Why oh Why oh WHY?!

[Margie Payne]

Bear is so so smart.  The pup can sit, stay, knows his name, come (he got all 4 of those by 8 weeks) wait, spin, speak, Go 1 (90% of the time), Go 2 (60% of the time).  We're working on roll-over, for some reason he's not "getting it".

Anyway, he's not having a hard time connecting with what we want and even will respond to correction pretty quickly.  I mean, when we're outside (always on lease in backyard - not all shots yet) he would be OFF and RUNNING if not for leash and no way he'd come if we called b/c of the smells and sounds, but in general in the house, for an 11 week old, he's rocking.  We've got your basic and normal puppy issues but for the most part he's blowing our minds with how willing to please he is.

Here's my issue.  He can now stay in the crate from 11pm to 7:30am and not a drop of pee.  He's not barking and having a fit either.  I just know that he MUST have to go.  He will sometimes wake up around 6am and whine a second or two and then back to sleep he goes.  When I take him out he goes a LOT and right away.  The problem is that I've got to be ON IT with him at all times.  

He's also leashed to a table in the same room with us if we're not keeping an eye on him or playing directly with him.  For his safety and my sanity.  ;)

So here's what I'm talking about

Example:  Tonight I saw him sniffing around, he'd JUST gone outside and didn't go a lot but enough, so I thought, "okay, I've gotta text this info to my hubby and then I'll take him out"...literally 10 seconds later, a small pool of pee on the floor.  MAKES ME SO FRUSTRATED!!!  I know he wasn't feeling like he "had" to go b/c I'd just taken him out 20 mins ago.  He didn't have but a few laps of water when we came back in after he pee'd.  It's like he doesn't know how to tell me he's gotta go and I don't know how to teach him?!  Why doesn't he bark??  Whine loudly??!  

I've not wanted to use the bells b/c 1...I'm not a butler.  and 2.  We travel and go places and what about when he's in his crate?   How's the bells going to help us?!  

Could I use "speak" to tell me he's gotta go?  Have him do it before we go outside?  For goodness sake he's not allowed to pee in the house, we never say "Go 1" in the house!  He knows what that means b/c he does it on command!  

I know, I know, he's not 12 weeks old and also this takes time.  But I feel like I know him and I know he's not getting it....I'm not teaching him what he needs to learn in order to tell us and I feel like I'm at a complete loss!!  

Any help would be much appreciated!

Margie

[Lindsay n Archie]

He's cute. But he is a puppy! your Que to take him out is if he is sniffing, whining or anything. Praise him like crazy when he goes outside and praise him every time. Expect accidents and don't punish him or yell for having them, he doesbt know yet and he also has not much bladder control. Keep on it w treats and praise outside. My pup is still on a leash a lot inside , he's 7 months but that's bc we r working on jumping on counters !**

[Amy Galvin]

I'm interesting in learning more about your training of not jumping on counters.  Our Clara does that and we constantly correct her with off or sit or down, but it isn't working.  I do not have her on a leash. 

[Heather and Hattye]

Hattye is almost 5 months old and still occasionally has accidents. I think it's mostly because she can smell where she's had them before and if she has one it's because I'm not paying attention to her cues. Our dog trainer says not to expect full potty training for 8 months to a year. I see progress so I know she'll get there eventually . In the meantime, take stock out Nature's Miracle.

[Pilar, Sophie & Rico]

Bear is my Rico's twin! I also have a challenging 5 months old! I can also say that Rico seriously doesn't get it! He'll walk to the door and start peeing on his way there. I'm at home all the time and constantly take him out. We must Be patient... Must be patient...breath....lol.

Heather- I pray that my Rico will get it by 8 months or I will have to buy Natures Miracle and Bounty stock. Lol.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Bear is adorable... I love his eyes :)

I would say Bear is right on track for his age. He's a puppy and it takes time and patience with puppies, especially when it comes to potty training. Oscar had indoor accidents until he was 17 weeks (I think?). He's now 10 months old. We'd go several weeks without an accident, and then, 'BAM', back to square 1. And Oscar is a bright, eager-to-please pup. He was just slow in the potty training department. To this day he has trouble 'telling' us when he has to go. I'm pretty diligent about taking him out at given times throughout the day, and if I go a bit too long between potty breaks, Oscar will just hold it. Sometimes (rarely) he'll stand by the door and stare at us. He never understood the potty bells. He has an older sis who trained in weeks and uses the bells often, still, Oscar is clueless on what the bells mean. So don't beat yourself up, and don't expect too much of Bear too soon. He'll figure it out eventually.

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Brady was having accidents @ 5 mos. and I was getting disheartened. It was then I bought the BELLS, hung them by the door and brushed his nose to ring them each time I let him out. Within 2 days, he started 'ringing' (a little bit of a game for a few days - very cute!) and before I knew it stopped any peeing in the house. He still uses his bells and we love it as even if we are watching TV we can hear him. My advice: GET THE BELLS NOW! You won't regret it ....better a 'butler' and serve than a 'peeper cleaner upper'! Don't worry about the crate thing....before you know it he'll be great with the run of the house.

[Amy Galvin]

My doodle, Clara will be 18 wks tomorrow and doesn't give us any verbal clue when she needs to go.  When she walks in a circle we know it's time, but we have to watch her constantly!  I understand your frustrations as she's so smart in everything else.  I am considering getting the bells to see if that will work.  Good luck - bear is a cutie.

[Star and Goldie]

I guess I'm a little stumped about your aversion to the bells. Your reason for not wanting to do them is because you're not a butler? Our pets do not have the luxury of actually being able to tell us things. The bells are a tool of communication and a proven successful one at that. Your puppy isn't going to be ringing the bell for you to bring him a steak on a silver platter.

Remember that the bells are not for you but they are for him. You are providing him with a tool to have a voice. That voice may come in the form of a little bell ringing but at least he will know how to communicate with you.

While I can appreciate your stern desire for successful training of your puppy I do feel like you are expecting too much too soon. He is so young and it sounds to me like he is actually ahead of the curve for his age. I would focus on really praising him for things he is doing great and work on the other things with a little more patience,

[Kyoko]

What a great little boy!! It is amazing that he has mastered all of that at such young age..... He is so adorable, too....

[Juliana & Hadley]

We've used bells with our 15 week pup. We tried ringing the bell when we took her out. But she started ringing it when she came back in lol. So we took it down for a week. One day after cleaning up an accident I decided to try it again. I would ring the bell, open door, go into mudroom, and then go back in kitchen and give a small treat. I did this with her a few times. Then I ran quickly to the door and closed it, leaving her in the kitchen, and I in the porch, waited....no bell. Went back in and rang the bell, quickly back out and shut the door. Finally she rang the bell on her own. So to her at first, ringing the bell meant open the door, not necessarily pee. But she has gotten the hang of it now, and only occasionally rings the bell to go out and play. She's been using the bell since 11 weeks or so.

[Michelle L]

Use the bells! It's a lifesaver!!! Butters is a little over 12 weeks and she figured it out in 2 weeks. So far, we only had a couple of accidents in the house. Before the bells, I would give her a treat every time she goes 'pee pee' and 'poo poo'. Now, she is super proud of herself when she goes outside and comes to me right away for her treat.

[Robin & Josie]

Margie -
This totally reminds me of our first born daughter (human!) She was totally conversational at 15 months. It was pretty entertaining, actually, but because she could speak like a 2 and a half year old, we (in retrospect) mistakenly started treating her as if she was older. We assumed we could easily potty train her because we were having discussions with her about it. Long story short - she was 3 and a half before she was fully trained (with some new baby sister regression thrown in).

I bring this up because you seem to have a very precocious puppy in Bear. Yes, he's smart and has learned lots of tricks and commands, but maybe he's trying to remind you that he's still a VERY young puppy!! When our pediatrician told us that our daughter wasn't going to be reliable for another YEAR, we were shocked. But he was right. You really need to be patient. No such thing as a living being that's "perfect" in any way.

Enjoy all the stuff he can do, and stay on top of the potty thing. When our dog has an accident, I consider it our fault. Cause it's our job to watch her and get her out when we see the signs or just know it's time. Give your baby a little slack. He'll do it when he's ready. It's one thing only he can control.

I'm sure you'll be writing of your (and his) success in no time!