Is Your Puppy House Trained??

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I've read that it takes at least 28 days of no indoor potty accidents before you can truly say your puppy/dog is potty trained. I'm really curious where everyone is with their doods on this front and how old your puppy is, as well. For Oscar (16-1/2 wks old), we've gone as long as 12 days accident free, and then out of the blue we'll find a puddle. I really try to keep Oscar close when he's out of his crate, but with another doodle in the house (Lucy, 3 yrs old) its really hard to keep them both close (where Lucy goes, Oscar follows). We really are quite diligent and one of the accidents happened right under our noses (DH was playing with both doods on the nook floor and minutes later he found a puddle a few feet away). So, anyway, we can't call Oscar 'house trained'. He does, however, go to the back patio door every day, several times a day and sometimes even rings the potty bells to let us know he has to go potty. There's just that occasional accident when he's too busy to bother.

So, how old is your puppy, and where are YOU with potty training?

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I know it must be very difficult to untrain Noodle's potty behavior from indoor habits to outdoors, and I've heard its quite a process to do. I don't have experience with it but maybe if you add it as a separate discussion topic in Puppy Madness you'll get advice on how it can be successfully done. My Oscar has a similar, but different, problem. He'll only go pee in his yard on the side of the house, on his pea gravel. He never goes while on walks or when we take him for a ride somewhere. He'll hold it till we return and then sprint to his spot to relieve himself. I'm clueless as to what to do with that, too. Looks like a new discussion topic for me, as well!

[Emily Lau]

We have the exact problem! 

[Jungmin Yoo]

I may just let him go on the potty pad until we move to a home with a back yard. But I hope it will work! 

[Theresa Washburn]

Freddy is six months and has been house trained for 3 months now, but Im home all day with him.  We have gone out for 4 hours at a time and he is free to roam and is still accident free.  He doesnt chew on furniture or shoes.  He does have a thing for socks but thats ok.  We would like to get another dood but I worry it will mess up his good behavior with being house broken.  At first I thought well I will get this one trained and then get one it will be easier, but now I wonder.  Anyone have any advice?

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Personally, I think its best to wait until the 1st dog is well matured and established. We got Oscar when Lucy was 3yrs old and its been a breeze training Oscar (with the BIG exception of potty training, which was a separate discussion in itself!). He follows her cue and he hasn't once destroyed anything. Lucy destroyed multiple throw rugs at his age. I think back to Lucy as a pup and she was a handful. She had been our first dog and I thought at the time how easy she was. Boy, I had no idea how wrong I was until Oscar came along. He's the epitome of mellow, eager to please, and highly motivated. Lucy was much more spirited and willful. So, to answer your question, I'd wait a while if I were you. A mature 1st dog (at least 2 yrs old) goes a long way in helping teach the 2nd the rules of the house (not to mention command training is super easy too, because the 1st dog will demonstrate for the 2nd). I know people get 2nd doodles within the 1st year, but I think its got to be very difficult to train either one.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I just realized I pretty much answered this question last week in a thread below. I never saw your original post until now though (above). Seems Doodlekisses isn't sending out notices of all posts. Anyone else having this problem?

[Doug, Micki, Dawson & Mya]

We have an 8 month old (Dawson) and a 3 month old (Mya). There have been absolutely no problems with Dawson as far as falling off the housebroken wagon. If your doodles are anything like ours however, you will find it much harder to train a second one than the first. due to the fact that the older one is a distraction to the younger one, and vice versa. Dawson makes our lives miserable when the two of them are separated, whining and barking, and carrying on. and if we take them out together, it is hard to keep Mya concentrated on the "business at hand".....

[Theresa Washburn]

Thank you for  your insight.  Another question for you.  Do you feel it has been a great benefit to Dawson to have Mya overall.  OR would you and him been better off not getting him...considering the extra time and effort?  Thank you 

[Doug, Micki, Dawson & Mya]

Theresa, it was well worth us picking up Mya as a companion to Dawson. We never have to worry about a "lack of exercise" as far as the doodles are concerned, and we are blessed with a large fenced-in back yard, where they can just be let out to "have their way" with each other. It can be irritating at times, kind of like two young kids chasing each other around the house right in front of you, while you are preparing dinner, or the two of them fighting over the same toy while you're trying to watch your favorite TV program. But the joys of having them far outweigh the problems they create.....

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Lucy is 3 yrs and Oscar is 4-1/2 mos. and I haven't found it more difficult to train a 2nd doodle. For whatever reason, Oscar did take longer to house train, but I hear that a lot about boys. We don't take both dogs out together for potty breaks, though. Lucy goes about 3-4 x a day, Oscar about twice that, and we've always taken the doods out on a leash and picked up after them immediately. Its a whole lot more work in the beginning, but I know it will settle down eventually. I dare say it, but its been weeks since Oscar's last accident (he had been going 2 week stretches at a time without an accident before this last one. Oscar has more of the separation anxiety when Lucy is gone, but that's usually when I'm gone with her and Oscar is left alone. She has been a great comfort to him and is always so tolerant.

Theresa: One thing is for certain, it IS a whole lot of work having a 2nd doodle, or more specifically, having a PUPPY. By nature, caring for a puppy and training it properly is EXHAUSTING. I had fortunately forgotten how much work Lucy was when she was a pup. Add to that Oscar's slower pace in learning potty training and it adds to the work exponentially. On the other hand, Oscar gets into FAR LESS mischief with Lucy around. She keeps him entertained and out of trouble. When Lucy was his age she was busy destroying all the throw rugs in the house. Oscar hasn't touched a single throw rug, or anything else for that matter. He has a sweet and fun loving companion he can always count on for a play buddy. He seems to learn more quickly too, with Lucy showing him how things are done. When I train 'sit' or 'down' or 'stay' or 'wait' Lucy is always right there doing the command, and Oscar is always there following her lead. And it sticks with Oscar, too. Walking on lead with 2 doods can be a challenge. Oscar is just learning about walking, and although Lucy walks very well, the distractions of the outside world make Oscar want to run or walk very fast. I've found putting a separate shorter leash on Oscar while both dogs are attached to one another with a splitter leash, works wonders. I can give a quick sideways snap on Oscar's leash to deter certain behaviors (like picking up leaves/dirt/debris or walking/running ahead). There's work-arounds for every challenge. It will be interesting to hear what Douglas says, but for us, Lucy being 3 yrs old was the best age for getting a 2nd puppy.

[Theresa Washburn]

Thank you so much for the information.  It has cleared all my questions up.  I think I will wait too.  We just started enjoying a trained Dood (minus a few work ons to do yet)    

I just love doodles so much and so happy we have one for now.

Thanks again

[Brittney Dickson]

Our breeder recommends early spay/neuter really makes potty training easier and there is pretty much no down time for the puppy. Also if you have a Male it prevents them from marking and lifting his leg!! here's a link to more info http://springviewdoodles.com/early-spay-and-neuter

 ...we are excited that the early spay/neuter is included when you buy a puppy from her :)