# Potty/crate training not working, please help.



## husker1223 (Oct 4, 2010)

I have a 5 month old Yorkiepoo. We have been crate training him for almost two months. We take him out frequently, every 1 to 3 hours, depending on when he ate or drank last. We take him out the basement door everytime, we praise him when he goes, and we reward him when we come back inside.

Without warning he routinely soils just about anywhere in the house. When we catch him, we yell "no" and try to take him straight out. The only place he won't soil is on our deck which is fairly small, about 4 by 12 feet. He will bark when he is with us on the deck and needs to go.

We are about at our wits end. This has been going on for almost two months and no signs he is getting the idea that the bathroom is outside.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

Thanks,
Stan


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

You say in your thread title potty/crate training. They are really two different things. Having your puppy used to being in the crate (crate trained) is HELPFUL for potty training, but they are essentially two different things.

Lots of people have differing opinions on how and when to use a crate. My opinion is that a crate can help keep your puppy safe when they need to be left alone. They can't chew an electrical cord or eat a toxic plant, or get into your emergency chocolate stash if they are crated.  They also don't have the opportunity to pee/poop all over the house while you're gone when they're crated.

But, if you're home, and able to supervise your puppy closely, I don't believe they should be crated for long periods of time. A short period of time here or there throughout the day is fine, if you need to do something that will take your attention away from them or just to keep them used to being happy and content in the crate.

So, anyway, back to potty training:
-First, from your post you say you praise outside when he goes, and then reward him when you go back in. You should reward him outside with praise and a treat. The reward has to happen within 3-5 seconds of him going pee/poop. If you wait til you get back in, he doesn't make the connection that he's getting the treat for going potty. It seems to him like the last thing he did was come inside, so he thinks he's getting a treat for coming inside.

-If your puppy isn't potty trained he should have no unsupervised time to roam in the house. He could have an accident that you don't catch or see. And, the more accidents he has inside, the more he'll think that it's ok. I know it's a hassle to have to watch him constantly, but the sooner he actually gets potty trained, the sooner everyone gets their freedom! 

-Puppies have times when they usually will need to pee/poop: after waking up (even from a nap), after play or exercise, after eating/drinking, and then at regular intervals throughout the day. If you follow these guidelines and know when your pup should need to go, you can make sure to get him outside.

-Remember that puppies don't generally gain complete physical control of their bladders and bowels until 6 months of age, give or take. So, some of the accidents are purely a physical thing. At first, they don't get any signals from their bodies that they need to go, it's like, bam, all of a sudden they have to go. Then, as they develop, they start to get those signals, but don't know what it means. Then, finally, they start putting it all together! So, be patient!

-And, last, I would say, not to YELL no at her when you catch him going in the house. The idea is to interrupt him with a noise, and take him out to finish. If you scare him by yelling then he will be afraid to potty in front of you. He doesn't make the connection that going potty in the house is bad, all he knows is that going potty in front of you makes you yell, so he'll try to hide it from you.


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## thomasjt1 (Dec 7, 2010)

Hi There!

Seems like your going through tough times. I suggest you start re-enforcing his potty training with some crate training. It doesn't have to be for punishment but a crate is a powerful tool of re-enforcement. When properly used a crate will help your dog become more aware of his boundries.

When he soils inside the house, I suggest you scold him and take him outside for 5-10 min. Do not play with him outside. After 5-10 min. bring him back inside and immediately put him in the crate. Repeat this until he stops. Now just to be safe I would make absolutely sure that he doesn't have anything medically wrong. A crate won't help if he's sick. If you need instructions on crate training I have provided a link in my profile. 

Best of Luck!


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