I don't understand!! (House training)

[Lucy & Ellie]

We watch Lucy (10 weeks) like a hawk and have her contained when we can't.  She goes potty outside (on command even)!  But sometimes just 10 minutes after her coming in, she will squat and get a little out before we startle her to stop. 

What the heck?!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

When we first brought Enzo home, she did the e act same thing. I quickly learned, she was a " double- pee'er". Try staying out longer with her and see if she will go twice. Enzo did this for the first few weeks and then grew out of it. This guys excel on keeping us on our toes! ;)

[Shelly & Lola]

Lola's a double-pee'er too!!! I was worried something was wrong but vet said its just what some puppies do!

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

It's all part of your initiation.  Nobody gets off accident free.  No matter how vigilant you are.  Praise her when she goes outside and don't get upset when she has an accident. Puppies have to go pee A LOT.  When Yarrow was just a wee babe she would sometimes piddle 3 times in an hour around dinner time, even right after coming in  - just because I was distracted with cooking.  Now at 20 weeks, I can't remember the last accident, it was so long ago. 

[Lucy & Ellie]

But I thought we'd be the exception!  ;)  haha...

And ya, sometimes she does pee twice!  I suppose we should give her more time every time.

So at 20 weeks, does Yarrow let you know when she needs to go out?  I can't WAIT for that!

Thanks for the advice!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Just out of curiosity , are you using potty bells or some other way of her letting you know she needs out?

[Lucy & Ellie]

We aren't.  But I am open for suggestions!  I've heard of using a bell by the door but I'm not sure how it would work.  We keep Lucy gated in the kitchen and are in there with her most of the time.  When we can't watch her constantly she is either in her play pen in the kitchen or in her crate in the kitchen.  I guess we could put a bell in the kitchen, but that would be a good distance from the front door.  

She goes sniffing around everywhere so it's just really tough to distinguish between curiosity and looking for a place to go!

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Oh, I remember that well.  It was always while I was looking at her sniffing around (not long since her last pee) and wondering if she... D'oh!  That was generally the times I failed her subtle cues. Sure, I smile about it now.

And now, if I have closed the dog door for the evening, Yarrow will whine to get my attention and then when I look at her, she looks at the door.  I get up and open it.

[Marcia & MoneyPenny]

You have to remember she is still a baby. All that control does not develop overnight, kids or dogs. I did not do the bell thing because I had no intention of taking bells when we traveled with her. We did take her out ONLY the same door for taking care of business. Used a different door when going for a walk or out to play. She learned quickly that simply going to that door means - I need to go out. As she matures you will see more consistency. Expect a few accidents but she gets it.

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Some would say we cheated by having a dog door installed when she was about 14 weeks old.  But she was still not tall enough to use it at that time and was already whining when she had to go. Whenever there was an accident I figured I missed her cue - however subtle.  Whining + panting always meant #2.  I didn't ever use pee pads because I didn't want her to ever get the idea in her head that sometimes it was okay to pee in the house. I slept with one eye open, listening for urgent sounds and had to get up with her in the night for weeks... sometimes twice.  Thought I'd  never have a full night's sleep again.  As she grew (fast) so did her bladder control.

Even with a dog door, Yarrow is housebroken.  The dog door is locked if I have to leave the house for errands, appointments, visiting friends and overnight and even if I have a shower - I don't want her to have access to the yard - paranoid someone might open the gate.  She hasn't been kenneled for about a month and sleeps in her dog bed on my bedroom floor.  I do have a larger kennel ready, in the kitchen, which I feed her in.  It's ready in case the chair legs start to look like good teething material when her adult teeth start coming in.

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

I am looking forward to spring and also dreading the rain and mud.  Think I might keep the dog door locked on those wet days. Also, Yarrow is a digger.  We joke that her favorite game is looking for avalanche victims in the deep snow of the Swiss alps.  When that snow is gone, oh boy!