The Sheltie is very intelligent and is an extremely clever breed. Owners often find toilet training especially troublesome, so the key question becomes how to teach the dog to eliminate in the correct place in a scientific way. During toilet training, one important principle must be followed: bring the Sheltie to the right place at the right time and reward the correct elimination behavior immediately.
1. The right time
Like people, Shelties follow daily routines. In the early phase of training, the owner should record the dogs schedule for several days and look for patterns. Shelties usually tend to eliminate after waking up, after eating, and after drinking. If the dog suddenly begins circling or sniffing the ground intensely, it is also very likely about to eliminate.
2. The right place
The right place means the place where you want the Sheltie to toilet. By nature, dogs do not want to eliminate where they eat or sleep, so the toilet area should not be placed near the bed or food. Once the place is chosen, it should not be changed. After choosing the location, such as the bathroom, cover it with old newspapers. If the Sheltie eliminates on the newspaper, praise it immediately and let it smell the newspaper again. Then gradually reduce the paper coverage. No matter how much you reduce it, always leave at least one sheet carrying the dogs own urine scent.
3. Be generous with rewards
Whenever the Sheltie eliminates in the correct place, do not be stingy with praise. A small snack and verbal encouragement can greatly improve the success rate of training.
4. Things to pay attention to
If you catch the Sheltie eliminating in the wrong place, stop the behavior immediately and bring the dog to the correct place, making it clear that this is where elimination belongs. But do not lose your temper, shout wildly, or use violence. Some dogs will try to avoid punishment by even eating their own stool, which creates an even worse problem. During heat cycles, a Sheltie may sometimes eliminate in the wrong place. This does not necessarily mean previous training failed. It just requires timely correction and continued patience.
In most cases, repeating this kind of training several times is enough for a Sheltie to form good toilet habits. Puppyhood is the best stage for this training. If the dog is already an adult, more patient guidance will usually be needed.