Still not potty trained?!?!

[Francesca Caputo]

So Im new here. (Hi!!) and Im not a new dog owner by any means. We've had dogs all my life and i can never remember having a dog with this many accidents this late. We got Finn our adorable Double Doodle in february at 8 weeks. He's just now 6 months and we still are having consistent accidents. Like 1 a day. He is bell trained. We use consistent praise, Dont punish. We crate train and just when i think i can take my eye off him for a second, he has an accident. Am i expecting too much at this age? Its been months of consistent training.

Also, hes an excited peer. He gets excited and pees all over. We know not to excite him but its unpredictable and we have a hard time when we go to other peoples houses or guests come over. My vet said that its just something that happens and it may or may not go away. Im fairly certain its not submissive because he doesnt display any submissive stance or behaviors. 

Am i alone? Im so tired of smelling pee!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

At 6 months, every dog should be reliably housebroken. You are definitely not expecting too much at that age.

We had a recent discussion here about housetraining. It might help you to read through it, there's a lot of good info: http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/general-house-training-que...

My response in the above discussion basically outlines the three parts to successful housebreaking: Catching and correcting (not punishing, but there does need to be a correction) mistakes, praising successes every single time, which means being outside with them every single time, and neutralizing odors.

Your comment about smelling pee makes me wonder if you are using an odor neutralizer like Nature's Miracle in addition to cleaning up the accidents. That's key. 

We also talk about bells, which IMO are useless for teaching the dog where he should go and where he shouldn't go.

Read through it, it may help. 

[Francesca Caputo]

We do clean with an enzymatic cleaner and he never really seems to pee in the same spot. But its hard to get out of the couch :( :( 

We use a command and he def knows the concept. His accidents are so random. We go days without an accident and then it rains and then hell have multiple accidents and it takes a few days after the rain to get back on track. And its been very rainy here!!! Its always 3 steps forward 2 steps back. On rainy days he practically spends the whole day in his crate because ill take him out and he stands by the door and wont go. Ive left him out there for 30 min once just sitting with him waiting for him to go. Then when he doesnt go back in the crate we go.... if i can even get him back in before he pees when he gets back inside on the way there. this continues until the rain stops or he can't hold it anymore. 

Ive even resorted to cooking bacon and hot dogs when it rains to try and keep us on track. But even after the rain stops he's reluctant to go outside and i have to push him out. 

He goes out on our deck and I'm right there with him (albeit inside, i stand at the door and praise him). 

Im frustrated and never had this problem before. 

[Stacy]

I feel like on those rainy days you're going to have to get your umbrella and go out with him, even if you have to take him on leash. My older girl doesn't like to go out in the rain. But she can hold it forever. Still, if I worry that it's been too long I will go out with her and she will pee if she has to be out there anyway. If I just stand at the door she will stand at the door pathetically until I relent and let her in. She's not going to venture out into the yard without me. 

I would also still be tethering him to you all the time when he's not in his crate. I know it's inconvenient. But don't give him any opportunity to make a mistake. I think peeing in the house is self-reinforcing. And every time they do it it's that much harder to break them of it. Learn from my errors! I've made lots of them. Really re-devote yourself to getting him to be reliably housebroken and you'll have 15 wonderful years of not having to worry that you'll step out of the shower and into a puddle of dog pee. I finally have dogs that I can take my eyes off of and not have to worry about what they're doing. (The little one will still eat the crotch out of my pants if I'm not looking, and they're not put away, but that's a whole different behavioral problem!!)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is such good advice. I completely agree, I have one who hates the rain too. You must go outside with them every time, and you must not give them the opportunity to make a mistake, every time you don't see it, it does reinforce the behavior.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Haley hates to go out in the rain.  We always go out with Haley, rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain and hurricanes.  We put on raincoats with hoods and put Haley's raincoat on him. 

And, during Hurricane Matthew last year the rain was torrential and blowing sideway so we put Haley's snowsuit on him to go out to potty.

Your may have to train Finn with high value treats to wear rain gear but done right it is easy and quick.

Hope this is a help with inclement weather.

[Paige and Leo]

The bells do work in my experience anyway.  But that is another topic.  It sounds like you are doing a lot of things right with him.  Praise, taking out often and you are being consistent. I hope you get some answers on training.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Bells give the dog a way to let you know he wants to go outside. They don't teach him that going potty indoors is wrong and going potty outdoors is right. They have to grasp that first. Good info on this in the discussion I linked above.

[Francesca Caputo]

Oh yeah definitely. I get that. When i say he's bell trained i meant to say 80% of the time, hell ring to go outside. the other times he will just pee. Not even go over to the door or anything. 

[Paige and Leo]

I know you knew that too. :)  About the bells not ringing to go outside if not potty trained. Bells are a great way to let you know your dog needs out. But that is a different topic that you are asking about.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My son's Doberman HATED, REALLY HATED, REALLY REALLY HATED water - even damp, dew coated grass was off-putting for him.  You ain't seen nuttin' until you find 120 pound Dobie pee or poo in your dining room! We had to go outside with him and keep pushing him off the patio and onto the grass until he went. We also limited his access to parts of the house.   He never outgrew his hatred of water, but he learned that once he couldn't hold it any longer he had to go out.

[Terry & Chris Ann]

Marley is 19 weeks. He has gotten so much better in the last 4 weeks. We use the Doggy Dan method of special food treats when Marley goes outside. We just use the small training treats found at Wal-Mart. He loves them. He is also trained to ring the bell on the front door when he needs to go. If he has an accident now it's because nobody heard the bell.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Terry, most if not all of the treats (and all edible pet products) sold at Walmart contain ingredients imported from China, as well as artificial preservatives and coloring that have been linked to cancer in dogs. A number of pet owners, including some right here on DK, have had dogs who have died and/or developed serious illnesses from these types of treats. For more information as well as some better alternatives, please check out The Food Group. Here's a link to our Recommended Treat Brands.