Housebreaking Question (9 week old Goldendoodle)

[SGF]

Hello All,

 

Brought home a wonderful Goldendoodle puppy last week and she's doing great. We've been crate training her and (knock on wood), she has had no accidents in the crate during the day (we leave her at 9am, come home for a long lunch, and then home early evening); and, for the majority of the nights, she's made it 6/7 hours (zero accidents at night either).

One challenge we have is that 15-20 minutes after we take her out, after he has done her business, she's been peeing in the house. It's typically after she comes in and runs around a bit or we put her in her playpen and knaws on her toys. Anyone else had this problem or have suggestions? We're trying to understand whether it's best to let her romp around right after she comes in from outside or keep her calm. Thanks for the help!

[Angel Schilling-Putnam]

Hello SGF. I am so glad you presented this question. We've been having the same issue with our 13wk old mini-golden doodle, Winston.  He is at about a 90% success rate with outside potty training, but sometimes, I swear he runs inside after being outside for 1/2 hr and pees.  From everything I've read, this is a stage that they will grow out of, because their bladders aren't communicating with their brains fully just yet. Thanks for the question, I look forward to other answers/experiences.

[Helen & Kirby]

Often after a puppy romps around they will need to pee, even if they "just went."  I think it stimulates them or something.  It's natural, so let them romp around inside after their potty break, but then take them outside right away again.  Also chewing can stimulate the need to pee (or poo).  Sometimes just being outside gets the dogs all excited, and when they get excited they have to pee!

[Adina P]

All I know is that my Rosco would pee every 15-20 minutes if he was awake and moving.  He could hold it longer in his crate and overnight...but if he was up and moving he had to pee OFTEN.  I wouldn't simply keep her still all day long, but take her out more often.

[Eva and Fenway]

Hi SGF, 

 

I think what you are describing is pretty typical of a young puppy. Fenway is 11 weeks old now, and I've had her since 7 weeks. As angel said, their brains don't really connect and they can't control their 'business' yet especially when excited. I can say though that by 11 weeks Fenway can basically hold it. It won't be long!

[SGF]

Funny, our pup's name is Fenway too (my husband and I are from Boston, originally). One other quick question: at 9 weeks, should we start trying to train her to tell us that she has to go out (when she's not in her crate), and if so, what's worked for folks? We've received such great advice from this site!

[Eva and Fenway]

SGF, that's great! I lived in Boston for 10 years before I moved out here and went to college there. Big Sox fan (obviously). Where are you at now?

 

As far as your question goes, I think it's never too early to start but I think it's hard to expect much. I'm training Fen to ring the poochie bells which is a very slow and annoying process thus far. Everyone says to expect it to be, so I'm just going to be consistent and hope for the best. 

[SGF]

Hi Eva,

We're in Germantown, TN these days - relocated here in January and we love it. We're in a temporary apartment as we look for a house. Part of the problem is that we're in a second floor apartment with an indoor stairway - we have a huge playplen in the living room that we've been using so she doesn't have run of the place. Next up is a way to get her to tell us she has to go - that's the challenge we're working on!

[Eva and Fenway]

SGF, your situation sounds exactly like mine! No apartment, but I have a loft house which means I have to go down indoor staircase to go out. I also set up the pen situation in the living room, though I moved it to the tile a while ago.

 

I definitely second the suggestion of the bells for her to tell you when she needs to potty. I definitely prefer it to the idea of having her scratch on the door, bark, etc. 

 

Congrats on your move!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I'm with Adina on this one. I noticed that Riley would pee three or four times in quick succession especially if he was playing or excited.  I just took him out every twenty minutes up to this week.  He is now 12 weeks old and seems to be holding it during the day much longer and hasn't had an accident at all for the past four days (touch wood) This idea that you take them out every hour just didn't work for me and was a little unrealistic.  Most important is to clean up really well so there is no scent left behind which says this is a good place to pee.  Riley now chooses to go out himself and comes straight back in for a treat!  We are able to leave the back door open as the weather is good and we have a fenced in garden which is safe.

[Elizabeth & *Kosci*.]

I taught my Groodle to ring the poochie bells within a few weeks.
First, every time we went out side to the toilet I would ring the bells and say 'out side'.
I then taught Kosci to touch my hand,on command.
I then held the bells against my palm and said touch.
She now rings the bells to go outside, sometimes just to have a look but more often than not to toilet.
My 14 year old Dalmatian has started to do it also.... Can still teach an old dog new tricks.( she taught her self really ).