PAAH News and Announcements

Novartis - Production Stopped

NOVARTIS, the manufacturer of many common OTC pharmaceuticals for human and animal use, has volunteered to stop production at their manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The closure is tempor....

Readmore..

K-Laser Pain Therapy Is Here

We proudly announce the addition of K-Laser Class IV Therapeutic Laser Treatments for advanced pain relief and enhanced tissue healing. Multiple studies and decades of use have not just suggested, ....

Readmore..

Congratulations!!

Park Avenue Animal Hospital is proud to announce the births of Ava Elizabeth DiSalvatore and Madigan Adair Howley.

Amber gave birth to baby Ava on October 13, 2011....

Readmore..

New Classes Starting In February

We’ll be hosting JM CANINE SERVICES for a six-week basic obedience course for puppies and dogs ag....

Readmore..

Print

Crate Training

Author - John Turgai, D.V.M.

Probably the most important point in housebreaking a new puppy is in the prevention of bad behaviors in the first place. Frequent trips outside (at least Dog Cratehourly) are the first tier of prevention of indoor accidents. Of course there are certain times of the day when he is more likely to have to go. After eating, sleeping, and playtime would be good times to get him outside too. Keeping with a routine with feedings and naps will help with predictability. When he does his duty outdoors, lavish praise and a small, special treat will reinforce the good behavior. In between trips outside, careful vigilance is necessary to spot signs of the need for a trip outside.  Watch for precursor signs like floor sniffing as an indication that he needs to go. However, I have found that some pups don't always give a lot of warning. Sometimes they just stop running around and suddenly they're peeing ! Keeping the puppy close by with a leash will prevent him from slipping off  to behind the sofa to potty in an out of the way place.

Besides frequent trips outside and careful monitoring, the third means of prevention is crate training. Crates should be large enough for a puppy to be very comfortable, but not so large that the puppy can call one end of the crate the “bed” and the other end the “potty spot”. If you have a large crate and a small puppy, you can fashion a partition temporarily until he grows into the crate.  It’s OK and even a good idea to feed meals in the crate, although the bowl should be removed between meals in most cases. A water bowl will probably just get dumped over and should not be left in the crate.  Coax him in rather than pushing.  Reward him when he goes in his crate with either praise or a small treat. It is important for the puppy to think of the crate as a good place. It should not be used for punishment, and this concept needs to be kept in mind especially during the initial introduction to the crate before he has come to accept it as “home”.

During housebreaking, whenever the puppy is inside the home but cannot be watched, he is placed in the crate. The last thing you do before you put the puppy in the crate is take him outside to his favorite spot, and of course the first thing you do when you take him out of the crate is another trip outside. Sometimes put him in his crate when you're NOT going to be 'missing' (asleep or gone) for a long time, so he doesn’t come to associate the crate with being alone. Give him something really yummy (and long lasting) that he only gets in his crate, not anywhere else. Some examples would be Kong toys or bleached hollow bones filled with dog food, squeeze cheese, etc and then frozen.

Prevention is best, but what if there are accidents ? If you catch him in the act, then it's ok to stop him, 'no-no puppy' or whatever correction word/sound you use, and then whisk him outside. If this were a perfect world, he would stop instantly and finish outside, resulting in both a correction AND a positive reward. Sometimes you will catch him in time but he's so startled that when he's outside he won't void. If that's the case (ie you KNOW he still needs to go), take him back inside and put him in his crate for 5 minutes to 'defuse' the situation, then take him directly back outside. It is not helpful to use more forceful methods of punishment for puppies that are caught in the act. Punishment of any kind for un-witnessed accidents is usually worthless or counterproductive.

Remember that any time he has an un-witnessed accident in the house it's the human's fault for not observing him closely enough or for giving him too much freedom so he could get out of sight. What he learns is actually that it's ok to go in the house, just not in your presence. (Yikes!)
Every time he has an 'accident' in the house, he is getting a physical reward (bladder or bowel relief). Once an animal (or a person) gets a reward for something wrong, it takes a LOT of repetition of doing it right to overcome that one wrong time. So the BIGGEST key for successful housebreaking is prevention of accidents in the first place by constant diligence and frequent, scheduled outings to make sure he's staying 'empty'. 

Discovery News

Discovery News - Animal News

Animal News covers the animal kingdom from anteaters to zebras. Learn about fast frog evolution, animal communication, endangered species and more. Discovery News - Animal News
 

PAAH Prints

Want to receive our PAAH Prints monthly Newsletter? Sign up today!

Latest Events

Wed Feb 08 @10:00AM - 10:30AM
Storytime at the Zoo
Sun Feb 12 @11:00AM - 04:00PM
FUNDAY! By Greyhound Pets of America
Wed Feb 15 @10:00AM - 10:30AM
Storytime at the Zoo
Fri Feb 17 @ 6:00PM - 08:00PM
Yappy Hour At Piglets Pantry
Wed Feb 22 @10:00AM - 10:30AM
Storytime at the Zoo
Sun Feb 26 @ 2:00PM - 04:30PM
Cupcakes and K-9's
Wed Feb 29 @10:00AM - 10:30AM
Storytime at the Zoo

Hours of Business

Mon: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Tues: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Wed: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Thurs: 7:30 am - 7:00 pm
Fri: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - Noon
Sun: Closed

PAAH Poll

How often should your dog or cat be vaccinated?

Latest Testimonials

Randy Hodges
Had to take my yorky in again because of seizures and Dr Rick and staff met my wife at the door and ...
Grumpee
When I first meet Dr Turgai at a dog park event I knew we were going to like the service and the peo...
Candy Sullivan
When I saw the invitation on FaceBook to send in a testimonial to Park Avenue Animal Hospital, I was...
Jeannine and Steve Colletti
OUR OPAL HAD A STROKE, YOUNG CAT, AND MET DR. T. FIRST, HE IS SO GENTLE, CARING, AND CONCERNED, HE E...
Cindy Snyder
We have been in Florida for the past 2 years and have yet to find a vet and facility we were happy w...

PAAH Newsflash

Black CatLet's Talk Vaccines! Everyone has an opinion of how often or if at all. We have a 3 part series in the PAAH blog that will give you the answers. Be informed!  Read more...


Veterinarian's Oath

Vet SymbolBeing admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.

I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence. Veterinarian's Oath (AVMA, 1999)

Advantage Coupon