Potty training 13 weeks

[Dexter Doodle]

I am on a roll with questions today. Can you tell it has been a long one?

I just got the poochie bells in the mail today. Dexter has been what I would consider okay on potty training so far. He sleeps 8+ hours over night with no accidents in crate so far. As for during the day, he averages about 1 accident a week.

Today was the first accident in 9 days and it was interesting. We were playing and he stopped to chew on a toy for a few minutes next to me. He looked at me with a very upset look while lying on his side. It was strange to the point that I actually asked him what was wrong. (I know he can't answer but can't help talking to him like that) Within a second of me asking he started to pee just lying there looking so upset. I swooped him up and he finished outside. I am still confused as to why this happened.

Dexter has only signaled a whine at the door a few times and although he went potty I am not sure if it was the I want to go out and play or if he was really telling me he needs to go. So my question is, any advice on starting the poochie bells? How old was your doodle when he/she was house trained?

[Malenie Piscetelli]

Lucy was about 13 weeks old and it took her 2-3 days to understand the bells. Lucy was almost 6 months old potty train, but not house broken yet.

[Alexis, JP and Brady]

Brady was about 4 mos when I started the bells and it took almost 3 weeks for him to get it. I almost gave up with them but then one day out of the blue he just rang them. And then he abused them....as soon as we would sit down to eat and didn't give him attention he would walk over and ring them...loudly and aggressively too lol. We stopped using the bells a couple months later.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Rule of thumb is : 30 days without an accident, you can safely say he is housebroken.
Enzo learned to use her bells in just a few days, but that didn't mean she was housebroken. We started the bells the day she arrived at 8 weeks and she was housebroken by 41/2-5 months.
These guys are like toddlers. They wait until the last minute when they have to pee...which is probably the strange look he gave you. Playing trumps peeing!
On using the bells...we hung them on a French door that leads to the backyard. Each time we went out, I had Enzo either nose or paw at the bells. And then out we went. You will go through a short period where they hit the bells to out...but to p,ay. For us, it was short lived . She is a year old now and still uses her bells.

[Sarah & Dahlia]

I feel like I can't take credit for Dahlia learning to use the bells, she picked it up very fast. I didn't show her how to ring them, I just hung them on the door knob, and every time I would take her out I would pause, ring the bells and immediately open the door, so that she could see them as a key to opening the door. So you can start off that simply and see if he picks it up.

Also, I wouldn't be concerned about the accidents, he is still so young and learning so much, it's just about practice. He's only existed 13 weeks, he can't be expected to be perfect right away, but I promise he will get better every week, you just have to hang in there!

[Olivia & Chanel]

I think that at 13 weeks, all puppies will just have occasional accidents.  As long as the trend is slow improvement, just keep doing what you are doing!

In terms of the poochie bells.  Our now 9 month old pup uses them as well as the just whine at the door method.  We actually didn't introduce them until about 5 1/2 months-6 months of age.  Everytime we took her out, we would say "ring the bell" and then hold her paw to hit the bell.  It really only took her a few days to get it.  These doodles are so smart!  Yes, there is the problem that sometimes she just wants to go out to chase squirrels, but often it's for doing her business.  

Good luck and hang in there.

Olivia

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

It worries me a little if he was lying on his side and peed without standing up. Potential bladder infection? 13 weeks most puppies definitely still have accidents. At that age I say still take them out on a rigid schedule and don't necessarily look for them to tell you every time they have to go. If he does the lying down peeing again I would get a urinalysis, otherwise keep taking him out on a schedule and ring the bell before you go out side with him each time.

Does he pee right away when you go outside each time?

[Dexter Doodle]

I thought it was strange too. That was early afternoon and he has been fine the rest of the day. I was letting him go longer between to see if he would start signaling. I would say it was 1 1/2 hrs from his last outing and he was awake the whole time. He usually will pee on command which is when we get to his potty spot. I will certainly check with the vet if it happens again.

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

Hopefully it was just a fluke. Malu did have some blood in his urine once that caused him an accident in the house. That's how I knew there was something wrong because he hasn't had an accident since he was 11 weeks in almost 5 years outside of that. But also the urine was orange-reddish. Although you wouldn't always be able to see the blood necessarily. Here's to it being a puppy fluke!!

[Missy]

I would say your incident was strange. I'd say watch and then consult vet for infection. I have only had one dog, so I am with little experience, but I would think that with him being so young, he too, is trying to figure it all out!

I used poochie bells, and in fact still have them hanging in house (we are almost 2)  At first, everytime I took him out, I would take his paw and ring the bell, then we would go outside.  I think I remember it took several weeks before he went to the door and nudged the bells himself.

Something that helped me with potty training. notes notes notes. I kept the daily routine the same. always taking him out after he napped, ate, played, etc. I would mark the times and results of what he did (pee or poo). This helped me learn his habits.  The book I used said most dogs will have to poo 20 min after eating..not the case for us. Teddy, really only poos in the morning and once in the afternoon. And I took the treats with me outside, so that when he did his potty, I would give him and treat, clap, cheer and celebrate!! Giving the treat when we came indoors, was not working for us. Be consistant, and you will succeed!  We were 'trained' without accidents pretty quickly (by 4 months). 

Yes, once they learn to use the bells, they might ring them to just go outside. I always took Teddy out, but only to a confined area and only for a short time. This was not play time. 

So, start the bells right away! You and your cutie will learn to appreciate the communication they provide!

[Paige and Leo]

Leo is 5 months old. He uses the bells to go out. He has not had an accident in awhile. I started bells around 11 weeks and he caught on pretty quickly. I kept notes on his potty schedule for several weeks. It helped me know how long he could go before an accident. He was outside within that hr or so he could go. When he was young it was every 30 min it seemed. At night he went longer. Over time it was longer during day too. He "caught" on to it all by about 16 weeks.