Need advice about puppy potty training

**Mauxiemom** · 12-16-2010, 04:51 PM

I have a 12 week old puppy who has been doing astonishingly well with her pee pad training. (She weighs only 2 lbs. and our Minnesota winters would be too much for her to do outside potties.)

So my question is, why, when nothing has changed, would she suddenly begin to pee all over the place, ignoring her pad?

**lizbud** · 12-16-2010, 07:30 PM

I don't really know for sure, but,

I've heard it's because the dog doesn't see the difference between
peeing on a pad (inside) with peeing any place else (inside). Do you place
her on the pad yourself, or let her go to it on her own?

**Freedom** · 12-16-2010, 08:16 PM

Just as with a child, or a human learning a new skill, there will be set backs. Just be consistent.

Remember, no scolding or hitting when she goes elsewhere. Clean up and move on. It is OK to make sounds / noises of disgust, they do understand this. "Yuck, ick, yuckies" that sort of thing.

With a puppy, observation and timing is everything. Figure out what she does before she goes -- walk in a circle? Sniff, sniff sniff? Once you know the lead in, you can follow through, getting her onto the pads. Also, how long after she eats / drinks does she go. If you maintain a routine time for feeding and exercise daily, she will be "going" at the same time daily, too. Often, this means success Monday through Friday, with weekends being set backs. Eh, it happens!

When she DOES use the pee pad, make sure you have a PAWTY!! Jump up and down, twirl in a circle, clap and sing, praise and TREAT REWARDS. LOTS OF IT. If she (and any humans present) are looking at you like you are nuts, you are doing it right. Otherwise, you are not making a big enough deal of the success. CELEBRATE!

Finally, about 6 months old, you will have a teenager on your hands, who will decide no rules apply to her. You may have to start all over again from scratch.

Remember, be consistent and this will pass.

During training times (which will come and go during the first year), you may need to use baby gates to confine her to one room, to protect your carpets and furniture. The kitchen is the obvious choice, as easy clean up for any misses. Of course, if the pee pad is not normally IN the kitchen, this presents a problem re moving it.

Good luck, you can get there!

**Mauxiemom** · 12-17-2010, 03:58 PM

Great advice for a new puppy momma. Can't be too much different from potty training my granddaughter when she was tiny.

I appreciate it very much.
This discussion board is a great help to me. I learn much as I go along.

**Shelteez2** · 12-17-2010, 07:19 PM

Female puppies can also be prone to UTI's (Urinary Tract Infections) so if she seems to be piddling a lot all of a sudden it may be worth it to go to the vet to have a urinalysis done.
Otherwise yes just be consistent and take her to the pad regularily (praising when she goes) and don't let her out of your sight so you can rush her over to the pad if you see her start to go elsewhere. The more times she gets away with peeing on the floor the harder it will be to train out of her.

**SWHouston** · 12-28-2010, 12:08 PM

I know this sounds crazy (like we're over-acting)...

But when that happens here, as we're picking up the paper, we focus directly on the place which was soiled (leaving the dog to the side and not directly connected to the activity)
We have "boo-hooed" (sorta sobbed out loud) with some "Ohhh me what happened here"'s, where it can see we're upset with what happened.

HA, it works...

Have a good Day !

S.W.