5 Steps to Saving your Carpet from your New Puppy

At Champion Cleaning systems, we love puppies AND we love clean carpets. We recommend using a crate to housebreak your new family member. The dog’s natural instinct as a den animal allows you to recreate the crate as his home, a comfortable place to sleep and a safe refuge from stress. Canines’ natural instinct not to soil their bed allows you to be in control of where and when he answers nature’s call.

Here are 5 steps to creating the best environment for you, your dog and your carpet.

Step One- Introduce your dog to the faux den

The enclosure should always be a pleasant experience, bring him there with a pleasant voice and bribe him to enter on his own terms rewards. Actively lead him into it by laying a trail of treats. If he’s not tempted by his tummy, try tossing his favorite toys in. Be patient and calm, this step could take an hour or several days.

Step Two- Serve meals in the crate

When successful at entering and exiting at his leisure, start feeding near the crate to create pleasant associations. Advance to placing the food at the back of the enclosure. (If he is reluctant or anxious, start at the front of the crate and move it back a few inches at each feeding.) Be attentive- when he is comfortably standing and eating, gently close the door. As soon as he is finished, open it and let him out. Build a few minutes of time until he stays in 10 minutes after meal time. If he whines, you may have increased the time too aggressively. Stay tuned in and let him out before he cries- you don’t want him to train YOU to let him out while whining.

Step Three- Increase the kennel time while you are home

When the feeding is successful, train at other times. Call him over and give him a treat. Choose a catch phrase, such as ‘crate up!’ and point your treat filled hand into the kennel. As he enters, praise him and give him the treat. Close the door. Sit quietly next to him for 5 or 10 minutes. Then let him out. When that is comfortable, put him in, wait til he is calm and then leave the room, but not the house, for a few minutes. Sit another few minutes with him and then let him out. Start with once a day and then add multiple sessions. Build up to 30 minutes at a time. After a few days or weeks, he will relax enough to lounge and nap in there

Step Four- Confine while you are way

You are the adult in this relationship. As you prepare for your first mini test, repeat process like in step three. (Maybe but in one new toy to distract him.) Don’t be overly emotional or dramatic about leaving- think ‘matter of fact.’ Just do a dry run the first time, be gone for just 5 or 10 minutes. Act normal when you come home, don’t rush to let him out but don’t let him get worked up. Vary your ‘get out the door’ routine- sometimes you already have your keys in hand, sometimes put him in before you put on your shoes. Stay low key and he will too.

Step Five- The crate as a bed at night

Use the same process and a treat. Initially, place the kennel in your room or in a nearby hallway. Remember we are training a pack animal that is more relaxed sleeping with his pack. Avoid isolating your new pet. (Try the newborn baby trick of placing your (not clean) T-shirt in the kennel for his bedding.) Since puppies don’t physically have good bodily function control, you will need to hear him whine in order to wake and let him out. As his bladder gets stronger and your trust builds, you can gradually move the kennel to your desired location.

Be patient and remember, this is just a short stage as you train each other as family members. And Champion Cleaning Systems is just a phone call away at 678-974-1151 to help with any little slips.