Potty Training

[Tonya]

Ok, I am going to go nuts!!! Teddy was born November 4th, which makes him 7 months. We got him Janurary. The first two months, I was working, so having difficulty potty training is understandable. But I have been home with Teddy since March. He's confined to a small pen during the day and crate at night. (He's out quite a bit to play with us, of course.) I take him outside to go potty about once an hour and also when he whines. Yet, he continues to go in his pen. On top of his food bowl, on top of his crate (he climbs up there), on his toys...about the only place he doesn't pee is in his crate. He even goes right after I take him outside and watch him go. I feed him on a regular schedule twice a day. I don't want to confine him to a pen the rest of his life, and I don't want to get rid of him. Is this normal? All my other dogs potty trained naturally. I have no idea what age they are supposed to train by. Any suggestions?

[binka_nugget]

there's no age set to have your dog potty trained by. It depends on the dog and the owner. You say that he doesn't pee in his cage? I had a bit of a problem like this with kai. He would pee anywhere anytime (excluding his crate). Firstly, make sure the scents are entirely covered. I used vinegar/water 50% each. I also used other stuff once in a while. Make sure your pup doesn't see you clean it up. My vet told me that if he sees you, he'll make it a game and try to do it more. Right after he comes out of the crate, BOOM straight to go pee. You could try taking him out more than once an hour. I thought it was weird to take Kai out 4 times in an hour but it helped alot! Also, what I did was when he peed outside and pooped, he got a treat and lots of verbal praise. When he peed inside, very stern NO! I put him in the crate after he pees so he doesn't see me clean it and it's like a punishment. Also, make sure that he's always with you. Everysingle second he is out of his crate, he's with you. A good way to enforce this is by attaching his leash to your belt loops. This way, you can make sure that he's with you 100% of the time. And remember, no punishing if you didn't catch him doing it.

[Tonya]

Thank you. I just finished reading the back posts. I think there are two things I need to change. For one, I like the leash advice, that way he doesn't think going outside is just fun and games. Secondly, I am going to keep him in his crate more. I have always had outside dogs, so even crating him through the night feels cruel to me. I am getting used to it, though. Teddy climbs in his crate on his own throughout the day, so obviously it isn't that horrible in there.

[gotta_hava_dog]

I'm going through housetraining right now too. I've housetrained five dogs and each one was different in what worked for them and in how long it took. One of the biggest keys is extreme praise when they go where they're supposed to go, namely outside. Just go nuts over them when they do it right. If you can catch them going in the house, say 'no', but not harshly and get them outside as quickly as possible. Then praise them. Even if they haven't actually done anything. I've found that not making a terribly big deal when they go in the house is helpful. However, another thing I'll do is, upon discovery of a mistake, say 'Who did this?' in kind of a high, offended voice. Then let it go. That seems to make them think about it a little bit.

I'm now involved with housetraining my 4 month old chihuahua. I got him at 6 weeks and he went everywhere. For the first time, I'm using those housetraining pads that you lay on the floor. I had them everywhere to start with and praised him for using them. Now there is only one left and it's on the way to the back door. He almost always hits it now. He also sometimes tears them up, but that's another story.

Just be patient and praise liberally. Establish a solid routine and be sure he has lots of toys to occupy himself when you're not at home. You could also leave a radio or tv on for him for company. It might relieve any seperation anxiety he might be feeling and help him settle down into a routine. I know it seems endless, but you can do it! Hang in there!

[micki76]

If you want him to stop completely, then you must control the peeing. If he can get far away enough from it, he will pee in the pen. Keep him in the crate when you are gone. When you're home, he's out of the crate, but with you on the leash attached to you going everywhere you go. You must remember that for some dogs peeing a little bit away from their den is far enough, some dogs want to be a long ways away from the den, and then some dogs need to learn what's the right distance for you (meaning outside). Allowing him the freedom of the pen and allowing him to pee there freely is like saying you're ok with it. And you must be consistent. Every day the same way, never get complacent and just put him in the pen for a break.

You also must completely remove the scent of the urine, and for that I always recommend Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle. Follow the directions on the bottle and they both work wonders.

Of course if you live in a house that you own, do what we did and install a pet door. Best $ we ever spent!
Don't forget to praise that pupster like crazy when he pees outside! My neighbors must have thought I was nuts when I praised Chester!

Good luck!

[Pam]

You have gotten some really good advice so I don't really have much to add. Eventually *the message* will get through! Bella got the idea about "poopies" much quicker than pee. I think that's because I was able to have her in the yard at the right time (right after meals). I am also an advocate for crate training. I think it does speed up the process considerably. Good luck!

(Quote: mickie76) My neighbors must have thought I was nuts when I praised Chester!

Me too! Plus it was winter and I was out there early in the morning sometimes in the sleet and snow wearing a bathrobe!
Now that was a scary sight!

[binka_nugget]

(Quote: mickie76) My neighbors must have thought I was nuts when I praised Chester!

Me too! Plus it was winter and I was out there early in the morning sometimes in the sleet and snow wearing a bathrobe!
Now that was a scary sight! [/B]

LOL ditto. I would start saying in a very high cheery voice, "GOOD POOPIE KAI! Well done! That's my boy! Good poo! Good boy kai good boy! Kai want a cookie?!? YAYYY GOOD BOY!"

[wolfsoul]

A good training tactic is to hang a bell beside the door you take him out to go pee.

every time you take him out ring the bell. soon enough, he will learn to ring it every time he needs to go pee

[binka_nugget]

I'm gonna try that bell thing! hope it works for my poochie

[Tonya]

I tried the bell thing in the beginning. Teddy just thinks it is there to destroy. I could never keep it hanging for more then 10 seconds.

[Mich]

well, I always took my pups outside every 15-20 minutes, played with them, when they wee'd or poo'd I would praise them so much ....then bring them back inside. Every time they were fed, I did it and every time they woke up, day or night. It doesn't take long for them to know, and go to the door.....you let them out, and still praise them. It has always worked, and I have had a lot of dogs to train. I still did it at work with the ones that came with me.........

Someone told me to use paper once, and that dog was never trusted, as it would go away into another room to do it's little business, and I would not know until later. . . . but she was the cutest little dog, poor baby.

[WWFanz]

Last summer (when I only had one dog) when we went on vacation my aunt would come down to let the dog out and everyday she would clean up dog poop in my sisters room. But that was the only time that he did that. I think because there is a sliding door on my back porch and we'd keep the door open and shade closed during the summer so they can go out whenever they want. But recently, there was this one time that my one dog peed right infront of me on a bag of something(I forget what) but that was the first and last time he did that.

[Tonya]

I have to tell a little funny story. But first a disclamier: TEDDY WAS NOT HURT OR TRAUMATIZED IN ANY WAY! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

I'm still trying to potty train him...he's on a leash with me at all times. He's been attached to me for so long, that I am kind of starting to forget that he's on me. Well, I was making the bed. And I had the leash around my wrist. I grabbed the sheet at the foot of the bed and went to fling it across the bed. Poor Teddy got launched across the room. Luckily he had a quick release collar and he landed on the pile of blankets. For a second, I thought I'd killed him. Then the little trooper charged at me all happy cause he thought he was going to get to play rough with me. (He is only allowed to play rough with daddy.)

[Pam]

Oh my I can relate to your story!! Years ago we had two toy poodles who used to sleep in our bed (of course). Well, you know how sometimes as you are sleeping you will just grab a hunk of blanket/sheet and lift it up a little to pull over you? You guessed it! As I picked up the sheet I accidentally hurled Pumpkin onto the floor. He had been sound asleep, poor little guy, and fortunately he wasn't injured at all, just surprised to find himself on the floor.

Back to the housetraining - My daughter is in the process of training her Greater Swiss Mountain Dog right now. The breeder said this breed is very food motivated so he suggested the tiny training treats, along with lots of praise, when he does his pottying in the yard. I didn't know to do that with Bella and I think it might have speeded things along for her too as she very much enjoys her treats. To this day, when she knows she has earned one for doing something that was asked of her, she will now go directly to the spot in the kitchen where they are kept and wait for one.