Potty Training Help Please

[Rhonda, Marabelle & Jeriki]

So Both Marabelle and Jeriki are being difficult with the potty training, Marabelle more than Jeriki.  

Jeriki has marked a few times in the house we seem to have that under controll now by taking controll and showing him we are his pack. I think he was just confused at first and a little out of sorts with the new home. He had not givin us his loyalty at that point.  I think we have him now though. each day has been better, less flipping off etc.

Marabelle however is another issue.  I know she is capable of going outside, she is the smartest pup I've ever met.  We have crate trained them etc, and are still trying to get them not to have any accidents. Marabelle doesnt give any signs that she needs to go out, she just all of a sudden squats and piddles . I have bells on the door, how do I get her to use them, so I know when she needs out?  I think that is our only hurdle left, getting her to tell us.

Right now we are mind readers. We have gone back to basics with the crate training. So she wakes up we take them out they do there thing come back in they play for about 45 min.   We then feed them, then crate for an hour or so take them out let them go, bring them back in they get another hour or so of free time.  Then we crate for 2 hours or so, then we bring them out to go if they make potty, they earn more free time if they dont go we put them back in crate for 20 min intervals till they do go pee or poop etc.  We repeating this process all day.

Of course they go for there walks and park etc during the day too. So since we started this we've obviously had fewer accidents in the house. however they have happened a time or two, and I believe that they just don't know how to tell us. Any help on how to get them to use the bells, scratch at the door, even bark for crying out loud would help. Thanks

 

Rhonda, Marabelle, and Jeriki

[BG and Gavin]

It sound like you have a good routine.  I just jingled the bells every time I took my guy out to pee.  It took several weeks for him to tell me on his own, but finally one day he rang the bells and has been doing it ever since.  Keep the faith!

[Christine & Shelby]

I did the same.... every time I took Shelby out to potty... I'd jingle the bells and say "Shelby Out!"
She picked it up pretty quickly!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree with Bruce Girl....this sounds like a good routine.  We also use the potty bells and ring them each time we take the boys out to potty.  Once they got the idea that they were supposed to be going outside, they would go sit by the door....if we didn't see them and take them out they would ring the bells to get our attention.  This did take a few weeks.  Are you celebrating/rewarding every time they "go" outside?  That was important, especially for Guinness.  I really think there were times he was just going because he wanted a "party".  How old are Marabelle and Jeriki?  I'm thinking Jeriki may be hitting adolescence, and he is not neutered, right?  If that's the case, that may be behind the marking. 

[Rhonda, Marabelle & Jeriki]

Jerikki is 9 months, I know that is why he is marking, but that didn't start in the hous until I started taking controll with him on other issues. It was almost like flipping me off in a different way. He has not done it in a few weeks fingers crossed.

 

Marabelle is 5 months old, we used to take her out every half hour, when I talked to Barb our breeder she advised the longer crate times.  Barb said that we needed to strech Marabelles blatter controll, taking her out every half hour at her age was teaching her that she should pee every half hour lol. Marabelle I was told should be going out every two hours or so or longer for her age.

 

I will physically ring the bells when I take them out, they are a little scared of them though lol.

 

Thanks

 

Rhonda

 

 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I definitely agree with the longer crate times for Marabelle....every half hour at five months is a lot.  I would not make a big deal out of ringing the bells if they're afraid of the sound.....just do it a couple of times just before you open the door.  For my guys the best motivator was the threat and praise when they did their business in the "potty spot".

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

They are still pretty young yet and it takes time.  I went thru set backs with both doodles.  Now that they are 2 and 1.5 yrs. old I know when they have to go.  Sasha will pace back a forth and Oliver will get right in my face and bark.  I think this just comes with them being older and I was very presistant with training.  You have a great routine, be persistant they will eventually get it - I promise :)

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Ooops... I just thought of something else.  I would limit the water in the evening before bed or when I was going to work or going out.  Both my doodles were crate trained as well.  What goes in must come out, some of the food tells you on the back how long it generally takes to go thru their system.   My food is about 6 - 8 hours and water it seems like its about 45 minutes to an hour after they come in, drink lots of water then they are asking to go out again in 45+ minutes most of the time.

[Rhonda, Marabelle & Jeriki]

They actually don't drink that much water they are raw fed, and I guess for whatever reason Raw fed dogs dont need as much water as kibble fed dogs, good idea though

 

Rhonda

[Laurie Young]

You sound like you are doing all the right things. I agree with Bruce Girl too, just ring the bells every time you take them out to potty, and make a big deal of it with lots of yippees and god dogs as you do it, they will be doing on their own in no time. Then you will wish you never taught them how to ring the bells. LOL

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

We (ok, mainly just me!) would have a 'potty party' when Knox would do his business outside! I'm sure my neighbors wondered what the heck was going on!!! Oh well, it worked and Knoz learned that good things happened when he pottied outside!

[Laurie Young]

Ok the potty party made me laugh because I sang and cheered the potty song, I know my neighbors thought I was nuts, because I caught them watching me one day and they were laughing their heads off!

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

hugs... you are doing the right thing. We started Lilly on the bells on the door and EVERY time we went out the door we rang the bells and said "Let's go outside and be a good girl" took treats with us and every time she peed/pooped she got a treat right after doing her business with tons of praise. any accidents we just cleaned up without a word (outside of my mouth, inside of my head- I ws thinking I was a complete idiot for getting a puppy)  Lilly is just over 7 months and we have had her since she was 8 wks old. We would ring those bells before she was big enough to touch the bells. We moved, are on a road trip and those bells go whereever we go and they are a Godsent. We put them on the door that we want her to use and say- "Lilly, here are your bells when you need to go out to be good girl". She still rings them to chase sticks, smell the wind, wants to go for a walk. But it is so worth it..good luck, hang in there.