HOUSE TRAINING PUPPY HELP! - (Piddle & POOP)

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

I am looking for some advice about training Brady to do his 'stuff'  outside!!    He is 10 wks - so has been with me for 3 weeks.   Bed time he's very good and will wait until I let him out in the morning (the 2 times he did piddle on the hardwood floor by the door he made no sound so I ended up being unaware and stepped in it when taking him out in the morning :(  .      During the day he goes outside as long as I take him there.   I hear about little bells (how does a dog ring a bell anyway?   Pls. give me step by step lesson on getting him to do this.   I have 3 steps  from our main level down to the door gated to prevent him from getting down to the basement so he cannot actually reach the door on his own.   Am I being impatient  expecting more of him in this area by now?   We actually haven't had that many accidents but that's because I'm here all day and devoted to the training.   When I take him out in the morning I don't talk with him - only say "poop" and set him on the grass... after he goes -  .big, enthusiastic "good boy Brady" when he goes either peep or poop ....  then I wait silently for him to do the other and repeat praise.   I JUST WISH HE'D GIVE ME SOME INDICATION THAT HE NEEDS TO GO OUTSIDE!!! 

 

[Adina P]

How often do you take him out for potty during the day?  Pups really differ on how long they can go while free in the house.  Rosco could hold it for a long time in his crate and overnight....BUT if he was up and awake and playing sometimes he'd go 15-20 min after his last potty.  So you really have to take him out MORE often if he's having accidents.

 

If you don't have both eyes glued to him, he really should be in his crate where he WON'T go potty.  Otherwise you're bound to miss accidents.

 

Bells are usually some kind of jingle bells attached to a rope that you hang on your doorknob or near the back door.  You teach the dog to ring the bells by helping him touch his nose to the bells every single time you take him out.  Eventually he'll do it on his own to signal you to take him out.

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Thanks Adina ~   some good advice to consider trying.   I am gradually introducing the crate but perhaps 3 weeks is WAY  TOO  GRADUAL!    By the way this is the greatest on line doodle community!!

[Adina P]

Oh yeah...no need to go that slow.  My pups were in a crate the first night and for up to 2 hours (early on) while I was at work and randomly through the day if I needed to be gone or needed a break.  He's too young to be trustworthy in the house without being crated or constantly supervised.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yes, I think you are expecting a lot at this stage.  Accidents are part of normal learning and he is doing well if he usually waits until morning.  He is probably still small enough that you can carry him outside and put him down in his potty area.  He will catch on pretty soon that the area you have selected is his area to go potty.  He will come around.  I have never used bells.  My older doodle comes over to my side of the bed and shakes his tags when he needs to go out.  The younger doodle just follows him when he goes outside.

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Thanks Lynda - I will keep at it for sure!  Tomorrw I will try getting him down to the back door (he's been unable to as there's a gate up now).   I have a feeling too, I need to take him out more often.

[Leigh & Allie]

I used a key word to indicate what was expected. When I took Allie outside I always said "Let's go potty". Then when she did I threw a BIG party with a high quality treat. I would say "Good girl potty". I know my neighbors thought I was nutty. I do use bells. I would say it took her a while to catch on, but when she did, WOW that was a good day. I think it took her a while because, like you, Allie did not have access to the back door. When she was given more free reign of the house, it took her a matter of a few times. From the beginning, I would ring the bell before taking her out and say "ring the bells". I would even try to make her walk by the bells so she was actually making the bells ring. I made my own bells. I found some cute ribbon and bought some bells that I tied onto the bottom of the ribbon. Allie is a mini and when I saw the bells that were sold in the stores, I thought they looked like they were too heavy. Keep it up, I will say I had a few set backs, but it does pay off in the end. Allie would never potty in the house now :)

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Allie is sooo adorable!!   Do you remember how much she weighed when you got her and how much now?   Thanks for the encouraging advise - hopefully things will kick in soon - I have a feeling that when he can get to the back door on his own it will help.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I don't use bells either and Riley is 12 weeks old.  During the day I take him out very often (he sounds just like Adina's Rosco) so that means when he wakes from a sleep, after he eats and during play time or when he gets excited.  He certainly knows that he is expected to go when I bring him out but he has had the odd accident but only when I have taken my eyes off him or waited a little too long.  He is now choosing to go out to potty if I leave the back door open and is fine through the night.  I hear him awake at around 6am and bring him straight out and then give him water and his breakfast.   I think you are asking too much too soon and that you just need to keep at it. It sounds like you are doing good.  I kick myself if Riley has an accident because I think that the reality is that it is my fault and not his at this young age.  I don't believe puppies are 100% reliable in this area sometimes up to 6 months of age.  As they grow older of course they can hold it for longer.   

 

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Thanks Nicky!   You know I think that once Brady can manage the 3 hardwood steps leading down to the back door things will go along much better.  I'm going to try tomorrow leaving the door open.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I am not fond of the bells - my granddog rings the bells to go outside, mind you she does not have to go potty....when she was little we would have to let her out because, hey if she had to go and we didn't it was our fault. The bells are now off the door, the signs are not telltale they are obvious.

When Daisy was your pups age she was crated unless we were with her and then if she was playing we would take her out every 15 minutes, she would pee and then in to the crate for 1/2 hour rest....get her out, play 15 minutes take her potty and repeat. It's tedious but you will be surprised how she will start telling you. I think it took about 1 month, yes there were accidents but we would just not say a word, remove her (never let her see you clean it up) spray with a vinegar and water solution and cover with something like an upside down basket till it dried, or and if all this was 15 minutes out we went again. Daisy held it for 7 - 9 hours right from the beginning, she was a sleeper. Her feet NEVER touched the ground when we took her from the crate-directly outside she went. By the time she was 6 months old she was getting too heavy to pick up and carry, that was when we just leashed her and walked her to the door.

Good Luck!

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Thanks Lisa for taking the time to answer.   I hear you ...  patience, repetition, and more repetition!!   I have been leaving it more than 15 minutes but certainly every time he falls asleep and wakes up - I carry him out!

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Thanks for this Sandy for giving me this info.   I haven't tried a bell as I was expecting a sign (whimper, scratch, little 'woof-woof' - but there is nothing!    I know I'll appreciate that he's not too 'verbal' later when he's grown!  I do not reprimand or clean up infront  of him.