# Progressing slowly with potty training a Newf...



## adsum07 (Sep 3, 2007)

I am looking for advice on potty training my 9 week old Newfoundland puppy. I read tons of information on potty training when I had a Basset Hound puppy about 10 years ago and training was very easy with a crate. I brought my new puppy home and wore him out before bedtime and placed him in the crate around midnight. He began to whine uncontrollably and I let him cry himself to sleep (expecting he would need to adjust). I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. assumming I would wake him to start his day. I was alarmed to find that he pooped and peed in the crate and was laying in it. I got him out bathed him and cleaned the crate--figured he was scared of the crate and he voided out of fear of his new environment. Almost immediately he learned to void outside and I praised him and he would get a treat and come back in the house and everything was fine....until I put him in the crate and he would go nuts and I would find him laying in a puddle of urine. For a week I had to bath him and spray out the crate. The start of the second week I noticed he liked to nap under my staircase behind a chair...so I purchased a plastic crate that was dark not like the metal crate he had been training in and life seemed better. He went 3 days with no crying and "accidents" in the crate and I thought we were on our way to successful potty training. Until this weekend...he started voiding in the crate and laying in it (he does cry...so I imagine he is bothered by it a little). He has also been voiding in the house more. I am frustrated because I never leave him unsupervised...he voids in the house right in front of me...and I wake up every morning to find I will be starting my day cleaning up urine. His skin is drying out from being washed 2-3 times a day and I am at the point of wanting to cry my eyes out. I am exhausted and have been trying to stay up late and get up early to limit the amount of time he has to hold his bladder. On a positive note...he has stopped pooping in the crate. Is this normal? Is there something I should do differently? he is almost 10 weeks old at this point...he knows the command to sit...but cannot seem to understand not to pee where he sleeps. HELP!


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

He is still a little baby, afterall he is only 9 weeks old, give him some time and continue to clean out his crate with natures miracle, if your not then thats why he continues to go in the crate and in the house. He really shouldn't have free roam of the house till he is much older, heck my dog is 4 months old and he still stays confined to my room. If you can't keep an eye on him he either needs to be in his crate or on a leash and tied to you. And he should only be expected to hold his pee and poop for about 2 hours or less. The rule of thumb is 1 hour per month old. My advice would be to make a log of how long it takes after he eats and drinks to go potty and then after awhile you will see a pattern and you will know when he needs to go out. I take my dog out everytime he eats and drinks and he usually goes each time.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

He's just a baby and, rightfully, should still be with his litter. Most breeders keep pups until at least 10-12 weeks since there is so much to learn. Has he had a vet check yet? 

At this point, when not in the crate, keep the pup in a safe area like a kitchen or bath that can be gated off and has an easily cleanable floor, preferably where the pup can see you while you go about your business during the day. Be sure to take him outside every 90 minutes to 2 hours. And wait until her performs business, remember to praise, treat, etc... 

When you have time to give the pup full attention then take him out and tether him to you via a leash so that he is never out of your sight. Watch for the classic signs of circling, sniffing, and starting to squat. Dogs always give signs of needing to go. Then scoop him up and run outside to the preferred area and let him finish. You should be keeping the yummiest treats near the area and praise like he's the best dog in the world.

In the meanwhile, keep the pup on a feeding schedule of 3 regular times during the day and pick up the water bowl two hours before bedtime. Don't expect him to hold it for more than 2 hours right now, and you may find yourself outside every 30 minutes sometimes. Like human babies...it's eat, sleep, and poop 24/7. Set your alarm every 90 minutes during the night for now and take him out, no talking or playing...just outside, do business, lots of praise, then back in the crate. If he's making it fine for 90 minutes then lengthen it to every 2 hours. At the same time, for the next week or two, keep a notebook handy where you jot down EVERY time the dog eliminates, even if it's in the house. If the dog is on a feeding/watering/sleeping schedule you should start to see a pattern in just a few days. 

Rule of thumb...length of time to hold it in hours = age in months

so your dog is 2 months = 2 hours, sometimes less...sometimes more.


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## adsum07 (Sep 3, 2007)

I understand all of that...thanks for the posts. What really concerns me is that he is voiding where he sleeps...I thought puppies never did that??


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

It's because you didn't take him out of the crate in time.  Put him in the crate at night after he has done both #1 and #2 so that he won't have anything left to go in the crate with.


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## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

Briteday, it's not at all unusual for breeders of non-toy breeds to send their pups home any time after 8 weeks. Reputable toy breeders typically keep puppies longer, but this just isn't true of larger breeds withotu the concerns about hypoglycemia. 

OP, I would try two things- first, set the alarm and take him otu more often, and 2, get him checked by the vet. This could be medical- it probably isn't, but it could be. He may just not be able to go four hours yet, especially if he spends that full time awake and fussing. If you're having increased accidents in the house during the day, too, I think you're not supervising him closely enough- you need to catch him and get him outdoors BEFOER he pees/poops the majority of the time- and then make a HUGE DEAL about it- treats, praise- EVERYTHING. Try that for a week and see if it helps.


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## adsum07 (Sep 3, 2007)

I take the water bowl up at 7 pm and I stay up with him until midnight and then get up at 4:30 am. He is constantly supervised when he is out. He will go outside about 10 times from 7 pm to bedtime...I am shocked when he has something left to void! I really do think it is polyuria...the vet metioned his wieght was a little on the low side and would investigate his inability to hold urine in the crate. The vet told me the puppy should be able to hold it for 4 hours...especially on a food and water schedule. A Newfoundland male will be about 160-180 pounds full grown and about 100 pounds at six months. At the moment at 9 weeks he is 20-25 pounds...it is a lot of urine people...so I am trying to be all over it. Thanks for your help...I do plan on having his blood sugar checked this week.


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

I have a Great Dane so am familiar with giant breeds. I highly doubt it a medical problem (although it is possible). My guess is he gets himself upset in the crate and cant hold it for 4hrs and goes. If the crate is the right size then he has no choice but to lay in it. I would try letting him out every 2 hrs at night and slowly increase the time. Also, try crating for short amount of times during the day to help get him used to the crate. 

Good luck


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