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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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