well. Saying something like “Good job” or “Nice dog” while patting his head goes a long way. Remember to praise him immediately after the act. Don’t postpone it so he knows what he did that got him the reward.
Perseverance
Training a new Pekingese puppy isn’t an easy or quick job. it takes time and effort to housetrain a new puppy, but the end result would be worth all the time you spent on your pup. Be consistent with this type of routine. Skipping a day or two would ruin your hard work. Make sure there’s someone who can look after your Pekingese puppy when you’re not around. It could be a family member or a pet sitter.
Housetraining your new Pekingese puppy does take time and effort. But following the right steps greatly reduces your work and increases the chance of success. Once you’ve successfully trained your Pekingese puppy, you’d be happy with the result. A new family member that’s not only cute and cuddly, but also well-mannered and well trained.
