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From: ran@ho95b.UUCP (RANeinast)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: housebreaking
Message-ID: <316@ho95b.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Feb-85 09:21:29 EST
Article-I.D.: ho95b.316
Posted: Thu Feb 21 09:21:29 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Feb-85 03:39:26 EST
Organization: AT&T-Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 43

> Now, Does anyone out there have any tips on how to housebreak a beagle that
> has no fear of punishment.  At 7 weeks of age she went into the hospital for
> *3* weeks, 2 of which were spent on I.V. close to death with parvo, pneumonia,
> and a few other maladies and ever since her attitude has been 'ha. I've been
> through worse than a two minute yelling/spanking/whatever...'.
> What's an owner to do???

>                          Andrew R. Scholnick
>                         Information Design and Management Inc., Alexandria, Va.
>                       ...seismo!rlgvax!idmi-cc!andrew


The following worked for me (actually it worked for my dog).
BTW, we got her at 5 1/2 weeks, and she was housebroken
by 2 months.

First, remember you *must* catch them in the act.  Scream *NO*
and scoop them outside (it's the startle that's important--not the
punishment).  If you don't see it happen, all the punishment
in the world cannot make the dog understand what it did wrong.

Second, try to get the dog into a habit of eating at certain times,
and being taken out at certain times (like first thing in the morning,
before bed, etc.).

Third (and this is the magic), whenever the dog does it outside,
praise it *immediately* and give it a small piece of liver sausage
(I've never met a dog who didn't *love* liver sausage).  Soon,
the dog will hold it just to do it outside, and start asking
to go out (my dog is a non-barker; when she has to go out, she
bows and sneezes--really!).  Once the habit is well
established you can cut down (switch to less appetizing treats,
sometimes omitting the treat, etc).  Make sure the treat is only given
for really doing it, not just asking to go out, or the dog will figure
out that scam real fast.

Good luck!

-- 

". . . and shun the frumious Bandersnatch."
Robert Neinast (ihnp4!ho95c!ran)
AT&T-Bell Labs