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]

I think I'm using the right spray, as it says it removes the scent. I'm good about cleaning the area well. At this point I would be okay with Belle sitting by the door when she has to go potty, although I had liked the bell idea.

[Debbie and Belle]

I am still having difficulties with the housebreaking. I have been watching her like a hawk and if I catch her peeing on the floor before I can pick her up I bring her to the time out (powder room near the kitchen).  This has been making her really wound up and crazy when I open the door after about 10-20 seconds.  She definitely understands that she is supposed to go potty outside, as when I let her outside and say "go potty" she goes.  So I'm not sure why this is so difficult.  Before trying the time outs, I had also tried saying "no" if I catch her peeing and bringing her outside and if she finishes going outside praising her.  I don't use treats for pottying outside, just praise.  Should I try using treats?  Or are there any other suggestions?  Is this supposed to take so long?

[Sarah Grace Gates]

Treats for sure when she goes potty outside! Treats and praise immediately. Make it a big deal with lots of praise and a treat. Like she is a super rock star when she "goes Potty".

If you want I will scan the flyer that my private trainer gave to me about the potty training and can email it to you. Might be helpful for you to read it. Do you have an email address I can send it to?

[Debbie and Belle]

Yes, thank you!  My email is [e-mail]. 

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

If she's still peeing in the house she probably doesn't, "definitely understands that she is suppose to go potty outside." Once she does, peeing in the house will stop. Housebreaking can take a long time. Each pup is different and some just take longer to get the concept. I had never heard of time outs for potty training, and if I were in your position, with it only serving to rile your pup up,  I'd nix the practice and  move on to something else. I take it the results of the UTI test were negative? Definitely try treats. They didn't make the process any faster for my Oscar (and he's extremely food motivated), but they may in your pup. What kind of cleaner are you using? You mentioned earlier it was a kind that is suppose to remove the scent, but if its not an enzymatic cleaner some scent will remain. Is it possible there's a pee spot you might have missed? I ask because I came to find places in our tiled family room where Oscar had peed and I didn't find the spots till days later... it could have held his training back.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Great post! Every pup is different and it all takes time and patience. I laugh at people who say they housebroken their puppies in mere days! All it means is that they got them out on time.
I agree praise and if that does'nt work, praise and treats.
Yes...enzyme cleaner is a must! Their sense of smell is 100 times stronger than ours. Normal rug cleaners don't cut it. The investment in a enzyme cleaner is well worth it. A puppy will return to the place and mark it often, if the urine scent is still there. You may not smell I, but they can.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Something else you may want to try if you 'catch her in the act', is to clap your hands loudly (or make some other loud noise) while saying, "NO!" Then scoop her up or quickly lead her out to the designated potty area and say, "go potty". This is one of the reasons I don't think 'time outs' would be very effective. If you immediately put the pup in a powder room how do they learn where they're 'suppose' to go? It doesn't make sense to me.

[Debbie and Belle]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm going to try clapping when i catch her in the act, and add treats for going potty outside. After cleaning, I spray something called Zero Odor that's supposed to eliminate odors. It's good to know its not necessarily supposed to happen overnight.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I have never heard of Zero Odor, so I googled it. It appears NOT to be an enzyme cleaner, since they suggest you buy Natures Miracle, which is. Just as a FYI. Good luck and just remember, we are all going through the same puppy trials and tribulations! ;)

[Debbie and Belle]

Does Nature's Miracle work well?

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I use it and it does work. But I think "Stink Out" works better. There is nothing worse than cat pee smell, and Stink Out works on cat pee! ( my daughter has a Cattery and buys the stuff my the truck.oafs!). But the Natures' Miracle works great for dog urine and easier to find, and I believe cheaper.

[Debbie and Belle]

Great, thanks!