Siberian Huskies For Dummies Read online

  House-Training Your Husky

  Believe it or not, your Husky wants to be house-trained. By nature, he is an extremely clean dog who does not want to mess up his living quarters. All he needs is for you to explain to him what you want. But remember, a puppy is a baby; you can’t expect his bladder control to be perfect. Even though he may learn very early what he should do, sometimes it’s just too hard for him to wait. Most dogs do not have sufficiently developed sphincter muscles to be completely house-trained until they are 4 or even 6 months old. Besides, their bladders are small. So having patience is important.

  Train without pain. Never use physical punishment to house-train your puppy. Puppies between the ages of 8 and 10 weeks (the very time when they are learning house-training skills) are extremely sensitive to any painful experiences. If you use physical punishment at this stage, you may have a fearful dog forever. Some mistakes simply cannot be undone. This is the time to use petting, love, and positive reinforcement. Your puppy will then associate pleasant sensations with doing what you want. It’s the most effective training device in the world.

  Even if your Siberian spends most of his time outdoors, he still needs to be house-trained. He needs to learn that eliminating indoors is never appropriate. Training now will save you a lot of embarrassment later when you visit friends, pet sitters, the vet, and motels.

  In this section, I give you all the information you need to house-train your Husky with ease.

  Using crates to help house-train

  For house-training, a crate is your best friend. Keep a favorite toy in the crate, and have your Husky sleep there with it. He will soon get accustomed to the idea of the crate as his bedroom. Because dogs hate soiling their sleeping quarters, you can take him outside as soon as he awakes from his naps and he won’t have had time to have an accident. He will soon extend the idea to the whole house.

  For a small puppy, you can even use a playpen, so that the pup can observe all the goings-on. Put down a shower curtain or plastic liner inside the playpen, under a mat.

  During the day, don’t keep a puppy in a crate for more than four hours. If you do, he will not be able to control his bowel functions, and then he’ll lose any inhibitions he may have about messing in his crate.

  How long can a puppy stay in a crate without needing to eliminate? The longest time a dog should be confined is eight hours (and that should be only on very rare occasions). Just consider your pup’s age in months. Young dogs should be able to be crated for as many hours as they are months old. A 4-month-old puppy should be able to last four hours, a 5-month-old puppy for five hours, and so on.

  Your dog will not get sufficient exercise if he is kept in a crate too long. He should have at least an hour, and preferably longer, between each crating session when he is allowed to run and play actively.

  When your not-yet-house-trained dog is out of his crate, you may want to tie a leash to him and hook the other end to yourself. Then go about your daily activities. This way, you’ll be sure that he won’t sneak off to pee, and you can keep a close eye on him. This technique is especially useful in house-training an older dog. It also helps to bond you and your dog together — literally.

  Pet store puppies are used to using their cages as a bathroom, because it’s their only choice. So a puppy coming from this kind of environment will naturally have a more difficult time understanding that his crate is for sleeping only.

  Dogs need to urinate more frequently in hot weather, when they are drinking more water. Remember to accommodate their increased need.

  Getting the basics of house-training

  When you have a puppy, you’re responsible for taking him outside at all the appropriate times — in the morning and after naps, after a meal, and just before bedtime. Very young puppies may have to go in the middle of the night as well. Remember: The house-training process is trying, but extra effort now will save you a lot of aggravation later.

  Set your alarm clock for about three hours after you go to bed, quickly take the puppy out, and do it again three hours later. Don’t worry, he’ll soon sleep through the night. In the morning, take him out before you do anything else.

  Don’t wait for your young puppy to inform you of his needs. He won’t think of them himself until it’s just about too late. And by the time he manages to get your attention, it’s really too late.

  Responding to accidents

  If you actually see your puppy having an accident, yell, “Outside!” in an alarmed (not angry) voice, and race outside with him. (If you say “No!” he may think that eliminating is wrong, and that’s not the message you want him to receive.) If he happens to use the bathroom again while outside, praise him mightily. Keep praising him excitedly every time he does what you want.

  Timing is everything. You must go outside with your puppy when you see him start to make a mistake. If you just scold him and toss him outside, the message he’s getting is, “Peeing is wrong,” not “Peeing has its own special place — outside.” If he thinks “Peeing is wrong” he will soon start to pee everywhere when your back is turned to avoid a scolding. (Obviously, he can’t just stop peeing.)

  If you don’t actually see the mistake being made, just clean it up without comment. There’s no point in telling him after the fact that he’s made an error. Have the puppy out of sight when you clean up after him. If he sees you “playing with his pee” he may think he’s pleased you. Also, because his mother cleaned up after him, he may think this is normal activity, so why should he change anything?

  Do not drag your dog over to the mess and rub his nose in it. He won’t have a clue why you’re doing this. He may know you’re upset with him, but he just can’t make the connection. Besides, assuming that a dog’s messes smell as bad to him as they do to you is wrong. He may even eat the stuff, thinking that’s what you want. And of course, never strike your dog for making a mess — or for any other reason.

  Use the same door every time you take your dog out until he is thoroughly house-trained and goes to that door every time. Use a particular area of the yard for your dog’s bathroom duties. This approach will encourage the dog to think of this area as “his” for this particular purpose. Also, it will make yard cleanup that much easier. Go with your puppy. Do not leave him alone to wander around aimlessly. Praise him greatly when he does what’s wanted!

  At first, leave a little of your precious Siberian’s poo in the area you want him to use. This will remind him of his duty the next time he goes out.

  Sticking to a schedule

  Eight-week-old puppies should go out every couple of hours. Puppies new to the household should go out even more frequently, because nervousness and excitement stimulates their bladders. Most adult dogs can be left alone for eight hours, but this is variable, just as it is with people.

  When your Siberian knows that he can depend upon you to take him out at regular times (dogs have clocks in their heads), he’ll be more inclined to wait for that moment. If he doesn’t have a clue when or if you’re going to take him out, he may feel as though he has nothing to wait for. So, as far as he’s concerned, he may as well go now.

  Keep a strict schedule with your dog’s eating times as well, because the two events — eating and elimination — are connected. If you have to leave your dog alone all day, and he can’t hold it, think about hiring a dog-walking or pet-sitting service. Or take some of that unused vacation time. Your Husky will appreciate the company, too.

  If you cannot teach your Husky to bark when he wants in or out, you can buy a Doggie Doorbell designed to prevent scratching. A pad can be placed on either side of your door at dog-height. When the pet touches the pad, a built-in wireless transmitter activates a door chime! Or you can install a pet door. Some owners train their dogs to come and sit in front of them when they have to go out.

  Figuring out what’s behind the accidents your Husky has

  One of the most thrilling things about canine urination is that it can mean so many things.
For instance, it may translate into: “I’m very submissive — don’t whack me.” Or it can mean the opposite: “I’m a big tough dog. I’m leaving my mark.” Or it can mean: “I’m not feeling well, and I wish my owner would be smart enough to figure out why I’m peeing all over the place.” Or it can mean: “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! We’re goin’ for a walk! I can’t control myself!” Or maybe the dog just needs to use the bathroom.

  The marking of territory

  Male dogs tend to mark areas they want to claim as their own. Unneutered male dogs, especially if they are new to an area, typically lift a leg against a chair, a wall, or a lamp. They are leaving something besides a wet spot: They’re leaving important information for other dogs. This behavior usually begins between the ages of 4 and 9 months. Even dogs who don’t do this in their homes may be tempted to mark indoors elsewhere. Neutering is one way to reduce or even eliminate this problem.

  If there has been a recent change in household structure (typically if the dominant partner leaves), a male dog may attempt to elevate to a position at the top of the new pack. One of the ways he may try to assert his authority is by urinary marking in the home. When the proper dominance order has been reestablished, the marking should stop.

  Illnesses

  Diabetes is a disease that first declares itself by increased urination. If your dog exhibits unusual thirst, coupled with urinating in the house, suspect diabetes, and call the vet.

  Cushings disease, certain medications like prednisone, and chronic kidney failure can also cause increased urination, as can urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections are more common in females than in males; symptoms include unproductive straining and licking of the genitals. Bladder stones, tumors, and polyps may also be culprits in urinary incontinence. If straining accompanies the urination, suspect a urinary tract infection rather than Cushings, kidney failure, or diabetes.

  Leaking

  Older, spayed females may also have problems with “leaking,” especially at night. In their case, the cause is loss of estrogen, which apparently results in weakening the urinary sphincter. Obviously, treating this condition is very important, because, in addition to the urine-soaked carpet and furniture, the prolonged contact with urine can cause skin ulcers in your dog. Luckily, there’s a solution. Medications like phenylpropanolamine often work magic; they stimulate the secretion of norepinephrine, a hormone that increases the sphincter muscle tone.

  Fear

  Some dogs urinate whenever they are scolded. This response is rooted in fear. Do not punish your dog for urinating; that will only frighten and depress her more.

  Often urination is a normal canine response to a dominant companion, and is called submissive urination. You are more likely to see submissive urination in puppies than in adult dogs.

  The only way to cure submission urination is to let your dog know that she has nothing to be afraid of. Punishing her will merely confirm her fears. Praising her, on the other hand, will make her think peeing while scared is the correct move. Simply ignore the urination, clean it up, and otherwise just pretend it never happened. Gradually, she’ll become more confident and lose her fear of you.

  Excitement

  Many dogs, particularly younger ones, don’t have complete bladder control, especially when they are excited or overwrought. You need to reduce your Husky’s excitement level by being calm yourself when exciting things happen. If your dog urinates when you come home, don’t make a big deal over her when you walk in the door. Simply be blasé, and avoid eye contact for about ten minutes. If you don’t make a big fuss, your dog will become less anxious and excited. Hug and cuddle her later, to make up for your apparent indifference to her when you first walked in the door.

  Cleaning Up After Your Husky

  Dogs are truly man’s best friend — and Siberians are among the best friends you can find. But (isn’t there always a but?) the downside is that dogs — all dogs — tend to find their way into messes. So in this section, I help you figure out how to quickly clean them up — whether inside or out — and get back to the joy of owning a dog.

  Taking care of the yard

  One of the joys of dog ownership is the challenge of trying to maintain a beautiful lawn while giving your dog room to do his business. In the following sections, I give you great strategies for doing exactly that.

  Picking up after your pooch

  In my house, we prefer the plastic bag method of picking up after our dogs. We just pick up the messes using plastic bags or rubber gloves we’ve designated for that purpose. If you’re squeamish, you can opt for a variety of fancy pooper-scoopers that will save your back and nose. Most are a two-piece deal that operate on the rake-it-in-and-shovel-it-up plan. A few are actually designed to work in grass and gravel.

  Pick up stools from around the yard twice a day if possible. They look bad, smell awful, make a mess if you step in them, and carry disease.

  Getting rid of lawn spots

  Those hideous yellow and brown spots you see all over your lawn are burns from urine and feces. They are just another reason for getting your Husky to use one corner of the yard for his bathroom responsibilities; at least you can reduce the damage that way.

  Besides keeping your yard picked up regularly, you can add products like Grassaver or G-Whiz to your dog’s diet. They act to neutralize your dog’s urine and control odors. Other products like Spot Check and Green-Um, sprayed or sprinkled on the damaged area, will help reestablish grass. If you actually catch your dog in the act, rinse the grass immediately with 2 or 3 gallons of water.

  A good chemical remedy is K-9 Turf, which is safe for both pets and kids. It’s an all-natural product that doubles as a lawn fertilizer. Use it once a month and your problems with lawn spots should be over. Other good products include Spot Check and Dogonit. Dogonit gets rid of winter salt damage also.

  If your dog is in the habit of urinating on and consequently destroying a bush, don’t dig up the bush! He’ll just urinate on another one. Leave the shrub there, while you attempt to discourage the dog from this habit. He may just continue to urinate only on the dead one.

  Taking care of the grass

  Although no normal yard can stand up to an exuberant Siberian, if you have the time and luxury, you can improve your lawn’s appearance. Jessi Holcomb, a Siberian owner and professional greenskeeper, gave me a few hints on Husky lawn-keeping:

  Try planting perennial rye grass for a lawn. That’s the stuff they use for football fields. You’ll have to mow it twice a week, but it’ll be sturdier and stand up to more wear and tear from your dog.

  For a quick fix, add some annual rye grass. This grass sprouts up green in a few days, although it dies back in the winter.

  Fertilize the lawn when the dogs are in for an evening, and hose it down lightly to remove residual fertilizer before releasing the dogs into the yard.

  You can also try my personal method: Just mulch the whole yard and forget about the grass.

  Getting rid of urine stains

  When your puppy urinates on your rug, use one part vinegar to two parts non-ammonia cleaner and gently blot up the stain with a paper towel. Afterwards, apply a pleasant-smelling detergent, or use a specialized product like Urine Kleen, Natural d’Liminone (a citrus extract), or Odormute. There’s also Nature’s Miracle, an enzyme cleaner that helps devour smells.

  Do not use ammonia for cleaning up urine. Ammonia smells like urine to a dog, and he’ll be encouraged to repeat his error in the very same place.

  If the urine goes through the carpet into the backing, you’re in trouble. You may have to get the carpet professionally shampooed. If it has suffered quite a few accidents of this sort, you may have to remove it altogether.

  If your dog urinates on a hardwood floor, you can’t always get the odors out. But you can seal them in. Apply a coat or two of polyurethane to the floor. It does wonders and looks very nice as well.

  Dealing with vomit

  If your dog vomits
on the carpet, the first and most obvious step is to pick up the vomit (that’s always the worst part). Vomit, having just emerged from your dog’s digestive system, is an acidic substance. The best cleanup (unless your dog has a house-training block) is a solution of 1 tablespoon of ammonia to 1/2 cup of water, unless you have a wool carpet. (Ammonia should never be used on wool!)

  Cleaning up blood

  If your Husky bleeds for any reason, your first consideration should always be to figure out what has caused the bleeding and get your dog the help he needs right away.