# Housebreaking My 14 week Old Puppy.



## suhbreenuh (May 12, 2011)

I've had my female pitbull/lab mix puppy for 4 weeks now and I had her mostly house broken after the first week, or so I thought. It was to the point she would go to the door and scratch at it, or paw at her leash that hangs on the coat hook next to the door. I thought this was GREAT! Well, now she has started peeing on the floor and not even going to the door anymore. Nothing has changed in her food or water intake amounts, and I've been doing the same things that I have been for the past 4 weeks. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Yes. It's because she's still a baby. A puppy's bladder and bowels won't be completely physically developed until about 6 months old at the earliest. That's just a physical fact. 

Lots of times people have early success with their new puppies, and they get so excited, thinking that the potty training is over! But, it's really a process that lasts much longer, and puppies will have successes and setbacks in that process. When people have this early success, it's usually because they (the humans) are doing such a great job getting their puppy out when they need to go! So, yay for you! OR, the "success" could be because the puppy is very nervous in their new home and is not peeing as much as they normally would.

Regardless, a puppy that young doesn't always know when they have to pee/poop. Their bladders and bowels are not fully developed, and their body isn't really giving them the "I gotta go" signals on a regular basis. So, sometimes, they could be chewing on a toy, or playing with you, everything seems fine, then BOOM! They have to pee and they have to pee NOW! 

It's like a human toddler. Mama can ask them if they have to pee, and they say no, everything's fine, then, all of a sudden, they pee their pants. It's just part of continued development.

So, sometimes your little girl gets the feeling she has to pee, but sometimes she doesn't til it's too late. In general, the best advice I ever got or gave is: take them out to potty way more often than you think you need to, and watch them like a hawk when they're out and about in the house. Don't let them out of your sight, because that's when they'll squat and go!  Sometimes it can help to tether them to you with a leash so you can keep track of them better! 
Puppies usually have to go out: after waking up (even from naps), after eating/drinking, after exercise/play, and every couple hours besides that....


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## suhbreenuh (May 12, 2011)

Thanks, I never thought about it like that but it makes sense, I am good about making sure she goes out any time she wakes up, eats, or comes out of her crate. And I thought I was taking her out enough inbetween those times. But I guess I gotta step it up.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

I was taking my puppy out once every hour at least, until he turned 6 months. Then suddenly at 6 months I would take him out and tell him to go pee, and he would just look at me and lie down in the grass, and that's when I knew he actually didn't need to go.

He's 9.5 months now and I still take him out once every two hours, but he's started giving me this really exasperated look these days, and will wander around in the grass for ages just because I expect him to, and then maybe produce a couple of drops. It makes me feel silly for still treating him like a baby


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