Everyone looks forward to the day when their Australian Cattle Dog puppy will be trained to do his or her business outside. Using proper technique, this process need not be a long, drawn out ordeal. Crate training your Australian Cattle Dog (see "crate training" section) goes hand in hand with housetraining. When in their crates, Australian Cattle Dog puppies will not soil, unless the puppy absolutely cannot help it due to being left too long or due to a bout of diarrhea.. The crate helps Australian Cattle Dog puppies to "hold it" and when used properly is an effective aid in housetraining.

Australian Cattle Dog puppies need to relieve themselves a lot!! That is rule number one. Puppies pee whenever they wake up, after drinking, during play sessions, and well, just about every couple of hours other than that. They will pooh after eating (right after eating) and in the morning and in the evening. A completely untrained Australian Cattle Dog puppy will relieve him/herself whenever the urge strikes. Training is the process of getting the pup to "hold" it until it is appropriate. As Australian Cattle Dog puppies won't soil in their crate, this is the first step in getting them used to holding it (just remember there are limits as to how long they can hold it even in their crate). Therefore, whenever you take the pup out of the crate, take it outside to where you want the pup to go. At first you will want to carry your Australian Cattle Dog pup to the spot otherwise they will squat to go on the way there. Whenever the puppy eats or drinks, immediately after -- take it outside. Whenever puppy is having a playtime, partway through -- take it outside.

Whenever you take your Australian Cattle Dog puppy out to do its business praise it as soon as it starts to and continue praising in a happy, excited voice. Australian Cattle Dogs respond very well to praise. Conversely, at first, when puppy has “accidents” in the house ignore it, clean it up and say nothing. The difference between excited praise outside, and dead silence inside becomes very apparent to a Australian Cattle Dog puppy. Scolding for indoor "accidents" should only occur if after a few weeks puppy is still messing inside and only if you catch them in the act. If you do, then say no firmly and take puppy outside. Continue hearty praising for business done outdoors. Never, never, never, rub the puppy's nose in its mess. This achieves nothing, is disgracing to your Australian Cattle Dog, and quite simply, the pup won't understand why this is being done. In fact, I dare say the pup will think you've gone a little crazy!!Housetraining is a process involving commitment, supervision and patience. It is not difficult to housetrain a Australian Cattle Dog, but requires consistency and persistency. Most of all it calls for kindness and praise, as does all training with Australian Cattle Dogs (or any animal). We call it housetraining, not housebreaking -- the difference being that anything called training denotes kindness and patience.

Before you get your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy home you should decide what the rules and boundaries of your home will be. What rooms is puppy allowed in? On furniture or not? Allowed on laps? Allowed to jump up? Just remember, what Australian Cattle Dog puppies are allowed to do a eight weeks (10 lbs.) will set the precedent for what they will want to do at four months (25 lbs.) and one year (50 lbs.) etc. Set these boundaries and stick by them. A new Australian Cattle Dog puppy becomes very confused if these boundaries change. An olddog can learn new tricks. What is especially difficult is for a dog to "unlearn" an old habit and have to replace it with a new one (i.e. was allowed to jump up when it weighed 10 pounds , and at 50 pounds is not, or was allowed on the couch as a ten week old, but not as a six month old). Be careful, be kind. Help your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy understand what you want him or her to be and do as s/he gets old and bigger by keeping your expectations consistent throughout.

Nipping is an age old phenomenon of puppies and Australian Cattle Dogs are no exception. In fact, Australian Cattle Dogs learn about the world through their mouth and will often nip and mouth at their families much like they play with their litter mates. This should be discouraged by everyone right from day one. A firm "enough" or "no" will usually control this behaviour. Games like encouraging your Australian Cattle Dog puppy to chase your hands or feet, or tug or war type games will encourage this nipping behaviour. So will swatting at the puppies muzzle or face and it won't accomplish anything. A firm voice and the removal of your hands is best. Replace your hands and feet in the puppies mouth with a rope toy, ball or other interesting toy. Also yelping like another puppy whenever you are nipped is a delightful way of getting attention.

Chewing on "contraband" such a shoes, baseboards, etc., etc., is going to happen with your new Australian Cattle Dog. What won't happen, if you do the right things, is your Australian Cattle Dog puppy won't renovate your house. When puppy is chewing contraband say "no" firmly and replace the contraband with a toy that belongs to puppy. Rope toys are great as you can wet them and put them in the freezer for an instant teething ring. Once you give your Australian Cattle Dog puppy an appropriate toy to chew on, praise the pup for taking it. Most importantly, don't leave your Australian Cattle Dog puppy unattended outside of it's crate. When Australian Cattle Dogs are young they chew out of curiosity or teething. When not allowed to develop this habit, they will not grow up to be destructo-dogs.

Do not encourage barking and growling during playtime with your Australian Cattle Dog. This behavior can become an obnoxious habit very quickly. If you want a Australian Cattle Dog that barks when people come to the door just wait. S/he will probably do this quite naturally when s/he grows up. If you do not want this, then discourage it when it starts. Do not bark and growl at your Australian Cattle Dog puppy during play or you will start a habit which you will, will, will regret. Australian Cattle Dogs are fairly quiet dogs by nature. This is part of their appeal However, as with any habit, it can be easily encourage and not easily discouraged once it starts. Please don't turn your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy into a neighborhood nuisance with unwanted barking !!!

It is very important to socialize your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy with it's food bowl and it's toys. You and all members of your family should be able to take food and toys away from your Australian Cattle Dog. Start this socializing immediately by putting your hands in the food bowl while your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy is eating. Give the puppy a toy and take it away. Repeat this often to ensure that food bowl and toy dominances do not develop. Australian Cattle Dogs do not typically have these dominances however, a little insurance goes a long, long way.

Yes you can train your Australian Cattle Dog on your own. No, we do not recommend training your Australian Cattle Dog without formal obedience instruction. It is very easy to train a Australian Cattle Dog, however it is equally easy to ruin a Australian Cattle Dog through faulty training methods.

We recommend "puppy classes" for your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy. These are offered by various facilities and offer some easy obedience instruction while helping your new Australian Cattle Dog puppy to exist in a world of unknown people and dogs. They are a lot of fun for Australian Cattle Dog pups and their owners alike and sow the seeds for successful training throughout your Australian Cattle Dogs life.

When it comes time for formal obedience training for your Australian Cattle Dog, use a training facility. This way you will learn the correct way to train, and your Australian Cattle Dog will learn well. At a facility all training will occur with distractions. This is good. It ensures that your Australian Cattle Dog will listen to you regardless of where you are and what is going on. This could save your Australian Cattle Dog's life one day. Remember too, Australian Cattle Dogs are happiest when you are. When they know how to make you happy (through commands), they will repeat these behaviors readily, and in making you happy, they are happiest. Obedience is fun and offers lifetime rewards for your Australian Cattle Dog.

When choosing a training facility, interview them, ask what methods they use. Food reward is a positive training tool. Strong corrections, yelling, intimidating and berating dogs is negative (Australian Cattle Dogs love positive reward). Small classes work well, large classes do not. Ask about experience of the trainers. Ask for references. Better yet, ask someone in your neighborhood who has a Australian Cattle Dog or another dog that appears well trained, where they went. Beware of pop-psyche, fad, "new" or "revolutionary" training methods. Beware of anyone holding a class in their yard, in a park, or in their really big garage. These are not training facilities.

We advocate crate training for ACDs. Crates should be used to keep your ACD puppy in during times that you are away from home, sleeping, or preoccupied with something which precludes you from being able to completely supervise your new ACD puppy. Initially some people react with believing that locking up your new ACD is cruel. We believe that it is not. Crating your ACD puppy allows you to go about your required business knowing that your beautiful new ACD puppy is safe and sound until you can once again return to him/her. Imagine being out, coming home, and finding that your puppy has broken/chewed something valuable or close to your heart, eaten something and is now either poisoned, has a bowel blockage, or is dead from something lodging in it's throat. Now image, coming home, your ACD puppy is in his/her crate, the house is just as you left it, puppy is healthy, and both of you are thrilled to see one another. Personally, we would pick the crate.

Crate training is not only useful for keeping your ACD and your home safe. Crate training your ACD aids in housetraining (see below) and in training against unwanted chewing. It is also the best way to keep your new ACD safe while traveling in a vehicle, and it is a wonderful way to keep your puppy quiet following spay and neuter surgery (ACDs like running and playing long before the vet recommends they run and play following surgery). As well, the crate can become a private place for your ACD where there are children involved, and it is quite simple to instill the rule that when puppy is in his/her crate, the puppy is left alone. This is valuable in giving young ACD pups the much needed rest time, and teaches the youngsters to respect this time.

How does crate training help in training against unwanted chewing? When your ACD puppy is in the crate, it cannot chew on things it shouldn't. ACD puppies chew for a lot of reasons; boredom, teething, exploring, or just because. If your puppy is properly supervised, you can teach it what is allowable chewing (i.e. their own toys) and what is contraband chewing (your family heirloom, the poisonous houseplant, etc.) (see Obedience section for more on this). When your ACD puppy chews, it is rewarded. It either is no longer bored, it's teething pains feel better, it's having fun. This sets up the puppy that, as it grows up, whenever it feels uncomfortable such as when you've gone out the door and it's a little anxious, or when it is bored, it will chew whatever it finds. Thus, you have an adult ACD that will chew. If, however, through training and proper supervision, your ACD has learned what it is allowed to chew, then when it needs to satisfy the urge, you will have a non-destructive ACD who understands what his/her toys are for. We again, choose crate training.

When you first bring your ACD puppy home you should already have your crate. Set it up in an area central to the family, but not in heavy traffic areas of your home. We recommend in your kitchen near a door leading to a fenced yard where puppy will go out to relieve him/herself. It helps to leave the crate in one location (ACDs are dogs and dogs are creatures of habit and learn to rely on these things). The day you get your new ACD puppy home let it explore the crate. Put a doggy biscuit and/or an interesting toy into the crate. Let the pup wander in and out of the crate (you may have to coerce it to go in a couple of times) at first leaving the door open. Several times through the day, take your puppy back to where the crate is and repeat the toy/cookie routine. Praise your puppy for going into the crate in a quiet, happy voice. Praise your puppy for playing in the crate. After your pup has entered the crate a few times, put a brand new exciting toy into the crate, lure your pup in and close the door. Just for a few minutes. If the puppy whines you can talk to him/her, put your fingers through the door and touch him/her, but do not take the pup out until s/he settles. Then give lots of praise and open the door.

We personally use plastic crates for our ACDs. They simulate a "den" environment and better protect your puppy particularly when traveling. The size of crate for ACDs varies depending on the size of the dog (males are usually bigger). We recommend no smaller than 24W x 26"H x 32"L for an adult Australian Cattle Dog.

With respect to bedding, we recommend putting an old towel in the crate for puppy. Some ACD pups chew their bedding and an old towel is worth less than the new $55.00 designer version of a pet bed. More often than not ACD pups will move the towel aside and lay on the bottom of the crate -- it is cooler for them. We do not recommend alarm clocks ticking or hot water bottles. To help your new ACD puppy feel a little more secure we recommend an old stuffed teddy bear which has any button eyes and nose removed and restitched securely.

When you first get your new ACD puppy s/he will be 8-10 weeks of age. At this age it is advisable to have your pup in the crate for no longer than about three hours before letting him/her out to relieve themselves, have a little play and a cuddle. Once your ACD reaches 12-16 weeks, about four hours is the rule. It is not advisable to leave your ACD in it's crate for longer than 5-6 hours regardless of age once your get past the 16 week mark. Should you find you must leave your pup for longer than this, then be kind and have a neighbor or relative come in and let your puppy out and spend a little time with him/her.

With respect to what age you will need to crate your ACD, there is no exact age. Each ACD is different. I personally would crate until your ACD is one year old. At this time you can "test" the dog. Leave him out for very short periods of time when you are preoccupied. Watch what he does. Then increase the time spent out until he stays out while you are sleeping. If he shows himself trustworthy, then you can begin to "test" him when you go out. Only ten minutes at first. Then an hour, then two or three. Do not rush to getting your ACD "crate-free" as bad habits can still be formed.

If you have to work and be gone for 10 hours at a time, try using an ex-pen ( wire exercise pen ) instead of a crate. There is nothing worse than buying a puppy and then sticking the poor little pup in a crate for 10 hours. He will learn to poop and pee in there, you can not expect a baby to hold it that long. In an ex-pen you can put down papers in the corner, a bed and toys for the pup to occupy himself during the day. I have worked all my adult life and have raised countless puppies this way. They all have superb temperaments and are easily housebroken when the proper time comes.