Help! Help! Please help!

[Puppy Madness]

Jada is 8weeks. She does not like the crate. She will not use the bathroom outside. She only been home for 4 days. She sleeps in the crate at night from 10 -6:30. I take her outside right away. Then I bring her back in and feed her. She doesn't eat all her food but most training books say don't leave the food out. I put the food away after 15 mins then take her back outside. Absolutely nothing..... As soon as I get back in the house she goes to the bathroom. What do I do. Please help!

[Dr Karen Hoving]

Hi.

First (and I don't meant this in a disrespectful way at all). Take a breath (i'm a shrink -and have a 6 month old sheepadoodle- so I feel your pain ).

NOW I will probably get reamed for my ideas-I've had dogs my entire adult life (I'm 58)and I've never had a good crate experience (I AM THE EXCEPTION). What I did was feed her 3x a day. Each time after she ate we'd either go for a walk (I'm sure you know use the word "go potty" or whatever you want to use. Keep saying it. The bummer is when they are young IMHO they won't get "completely trained until they are around 4 months old. Im sure there are exceptions .So -you will have moments of "YAY she got it" then OMG She's destroying my rug. Remember- 16 weeks is when they REALLY get it.

Before- the puddle pads help. IF she's going to pee inside (when running around) the scent will draw her there. BUT I found after we were trained (AND in the beginning I was trained. NOT Bella. I would take her out. If i saw her sniffing I'd startle her "COME QUICK!" run out side and she'd pee. I'd use the "go potty" and give her one of the tiny treats. EVERY.SINGLE . TIme. Keep them beside he door. ALWAYS praise her punishment doesn't work. They don't get it.

She tends to go potty AFTER she eats,not before. Now when we take her for a long walk she'll poop a few times (? I Know-where is it coming from?) or pee multiple times. The pee pads helped a lot in the beginning- BUT my mistake was I put them in the same place all the time. My theory (WHICH may be wrong)is very very occasionally (bc we don't have a doggie door) if I'm upstairs taking a nap and she has to go she wouldn't tell me (again-in the beginning I was trained) and she'd go in the spot that I had the puddle pads. Even though they weren't there. So maybe move them around? BUT since she's only 8 weeks maybe put one or two around. Then in a month, leave 1 out. And move that around for the next month.

I know that this is super hard. But it will get better. AND I know telling you she won't be sorted for another 8 weeks feels like a death sentence- but it will get better.

To sum up

1)Buy tiny treats (to use EVERY Time she pees/poops outside)

2)Use a code word when you want her to go outside

3)Take her to the same place outside so she associates that place with going.

4)Put out pads for accidents (I know many may feel this is bad bc you are "telling" them to go inside. But I found if they are going to have accidents I'd rather they did it on that. You can't watch them 24/7 -well I couldn't. I really tried-but like having a baby you have to go to the loo sometime!

But people here are smarter than I am...but email me if you need more help (but I'm sure you'll get better advice!)

Dr Karen and Bella

[Dr Karen Hoving]

One more thing

I mistyped something. When she was little (she was about 3 months when we got her) when she woke up we took her out FIRST to pee. THEN we fed her. IF she did not pee when we first got up I gave her the kibble, then took her out asap.

Also other dogs have been good with leaving food out 24/7 but with this dog (or the breed?) if I left a full bowl out she'd eat the whole thing and then break into the pantry! She's not heavy (she's on the slim side) but would eat all the time if I let her.

I found the first few days in a new house they are a bit scared and confused and don't have litter mates. So maybe think that she'll start doing the potty better in a few days. But so you don't go crazy get the pads -not forever, just for a bit . Once she gets the "go potty" thing you can pick them up. Also ,a friend of mine with a sheepadoodle (she took hers to work-she's 1 month younger than mine) her bladder was TINY- she'd pee 2 or 3 times an hour if memory serves! So it may be she's  tiny-and if she had a breeder they have them on paper-so she's probably not gone outside. ANOTHER TRICK (OMG Sorry I forgot this) I would put a puppy pad OUTSIDE-take her to that (with the scent) and see if she'll go there. If you have a backyard and have never had a puppy there may not be scent out there. 

But I deal with humans...I may be wrong. Hope this helps

Karen

[e-mail]

[Dr Karen Hoving]

Adrienne

It's all good. We've ALL been there with a new puppy! Don't beat yourself up. Honest. I still went crazy this am bc bella is still EATING EVERYTHING. I keep thinking I've puppy proofed and she finds something else (Like her ability to get into closets-DON'T ASK- she wall pulling down pill bottles!). 

I always laugh when people desire puppies- SO MUCH WORK! But then you know what you are getting. But try to get some people that can support you otherwise it's easy to go crazy (done that been there!). My last dog passed a year ago and i was so used to a VERY well behaved, therapy trained dog (I used her with my patients). So now I'm starting all over! I finally survived potty training! We are getting better at the training stuff...but they get large fast. So FYI_ I would get a harness instead of a collar to walk her bc when they are about 3 months they start to pull! And you don't want to hurt those little necks! BUT do whatever your vet/trainer suggests. FYI until she's had all her puppy shots avoid any place that you don't know the dogs (Ie parks, going to puppy stores-put her in the cart). Just until that last parvo shot is in. I had a dog that got parvo (decades ago )between the 2nd and 3rd shot. Since then Im a bit neurotic! So feel free to ignore.

You are going to be a great doodle mom- and this group is wonderful. I'm new to doodles, but old to dogs! But they have great ideas and will be supportive! Let me know if I can help you in any way. I'm in Colorado.

Dr Karen/Bella the Sheepadoodle

[Kathy Basso]

Hi Adrienne, I have a four month old and was in your shoes. But, it really does change, we are completely trained, biting is soft mouthing, sometimes, and all is going well. I read Dr. Karen's post, and that could have been mine. Good luck and hang in there. The best is yet to come.