Puppy mom need reassurance/suggestions

[Jen]

We have a 13 week old Aussie Labradoodle. We were taking her out every hour the first couple weeks we had her so she could go potty. She was accident free for over a week. Then, we started stretching it to 1.5 hours. She was doing great! just about 2 weeks and no accidents. Then, Saturday my husband got engrossed in watching a movie while I was out and at some point she peed in the dining room. Cleaned it up with Nature's Miracle and moved on (with a litting venting to husband). That same day she started doing a little piddle when excited at greeters. (she's off and on with that one since Saturday.) Well, she was doing some training with my 8 year old and then I was about to take her out to pee - after about 1 hour 40 minutes or so since the last pee. Called her to come and she was in the dining room. I was suspicious and checked - yep, she peed in that same spot. Scooped her up and took her out to her pee spot - she squatted, but of course nothing came out. Had my daughter keep her outside while I cleaned up the accident with Nature's Miracle.

Ok, so I thought we were doing so well and this past week has been not so well.

Just to give you some logistical info - we have her crate in the living room, which opens to our dining room. Those are the only 2 rooms that she has access to roam. It's not that big and they are pretty much one long room. And, she is pretty much never left alone and often prefers to hang with whomever is in the room.

So, someone tell me this is all normal and it too shall pass. What else can I be doing or am I doing things ok and it's just that I have a 13 week old puppy?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I can remember exactly how frustrating it was when you had gone two weeks, and thought you had it down, and then an accident.  I probably happened to all of us.  Since she peed in the same spot though I would be absolutely sure that you are using enough Nature's Miracle to get all of the smell from the spot.  This includes getting the natures miracle all the way underneath the rug to the floor.  I would also be sure that during any big activity that you always stop and take her out.  Many of our oops happened when they were distracted by playing.  Is she ever going to the door to let you know she wants out?  Does she give you any sort of signal that she needs to go?  I've had a couple fosters that were that way.  They would always go when I offered, but they never showed me they needed to go.  That can be very frustrating.  If you aren't getting any whine or bark or her going to the door, you might want to try some potty bells and teach her to use those so she can let you know when she needs to go.  Bottom line, keep after it, try not to be frustrated and you will get there.

[Jen]

Our floor is hardwood and I really thought I soaked it to get it all up.

 

I've been wondering how to do the bells, etc. Our set up is that she is in our living room and dining room. Neither have access to the door where we take her potty. To go potty, we take her through the gate from the dining room, around the corner, through the back room and out the back door. So, do I put bells at the gate from the dining room? We're not ready to give her all that access to those other rooms yet. And, she's really not giving me any clear singles that she has to go. If I say, "let's go outside. let's go potty." She'll most always perk up to go and she goes when we get to her potty spot.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

http://poochie-pets.net/Training.html

 

This is the website for just one of many places that sell them.  The training instructions are on the website, just click on "Training".  I don't personally use them as I guess I got really lucky.  Little Sophie has had this cute little whine since the day she came home whenever she has to potty ..... don't mistake that to mean there weren't any accidents, but she does Whine.  Lucy on the other hand goes to the door and gives a very insistent loud bark!  Both are unmistakable sounds.  Neither were taught, just happened.  The bells might work for you though.  I would assume that you would have to hang them somewhere in her area now and then later move them to the back door and retrain at that time.  One other thing is that if you don't take her out on a leash you might want to do that for awhile.  That way you can keep her focused on pottying when outside and not playing, and you can also be sure that she doesn't get distracted midstream and not completely empty her bladder.

[BG and Gavin]

This is all normal and it too shall pass!  They always have to go quicker after playing.  Don't be afraid to scoop him up and carry him outside after a hard play inside as often once they start walking they can't resist the urge to pee. Can you put something over that spot (for example a chair) that would prevent him from being drawn to it?

[Adina P]

I think you're lucky that she can go that long!  When Rosco was a pup I swear I took him out every 30 minutes at that age and he would pee nearly every single time.  Several things could be going on.  Sometimes a dog or person just has to pee and regardless of the time interval...they've gotta go.  It's possible she drank a little more prior to her accidents.  It's possible she didn't empty completely on her last pee due to getting distracted.  It's possible she just doesn't have a way to signal you that she needs to go outside.  Like Lucy and Sophie's mom said, maybe she/you would benefit from teaching her to ring a bell by the door to let you know when she has to go.  For some dogs this works splendidly...though at first they tend to abuse it and ring more frequently than they actually need to go potty. 

 

As far as the excitement pee---totally unrelated to housetraining and that might continue for a while.  Best to have guests completely ignore her or meet her outside where it doesn't matter if she goes pee.

 

Good luck and if it continues or gets worse you could always take in a urine sample to the vet to see if she has a UTI.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I'm sure at 13 weeks Riley was going every half hour and sometimes more!  We had a recurring wee wee spot on the rug which I lifted completely so I would cover the area with something to restrict access to that particular spot.  The trick is not letting her fail.  I took Riley out so often he didn't get a chance to give me signals and never did the circling thing so no warning at all.  Now at 17 weeks he stands at the back door and gives a little whine. He hasn't had an accident since he was 13 and a half weeks old. This will pass....

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Normal...I remember Peri being about that age and thinking your same thoughts.

I trained her on the poochie bells and when we were home, we literally took her out EVERY 20 MINUTES!  They need it.  It will pass.

Check out my blog I just posted about HOPE for doodle puppy parents:  http://www.doodlekisses.com/profiles/blogs/doodle-puppy-parents-the...

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I took my two out constantly for potty breaks for months. All of a sudden, one day, it seemed like we turned a corner and they could hold it longer and longer. Now, Vern wakes up and sometimes doesn't go for his first pee until at least an hour later. It gets better.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This too shall pass.  Even though you have cleaned the area, I would clean it again and then place something OVER it so she cannot go back to that spot.  I would do this even if it is awkwardly in the room because it will break her new habit spot. This is what we had to do for my son's doberman.

[Jennifer and "Cooper"]

Oh how I remember those days like it was yesterday.  (Well actually it was this exact time last year but I digress.)  Anyhow, puppies don't have the ability to recognize they need to eliminate AND have the ability to let you know until they are usually between 12-16 weeks old.  So as frustrating as it is, you are probably right about on track but I know it seems like it is taking FOREVER.  Just keep taking her out frequently, praising when she does what she's supposed to outside and she will get the hang of it. 

 

Cooper also started to do the excited peeing thing about that same age.  Except he only did it with strangers.  And since he's a male, I soon learned to warn people to greet him from the side, not the front, if they wanted their shoes to stay dry.  (Just another of my embarrassing doodle moments.)   My vet said it's very common in puppies because they get sooooo excited.  He told us to just ignore it when it happened, and to socialize the heck out of him so he would get used to meeting new people.  So we took him everywhere we could and introduced him to every stranger we could find and it did eventually stop happening. 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Maybe you need to back track again and go more often until she gets better again? You can also buy those bells at Walmart now they are $10 or less! Both our dogs were trained in a couple weeks with these! Good luck-patience!