Potty Training Issues

[Elle, Marina & Aria]

Aria is about 11 weeks old now, and for a while potty training was going really well! But all of a sudden she's started refusing to go to the bathroom when we go out, or just pooping (sometimes just peeing) and then coming immediately back inside to do the other. It's so frustrating!! It feels like we've taken 50 steps back and don't know how to fix it. She always seems to do it in her crate that's attached to her ex-pen too! We got a new crate mat and it's basically ruined now from all the washes. We tried removing it, using a blanket instead, but no matter what she'll go on it. Does anyone have suggestions? :(

[Paige and Leo]

My guy at the beginning didn't have a blanket in the crate with him.  And his crate was divided off so he had very little room except to sleep and turn around.  The blanket was soft and he would pee on the soft blanket.  As he got older and we moved the divider out and now at 8 months he has blankets, mat a lot or room in the crate.  Hopefully you will get good advice on the coming back in to do business.  I would make sure Leo was finished. Sometimes he would do just a little outside and then a lot more in. I had to say potty while he was starting to go and the would finish it all.  At 11 weeks Leo was still in the process of training too. It was more like 16 weeks before he really "got it"

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Re the washing: are you using an enzyme cleaner? If not she is still smelling the remnants of her last " accident". Those sensitive noses are amazingly strong! There are a # of them sold OTC. Nature's Miracle is probably the easiest to find.
I would start back to basics. Take her out every 45 minutes -1 hr. After each meal and after she wakes up from a snooze. If she is going, once you get back in the house, then you need to stay out with her longer. Frustrating, yes, but will be well worth your trouble. And she may be not emptying her bladder on the first pee. Again...staying out longer is key.

[Kate]

I'm having the same issue. I took her out (13 weeks) 4 times last night and all she did was play. 10 min later pooped on the floor. I stayed out there for 5 min each time. She has never messed in her crate tho. I'm also interested in hearing suggestions bc I feel like I spend so much time taking her outside and then she goes in the house.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Five minutes is hardly enough. You have to stay out until they go. If not, you're not teaching them anything by allowing them to come back in and do their business in the house.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ro is right that 5 minutes isn't enough time at all.  As a puppy, Ned had a bladder of steel and pooped more like an adult dog so I found that he didn't always go when I took him out.  When that happened. I brought him in and took him out about 10 - 20 minutes later - and again and again until he did go. Because Ned had such a mature system, we only took him out at our bedtime and then once at night for a very short while. After that he slept all night but got up at 5 or 6 a.m.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

Does she go immediately in the crate or after an allotted time?

We have Gracie on a pretty strict schedule. She's 11 weeks too. I take her out as soon as she is released from the crate. I wait 3-5 min for a pee and if I think she needs to poo, then up to 10 min. If she doesn't eliminate she goes back to the crate for 15 min and we try again. She was doing really well and going almost immediately until this week. So, we've had to put her back in after no elimination.

She's also on a regular feeding schedule so I'm pretty positive when she needs to eliminate. Her tummy will be solid too!

What we did was a 15-20 min schedule for taking her out, but now it's not as tight. She's got a bit more freedom. One thing that was working for me was if she went back for a second drink during free time then it was time to go out.

She only has enough space to turn around in her crate as we do have it divided.
I use potty words as well. If your pup goes on he crate mat, it's probably best to just remove it. Maybe she thinks it's her potty pad?

Gracie did have 2 accidents in the crate. They were both after being put on antibiotics, but has not had any since If your pup is just urinating in the crate - maybe she has a uti? Like she's not able to empty all of the way when she's outside.
The one thing that I've read is to go back to the beginning when they have a relapse. So, it might mean more potty breaks. Also, if she is eliminating after a certain amount of time, then to take her out before that time is up. Like if it's after she's been in for an hour - take her out in 45 min. Or whatever the situation is.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

A puppy really doesn't need a crate mat of any kind, especially if its using it as a pee pad. Ro is right, to eliminate alll trace of pee scent you need to use an enzyme cleaner, or it just acts to attract them to pee there again. Clean the actual crate with enzyme cleaner as well. Lyndy's got great suggestions, too!

[Michele Kiss]

Others have already provided some great advice, but I would also add, she's only 11 weeks?! You might simply be expecting too much from such a very young dog...

Do you give her treats when she goes where she's supposed to? Treat when you "go" outside, nothing if she goes inside?