Sleeping/ Potty training frustrations

[KellyJane]

Hi all. I am desperate for advice. We have two doodle pups, one we adopted in May and the other in June. Our little May boy has been a breeze in every way and was potty trained completely within a week. The little June girl is a different story. She has learned not to poop on the carpet but her rate of success for peeing on the carpet is very poor. She will not ask out and will go on the potty pad occasionally. She just does not seem to get that peeing on the carpet is not OK. We are using crate training and reward her like crazy for going potty on the pad or outdoors.

What is worse is that she still, after a month, will not sleep through the night. Our little guy slept through the night fine in his crate after about two weeks. The female originally threw a screaming fit when even placed in her crate. She does not do that now but she is up every morning by around 3 am. We let her out and make her go back to the crate until 6 am but she has a tough time.

I don’t know if our Henry just spoiled us because he has been so easy. He is an F1b and just so smart. Stassi is a mini F1 and I got her so they would have the company of each other when the kids and I are back to school. We are getting close to going back and I am worried about her lack of progress. Any advice or even thoughts are welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I hear you!  Murphy is 9 months and those first few weeks/ months are still vivid in my mind!

Puppies can be very different from birth and the amount of training they got from three days old until you got them can make a huge difference.  I would tie her to you or near you on a piece of rope or leash.  It must be long enough for her to move around some, but short enough that you can see her ALWAYS.  I find 6 to 8 feet works well.  This needs to go on for a good six months.  Murphy now just comes to the room I am in, she cannot have the whole house to herself yet and she is an awesome puppy sounds like your Jack.  You are teaching impulse control and it takes awhile.

Begin again as if she just arrived.  Take her out every 30 minutes to pee.  Give her a word when she does pee during and immediately after so she learns to pee on command.  Reward with praise, but no treat.  Treats with a sensitive dog can mess up potty training - why I do not know, just that they can.  i have potty trained about a dozen dogs with just praise.

Crating - if you cannot have her tied to or near you she is in her crate.  If she doesn't like it too bad.  She does not come out until she has had at least 15 minutes of complete quiet.  To help her out try covering her crate with a light sheet, like you would a bird cage.  She will get over it.

With minis, and/or girls, you may get up awhile at night. I had one dog (male husky) who had to poop every middle of the night until he was 7 months old.  I almost lost my mind.  But we survived!  When you get her up put her leash on and take her potty.  No talking, cuddling, or eye contact.  Two minutes to pee max and pop her back in the crate.

I personally would get rid of the potty pad unless she will stay quietly in an pen (not crate) with it in the back.  Potty pads randomly placed around the house or near the door to go potty can confuse puppies and dogs.

This little darling is going to need a little tough love. 

What are you going to do with the puppies when everyone is back in school?  

[KellyJane]

Thank you for all of the good advice. The puppies will be in a large sturdy puppy playpen inside the house while we are at school. My daughter is a senior so is done with class around 12:30. 

I plan to have a potty pad in the pen just in case. I am worried about how to fade that but I don’t think Stassi can necessarily go a full six hours without relieving herself. The pen is on a tile floor. I am going to leave a radio or TV on because I think she may have separation anxiety, even though Henry is with her. I am also purchasing a puppy cam so that I can keep an eye on them. I wish I didn’t have to work!

I guess Stassi better get used to being my bff since she will be tethered to me. She is also starting to want to chew furniture. Such a little troublemaker!