3 steps to toilet training your Shiba Inu (How to prepare? What to do if you fail?)

• I don't know how to toilet train my Shiba Inu.
• He doesn't use the toilet properly.
• I want to know the correct way to toilet train him.

If you're thinking this, reading this article will be a shortcut to getting him to use the toilet.

Shiba Inu dogs were originally kept outdoors, so they often develop a habit of defecating outside. Once they get used to defecating outside, they will avoid doing so indoors, and you'll end up having to hold it in when you're away from home.

Situations like this can be stressful for both you and your dog. By potty training your dog early on, you can take them out more freely.

Step 1: Preparing Your Shiba Inu for the Toilet

Shiba Inu dogs, remnants of their wild days, are very cleanish, which is why they protect themselves. Toilet training a Shiba Inu requires careful preparation of the litter box and the environment.

Install the litter box away from the enclosure

While typical small dog litter boxes are installed inside the enclosure, Shiba Inu litter boxes should be installed away from the enclosure. This is because Shiba Inu dogs rarely defecate near their sleeping areas.

This is one of their self-protective habits, influenced by their wild days. They use their sleeping area to prevent predators from detecting it by smelling it.

Pets tend to defecate as far away from their sleeping area as possible, so if you're placing a litter box in the same room, placing it at the opposite end of the house will increase your success rate.

Enclose the litter box on all four sides like a playpen.

If possible, prepare a separate litter box for the litter box. If preparing a separate litter box is difficult, surround the litter box on all four sides with boards or plates.

By surrounding the area on all four sides, you can clearly identify it as the litter box. This will help reduce accidents, such as toileting in the wrong place.

Make sure your Shiba Inu's toilet space is spacious.

When Shiba Inu need to relieve themselves, they will circle around and sniff the toilet area. Even if you surround them on all four sides, make sure they are large enough to move around freely.

Also, puppies often use the toilet, so it's convenient to leave plenty of space, considering the frequent changes of pet sheets after each use.

Step 2: How to Toilet Train a Shiba Inu

Once you've prepared the toilet environment, it's time to start toilet training. We'll introduce some tips that are effective not only for Shiba Inu dogs but also for other dog breeds, so please refer to them.

Don't Miss the Toilet Signs

These are some examples of "toilet signs."

• Begins to fidget
• Begins to sniff the floor (ground)
• Focuses on his rear end
• His hind legs are awkward

If your dog exhibits these behaviors, immediately guide him to the toilet area.

Your dog should learn how to use the toilet before training it. Here are some ways to teach him how to use the toilet:

• Try to get your dog to come near you by saying "Come here" or calling his name.
• Hold a treat in your fist and give your dog a treat when he follows your fist. → He'll start responding to your fist even without a treat.

Also, there are times when puppies especially want to go to the toilet. Observe your child carefully after meals, exercise, and waking up, and make sure you don't miss any signs.

Talk to your child when they go to the toilet.

Talking to your child is also an effective part of toilet training.

Once your dog starts to defecate,

• "Toilet"
• "Pee"
• "One, two"

By calling your dog these commands, your dog will learn to associate the defecation action with the sound, and will be able to determine the location and timing of the toilet on its own.

By calling your dog before potty training and when he defecates on walks, your dog will quickly understand where the toilet is.

Praise your dog enthusiastically when he succeeds

After you've guided your dog to use the toilet successfully, praise him enthusiastically, even if it's just for a short time. Praise him by petting him or talking to him, depending on his personality. If you're using a voice, use a high-pitched voice to convey your praise.

Treats are also an effective way to reward your dog, but you should repeat the experience of success over and over until he eventually succeeds without treats. It's important to make your dog realize that "I'll be praised if I use the toilet successfully!"

Step 3: Points to Note When Failed

Toilet training is one of the first major hurdles many dog ​​owners face. Failure can be devastating, and cleaning up can be a real pain. However, if you respond incorrectly when your dog fails, it can make the journey to toilet training even longer.

If your dog has a toilet accident, stay calm and practice the following tips.

Never scold your dog even if it makes a mistake

If your dog makes a toilet accident, don't scold him. Instead, calmly clean up the mess without speaking to him. If he learns to be scolded for making an accident, he will understand that "eliminating waste is bad" and will try to relieve himself in front of you or in other places away from the litter box, away from other people.

After a toilet accident, even if you don't scold him, saying things like "Oh no!" or "You messed up!" may be mistaken for praise, so be careful. We recommend cleaning up the mess without speaking to him.

Keep the area around the litter box clean

Dogs are very clean animals. If they leave the litter box in a clean state, they won't try to defecate in the same place again, so change the litter box sheet immediately after each use.

Shiba Inu dogs are particularly clean-loving, so cleaning up any pee that splashes into the litter box will increase your success rate.

If your dog has an accident and defecates somewhere else, if the scent remains in that area, it may mistakenly think of that place as the "toilet." To prevent a recurrence, completely eliminate the scent by spraying alcohol or deodorant on it.

Encourage your dog to go to the toilet on its own

A common example of a problem is when your dog won't go to the toilet on its own. If you're carrying your dog to the toilet, it's possible that he hasn't learned to "go to the toilet."

When your dog gives the toilet sign, lead him to the toilet without picking him up and let him walk there on his own.

Summary

How quickly a Shiba Inu learns to use the toilet is influenced by the owner's training methods and the toilet environment. They may fail many times at first, but all dogs will learn through repeated failures. It's important to train patiently without giving up or scolding them halfway through.

If your Shiba Inu continues to have toilet accidents, it may be a good idea to reevaluate the toilet environment, training methods, and praise methods. We also recommend moving carpets and cushions that you don't want to get dirty to a different location during toilet training.

Above all, praise your Shiba Inu profusely whenever they successfully use the toilet! They're naturally intelligent dogs, so repeated praise will help them learn.