Puppies are hard!!

[Lucy & Ellie]

I've been so looking forward to Spring so we can be more active outside with Lucy.  Well it's here and we have but I swear, the more worn out she is, the more potty accidents she has inside.  Or I suppose more likely it's because she gets hot and drinks more and I just have to take her out more.

We took her to the vet today for her last round of vaccinations and the vet asked if she was all housebroken and acted like she totally should/could be by now.  Ha.  She still has accidents... not every day, but I still have to watch her like a hawk!  And after a big walk, with plenty of time to relieve herself, she still has an accident within 10 minutes of being inside.

I just so wish I could be more confident with her and let her roam around without being paranoid.  But I just can't!  It's exhausting!

Thanks for listening to me whine.... it really helps just to complain !!

[Susan and Sochi]

hi Judi do you have the link to order poochie bells? i had a big Christmas bell i was using with my then 8 week old puppy sochie but she just thought it was a game and would run donw the steps to the door with the bell and grab it with her mouth and ring it like crazy just for fun every 5 minutes in the evening. i took it down. she also has a uti which isnt helping her potty training progress. i want to try the bell again because she is now 11 weeks old and i think will master it better.

[Judi Kilpatrick]

I ordered them from Amazon, just type in poochie bells and they should pop up, they were cheaper from them. I did have an issue with Oscar, the youngest ringing them to go out because he knew he would get a treat when he came back in, just didn't give him a treat if he didn't need to go and that has helped. Hopefully her uti issues are behind her, I suspect that makes it a lot harder to hold it when the urge strikes. Keep us posted and good luck.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Susan....if you have a Target near you...they sell a set, that is actually really cute and well made.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Also, I might add, even as they age, and they are at that uncertain " trained- not trained" phase, you shouldn't always wait for their signal. They are like little kids and often wait until the last possible moment. If they haven't been out in awhile, get them out, bells or no bells. No use in setting them up for failure. And like mentioned above...it sure beats the clean-up.

[Judi Kilpatrick]

I couldn't agree more, i still watch the time very closely and take them regularly, the bells are for those times they may have to go more quickly than thought or in case I'm distracted! And yes, they are definitely just like little kids!!

[Susan and Sochi]

Yes i can so so so relate to this!!! our puppy is 11 weeks old and feel the same way  Ellie! we have good parts of the day and then bam its like every 5 minutes she is squatting and peeing :( sochi does have a bladder infection which makes it even worse because i dont feel like anything we are doing makes a difference until she gets over her uti. she has had it since we brought her home at 8 weeks. i like you feel like we are on pins and needles with her watching her every minute and when she squats even slightly im barking NO!!! and jumping out of my seat to take her outside.how old is Lucy? i know 11 weeks is early but i also know people who have told me thier pups were completely trained by then. i agree and glad to hear im not the only one who is exhausted by her sweet littl ( but getting big puppy quickly!!) puppy.  our weather stinks here .... it is suppose to be 
Spring but the weather is freeezing and so not walking friendly yet ........sigh oh well its another day and so far no accidents :)

[Emily, Jace, & Maggie Devers]

Oh my goodness, 11 weeks?! Neither one of my dogs were close to being "potty trained" that early! Yeah the accidents were dwindling down, but I had to have my eyes on them constantly. Jace was fully both trained at 5 mos. Maggie at.....well if things go well now. 7 mos. :/

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

LOL....I had a girlfriend who swore her puppy was housebroken at 12 weeks. The day I went over to meet her puppy, we were sitting in her living room talking and the puppy walked to a corner in her living room and squatted. My friend didn't see it happen. I did, since I was facing that direction. Turns out the pup had a favorite corner to hide her squatting.
Most times when people say their pups are housebroken at a very young age, it just means they are more vigilant in getting them out...which is a good thing! But completely housebroken...probably not. ;)

[Emily, Jace, & Maggie Devers]

I have had the hardest time with Maggie as well. She's 6 mos. and we went over a month without an accident, so we were potty trained and BOOM. Last weekend she decided she didn't want to use the potty outside anymore, we did have family visiting at the time, who have a lot of smaller children, which I think is part of it. But it's been almost a week since the accidents. I still have to watch her like a hawk. She doesn't let me know when she needs to go!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Your visitors probably threw a wrench into her routine. Not too worry...she'll bounce back....just think....you're nearing the end!