# Please help me potty train my beagle



## Helpmybeagle (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi, I have a 4 month old beagle. Who we love. BUT she will not potty outside!! It never fails she pees/poos on the carpet as soon as she comes in. She will pee outside and still inside. Please any advice will be taken. 

Also what size crate should I get? I have read that we can leave her free to roam the house while training. Then that she might not be relating outsiode time as time to potty bc thats where she gets MOST playtime with us. PLEASE HELP!


Oh and she DOES NOT sleep at night. Will the crate help? Somebody told me I can give her benadryl that sounds wrong. 

So again any advice will be taken!!


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

You're right, the Benedryl is wrong! You CAN give a dog Benedryl for allergy/insect bite type stuff, how much depends on age and weight. But, not to make her sleep! Yikes!

Most pups don't have full physical control of their bladder/bowels until about 6 months of age, give or take. So, it's just a physical thing that they can't always hold it, and have some issues. It's not stubbornness or spite.

Very young pups don't even realize when they have to pee/poop. Their bodies don't give them any "signs", it just happens. As they age, they start getting the "signs" and learn what it means, and what to do. 

Here are some guidelines:
- puppies need to go out: after eating/drinking/sleeping (even naps)/playing/exercising.
- other than those times, pups need to go out on a schedule. Try every 1-2 hours. Even if she doesn't have to pee/poop every time you take her out, you are at least laying the foundation, using the magic potty words, and showing her what you want. If you have no accidents or close calls when you're taking her out every 1-2 hours, you can probably try every 3 hours...
- if there are accidents, clean with an enzymatic cleaner, not just a regular household cleaner. Nature's Miracle is good.

Puppies get distracted easily. So, if you take her out to potty, she may see/smell/hear something that distracts her, and she'll forget she was out to potty. So, lots of puppies actually do a "double pee". They'll pee a bit outside, and then get distracted, and move on to exploring. Then, as soon as they get inside, they realize they still need to pee, and so they do! Very common. Just stay outside for an extra few minutes, even if she does pee, to see if she'll pee again.

It is NOT a good idea to let her roam the house. If she isn't in your sight, you can't see the signs that she needs to pee, and you won't be able to get her out. Not all puppies let you know they have to go out. You really need to keep her in your sight until she's potty trained. That way, you can see the signs, and you can make sure she's not sneaking off somewhere to potty. 

As for crates, it should be big enough to stand up and turn around in, but that's it. 

And, no, she can still learn to potty outside, even though that can also be the play area. You might try taking her potty on a leash, to a certain area of the yard. This can help with keeping her focused on pottying, too.

Where does she sleep at night? Does she cry? Are you letting her roam the house? I would crate her at night, but crate her in your bedroom. I don't think it's a good idea to let a 4 month old pup roam at night. They can have pee/poop accidents (and if you don't know about them, you can't clean them up right away), and they can get into stuff that might be dangerous, like chewing cords, or eating houseplants, or chewing furniture, etc.

Hope this helps!


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## Helpmybeagle (Aug 23, 2011)

Thank you so much your reply answered every question. Even on what to clean the accidents with. 

Will start the every two hours NOW!! Wish me luck!


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

DoxieMommy said pretty much everything I was going to say except make sure you take the pup out on a leash. I don't care if you have a kennel or fenced in yard, he goes out on a leash every time. I was told to use the "magic words" (go potty in my house) when exiting the door to the outside. Use that term while walking the pup. When he goes, have a praise party and treat if you'd like (small treats). Remember, if the dog is having accidents, it's not their faults, it's the humans


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## sashak (Jul 25, 2011)

I don't know what'll work for your beagle at this time in her life per se but what worked for training my chihuahua follows:

1. A schedule - I always took my dog outside at the same time (with at most a 10 minute margin for error) everyday and used psychic driving (timely repitition) with the word "outside."

2. A door - I always used the same door to take him "outside" and when I thought he might need to go I would stand by it and ask him, using, of course, the word "outside." Eventually he would stand by this door (or lead me to it) to tell me he needed to go.

3. A spot - I always took him to the same spot at the same time every day and made him go on that spot to make sure it became highly evident that it was indeed "his" private toilet.

3. A reward - I always gave him a favorite (organic) food that wasn't part of his diet to reward him for going outside, along with ample praise of course.

4. A plan for accidents - I always put down a newspaper in at least part of his fenced-off area when I left him there alone (I feel like a slavemaster using a crate for extended periods) and cleaned up any mess with urgency and fastidiousness to make sure that he didn't smell or see any of it and think that there's is anything normal about that. Before staking pains to dispose of the evidence though, I always took him outside to "his spot" in a hurry (without feeling resentment or giving him even the slightest reprimand, so to not enforce the negative side of the situation) even though I knew he didn't need to go, just to help him clearly distinguish right from wrong. (This sounds like a formality but it's of immense help in my experience.)

5. I always wiped (and still do) his butt after coming before he took the liberty of wiping it himself on the floor or custom made turkish rug!!

Best of luck,

Sasha


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