When did potty training click for them?

[DJ]

I know it's very early we have had Lily for 3 weeks. We take her out for potty every hour or so and she goes immediately once outside. Only makes accidents if we aren't watching her like a hawk. When did your pup start to proactively go to the door or ring the bells to go out on their own? I do the same routine every single time. Hit the bells with her paw and say time for potty. After she goes she sits and gets a treat. Was it months? Thanks

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

Every dog is different but maybe what we experienced will be helpful.   First off, up to around 9 months I watched Hurley closely.  He would have an occasional in house accident but by that time those accidents were because we did not pay enough attention to what he was telling us. He would go outside and then come in and go again sometimes. 

From the time we got him I took him out every 2 hours during the day on a leash.  I gave him 15 minutes to go.  I did not let him play.  If he went, he got lots of praise and a treat.  If not, we just came back in the house and I would wait around 15 minutes and go out again. If he went there was praise and a treat and the next 2 hour segment started.  If he did not go it was back in the house, etc.

If he went potty and then rang the bells shortly after coming back in I would take him out and if he did not go but wanted to play it was back in the house and 15 minutes late I took him out so he could play.  Objective was for the bells to be for potty time and not for play time.   After he got the hang of the bells if he rang them but did not go when we went out it was back in the house and then 15 mins later I would take him out so he could play.

Nights I took him out just before we went to bed.  Then there was an potty need early in the morning and then when we got up.  After a few months at most Hurley was sleeping a good 6-8 hours at night. 

Sydney, our recent adoption, came to us at 9 months.  He had several in-house accidents the first couple of months.  More my fault than his.  I could not tell his outdoor signal and really wonder if there actually was one.  He caught onto the bells within a month and now not only just rings them but comes to me with that potty or play look.

Hopefully that helps.  Just stick with it and you will have great results.   Give it time.  Let us know how it goes...

[Dolly Dykhouse]

Henry is going to be 21 weeks on Sunday; he has had only one accident in the house in the past 2 weeks. Most accidents from 16+ weeks were a combination of totally my fault (not hearing him nose the bells on the door) to his being upstairs on the second floor and not getting downstairs quickly enough. Almost all accidents occur right at the door, he has not had one on the 2nd floor carpet in a good 3+ weeks and all accidents are pee, he has never pooped anywhere but outside. He has also been "dry" through the night since 14-15 weeks from 9pm to 5am. A bit of a slow starter but pretty much within the normal range for most puppies. Some get the hang of it almost immediately and some it takes a bit longer especially if you have to add in getting from an upstairs room all the way downstairs to the other side of the house. 

Probably one of the easiest parts of his training...let's not even go there on the barking or nipping sigh...