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K-STATE VETERINARIAN SAYS
LITTER TRAINING AN OPTION FOR DOGS, TOO
http://www.mediarelations.ksu.edu/WEB/News/NewsReleases/listlittertraining81605.html
 MANHATTAN
-- When you're at work or are away from
home for much of the day, your arrival home can
be highly anticipated by your dog. But instead
of wanting a playmate, all your dog wants is to
go outside to do its business.
When dogs have to hold in urine, it may predispose
them to bladder infections, said Susan Nelson,
assistant professor of clinical sciences at the
Kansas State University Veterinary Medical Teaching
Hospital.
An alternative? Litter train your dog.
"It's a good idea for people that maybe work
long hours that can't get home to let their dog
out," Nelson said. "Dogs don't have
to hold it in and can relieve themselves."
Litter training also can be good for dogs who
don't like to go outside when it's cold or don't
like the feel of grass, Nelson said.
It is fairly realistic to expect a dog to litter
train, as long as their owners stay patient and
consistent. In general, smaller dog breeds are
the best to litter train, she said. Smaller dogs
will fit in a litter box better than a bigger
dog, such as a Labrador retriever.
While Nelson said it's physically easier to train
a small- to medium-sized dog, she didn't give
a size limit.
"It's however much room you have to make
an area for a litter box," she said.
Litter training can be advantageous for owners
with regards to cleanup, Nelson said. Instead
of looking through the yard for waste to pick
up, owners only need to scoop it out of the box
or dump out all of the litter and waste.
One of the challenges of litter training your
dog may be getting it used to going indoors, Nelson
said. "If they're already used to going outside,
converting them to go inside will be more challenging,"
she said.
Potentially, odor control also could be a problem.
While cats tend to cover up their waste, dogs
do not.
Nelson offers the following steps for litter training:
* Set up the litter box in the same location so
the dog is trained to relieve itself in the same
spot.
* Leave some urination or stool in the litter
box to let your dog know that's where it should
go to the bathroom.
* If your dog sniffs around like it's agitated,
take it to the designated area. Owners need to
be diligent in watching for signs of impending
urination or defecation.
*When your dog does have a bowel movement or urination
in the litter box, give it a reward and lots of
praise.
*Don't punish your dog for not going to the bathroom.
They need motivation and, when they do use the
litter box, rewards.
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