Potty training help

Anyone who can help please...

My new little puppy Scout seems confused about pottying. He was in a pet store for several weeks, confined in a cage. No one wanted him because he was deaf... but now he is home with us. YAY!!!

Anyway, I think being in that cage for so long, where he had to poop and pee in his bed, has thoroughly confused him. Anyone else have this experience?

The first night, he pooped and peed IN OUR BED! EWWWW! He has gotten past that, and he now at least goes on the floor.

We take him outside after eating. We spend the whole evening out there. We exercise him and play with him, then we leave him alone. My other dog is out there with him, and he goes potty. We try and try and try, and for hours he just doesn't go. A very few times we have gotten him to go outside, and he goes as CLOSE to the patio door as possible. We still praise him for this.

Every time he goes in the house we try to catch him and take him outside... he won't finish outside! He waits and waits and waits again!

If we don't catch him, we show it to him, sign NO to him with a big frown, and take him outside.

He is crate trained during the day, and will even go in his crate!

Is this typical puppy (17 weeks/4 months) behavior? Will it just take a while to teach him? Is he not able to hold it all night?

I need suggestions.

Some dogs take longer to learn then other and even once they do, the amount of time they can hold it will vary with the dog. Sadie was about 4 months before she could hold it all day, Cincy was about 3 months. I would try not leaving him out so long. Wait about 20 minutes after he has eaten and go outside. So not let him play, just try for him to go potty. If he doesn't within a few minutes take him back inside for about 10-15 mintues. Then take him back out. When he does go outside give him TONS of praise!! He'll catch on...just be patient! (Sometimes easier said then done!)

Poor thing, being crated with no place else to do his business has really confused his natural instinct. It may take him longer to re-learn a new behavior.

It might help if you always took him to the same place outside, that you have designated his potty area. Then it will begin to smell like the right place to him. And teach him a potty signal that you always use.

You might even try this when he wets in the house: clean it up with an old towel and take the towel out to the potty area outside and leave it there to strenghen the smell association.

And be sure to eliminate any smell inside with an enzyme cleaner designed to counteract urine. Get this at a pet store.

He is still young, so be patient. I think many dogs still have accidents inside at that age.
It is so great that you are willing to work with this pup. I'm sure he will bring you lots of joy.

I have heard the same things as Cincy's Mom about taking puppies out for a few minutes at a time and then bringing them back in if they don'td o their business. I think it relates to the memory issue, the same reason we don't punish them later for things we don't catch them doing. They forget what they are out there for....;)

Hello,
Some people do not like this technique, but it was advice from my vet and it really works. Take a aluminum can (coke can or something) and fill it up with a few pennies (10 or so) and tape the top up. Shake the can when you catch the dog using the restroom in the house and also when the dog messes in the house and you do not catch him, put him next to the mess and shake the can (so he can see why he is in trouble). This method works and it works fast. I trained my puppy in 1 week. But he was just a great puppy. Good luck!