2 Italian Greyhounds

This client came to me with a rather interesting problem.  She has two Italian Greyhounds, Maggie & Toby.  Their problem is improper toilet use throughout the house.

Italian Greyhounds as a breed tend to be harder to properly potty train, especially for those of us who live in inclement weather.  The two were once successfully potty trained to go in the house in a designated area, but a house move and new baby in the house have thrown them off their routine.

The number one reason most people have problems toilet training is because of the lack of a proper exercise schedule.  All dogs, no matter their size, must be exercised with a proper walk every day.

Below is a basic list to keep in mind.  For this client, the things listed as "basics" are the most important to remember and focus on.

Toilet Training:

BASICS:

Regular exercise including walks

Keep to a schedule

Confinement when unsupervised

Lots of encouragement for proper toilet behavior, excitement and praise!

Immediately take to toilet area after:

*removing from kennel 

*waking up from a nap

*drinking water

*rigorous play time

*excited time (when you come home)

*returning from a walk

*first thing in the morning

*before bed

FEEDING:

Reduce food portion:  feed 1/3 to 1/4 cup twice daily.

Use extra food for training.

ACCIDENTS:

Prevention is key.  When caught in the act, clap hands loudly and say no.  Do NOT yell, scream, or get angry.  Immediately and calmly take dog to the proper toilet area.  Immediately clean up mess with proper enzyme cleaner.

PROPER TOILET USE:

Praise dog lavishly EVERY time they toilet in the proper area.  Give special treat after they have gone potty (these treats are ONLY for going potty in the correct area).

CRATE/ KENNEL:

The dog’s crate/ kennel should never be used as punishment.  This should be seen as a special, safe, comfortable place by the dog.

Toilet Training Action Plan:

*What type of indoor bathroom do you want to use?

-Using an indoor grass/turf bathroom will help with being able to go outside as well.

Products at Pottypark.com

*Where do you want the dog bathroom to go?

-Choose ONE spot for the bathroom to go.  Somewhere that may also be used as a confinement area with only enough room for food and water bowls, bed, and bathroom.

*What phrase to use for the command to go potty?

Since Italian Greyhounds are extremely reluctant to use the bathroom outside in the winter, it is important to give them a proper option inside the house.  In this case I would recommend purchasing an indoor dog bathroom that resembles grass so the dogs will be less reluctant to use the bathroom outside.  This will help ensure that they are able to use their indoor bathroom in a proper manner, but to also be able to go potty outside without hesitation.

What kind of dog should I get?

Well this is a hard question.

A lot of this is in personal preference.  What kind of dogs do you like, and why?  Browse some breeds online and see what you think.  When you have a few breeds in mind, do your research.  Research the breed as much as possible.  What's the breed's history, what were they originally bread for?  Breed characteristics are important when training a dog.  Herding breeds can be more prone to nipping, terriers may be more likely to dig and hunt for small animals in your back yard, and sometimes non-sporting breeds can be difficult to motivate for training.  Once you learn more about a breed you're interested, ask yourself again, is this the type of dog I want, and why?

Don't fall into the, I want this breed because I think they're cute.  That's the worst possible thing you could do!  Figure out what you really want out of dog.

Look at your own life as it currently is.  What's YOUR energy level??
Are you a high-energy person that goes running every morning, or does it take you 30 minutes to wake up while you slowly sip your coffee?  Most dog's energy levels falls into 4 LEVELS:  low, medium, high, and very high.  You should always adopt a dog that is AT or BELOW your energy level, NEVER above!  Does the breed you picked match your general level of energy?

Once you have decided on a breed(s) you like and think would fit well into your home, it's time to decide where you could get your new pet from.
You basically have three options:
1.  Your local shelter or rescue.
2.  Breeders
3.  Pet store

1.  I would highly recommend you choose one of the first two options.  It is best to adopt from your local shelter whenever possible.  You will not only be getting a new addition to your family, but helping out an animal in need.  Also when considering adoption, shelters offer many different age groups for adoption.  Perhaps you would like to skip the puppy potty training stage and adopt an adolescent dog.  It's always nice when someone considers adopting older dogs as well, many are already trained and at a lower level of energy.  Another great thing shelters offer is variety.  I firmly believe that mutts are the way to go!  Mixed breed dogs tend to have better temperaments and less health problems in the long run.
A great local Minneapolis dog rescue is MARS (Midwest Animal Rescue & Services).

2.  Breeders are definitely a good option if you're looking to get a pure-bred dog.  Again, it is very important to do your homework.  You want to make sure you are getting your dog from a reputable breeder. This breeder will breed for good temperament and health.  There are many "back yard" breeders out there. These people are just looking to make a quick buck.  These breeders do not breed for health or temperament and do not always take very good care of their dogs.  A good trick to ask a potential breeder is, "May I see the puppies with their mom?"  If the breeder refuses, stay away!  Look for a breeder with a good history of healthy lines of dogs.

3.  Pet store are actually one of the worst places to get a new dog.  Pet stores many times carry animals from Puppy Mills.  These are places where again, they are just looking to make a quick buck, but on a much larger scale.  Puppy Mills are places you have seen horror stores in the news about.  These places definitely do not breed for health and temperament.  If you get a dog from a place like this, it is HIGHLY likely you will have numerous problems down the road.  You don't want to start off training a dog that's bred to already be crazy.  It makes everything you do much more difficult!

Do I have TIME for a dog?

Having a dog for life is a commitment.  Dogs take a lot of time and energy to train properly.  If you really want to have the perfect dog, you have to work for it.

When considering to adopt its important to take a good look at your daily schedule.  Dogs require a minimum of TWO walks per day, and yes EVERY DAY!  It is important that each walk is a minimum of 30 minutes, and should be closer to an hour.  Keep in mind that many high-energy dogs will require longer walks.

Besides walking your dog twice a day, you will need time to train him/her in basic obedience and other skills.  It's also important to have play time a few times throughout the day.

Realistically, you should consider that you will be doing DOG TIME about 3 hours per day.  This of course will vary by your dog's energy level and age.  Younger dogs need more exercise because they have lots more energy.  Once you get your dog into an exercise routine, less time may be required.  Also consider time for love, cuddling, and petting.

If you're really seriously considering adopting a dog, talk to your friends with dogs, walk your neighbor's dog a few times, and visit your local shelters (BEFORE you're ready to adopt).

Really think about if you have the appropriate amount of time before bringing a new member into your family.