Teaching your dog how to clean up their own messes can be a lot of fun for both you and them. After all, having your dog clean up after themselves seems like a lot of fun and they will probably want to do it again the next time they have a mess to clean up. Here are some dog training tips that can help you teach them good habits.
The first tip in regards to how to teach a dog to clean up their own messes is to use a toy as a distraction. If your dog has an accident in the house, such as on your rug or underneath your dog bed, use something that distracts him from making another mess. A good toy to use is one that squeaks or makes a sound when stepped on. This way, your dog doesn’t notice the mess but it does get their attention, which is always a good thing. Make sure the toy isn’t too large, though, or your dog might think that they just made a new mess while continuing to play with the toy.
It’s also a good idea to pick out toys for your dog that don’t need to be chewed as much. Chewing toys are great, especially if your dog is to “play” but there’s not a lot of mess to clean up afterwards. Just make sure the toys are made of a durable material and break-resistant, but don’t pick out toys that are too small. You can also use soft-bristle toys in this situation. These toys aren’t too rough on your dog’s teeth and they are easy to clean up afterward.
After your dog has been distracted for a while, it’s time to start the process of teaching your dog how to actually clean up their mess. Start by laying down newspaper and making sure there are no sticks or rocks inside the newspaper. Then, you want to begin to give your dog the toy and the newspaper. Keep the toy in your dog’s mouth at all times, even after they’ve done their business. You want your dog to understand that it is a big job and they have to do it. Be sure to praise them profusely for doing a good job.
When your dog cleans up their mess, they should be given a piece of newspaper with directions on how to properly empty it outside. Always make sure to let your dog go outside first, so the dog will be used to doing this outside. If your dog gets nervous, you can give them a treat afterwards.
After your dog understands how to clean up toys, you can then move onto other areas of your yard, like the grass or decking. These areas too require a good amount of clean up, so it is important not to start your dog off with too much responsibility. Start off with the easiest, non-threatening, task to teach them first. Once they have mastered that, then you can move onto bigger jobs.
Now that your dog understands how to clean up toys, you can get rid of them for awhile. Don’t throw away any of them. Put them in a cupboard or somewhere safe for you dog to find. When they have completely been used up, you may then want to get rid of old dog training supplies and items like chew bones. This helps train your dog while maintaining your home.
Learning how to teach a dog to clean up toys on your own is a wonderful idea. It allows you the ability to keep your dog’s life enjoyable while teaching them how to maintain a clean home environment. Also, if you don’t feel like cleaning up after your dog, this also helps you show your dog who rules the house. It lets them know their place in the family hierarchy. It is an essential part of dog training.
