Paper training your dog, that is, teaching your dog to eliminate on
newspapers that can easily be gathered up and thrown away, is an
acceptable alternative to house training for people who live in hi-rise
apartments, for senior citizens or those owners with a tiny dog that
eliminates very little. The main reason why we choose newspaper is
because it is readily available, costs very little and it will absorb the
urine, making it easy to dispose of.
The owner should first pick an area of the house where it would be
convenient to place paper on the floor. A kitchen corner or laundry room
is often chosen because it has a tile floor that will resist the seepage of
urine should this occur. Place the dogs crate or bed in a corner and
place paper on the floor around it. The area should be a few feet by a
few feet, depending upon the size of the dog.
Construct a barrier around the perimeter of the area in order to confine
the dog to the papered area only. Since the dog will not wish to soil the
place where he sleeps, he will eventually wander onto the papered area
to eliminate. After about a week, begin to narrow the amount of space
you have covered with newspaper until after several days there remains
only as much newspaper as the dog needs to confine the waste. Since
dogs want to eliminate in the same spot each time, this will make the
whole task easier.
After several weeks of eliminating on paper the dog should get used to
this habit. You can then attempt to remove the barrier and let him have
access to a larger area of the house when you can watch him. If he
makes a mistake, tell him in a stern voice, "On the paper.... on the
paper..." and place him on the newspaper. When you see him eliminate
on the newspaper, always praise him and sometimes give him a treat
immediately. Remember, if reinforcement is not given within a few
seconds of a desirable behavior, the dog will not make the connection.
As with the other programs, food and water should be given for
scheduled periods of time and then taken away. Use an odor neutralizer
to eliminate the scent when the dog makes a mistake. If your dog
makes a mistake, never the punish the dog after the fact. This does
absolutely no good. Only correct him with an instruction ("On the
paper...") if you catch him in the act.
