TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Debbie got a new puppy last month.

Because it had been trained to use puppy pads in its former home, and she had no way to let it out during the day, she continued to use the pads when she brought it home.

Last weekend she installed a dog door and secured the fence so the puppy would have access to the yard while she was at work.

The pup learned how to go in and out the dog door easily, but now she runs inside to pee on the pad and then runs back outside to play.

Sounds like a very smart puppy to me, but Debbie wants to know how to teach her to go outside only.

Before I get into a solution, let's talk about housebreaking versus paper training.

In the "old days," you either housebroke a dog or you paper trained it.

Housebroken dogs were taught that it was never acceptable to eliminate in the house.

Paper trained dogs were taught that it was acceptable to eliminate in the house.

To paper train, a dog was confined to an area completely covered with newspaper and it was praised repeatedly for going where it had no other option.

Over time the owner started to gradually reduce the paper coverage one sheet at a time until only a single sheet remained.

During the training process a piece of paper scented with a few drops of the dog's urine was always left to attract the dog back to the desirable spot.

Until the dog could be trusted to seek out the paper from anywhere in the home, it was either taken back to the paper and encouraged to eliminate, or confined there if the owner was away.

Owners were cautioned that if they ultimately wanted the dog to only eliminate outside, they shouldn't paper train it first.

Small dogs with tiny bladders that lived in high-rises, such as those in New York City, were paper trained and although taken for daily walks and allowed to eliminate, always had paper to go on when the owner was at work or didn't want to take the elevator down to the street several times a day.

Big dogs were never paper trained, and dog walking, as a legitimate and fashionable profession, originated in the Big Apple.

The side benefits were dogs not only got daily exercise, but were also well-socialized with controlled exposure to other dogs, people and noises associated with traffic.

Then in the 1970s a former carpet-layer came up with the original idea for doggie "Wee Wee Pads" as an alternative to newspaper.

While at first considered a novelty, the popularity of his invention caught on and he went from an initial $1,000 in sales to more than $30 million.

Today, an owner shopping for puppy supplies is encouraged to purchase pee pads (even owners of large or giant breed pups) with the implication given that not only will the dog "know" that the pad is the only place it's supposed to eliminate, but that it will be easy to transition the pup into only going outside later. (I have witnessed this at a local pet store.)

Sooner, rather than later, the dog gets too big, the owner gets tired of the expense, off-pad mistakes, or the cleaning up of shredded pee pads, and the decision is made to stop using them and make the dog eliminate outside.

The first time the dog potties outdoors (most likely by chance), the owner is thrilled, celebrates the dog's achievement and assumes it now knows to go outside.

The owner installs a dog door, gets rid of the pads, and bingo!

The dog pees in the house.

The owner then becomes furious because he or she is sure the dog knows better.

What the dog does know is it was praised for going in more than one place.

Nothing else.

Debbie realizes she has a very bright dog who believes she is doing the right thing by returning to the pad in the house, so I instructed her to take a soiled pad outside for the puppy to eliminate on.

Sometimes this has to be done gradually by slowly moving the pad to the door and then finally outside, but this dog is sharp and should get it quickly.

If she becomes confused and goes back in the house to eliminate, I would place a puppy pen inside the house, around the entrance to the dog door to limit the puppy's access into the house.

Inside the pen I would place a dog bed, the dog's bowls and toys, and with just enough room to create a little den and allow it to come in in any weather condition.

To avoid soiling her den area the puppy will be forced to go out the dog door to eliminate.

The pad should be visible to the dog when exiting the door, but not placed directly outside the door or the dog will learn to go no farther than that distance to eliminate.

As soon as the dog starts using the pad outside regularly, it can be gradually cut down in size until the visual cue is no longer needed.

Once the puppy is reliable in eliminating outside and has no other objectionable behaviors, the pen can be moved back in increments, gradually giving her more freedom in the house.

-- Sherry Davis is a dog trainer/owner of CSI 4 K9s. E-mail her at doglady@ bakersfield.com. These are her opinions and not necessarily those of The Californian.