Potty training and peeing!

[Karen]

Hello, Enzo is 12 weeks old and likes to pee, and if we don't catch him, poop on our couch!  I hate the couch, it's old, and I wanted a new one, but this is sooo gross..I wanted to have it hauled away today! OHHHH!  Now the kids were "watching" him and he pooped and peed on the couch again.  Gross...

ANyway, I am wondering if it would be wrong of me to keep him tethered to me or by me at all times? He is confined to a small area anyway, but I can't keep my eyes on him all the time - clearly!  

I feel bad, but if he is tethered by me he actually whines to go out and he has his bed and toys by him also! 

Thanks in advance!

Karen

[Buster and Kathy]

Buster is 15 weeks and for the first month, I did not tether him at all.  Then I read about tethering and "umbilical training" and tried it - I just wish I had done it sooner.  I put on his canvas harness and leash when he wakes up before the alarm goes off at 6:30 and take him outside to relieve himself.  Then I lay down on the bed with him tethered to my ankle so I can sleep an hour or so longer.  He usually just sleeps on the floor beside the bed but before tethering, he would pee on the bedroom floor while I dozed. I wait until daylight to feed him so that he does not get conditioned to waking up early (I'm hoping). In the evening, he is not tethered while we sit on the floor playing with his ball, but I still have to watch him like a hawk because he will wander into another room and pee on the floor. He does go to the door sometimes but the floor is still an option, ugh! This week, I have noticed that he is more settled during the day and has a burst of energy around 8 p.m.  I think he is growing up!

[Karen]

I wonder why that works?  I have noticed that when Enzo is tethered, (this morning in the kitchen as I was making breakfast) he scratched at the door to go out, we went out and he peed!  I have no doubt that if he wasn't tethered, he would have wandered around, perhaps to the couch, and peed.  It also works when I am at work, he is tethered, and whines when he has to go out.  

SO I guess I have my answer.  ALWAYS keep him on the tether until he learns where to go to the bathroom!  I wonder when that will be???? 

[Buster and Kathy]

I wish I knew when the magic "go outside everytime" day will come.  My Pomeranian took a year but I was working full-time then so I'm hoping for great things with Buster.  Don't you hate it when people say that their dogs go to the door everytime at 8 weeks?  Makes me feel like a loser!

[Heather Martinez]

I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping him tethered. We started tethering Teddy when he was about that age. I think if they are tethered with their bed and toys nearby they feel that is their "den" area and won't go potty there. For Teddy it was not about going potty but keeping him from chewing or getting into things in the house. As Teddy got older we gradually gave him more freedom until he did not need to be tethered at all. We used a harness instead of just a regular collar because he would sometimes forget he was tethered when playing and pull to hard on his neck, so that is what I recommend.

[Karen]

thank you!  We have been just using his collar, but I am planning to get a harness for him today for the pulling reason.  Keeping him tethered really makes my life so much easier, and he is tethered right by the back door where he goes out to go potty, so he actually scratches when he has to go!  I think we will keep this up for a while, as it also keeps him out of trouble - chewing, cat food, etc.  

Thanks for the support!