8.5 wk old puppy potty problems- Help!

[Rebecca Matthews]

I'm not sure what we are doing wrong.  We take her out several times a day.  Mostly she just lays down or picks up leaves or barks at cars or people walking by (we only have a front fenced yard).  Sometimes she pees or poops and we praise greatly and give treats.  We've started making her sit by the door before we take her out to hopefully train her that right before we go out we sit by the door, so that hopefully will just be her cue to us that she needs to go.  She does do this trick sometimes.

But the problem is #1 that whenever she is crated and we are not in her direct line of vision she gets sad and whines and pees.  I then Natures Miracle the crate, do the same to her bedding and wash it.  It's been this way since the beginning.  I think this may be leading to problem #2 though, that we'll just come in from sniffing around outside for what seems like forever and I'll put her in her crate for nap and she just immediately pees! (this is very new) I say "ah ah ah" and take her outside again, then nothing AGAIN!  

She's probably at a 50/50 success rate right now.  Over night she's fine and sleeps in her crate next to our bed waking only once to go outside where she will pee and then go back to bed.  

But what can I do about her crating potty habits from #1 being sad, #2 thinking it's a great place to go!

ps.  I haven't really even left her at home alone yet.  We got her Sunday...  I've got 2 young kids that need to get places and I just bring her with me in the car in her crate and she's fine w. that, but I don't want to set it up to where we can never be apart and support any separation issues.  

Thanks for any tips!

[Ginny Nightingale]

AMEN Barbara!!

[Rebecca Matthews]

Thank you everyone!  We had a much better day today.  Removed all soft bedding, leaving only a thin towel in her crate. Had her completely with me either on a leash, at my foot, playing with me or in her crate all day and we didn't have one accident!   I also upped the reward for "potty".  Boiled chicken breast.  Boy does she want to perform for that!  Hopefully it continues.  Great tips.  I know it won't happen overnight, but all the tips I got were priceless.  Thanks, DK!

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

Rebecca, I have been trying to find a schedule I use to have and have posted before, but no success so far.  Harley was my first dog to crate train and what this schedule helped me understand is how much time he actually needed to be in his crate those first weeks.  it was basically this...out of crate on leash, to potty (no play until he pottied and if no pee pee then back to crate) once pottied..supervised play in a confined area, eat...drink out to potty then back to crate.  Also, we still to this day feed Harley in his crate....dogs don't like to potty where they eat and sleep. And finally, totally agree with get rid of bedding.  Hope that helps

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

A very simplified version of the schedule I went by....modified slightly to our bedtime and wake schedule. 

A typical house breaking schedule for an 8 week old puppy is as follows:

6 AM Potty, food, water, exercise/play for 20-30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
10 AM Potty, water, exercise/play for 20-30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
12 PM Potty, food, water, exercise/play for 20-30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
2 PM Potty, water, exercise/play for 20-30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
5 PM Potty, food, water, exercise/play for 20-30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
7 PM Potty, last water, exercise/play for 20-30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
11 PM Potty, Bedtime/crate.

[Lora]

This has worked for me with every puppy I've house trained. First, the pup is on a leash and by my side at all times, even in the house (except when crated). It is a great bonding experience, you won't have any accidents in the house as you will notice the cues, and you don't encounter the naughty puppy behavior either, like chewing or going into another room to quietly go potty. I take the pup outside prior to putting in the crate and then take back outside as soon as taken out of the crate. I remove all food and water by 5 or 6 pm. Then take out several times after for potty breaks, always on a leash. No play time at first when outside. Outside is potty time. If puppy starts to get distracted and play, I walk him around a little bit and then take back to the potty spot. As soon as pup is done pottying, praise and go back inside. (This is just till the pup figures out to go potty right away.. then allow the play time). Also, if this pup is really stubborn, try feeding and watering outside only. The pup will have to go outside to eat and drink and this is when everything gets stimulated and the pup will relieve himself outside while already there. I suggest the leash training & crate training to all families and they are amazed at the successful results. Cleaning up messes is no fun for you or your pup, good luck!