Why can Axl "hold it in" 8 hours overnight but have to go every 30 minutes when he's up?!?!

[Leslie & Axl Sacks]

Axl does fantastic in his crate.  Never had an accident. But as soon as you let him out, take him outside & hang out with him, he has to go outside 30 minutes after coming back inside.  We've trained him to ring a bell on the door when he has to go out.  That works GREAT!  But as soon as he's come back inside from doing his business, plays for a bit, chills out, whatever, he's ringing that bell again.  WHY?!?!!?

[BG and Gavin]

How old is he?  Sounds like he is doing great.  When in the crate they are at rest so can hold it longer (just like when we sleep at night).  But active pups can't hold it very long when they are young.  Good on him for letting you know and ringing the bell.

[shelly]

Does he actually go (a lot or a bit) when he goes out the second time?  Or has he learned that ringing the bell means PLAY also.... maybe only bring him out to pee/poop ONLY when he rings then right back in... then after in for a little while, take him out to play.  as hard as it is - don't let him play when he rings to go out....if he doesn't pee or poop within a few minutes bring him back in.  He probably associates the bell with the wrong 'p' word..."PLAYING" - NOT peeing or pooping!  They are VERY smart and learn how to manipulate very early - LOL... nothing wrong with him... just his doodle smarts gettin' the best of YOU! LOL  I am sure that he will learn only to ring when he needs to 'go'...  Good luck!  What a cutie!

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

My first thought was how old is Axl also? It sounds like he and you are doing a really good job on his housebreaking. Depending on his age, he could just have a puppy bladder (relatively small) and when he is active, he has to go more often. Like humans, when you're quiet or asleep, you don't have to go nearly as often.

I think all puppies go through a I'll say I have to go outside so I can fool around in the sunshine stage. When you take him out, when he pees/poops make it a big, happy, good-boy deal. If he just starts to play with no interest in sniffing/relieving himself, after 5 minutes bring him back in. Whatever you do, don't fuss at him. His puppy brain can get confused easily and since he's on the right track, you don't want to inadvertently send him a confusing message.

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Sounds a lot like Lachlan (4 months next week). He's fine all night and any time he's in his crate, but otherwise it's bells bells bells. Most of the time he does pee, though, as soon as he's out and before he starts (pick any of rolling/digging/racing madly in circles/eating stuff that will kill him). I just tell him he's wonderful and march his wee bottom back in as soon as he starts doing anything but his bidness.

A few times I've made the mistake of oh nah, you can't possibly need to go again! and ignored the bells. Oops. My bad, not his. *grin*

[Bonne Bouche]

lol, this is EXACTLY like us! Particularly the last part!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Me too!!

[Aimee Santa Monica]

What a cutie Axl is!   :)  That reminds me of what i went through with Storm on our first 2 weeks!    Hang in there!

[Bonne Bouche]

the fake pee thing is so cute! I cant believe it! Hes a smart one!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Sedona also has tried the fake pee for a treat thing.  Even though we should have phased it out long ago, we're still "treating" for pee and poop (mostly because it's become part of our ritual - if that makes sense).  In fact, now that she's older (almost 2) and has access to the back yard - she'll go out on her own, then go straight to the kitchen and stare at the treats.  If we don't notice, she'll come and get us!

[Leslie & Axl Sacks]

Thanks for all your responses. Axl will be 12 weeks old on the 6th so I know i shouldn't expect too too much, but he's been doing so great on his training so far, I just assume he's smarter than the humans in the house!  As far as does he pee every time he goes out?, pretty sure but he pees like a girl, says my kids, so its hard to tell if he really did anything.  And we've been trying to make sure he does NOT ring the bell if we are going outside to play.  So, I guess i'll just have to hear bells until his bladder becomes more mature.  Thanks again everyone!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I remember when Lucy was that age and those bells got a real workout (as did I!). It is just temporary. Before you  know it Axl will hold it during the day for hours and hours. There was a time, too, where Lucy rang the bells just to go out and play, and we took the bells down for a couple days to break her of that. She was about 4-5 months old then. The reason Axl can hold it at night for so long is because puppies just naturally hold it while they sleep, and being in a kennel inhibits the pee response. As I understand it, whenever a puppy comes OUT from a smaller space to a larger space the urge to pee becomes the greatest. So from a crate into a room, from a room to outdoors, and so on, you get the idea. One of the reasons they say a wire crate is better than a plastic one for potty training is because a puppy will begin to feel the room it's crate is in is part of it's den because he can see out through the wire better than through plastic, and it won't want to soil its den. Oh, btw, in the months to come, you'll absolutely love that Axl rings the bells to go out for potty.

[Pat and Traveler]

Trav absolutely LOVES the in and out routine, and does it all day long.  If he isn't sleeping, he's wanting either in or out.  Ideally, we'd have a revolving door.  :)  I can just say no for some of the going out requests, but he barks when he wants to come in if I don't notice his pleading face through the glass door quickly enough to suit him, and I don't want the neighbors disturbed by a barking dog.  THERE IS NO ANSWER--IT GOES ON FOREVER!  Oh, sorry.  :)