Housebreaking advice

[Cheryl]

We brought our adorable puppy Molly home a week ago. This is our first experience with a dog so I know we have a lot to learn. I read a lot about house breaking and how often they need to go. The first thing is that we are bringing Molly out a lot and she simply doesn't seem to need to go. Every book I read says a puppy her age (9 weeks) should need to go every couple hours. But she will seem to go 4 or 5? It is confusing and I think she gets annoyed with us bringing her out after she eats or naps, she ends up just laying on the spot we want her to go and trying to nap or just chew on grass,etc. She has had a few inside accidents though but weirdly were a few minutes after she had gone and we brought her back in. Are we bringing her out too much. Should we be looking for signs (I don't see any, we just bring her when she wakes, and 10 min after meals).

Second question is we built a spot for her to go in, a wood framed area with pebbles as opposed to the yard grass. She doesn't seem to get idea this is spot we want. Sometimes she goes and we reward her but other times after I wait 20 min at spot with no luck I let her walk around and she walks across yard and pees.. Is it too much to ask a young pup to go in a certain spot?Thanks

[Debbie and Belle]

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for your advice. I will try the time out, it will probably have to be closer to the 10 seconds because Belle chews everything she can get into, and I'm afraid she would use the opportunity to find new things to chew. What happens if I don't catch her going potty in the house - for example I put her in the play pen in the kitchen to make dinner because I can't watch her every move. Maybe because she is in the play pen when I can't watch her as closely, she has somehow gotten used to having accidents in there. And I haven't been doing anything about it because I find the accident sometime after it already occurred. Maybe I should stop using the playpen, but then the problem is that what do I do when I can't follow her every move? She seems to want to chew everything in the house, even though I have a lot of toys for her!

[Vicky loves Chachi]

You should put her in her crate during the times that you can't watch her like a hawk. Dogs won't usually pee/poo where they sleep. Now this is only good advice if u r crating her.

[Debbie and Belle]

Yes, I am crating her, and she generally does well in her crate (she did have an accident in the crate last week and one several weeks ago when she had a UTI).  I guess I just want her to have more time with the family outside of her crate when we are home (since she is crated while I'm at work).  But realistically I have to do some things around the house when I am home too.  I try to spend a lot of time allowing her to explore and playing with her and this is the time when I'm watching her like a hawk.  Maybe what you are saying is this period before she is housebroken she may need to be in her crate more (like whenever I can't watch her like a hawk)?  I also decided to make an appointment for her at the vet this evening to have the doctor check her urine to be sure she doesn't have another UTI.

[Sarah Grace Gates]

I totally understand on the needing to do things but having to watch them like a hawk. That was so exhausting for me too! The good news is they will grow out of this phase and you will have your life back! Great idea on going to vet for UTI, you never know that could be an issue. I had an idea on the play pen...can you put it outside in your yard area while you are cooking or doing chores? Maybe you can put it out there with some toys and if she goes it will be ok since it's outside. Keep me posted.

[Debbie and Belle]

Hi Sarah,

That's a really good idea about putting the playpen outside.  I do only have a small yard (a townhouse), and we have been using the deck for her to go potty because that is right off the kitchen.  I would have to see if the play pen fits.  Even with the play pen in the kitchen she barks in it, because she wants to be running around and not confined.  So even inside its not ideal because she doesn't like it.

At what age should they be potty trained?  Belle is 14 weeks.

I will definitely try the time out room, and use the powder room on the main floor near the kitchen.  I think I would just have to remove the trashcan and put the toilet paper up high.

Debbie

[Sarah Grace Gates]

I would say it took us 3-4 weeks to get Chester potty trained where I wasn't worrying about him. It was hard work though. We had to stay completely consistent with our techniques and like you are doing watching him like a hawk during his waking hours. We didn't use bells but he learned if he goes to the door that leads to the backyard and either stands there or paws at it we will let him go out. At night if we are in bed he will go to door and whimper. We have super smart dogs that with some good consistent training will learn quickly. Give yourself a couple of more weeks with the T/O and other suggestions and I bet she will be good to go quicker than you think. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Everything I have read and experienced with past pups, age to be completely housebroken is about 5 months, give or take. I think we all forget that these guys are still babies. Yes, it is extremely frustrating, but being consistenty will pay off in the long run. I say Enzo, who is also 14 weeks, is 90-95% housebroken...but it just means I am very in tune to her body language and know when she needs out. Yes, she rings her bells and even goes on command, BUT...if I am not right there and she needs to pee, she's squatting right then and there. I don't expect her to be fully , what I can consider, safely housebroken, for another few weeks yet. Does she have a favorite spot that she is peeing? If so, make you are cleaning the area well with a good enzyme cleaner. Dogs have a very strong sense of smell and can/ will detect the scent of ammonia/uridine and will often go back to that favorite spot. I guess the only good thing I can add is : LOL...you are NOT alone...all us puppy owners are experiencing the same stuff in various degrees.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Our rule of thumb on when we could consider our pups housebroken was, if after 28 days there's no indoor accident, the pup is trained! Believe me, with Oscar there were so many times we came close to 28 days, and then had to reset to 0 and start all over again!

[Vicky loves Chachi]

Also my breeder told me not put any "bed" in the crate that can absorb any pee because the dog will less likely hold their pee. If there is no place for pee to go and the crate is not too large for your dog then there really should b no accidents in crate. Another idea to get her like her expen is to put high value treats in it with her. I put a kong filled with yogurt, cream cheese or peanut butter when I have to crate my dog for a while. The food, if your dog is motivated by food, will make the pen a positive place.

[Debbie and Belle]

Wow this is a great forum, as there are so many people to help with puppy difficulties! I have gotten a lot of great advice from all of you! I'm now beginning the time out using the powder room, and will be watching Belle like a hawk. I did take Belle to the vet tonight and I should know tomorrow if she has a UTI.

I haven't been using a crate mat either, so she doesn't usually pee, it may be because of a UTI this time like last time.

I'm also going to try the idea of using a kong with a high value treat for the playpen.

Debbie

[Sarah Grace Gates]

Hi Debbie,

Good advice about the crate if you can pop her in there while you're cooking. Is she crate trained? Also, as far as the "time-out" room. Whatever room you decide to use for the T/O make sure everything is put up from the ground, trash can etc. I have a feeling if you do this a few times, she will learn fast and you won't have to do it that often. Just be super stern when she has an accident and say TIME OUT, grab her up and walk quickly to the room, and shut the door like you mean business. Keep me posted.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I've never heard of a time-out for potty training, but I guess if it works... I wanted to add a reminder to use an enzymatic spray cleaner after every indoor potty accident. If any potty scent lingers that can be a trigger for puppies to go there again.

Your doodle sounds so much like my Oscar  in the way he reacted to the potty bells. He just didn't ever get it, and he's a smart boy! There seemed to be a kind of disconnect when it came to those bells. He's older now and sits by the door and stares to let us know he needs to go potty. Lucy is almost 4 yrs old and she only goes potty 3-4 times a day. After she turned 2 we noticed she had really cut down on the number of times a day she needs to go. I hope Oscar gets to that point in the future!