# Sticky  Enough With The Potty Threads!



## Active Dog

I have noticed that you don't even have to search for potty training threads because there are so many of them!! It clogs the board and it doesn't look like people even look at the sticky that's posted.... Sooooo here is a list of some of the threads within the first 10 pages of this board. Maybe this thread could be made a sticky as well? :clap2:

The Main Sticky
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Going Pee & Poo On The Same Potty Break
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Pee Pads & Outside Potty 
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Potty Training Setbacks 
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How Often To Take Potty
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Potty Problems After Prolonged Time
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Peeing In Crate (6 months old)
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Puppy House Training Problems
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Peeing On Bed
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Attention Accidents?
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Cold Weather Bathroom Breaks
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Work And Dog Potty Accommodations 
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Puppy House Training Setbacks (13 weeks old)
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Peeing In Crate (10 months old)
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Pee Pad Now Outside Train Later?
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Discontinuing Use Of Pee Pads
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Marking In The House?
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Puppy And Work (8 weeks old)
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Crate Peeing (13 weeks old)
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When To Stop Treating Your Dog For Potty Breaks
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Am I Doing It Right?
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House Training/Leaving Alone
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Old Dog New Potty Problems
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Dirty Carpeting 
-


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## Binkalette

You know what my first post on this forum was?? A potty training question thread about Zoey.


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## Active Dog

Also I figure I would let new members know that they are more than welcome to post their questions in this thread. Here is a list of information you can provide that will be helpful in providing you with an answer.

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy
2.) Length Of Ownership
3.) Method Of House Training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept
6.) Where Accidents Occur
7.) How Long Its Gone On
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant


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## Elana55

Oh yes.. MAKEITASTICKEEPLEESEPLEESEPLEESE.......


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## luv2byte

Geez, you all don't like reading the same question, posted different ways, three times a day? Where is your sense of adventure?


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## Active Dog

lol luv I enjoy adventure but some adventures you can only take so many times :laugh:


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## pittsabowawa

Great post! I agree it should be stickied... and bolded.. and even then people will still ask the same questions. But it would be nice to have all the information in one place so you don't have to search for it.


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## hulkamaniac

Personally, I've just decided that my hygiene expectations in my house were just too high.


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## xxxxdogdragoness

Yes, I agree this should be a sticky not only for newbie dog/puppy owners but for seasoned dog owners like me that are getting a new puppy that might pose new questions. Every puppy is different & they can even baffle the most experienced of us.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

I feel the same way about all basic questions. I feel like a jerk, but man, take two seconds and search it and you will find your answers. If I read one more about a 9 week old puppy not being completely house trained, biting constantly in play, not coming back off leash, etc. I am gonna implode. x.x


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## Active Dog

Soooo someone should make it a sticky ^_^ pretty please?


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## Curbside Prophet

The only way to make this thread a stinky is to make it about poop.


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## Elana55

OK.. if I understand CP correctly the OP (or someone) needs to copy that first part and put a NEW HEADING on it... something like "Pooping Puppies... getting them to go OUTSIDE" or "A Compilation on Potty Training" or maybe "Potty Training Woes? Check this out!" 

Or you can just put CP's Siggy at the top of all the forums.....


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## Pareeeee

Good post. But sometimes people need to post about potty training just to vent their frustrations more than anything. lol.


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## CrystalS

I have a 10 week old puppy. He is a westie poo mixed with a bichon-maltese. We have had him for 1 week yesterday. He was paper trained when we got him. He pees on the paper in the kitchen. Pees on the paper in the enclosed porch. Never manages to make the poop land on the paper on the porch. He doesn't seem to just turn in circles. He goes in a big oval fast, looks like he is super excited then stops to poop. I keep putting the paper down so he would not pee on everything. Other than catching him try to start under the dining room table, he has been pretty consistent. 
He has peed in his crate twice at night. I cleaned it out both times very well. 
I took him outside to go from the 1st day. He just looked at me and then tried to eat leaves and grass. I brought out the newspaper he peed on. Boom, he went outside. Eureka, I thought. Ha ha on me. He went one more time outside. Then we were hit with rain for more than half of his week here. Plus it was cold and he is a shivering 3 pounds. I still took him out. I stood with us under an umbrella. I was told to stay out until he went. I was out for 90 minutes. Nothing. Went into the house, immediately peed on the paper. 
So I was told to take him out for 5 min out, then 5 min in. 5 min out, come in pees immediately. I have stopped him mid pee and mid poop and ran him outside. He doesn't finish what he started.

So before I lose my mind and spend half my life standing say Go Pee with treats at the ready, how can I let him know he should be going outside? Is removing the newspaper at this point going to help him understand? We have spent a lot of time taking him out thus far with little success. So obviously I am missing some key ingredient here.


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## CrystalS

So I took him out after work yesterday. It took about a half hour and finally he peed. No poop, but it was a success and was progress. I took him out again after he ate. An hour and nothing. Went in and had to go to bed. He would not go for my husband either. He ended up going on the porch (enclosed, carpeted) again.

Started this morning same routine. Got up, took him right outside. 15 minutes and nothing. Brought him in took him to the food and water bowls instead of letting him find the paper. Took him back outside. 30 minutes. Nothing. Decided that we don't see any dogs out in the morning when I walk my daughter to the bus, so I watched carefully for poop (only has had 1 set of shots) and walked him with us to the bus. He got plenty of socialization from people, which was good. Walked back (this is another half hour) and then waited another 10 minutes near where he peed yesterday. Nothing.
Not entirely sure what to do to get him to go again. WHen he did go, he got treats and good boys etc. 
Any tips? Tricks? Hints?


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## Rachel88

ok im at my wits end with potty training. 

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy ---4 months, almost 5
2.) Length Of Ownership ---3 months
3.) Method Of House Training ---potty pads, put her on them every hour
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy ---chihuahua
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept ---upstairs, 2 rooms and a little hallway
6.) Where Accidents Occur --- on the carpet, where she pleases
7.) How Long Its Gone On ---day one
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs ---never. i am with her at all times. she does it right in front of me and does not stop when i clap or say "no!" or anything. i pick her up and put her on the pad...but by then she is usually done and just hops off.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver ---me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant ---im doing indoor potty pad training because i have a mental health condition which prevents me from being able to go outside multiple times a day. so if its possible AT ALL to get her indoor trained..thats would be good.

Also...I have cleaned the carpets using a variety of cleaners said to take out pet odors, even used plain vinegar and water and baking soda....she doesnt care.


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## Cracker

Do you confine her at all? Is she crated at all? Do you reward her on the pads? Does she give you ANY signals that she is going to start to pee? Where does she sleep? Is she being fed and watered on a schedule? Has she been checked for a UTI? 

Tiny breeds are notoriously hard to housetrain, they have bladders the size of peas at this age..maybe set up a small area with crate, an expen or barriers and a pee pad. Have her sleep in the crate and reward her handsomely each time she uses the pad, if you make the area really small (just crate, a bit of water and a pad, no "floor space" she will likely choose to pee on the pad rather than in the crate. This gives you a better success rate. She's not ready to have freedom to wander the house. Good luck.

If you cannot go outside because of your condition, I highly recommend you get yourself a friend or dogwalker to get Lola to go outside and be socialized with the world. The trauma she will feel when she is at the vet or if she ever needs to be away from you for any reason will be brutal. You need to do this for HER mental and physical health and safety.


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## Rachel88

I crate her when I have to do housework, leave the house (grocery shopping only), and at bedtime. I give her favorite treat when she goes on the pads (peanut butter). No potty signals at all, no sniffing the ground, circling, nothing. just suddenly squats and pees. I do leave her food and water out for her because she will not eat much at a time. I tried a schedule for the first month and she would never eat more than one or two kibbles in the half hour i gave her to eat. so I leave it out or i think she's starving. she has been checked for uti and she is perfectly healthy.

I guess I could try to block off a tiny area for a potty pad and her crate. I did it for about a week once and she whined so much it broke my heart and i let her out..im not very "pack leader" at this stage lol

I am going to have my cousin move in with us shortly and she will help with taking Lola out and socialize. I realize my condition is bad for her too, and have taken steps to try to overcome it for her. I can get out once or twice a day, and once my cousin is living here, she can help fill the void. Right now she loves the vet, but does have major seperation anxiety from me. I left her with my mom once and she said Lola freaked out...thats when I started taking steps to get my cousin to be my housemate.

Thanks for your help


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## CrystalS

Hi Cracker (and anyone else with good info),
I too have a small breed puppy (Westie poo mix with Maltese and Bichon). He is 12 weeks now. When he goes outside (90% of the time) he sniffs and circles. He sniffs everything, all the time though so if I took him out for every sniff, we would need to set up a cot outside. When in the house, there is no circling. He just goes. He tries to go under the dining room table generally. When he heads that way, we go out. So far we have managed to keep the "accidents" to a minimum. He was paper trained when I got him 2 weeks ago. I am trying to inderstand what signs he gives when he has to go- other than heading to the table. I will be having surgery in a few weeks. I will be on crutches for 4-6 weeks. Ideally, I would like him to be able to tell me that he has to go. I imagine he is old enough for that. Not sure what to do to get him to that point and if it can be done before surgery. I do have him crated. If I take him out and he does not go, I put him in the crate for 5-10 minutes and take him out again. 
Last question is you mention feeding and watering schedule. I try and leave a small amount of water down, especially now it is getting hotter. I feed 3xs a day. Not sure how much water she should get if I should be limiting it.
Thanks!


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## Cracker

I wouldn't limit his water, Crystal. Instead you need to realize that at twelve weeks he does not yet HAVE any warning...his body hasn't matured to the point where the signals even go to him! At this age, the sphincter muscles etc are not developed and it's like "FULL...PEE" with no break. So anticipating his needs and keeping an eye on the time will help you get there. I recommend keeping a chart so that you have a record of when he's gone, when he's eaten etc so that you can learn what his body schedule in relation to food, sleep, exercise and training etc and be better able to anticipate his need to go. When in doubt, take him out. LOL

The first three to four months of puppy housetraining is ALL about management and prevention.


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## Gordo350

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy - 12 Weeks
2.) Length Of Ownership - 1 Month
3.) Method Of House Training - Crate Training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy - Cockapoo
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept - Crate in Living Room during Day, in Bedroom at night
6.) Where Accidents Occur - In Crate
7.) How Long Its Gone On - Since he's been left alone
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs - 1 hour --> 4 hours
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver - Me 
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant - The puppy was breeder by a couple who had 2 cockapoos of their own with 2 children in the home. The woman kept the puppies in the home at all times and were constantly surrounded by people.

Our puppy has been doing great with housebreaking/potty training. Like many of the users on here, the only accidents he has are as we are preparing to put on our shoes to take him out (we are just a couple minutes slower than him!). While we know those accidents are our fault, we are struggling with leaving him alone. I am luckily finished with graduate school so have been home to help train the dog during the day. I have been leaving 1-2 times per day to run errands, go to the gym, meet friends for lunch, or if we (my fiance and I go out at night on the weekends). Gordon is walked immediately prior to going into the crate and when its time to leave, Gordon whimpers, barks, cries, etc. We have a cover over the crate and play music to try and calm him (Apparently Enya is great for dogs...?). When we come home (whether its an hour later or 4), his crate and paws are sticky. It seems to be anxiety-driven urination. I thoroughly clean the crate, even add Nature's Miracle and Vinegar to try and get rid of the urine smell. We aren't really sure where to go from here. At night, he will whimper when he needs to go out to pee, but he is able to hold his pee overnight for approximately 4.5-5 hours. Sometimes during the day he will nap for 3 hours outside the crate (if I'm home) without urinating. We do put him in the crate or in an enclosed place while we are home/in sight, and he still gets anxious (no pee though). 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to decrease his anxiety with the crate and stop this anxiety-urination? We started reading about "crate games". Anything else?


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## abby'shuman

Cracker said:


> I wouldn't limit his water, Crystal. Instead you need to realize that at twelve weeks he does not yet HAVE any warning...his body hasn't matured to the point where the signals even go to him! At this age, the sphincter muscles etc are not developed and it's like "FULL...PEE" with no break. So anticipating his needs and keeping an eye on the time will help you get there. I recommend keeping a chart so that you have a record of when he's gone, when he's eaten etc so that you can learn what his body schedule in relation to food, sleep, exercise and training etc and be better able to anticipate his need to go. When in doubt, take him out. LOL
> 
> The first three to four months of puppy housetraining is ALL about management and prevention.


This was the main thing for me to learn. As soon as I understood what Cracker has stated here, it was a matter of watching the clock, and taking Abby out every 4 hrs., and Yes, especially in the middle of the night.

We would walk with her on leash around the yard for as long as it took. As soon as she peed, I would tell her what a genius she is and give her a treat. She understood quickly. She always got an opportunity to go before it became critical, and always got tons of noogies and love for doing it. There was no confusion over what was expected. She rarely has to go out at night, now. She is 5yrs. now, and when we are out walking and she does pee, she runs to me for a treat for being so good.

It was all about patience and consistency, but so worth the effort.


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## dyamalama

Hi Guys, I have my first puppy (as a family we have had a few but this is my first very own) and I kinda just brought her home without asking the parentals :/ haha so Mum said she's not going to help at all. Im absolutley fine with this!! But Im having trouble with her Peeing ... She's really smart and learnt to poop and pee out side within the first couple of days but now she just pees anywhere, I get no warning signal or anything. She just drops her bottom and lets it rip!! ( Mother is not happy :/ ) 

So answering the questions. 

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: DOB - 2nd March 2011
2.) Length Of Ownership: I got her on the 9th May ( soo nearly 3 weeks) 
3.) Method Of House Training: When I catch her peeinh she gets a firm NO and a little tap on the nose. I have been told to growl at her and hit her harder but I just can't do it ... I find it hard tapping her. 

4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: Her daddy was a Puggalier and her mummy was a Jug (so the people were calling her a Jugalier ... I think thats silly ) 

5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: She lives with me in the house (can go outside when ever she wants) but during the day when I go to school mum talkes her down to my grandparents and again she can do out when ever she likes. 

6.) Where Accidents Occur: Where ever. If she doesn't get out for a poop she goes in the kitty tray (and thats all good) but she does pee-pees where ever she feels the need. 

7.) How Long Its Gone On: about 2 weeks. For the first week I had her it was all good but after that its been Wiz-crazzy!! 
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: Nope there are always people around 
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: ME!
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: All up the top!! 

Sooo if there are ant tips you could give me it waould be awesome ... and Im sure it'll help Zandi to  

Thanks 
Dyami and Zandi


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## zuzant

I lost my 9 year old Min Schnauzer, Schultz a few months ago and am beginning to feel the desire for another dog. My health is not very good, and a puppy might be too much for me to deal with, so I have been considering a rescued adult dog - one that, like me, has slowed down just a little. I heard someone talking about a dog they knew that was litter trained and I thought that was a great idea!! Do any of you think an adult dog could be taught to use a litter box??


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## KyleT

Below are my answers to the questions, but my problem is an unusual one. My puppy Kouhaku is normally very good about peeing in the apartment. He can go 5+ hours without using the bathroom while I'm at work, but when I'm home he asks me to go out every 15 minutes. And if I don't take him out he does it in the living room. I know he can hold it a lot longer than that because I've seen him do it and he will do it regardless of if I'm playing with him or not. I tried imposing a rule that I take him out only every 30 minutes at the most and it worked for a few days but recently he's gone back to peeing in the apartment when I try to tell him no. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get him to space out his potty breaks more often?

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: 12 Weeks
2.) Length Of Ownership: four weeks
3.) Method Of House Training: He asks me to go out (usually)
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: Shiba Inu
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: Bathroom while I'm out, in his crate to sleep, and in he palor when I'm with him
6.) Where Accidents Occur: In the living room
7.) How Long Its Gone On: about 2 weeks
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: Not at all
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: None that I know of


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## doxiemommy

At 12 weeks old he's still a baby. He won't have complete physical control of his bladder until he's about 6 months of age, give or take. So, sometimes, yes, he may be able to hold it, but at other times, he just physically can't. It's just a matter of his bladder being physically "un-developed" right now. He's like a human toddler who can sometimes hold it, but sometimes can have an accident and pee their pants without warning! 

When you're gone, he's able to hold it longer because he's not as active. In fact, many puppies do more sleeping while their owner is away, and less playing. So, when he's sleeping or resting, his body functions slow down, and less urine is produced. When you're home, he's more active, and awake more of the time, so he has to pee more often.

Continue taking him out on a regular basis for now, and whenever he asks for it. Helping him to be peeing in the right spot (outside) is more important than getting him to not have to go out as often, at least right now. When his bladder is more developed, he probably will not ask to go out so often. It's like a toddler, again. When a toddler says they have to go pee, you don't really tell them no, to wait, because it's more important to support their potty training, rather than increase the time between bathroom trips....


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## Vivling

Hello! New here and hoping for help with an unusual potty problem!

I adopted a 4 yr old miniature pinscher about 10 days ago. She's a rescue from the humane society and I don't know anything about her past but she appears to be house trained because she does not go in the house. She's adjusted quite well to her new home except that she refuses to potty (both pee and poop) except during a long walk. The first couple days I had her, she peed in the yard a couple of times without too much coaxing. But once she realized that she'd be getting a walk every day, she became DETERMINED to hold out for it. And boy can she hold it. She EASILY goes 24 hours between pees. I'm not sure what her absolute limit is because I've always felt bad for her and simply caved and taken her for a walk. 

Today I decided to try to have this out. She's been taken out to the yard twice today. The first time this morning for just a few minutes. The second was just now (about 1 pm here) and I stayed out there, pacing a small section of the yard and standing still for an hour! Nothing! 

It's not that I don't want to take her for walks (she'll be getting 1-2 a day) but I know that is way too long for her to hold her pee! I feel bad for her even though it doesn't seem to bother her at all. 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!


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## Vivling

She finally went yesterday after about 29 hours, just as we were getting ready to take her to the vet.

Today she's been her usual self and has gone twice, on both her walks. I'd really like for her to start going in our own yard, at least some of the time. Anybody know how to encourage her to do that? Do those scented yardstick things actually work?

Edit: I'm already trying to train her to go on command by saying "go potty" every time she starts to go, but I think it will take her a long time to actually make the connection.


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## piddlepaws_mom

Hi all! I've searched the forums and couldnt find a potty training issue similar to mine, but in case there was and I missed it, apologies for being redundant. That being said, thank you in advance for any advice you can offer 

I have a 3 1/2 month old Pariah dog pup (Chloe). Ever since day one (about 12 weeks) of me having her, she has not liked pooping in the house and has been very good about waiting until I take her outside. Peeing has not been so easy, lol.

She is crate trained and stays in it overnight (about 8 hours) with no accidents, so I know she can hold it for quite some time (I'm also taking into consideration that her movement is limited, making it easier for her to hold it). 

The main problem is that Chloe gives ZERO warning before she pees, and boy does this dog pee. We've ruled out a UTI. So let me break down a typical day in the life of Chloe:

6 am: Out of crate, outside, pees, poos, comes back in, gets food and water, playtime for 20 minutes, back outside, pees and sometimes poops. Comes back in, back into crate, or naptime on couch, depending on how motivated I am to stay up or go back to sleep for a bit.

11 am: Outside to pee, back inside for lunch and water, wait 15, back outside for pee/poop.

The rest of the day shes in the living room with me on a leash, unless I have to run errands, then its back in the crate. I usually take her out every hour or two, and she has no accidents. And then my boyfriend comes home.....

She's pretty good about the excited piddles. He ignores her and doesnt excite her when he walks in the door (usually around 3 pm), so she's really cut back on the "Holy crap I'm so happy" accidents. But for some reason, when he's home, she pees every 20-40 minutes. It's nuts, I have no idea why she pees so much when he's home.

Him and I work opposite shifts, so she gets this same routine every day because one of us is almost always home. 

My theory is this: She drinks the majority of her water between 6am-6pm (6 pm is her last meal...food and water 3x a day), so maybe around 3-4 pm is when her body has processed a lot of the water and she has to pee more frequently. 

I'm just having a really hard time with training her to signal me. I make her scratch the door every time we go outside, but when she has to pee, no warning. No particular spot. Just stop, drop, and pee. I honestly dont know where she's getting all this fluid from. I'm beginning to think she's like those desert lizards that absorbs moisture out of the air through its skin.

Is this something that she will grow out of? I don't know if she's associating the door scratching with outside, because I live in an apartment where we have to go out into a hallway, onto an elevator, then out through a lobby. I've tried the crate/leash and she's never out of view. Even on the leash she'll just drop and pee without warning.

Sorry if this is long winded, just trying to give as much detail as possible. Thank you!

(oh also, when she pees outside she gets a treat, praise, all that good stuff)


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## KodiBarracuda

She may start to grow out of it, puppy bladders are worse than the puppy teeth sometimes. I agree with the lizard thing, we HAD to limit our dogs water, because like your case, it was crazy, no warning, our dog didn't know he was peeing, there was not stop or drop in our situation, when we found a pee spot, it was actually a pee trail, leading through 2 or 3 rooms! Never a puddle. (count your blessings)

As he got older, the pee trails turned into droplet trails, and eventually into nothing, so yes, your dog very well might outgrow it.


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## diamondeve21

Thanks for the thread! It sums up everything for me!


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## nynex

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy - 8 weeks
2.) Length Of Ownership - 3 days
3.) Method Of House Training - puppy pads? 
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy - French Bulldogs
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept - Kitchen/Crate
6.) Where Accidents Occur - All day everyday
7.) How Long Its Gone On - 3 days
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs - N/A
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver - Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant 


I'm not opposed to training them to signal when it's time to go outside, but everyone seems to come down really really hard on puppy pads. My two French Bulldog pups are only 8 weeks old and they are not through their vaccinations yet (they won't be done until they are about 17 weeks old). I live in an apartment and the only outside area is a common area across the street where everyone in the neighborhood walks their dogs. I'm concerned about them contracting any viral infections from any remaining dog waste in the park. So I guess in the mean time puppy pads are my only option? (Am I being dramatic? Do people generally just take their little pups out and hope for the best? I'm trying to listen to the vet on this one). 

They seem to be getting the hang of the puppy pads as far as understanding they need to go #1 on it. #2, however, involves a lengthy battle of me picking them up and putting them back on the pads and them trying to sneak off and relieve themselves in the corner. Any suggestions? Alternatives to the pad training are also welcomed.

Also, if anyone has any noteworthy comments about housebreaking 2 puppies at once as opposed to 1, I'm all ears.


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## mgarner

please help! One of our dogs, a 1.5 yr old rescue, has recently started having potty problems. He was perfectly housetrained when he came to us (had been fostered for several months and they trained him really well) and had no accidents for the first 6 weeks he was here. But suddenly about a week ago he started peeing in the house. He does it right in front of us like it's no big deal, and doesn't even ask to go out beforehand. It's super weird!

I don't think it's medical, like a UTI or anything, because he doesn't pee in his sleeping area at night. And during the day I let him out several times to potty and play in the yard so it's not like he's just got a super full bladder and can't hold it. I have no idea what caused the sudden change, and, more importantly, i have no idea how to reverse it! 

We've caught him in the act each time, said "no!" and immediately rushed him outside. would have treated him if he'd finished peeing outside but apparently each time he had gotten it all out in the house. and he does still go outside just fine when i let him out, he just ALSO goes in the house! 

I guess I'll just have to start the housetraining process from the beginning with him? But i'm not sure how to do that as he's not a puppy, and i've never done it before! We also have another dog (another rescue) and I'm worried she's going to pick up the bad habit, so need to get it dealt with ASAP.

update: my hubby thinks he may be trying to mark. He was neutered the week that we brought him home, but since he was already a year and a half old I guess it can be a learned behavior? I thought marking stopped when the dog was neutered. And it's still strange since he didn't do it at all for 6 weeks.

Either way, I need help!


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## Jeepers

I thought I would post in this sticky instead of starting a thread. We are having some issues with housetraining.

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy - She is 10 months
2.) Length Of Ownership - We have only had her for 2 days so I'm sure if I just gave it time...
3.) Method Of House Training - She is crated when we leave (no more than 4 hours). She is loose in the house but keeps at my side so I have a hawk eye on her.
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy - Cavalier King Charles spaniel/Bichon Frise
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept - inside the house. Her crate is in the livingroom.
6.) Where Accidents Occur - hardly. that is my issue. 
7.) How Long Its Gone On - 2 days?
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs - n/a
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver - i am but I encourage husband to walk her outside
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant - she was an outside dog before we got her.

So my big issue is that Milli is hardly peeing. We've had her for about 72 hours and she's peed 4 times. She wasn't drinking a whole lot of water at first so I knew it was normal but now she is drinking water and still isn't peeing much.
1st pee- 15 hours after being introduced to our home. I walked her before I got in the shower. I closed her in the bathroom with me in case she did pee. She peed on the floor. I cleaned it with enzyme stuff. 
2nd pee- sometime between 8-12 hours after 1st pee. She peed in her crate. I cleaned it with cleaner. she was walked before and after being crated.
3rd pee- about 24 hours after 2nd pee. she peed in her crate again. 
4th pee- about 12 hours after 3rd pee. she actually peed outside. I saw her sniffing the spot she first peed in so I took her out. it was very little output. she refused the treat even though i know she likes it. 

How do you housetrain a dog that hardly pees? Every pee but the last one was like a flood so I know she's been holding it in. We walk her outside in the yard about every hour or two for about 20-40 minutes each time. I encourage her to walk around and get the scents in. She smiffs a lot then just lays down. 
I've tried the spray that encourages puppies to pee in a certain spot. She sniffed it but didn't care.
We've only left her in the crate twice but she's peed both times she's been left in it. I'm going to try a slightly larger cage. I put a plushy blanket and her bobo in it along with a treat. 
She's not pooped yet. She started eating decently yesterday so I know it will be coming.


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## OliveSheprador

Maybe I always got lucky, but I always found housebreaking the *easiest* part of raising a puppy.... op2: op2: op2:


I never had any of these "problem" issues - simply by sticking to a schedule, introducing a way for the dog to alert us she needs to go outside, and reinforcing positive behavior. 

All our dogs learned where to go fast. We never had to use pee pads at all!

I guess it's different if you're raising a litter .... but anyone with a 8+ week old puppy should be able to housebreak with little trouble, IMO (given that the dog is a breed that is trainable). 

We hardly ever had any accidents with our pups - they all learned so fast.

~~~~

@Jeepers - Are you sure your pup isn't finding a place in the house to pee???? If so, then I wouldn't worry about it. As long as she IS peeing it seems OK to me. She's sticking to your schedule which is awesome. If she isn't drinking much, you can't expect her to pee a lot. My lab mix pup drinks 4-5 bowls of water a day and pees like a race horse. But I wouldn't worry - she's probably still adjusting, and some dogs don't drink a lot of water - my first dog hardly ever drank water.


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## MissBodhi

*HELP! (Long, but please read.)*

I'm a first-time owner of maltese/pomeranian mix - he was born 6/23/2011 and I've had him for 4 days. I usually keep him with me, in every room, and keep an eye on him. Constantly being assertive: making sure he chews on toys, not the furniture. making sure he knows where his food is, and eats regularly. 

The Big Issue: Potty Pads! 

He will go pee on a potty pad - he even does it (or tries) on command. However, I let him walk around on the carpet for 5 minutes and he's looking for a place to poop. God forbid I let the boyfriend "watch" him I have a little surprise EVERY time. He wont poop on the potty pad  

Another thing; fleas have been AWFUL this year and I'm trying to keep both him, and the house, free of them. (Apparently, the breeders didn't do any of this prior to selling their dogs). So anyway; I want him to learn to eliminate on pads either laid out in the house, on the patio, or both. I do not want to take him outside right now to potty due to another infestation of fleas. 
(Note: I do take him for walks & ensure his exercise.) 

I have not been crate-training him like I should be. I usually just let him stay in the kitchen w/ a baby gate when I leave - (Though, I like the idea of introducing him to the 'kennel paradise' at 10-15 min intervals). 

What would you do??

Help... !


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## stephshore04

I'm at my wits' end with my dog, Macy. I've done extensive research and taken her to obedience training, and I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do. It's just not working, so I'm trying to examine some contradictions I've come across that might be hurting me. I know every dog is different, but I'd still love to hear some personal experiences and advice.

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: One year old
2.) Length Of Ownership: Five months
3.) Method Of House Training: Crate training, positive reinforcement, bell at door.
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: Mutt -- we were told she's part Sheltie, part Cavalier King Charles spaniel, but we think she may also have some collie, chow or American Eskimo.
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: She is in her crate from about 10:30am to 7pm. 
6.) Where Accidents Occur: EVERYWHERE, except for her crate.
7.) How Long Its Gone On: The entire time we've had her, but the recent problems (pooping inside DAILY) have been occurring for a month or two.
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: Never. She is only alone when she's in her crate during the day, and she doesn't go in her crate.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: My husband and I share duties, but I'm with her more.
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: She lived in a shelter from about 2-3 months old to about 5-6 months old. At the shelter, we're told she was left alone for about 12 hours a day, and could not hold it that long, so she'd just pee/poop in her crate and they would clean it up when they could. 

I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing (feeding on a schedule, taking her out on a schedule, supervising her VERY closely, etc.), but it only takes one split second for me to look away, and she's pooping on the floor. I'm trying my very best, but I physically can't watch her every single second. I keep her close to me, but she doesn't seem to have any qualms about going right next to me. At first, we JUST used positive reinforcement, as most members on this forum will suggest, but it became very clear that while she knew going outside was best, she didn't seem to get that going inside was bad. So, after a while, we've started scolding her when we catch her in the act. Can't say that's working, either.

The contradictions that I'm trying to understand:
-Macy's main method of telling us that she has to go outside is to stand by the back door and stare at us until we take her out. She will also occasionally bark or cry. We figure this is a good sign. However, how is she supposed to tell us (in that way) if we're keeping her with us at all times? How can she stand by the back door and bark if we've got her in the living room with us, for example? I look for sniffing and circling, but she doesn't always do that. 
-Because our main goal is for Macy to eventually tell us when she needs to go out, we take her out EVERY SINGLE TIME she asks. For consistency's sake, it seems to be the best way to teach her, "If I ask to go outside, I'll get taken outside, and then I can poop out there and get praise and treats." Makes sense, right? The only problem is, she's learned it too well, and is now asking to go outside constantly so that she can sniff acorns, search for squirrels, etc. She's always on a leash and always with us, and we do NOT play with her out there if we're on a potty break, but we certainly can't stop her from sniffing around, which is what she wants to do. We've been told that a good way to combat this is to bring her back inside if she doesn't seem to have to go. Unfortunately, she doesn't always go right away, even if she IS out there for peeing/pooping, so we'll end up bringing her back in and then she goes on the floor. How do we make sure that she knows potty trips are just for pottying?!

Sorry this is so long. We're frustrated and confused, and desperately sick of cleaning up poop. It's been five months! How long is this going to take?!


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## njk

Hi all! I guess I'll post this here. We recently adopted a 6 week old puppy who was orphaned. We've been potty-training him (bringing him outside after food/water, praising him when he goes outside, or if he has an accident bringing him outside where we want him to go). Not sure what kind of dog he is. He's in a crate at night and has been doing pretty well (generally gets up once crying, goes outside to the bathroom, and then goes back to bed pretty quickly). 

However, twice in the last four days he's done something I've never heard of before. He has somehow (I've only seen the evidence, not the act) peed through the grate on the front of his crate, leaving us with a puddle of pee in front of the crate and a dry puppy inside. Has anyone ever heard of this or have an idea on how to stop it?


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

He's probably lifting his leg and peeing out the front of the crate. I see dogs do it at work ALL the time and it leaves them with a clean cage and urine all over the aisle. Or while he's standing up against the bars he's peeing. How long is he left alone when this happens? He's only 6 weeks old so he definitely cannot hold it for very long. The general rule of thumb is one hour for every month they are all.


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## chull9

I'm very new to this forum but I had to say something as I was looking for some potty questions apparently like %50 of everyone else here. I just couldn't help but chuckle at the frustration of being overwhelmed with this subject. I think it's really an issue of people want instant gratification with their question. Great info though and I'll be sure to curb my potty question post! Thanks for sharing


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## Lilysmommy12

Well, I gotta say that the whole reason I searched out a forum was to ask potty questions. I have read and read and done a ton of research and have yet to find an answer to my potty question. I think it's perfectly acceptable for anyone who has questions for their unique situation to be able to get advice from people who have done it before. Unfortunately for a lot of people, if they can't train their puppy properly its a make it or break it. And getting some reassurance or answers to questions maybe just what they need to hang in there. I looked at all the forums you posted and none of them gave me the answers I needed. Guess its back to searching the internet. I will maybe come back when I have a question that doesn't frustrate anyone. But after reading some of the responses to this, I'm guess that "the first time dog owner" thread really isn't for people who have their first dog and need help.


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## hamandeggs

Lilysmommy12 said:


> Well, I gotta say that the whole reason I searched out a forum was to ask potty questions. I have read and read and done a ton of research and have yet to find an answer to my potty question. I think it's perfectly acceptable for anyone who has questions for their unique situation to be able to get advice from people who have done it before. Unfortunately for a lot of people, if they can't train their puppy properly its a make it or break it. And getting some reassurance or answers to questions maybe just what they need to hang in there. I looked at all the forums you posted and none of them gave me the answers I needed. Guess its back to searching the internet. I will maybe come back when I have a question that doesn't frustrate anyone. But after reading some of the responses to this, I'm guess that "the first time dog owner" thread really isn't for people who have their first dog and need help.


What is your question? The frustration is with people who post without researching first or bothinger to read the 1 million other potty posts. But if you think you have a unique question, you're welcome to ask and we can try to help!


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## Lilysmommy12

I can see how it could get annoying but at the same time, potty training is important to the happiness of the the puppy and the owner. I see threads like this and see people missing out on a chance to really help someone get off on a great foot with what could and should be one of the most important relationships they will have. When I successfully potty train and I see someone who is trying and frustrated, I'm going to help as best I can because I hope others who are passionate about dogs would do the same. Potty training is one of those things where the sooner you get it right the better for the puppy. And the faster you can get help, the better. You aren't left with having to try correct bad habits. 
I just feel like that's what these forums should be about, helping people be the best people for their dogs, you know? 

Forums are such a great idea and resource because you take your questions to hundreds of people who have done this before and were successful. Even if someone just needs a pat on a back and a keep it up. 

I understand its annoying but why miss out on an opportunity to possible give someone the answer that makes all the difference. Why miss out on a chance to help someone when you know the answer that could change everything for the better. That's what life is about in my opinion. 

I will save my question after more research. If I can't find anything in the next few days I will ask.


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## heels1533

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: 9 weeks
2.) Length Of Ownership: 4 days
3.) Method Of House Training: Taking her to same spot outside. No potty pads.
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: Black lab/collie mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: Crate and living space of 1 bedroom apartment
6.) Where Accidents Occur: in the living space
7.) How Long Its Gone On: 4 days
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: She's not...
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: Just me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: My puppy has managed to get the idea of potty time and play confused. She's pretty good about going in her spot first thing in the morning, but after that it keeps breaking down. The spot she goes in is full of rocks, leaves, and shrubs, so she starts going on an absolute chew fest as soon as I get her out the door. If I manage to get her to go when we're out, she goes back to the rocks and leaves rather than taking a treat from me. The accidents tend to happen in the middle of her meal or while playing. I've been watching her like a hawk, but what can you do when she pops a squat while munching away? or flips over in the middle of a belly rub to sprinkle my floor? To make matters worse I have carpet, so every time she goes I've got to put her in her crate to get it up. Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Lilysmommy12

My lab mix was the same way! What we did is we took her out and waited five minutes. If she didn't go we would put her in her crate for 15 minutes or until she started letting us know she needed to go. And then we would take her out again and wait. If she didn't go again, back in the crate. She can't hold it forever! It's weird your puppy goes while they are eating. Naturally dogs don't like to go by where they eat. Make sure you have them on an eating and drinking schedule. That way you control what goes in and you have a good idea of what will be coming out and when. I suggest "Housebreaking for Dummies." It gives a great amount of info. Potty training takes time. Your puppy doesn't know that going where it plays is wrong. It's actually very natural for them. You have to be consistent and patient. You will have great days and hard days. It's very much like potty training a toddler. Also when they go in their spot the way you want them to be sure to give them a treat! That will lessen the learning curve dramatically. The best treats are hot dogs sliced thin like Bacon and cooked till crispy in the microwave. Break up into little pieces and make sure she gets one everytime she goes where you want. Ignore her if she has an accident. Punishing her won't make it any better because she doesn't know she did something wrong. Hang in there! You can do this!


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## Tupples

Thank you for creating this thread. Its been much of a help. Good Job!


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## RitaNg123

Hi All,

Seems like this thread hasn't had much activity lately, so I'm not sure if there will be a response to this, and I'd hate to make a new thread if I'm not "supposed" to, since there is a sticky, and tons of threads already (though I figured the stickied thread was easier to post in).

Here is my question...

I have had my little Bichon Shih Tzu for just over a week, and got her at 10 weeks of age, because this particular breeder will not let her puppies go until that age, which I think has actually worked out in many ways. I expected Muffin to whine and whimper and cry at night, and I haven't had to deal with any of that so far. But I digress...

I have decided after much thought not to crate train, for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that while my husband and I work somewhat staggered hours, there may be an occasion here and there where we are gone for up to 8.5 hours, and that's not feasible for her to "hold it in" for that long. We've actually been able to avoid that, with getting people to come in and play with the dog and take her out.

Her set up is in a fairly large bathroom with a baby gate (well so far I haven't used the baby gate b/c it's annoying, and a piece of cardboard with some beer cases has worked out better). Her bed and toys are at one end, her food dish is in the middle, and the pee pads are at the other end. She is great with using the pads if she needs to, but seems to only do it once during the 6 hrs she is alone, and SOMETIMES overnight.

When I am home, she is under my watch at all times, and the accidents she has had have been purely my fault when I tempt my luck (running to my room to quickly get changed, seeing her do the "twirl" but not thinking she will pee b/c she is busy/happy/preoccupied with a bone, etc). She doesn't have much issue with peeing and pooing outside. She has her little spots outside that she likes. 

My issue/question/ponderance is this... When I watch her twirly signal, I quickly take her out. I have to pick her up and quickly take her, b/c she is still too little to go down the stairs and it makes her nervous. But my worry is that she will see this as, "Oh, all I have to do is 'start' to do my business and then mommy will take me out" vs. actually whimpering or waiting 'til I take her out, or going to the door and sitting there. She can't quite do that yet, b/c the way my house is set up, is that there are a couple stairs in various places, and she still takes awhile to get up the stairs.

Anything I can do in addition to what I am doing? I also take her out at other times as well - when she gets up, when she's done eating, one last time before I go to bed. I am just trying to get her to connect that she needs to go outside, and not so much that if she starts to twirl and stuff, THAT is when I take her out. Hope my question makes sense!


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## wizardelfgirl

Hi, I'm not exactly new, but I only posted the one time and then disappeared for a while. Now I'm back, and I have a question. I looked at all the potty questions and none of them addressed my issue and I tried to search for any post that already had this question but found nothing. It may be that I searched wrongly. Since I don't want people to get annoyed at yet another potty training question, I'm writing this here.

Ok, so I'll be as thorough as I can so the situation is well-explained. Vilya is a 9 month old border collie mix I adopted when she was almost 3 months old from an acquaintance of mine who couldn't keep her. As a first-time owner I haven't been very successful with training, but the one thing I seemed to have had some success at was potty training. She picked up pretty quickly where her potty spot is (a corner in a large balcony-type open space we have on the third floor). I still restrict her mostly to the third floor, which is where my study is (I work at home) so she can let herself out to pee/poop and back inside, but lately I've been giving her more freedom around the house (supervised) and except for a few accidents she's done well. 

Now, about her exercise/walks. I am only able to walk her once a day for about 15 minutes because, while the housing unit I live at is secure, the area outside is a)full of stray dogs or unleashed dogs that aren't always as docile as their owners claim, b) heavy on traffic, and c) not very safe (lots of mugging reports). I mostly exercise/play V in the backyard (it's not big but we manage) and only walk her when I have someone to go with me. Ok, so when she was younger and I walked her, depending on the time, she might pee/poop during the walk and I would pick the poop up and praise her, but after some time I noticed she stopped peeing/pooping during the walks. I didn't give it much importance because it is easier to clean out the balcony and I thought it was just because the walks were so short and sporadic and she didn't feel like doing it outside.

Ok, that's enough background, I think. So here's the reason of this post: About a month ago she developed incontinence while sleeping. She had been spayed a month before and I feared she had a UTI or that the vet moved something inside that he shouldn't have moved, so I took her to a specialized clinic. They've been doing tests on her (and that in itself deserves a whole other post, as it has been hell on earth and right now I feel extremely guilty about it), including x-rays of her bladder. I was told to fast her for 12 hours so her bowels would be empty and allow full view of the bladder. I did as was told, but when it came down to the test, they couldn't do the contrast x-ray because the normal one showed she had her bowels full of feces. We'd been at the clinic for 6 hours and we spent most of them at the gardens where she'd been playing and all, and not once did she even try to pee/poop. Yet, once we got home, she raced to her potty spot and emptied herself fully. So she'd been holding her pee/poop ALL DAY!

I don't know why exactly she decided to only go potty at her spot. I never told her not to do it during walks or anything, and I never scolded her when she had accidents in the house (my mum did a couple of times until I asked her to stop). Yet somehow she learned that she must not go potty ANYWHERE but at her spot!

I recently found a training school that specializes in positive reinforcement training (as most schools here are traditional, it wasn't easy to find, it took me months!) so I'll be talking about this with the trainers, but I wanted some input from anyone who had encountered a similar problem. How can I get her to pee/poo in other places? It worries me a bit cuz on December I'm going away on a trip and she'll be staying at a kennel, and I don't want her to be holding it until she's so full she has no other choice but to go, it wouldn't be a good experience, I think.


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## PyreneesTwins

Hello! I'm a first time puppy owner, and have a few training questions that I feel aren't answered after reading through the related posts. I have two brothers, which is causing me some irritation and confusion.
1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: 10 wks
2.) Length Of Ownership: 2 wks
3.) Method Of House Training: I take them both out to go in the yard, no pads.
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: Great Pyrenees Collie cross
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: Larger open house, confined to family room/kitchen, sleeps in our room.
6.) Where Accidents Occur: in the same two spots, one on tile one on laminate
7.) How Long Its Gone On: 4 or 5 days
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: He isn't, he tends to do it right after coming inside
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: Mostly me, my wife when I'm at work
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: The issue is with our more dominant pup, he pees on the same two spots, I treat them and praise them when they go outside. I don't have a crate (can't afford one yet), so I take them out every hour and a half or so. He goes one or both, I treat them, then take them inside. About once a day (sometimes a few times), be just walks in, goes for the spot and pees. Is he marking territory? It's almost always when my sons little people toys are out. What is a good cleaner to use? His brother I don't think has ever had an accident in the house, though he may have since they are almost identical. Why would one do it but not he other? I apologize if some of these things have been asked, I read a fair bit and its gotten mixed up in my head! Is there any other advice for training two pups at once? I should add that they came from a farm with little contact with people (it was an oops litter I guess), but they just knew right off the hammer to go out side! They have never pooped in the house, and the first week no pee either. They are very smart, and have learned to sit already! Just need to stop the accidents!

Thanks!


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## hamandeggs

What are you using to clean up the mess? It really needs to be an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Otherwise the pup can smell the spot and things to go there again.


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## Abbylynn

hamandeggs said:


> What are you using to clean up the mess? It really needs to be an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Otherwise the pup can smell the spot and things to go there again.


Yes ... the enzymatic cleaner.  I also trained my two white dogs as pups ... Brothers Leeo and BLu Boy the same way you are. I would just take them out more often. I took mine out every hour besides the trips between eating, napping, and playing.


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## PyreneesTwins

I was just using soap and tile/floor cleaner. My inlaws gave me some pet cleaner/deodorizer today, I'll see how it works. I'm off to work for the next two days (I work 12 hr shifts), so hopefully my wife won't have any trouble.


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## taquitos

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: Approx. 1 year.
2.) Length Of Ownership: I don't have him yet, but I noticed him marking everywhere when I went to meet him at the shelter.
3.) Method Of House Training: Haven't started, but I'm planning on crate training and maybe teaching him to use my cats' litter box? Thoughts?
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: Pomeranian
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: Will be kept in my apartment with access to all rooms. First few days will be spent with the "umbilical cord" method (so always supervised) until potty trained.
6.) Where Accidents Occur: Marking everywhere!
7.) How Long Its Gone On: Don't know. He is a male dog who had been used for breeding :|
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: He did it the moment he came into a new place.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: For now it is the shelter workers, but it will be me in the future
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: Ernie was used as a breeder by a puppy mill. He is not neutered yet and has never lived in a home before (hence the marking).


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## GizmosPuppyMill

I have tried potty training pads and wouldn't recommend them. My dogs would only pee on them then carry them around the house in their mouths - yuck!


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## Josher

Please help me; I am losing my mind. I pride myself on being a very patient person, but I swear to god I am going to beat my dog if this continues! <-- Just kidding, of course.

My wife and I got Katie a week and a half ago from a nice couple who posted her on CL. According to the previous owners, she is a 1 year old lab mix. She is sweet as can be, however we are having major potty issues. We have a large park right behind our house, and I take Katie there in the mornings and evenings. It takes her no less than 20 minutes to pee and poop once at the park, usually after much "crazy dog" running. That's fine; like I said I'm patient. The problem is, while my wife and I aren't home, Katie has pooped/peed in her cage about 70% of the times we've left her. This is terribly inconvenient, as we both work, etc, and simply cannot be home all the freaking time. This is part of the reason we wanted an older dog and not a puppy. I walk her and let her run in the park for 40 minutes to an hour every morning before leaving for work and crating her. I have started feeding and watering her earlier and earlier in effort to prevent accidents. Her crate is the correct size and is a wire cage. We started with blankets on the floor of the cage, but after several accidents, decided to try leaving the floor bare. No luck. We have also started covering the cage with a blanket to nurture her den instincts. We were putting bones and toys in the crate, but after throwing several away have stopped. She's pretty good about not pottying in the house otherwise, except that she wakes us up in the middle of the night to go pee, which is rather annoying. We don't crate her at night; she likes to sleep under our bed. We tried crating her the first night, but she barked a lot (really loud) and we live in the city with neighbors with a baby who live very close to us, so we can't have the dog barking late at night. We don't mind her sleeping under our bed, though, so we figured it wasn't a problem. When she doesn't wake us up for a 4AM potty break, she ends up going on the floor. Again, I do not feed or water her less than 3 hours before bedtime, and right before bed I take her to the park so she can run like a maniac, and we don't come back until she has pooped and peed (usually 30 to 40 minutes). Also, she seems to take really short pees, and usually only goes once while we are out, so I am concerned that she is not fully emptying herself. Please help me! My wife and I both have to work 10-11 hours TOMORROW and do not want to have another accident to clean up when we get home! Wife will be home half way through to let Katie out to potty and run around, but often she has already made a mess by then.


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## doxiemommy

You've only had her a week and a half. That is nothing. I know it's frustrating, but, changes in environment and changes in routine (both of which Katie has had in the last week and a half) have been known to cause potty training setbacks.

Also, do you know much about her former owner? I mean, really, from CL, you can't really be sure of what they tell you. Did they provide vet records?

A week and a half isn't much time to start a new routine, meaning, you are changing everything about this dog's life, and you want her to get into a routine, peeing/pooping on her morning trip to the park, and then holding it til your wife comes home halfway through the day, and then holding it til evening when you both come home. Give her time to adapt. 

Also, you don't know HOW exactly she was potty trained before, except for what the previous owners tell you. It may be that she wasn't really totally potty trained to begin with. If she was kept crated too much, she may have gotten used to peeing and pooping in her crate out of necessity in her old home. This is a hard habit to break.

Keep in mind, some dogs lose the ability to control their peeing and pooping when they're anxious, so if she's anxious in her new home, she may be peeing/pooping from stress. 

When you clean up the mess, do you use an enzyme cleaner?


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## Josher

Thanks for your reply, doxiemommy. Yeah, we use an enzyme cleaner to get the messes. I have a feeling she wasn't ever totally potty trained, which may be why the previous owners were so anxious to get rid of her. I don't think she was very well trained in any aspect. She does not seem to have anxiety problems. She's a cheerful doggy, usually very relaxed and laid back. She gets right in her cage when asked, and doesn't bark or whine as I leave the house. we clean up her messes very thoroughly to make sure there is not a residual smell. I know a week and a half isn't terribly long, and she does have good days, too. You think we just need to keep at it, then? We've gone through six rolls of paper towels, almost three bottles of cleaner, and two things of carpet powder in the last ten days haha.


----------



## doxiemommy

Yes, I say keep with it. The thing is, as I understand it, the main issue is when she's in the crate, right? Other times she's ok? That makes me think she has some control, and some idea of what to do. Maybe she is just anxious when crated? OR, as I said, if her previous owner kept her crated a lot, and didn't properly train her, she may see the crate as an acceptable bathroom, just out of necessity. And, once a dog gets the idea that the crate is an acceptable bathroom, it's kind of hard to change that. 
Is there any way you could get rid of the crate and in it's place designate a "dog proof" room, blocked off with a baby gate? If she thinks going potty in the crate is ok, and you take away the crate, she may realize she's supposed to hold it.


----------



## Josher

She pretty much only has accidents in the crate. On the rare occasions that she doesn't wake us up for a late night potty break, sometimes she will pee on the floor. Usually right near her crate, now that I think about it. As for today, when my wife came home between jobs at about 3, the crate was clean. They went to the park and from what my wife says, Katie ran around especially crazily, playing in the fresh snow we got this morning. After their play, Katie was exhausted and conked out. Wife went to her other job at 6, and crated Katie. When I got home, she had peed and had diarrhea in her cage  I am thinking that while playing she probably ate a lot of snow, and maybe that is why she had an accident. I have been completely unable to keep her from eating the snow, however. While on her leash I can keep her from doing it, but when she does the ""crazy dog" running, she actually eats the snow WHILE running 20mph. I have never seen anything like it. I was happy to hear her cage was clean at 3, but kind of bummed out now.


----------



## Josher

Oh, and we tried the baby gate thing first. Katie is a little tall, though, and would jump that thing in 3 seconds flat. After realizing that it was a worthless item for us, we returned it and bought the crate.


----------



## Katermuffins

This thread was a miracle. I've been working on training my puppy for about a week and I'm at a total loss.

When should I expect to see results in these things?

The schedule:
We get her out as much as we can. She usually wakes me around 6 for a quick potty, which is always brisk and to the point, bless her, then back to the crate until 8, when we wake up, have another potty break, come back for breakfast (which we have been eating in the crate the last two days, because she wasn't too fond of it), wait a few minutes, then go outside to potty on the lawn and run around the neighborhood. She'll usually let us know when she needs to go next, but, for a three month old puppy, she doesn't ask for surprisingly long, usually until noon or one! We go outside for another potty break and a quick play, then back to the crate until four, when we potty/lunch/fenched off room play/lawn for potty/walk. At eight, we do it again. Then right before bed, at 11:45 or so, we go for a run around the neighborhood until _allll_ our energy is gone and then we sleep for the night.

The worries:
The place she came from kept them in small crates (much like her crate here) where they peed and pooped through the grates and someone would come and pick it up for them. I'm afraid that will set back housebreaking considerably. Her first few nights were amazing, albeit loud. We gave her a towel in her plastic pan, a chewy hard toy and a soft comfort toy, then covered it with a blanket on three sides (partly because it's a cold house, partly because it calmed her better). She woke us up for potties and had no accidents, aside from two in the playroom while we were trying to learn what to watch for when she's thinking of going. Her first in-crate accident was my fault, I didn't realize her barking was for a potty and she messed all over her crate. Until today, we've not had another. Unfortunately, some time between the night, her morning potty break right before I left, and an errand I ran between eight and ten, she messed her crate again. She doesn't seem too bothered by it, and that's what worries me. I know she's early in her training, but I was under the impression they didn't like being close range with that.

Another worry is when she is out in her "play room" we will sit with her and watch her play. It's a new place to her, so naturally there's some sniffing around and exploring, but those are the same signs she gives off before peeing. Twice since she had been using the lawn well and barking for us, she has gone to play, then trotted around happily, found a place, and peed! She seems completely content to do so. Even right after she comes in from being out on a ten minute or longer potty break (on which she either will not go, or will go a small amount), she will come inside and find a place to pee there instead. I don't understand why she prefers one to the other when she consistently gets treats for outside.

And as far as crating in potty training goes, how long is it okay to have her in there? Basically, if it's not written into the schedule I listen above, she will be in the crate, which we keep near us for any time we're stationary, or we try to be as close as we can without being on top of her. If she doesn't ask for a bathroom break for suspiciously long, we let her outside for a few minutes to try, and if there's nothing, we go back to our business. Her dislike of the crate is pretty obvious, and I've been doing things to try and encourage her to enjoy it, such as giving her a treat when she goes in and feeding her in there. From what I've read, this all seems fairly reasonable and like it would enforce the right behavior. I've been told by my mother that she believes this is "abuse" and she "hates to see an animal treated this way." I'm unsure what to think of it because, while she'll tell an animal no, she's not firm and often says this about anything an animal doesn't like (such as my dog and her crate), however, I've asked around forums and received most of what I'm doing via advice of other dog owners. What do you guys think?


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## bivouac

hey, forum. The threads the OP linked to didnt seem to quite relate entirely to my problem, so I figured I'd ask a question directly.
We just adopted a dog who was housetrained (to the best of my knowledge.) He has bad separation anxiety and was incredibly afraid of his crate. Recently he has started going to the bathroom in his crate when we leave. he never goes in the house any other time. The other day my girlfriend was gone for 15 minutes and when she came back he had already made a mess. Does anybody know whats up with this or how I can help him not to do it anymore? He also just got neutered (after this all started) so I'm worried if he doesn't stop going to the bathroom in his kennel while we're gone he might get his wound infected.
1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy
10-13 months
2.) Length Of Ownership
1 month
3.) Method Of House Training
N/A. Doesn't go to the bathroom in the house, except in the above scenario
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy
Terrier/Chihuahua mix, probably
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept
He is usually out in the house. We put him in the crate once an hour, so he'll stop being afraid of it. He is also in the crate when we are both gone 
6.) Where Accidents Occur
In his crate
7.) How Long Its Gone On
Roughly a week
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs
15 minutes at the earliest, 3 hours at the latest
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver
me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant
none that I know of.

thanks in advance for the help!


----------



## Abbylynn

This sounds to me like what you may need to read ..... good info .... 

http://www.dogforums.com/dog-training-forum/60390-separation-anxiety-whats-whys.html


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## bivouac

This looks like it'll help. thanks!


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## craftyb

Hi Everyone! This thread has so much good info! 

I just recently adopted a dog, he is 1.5 years old boy. His name is Fenton. He is a boston terrier/boxer mix. He was just neutered in December. Prior to that, he was a stray, then sent to a shelter where he contracted pnemonia. He has been on meds and is putting weight on. We are first time dog owners and omg its been like having a toddler. 

Fenton has recently began waking me up in the middle of the night to go out and pee and occasionally piddles (not a FULL pee) in the house. With no warning. I recently had a full vet workup done on him, so I know he does not have a UTI. One night I tried to ignore him and he hopped up on the bed and peed. on. the. bed. WITH ME IN IT! He was sleeping on the floor in his dog bed prior to this and just hopped up and peed. 

Im exhausted. I work full time and have to get up at 6:00 am so when he gets up around 3 or 4 it kills my nights sleep and Im dead tired at work. I thought of crating him at night but dont know if that is the right thing since when I leave for work he is crated from about 8-12 when a friend comes over and walks him for a few miles mid day. 

ANY advice would be appreciated and give you instant good karma! 


1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy approximately 1.5-2 years
2.) Length Of Ownership 2 weeks
3.) Method Of House Training crate training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy Boston Terrier/Boxer mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: crating while not at home, walked three times a day with an hour of dog park
6.) Where Accidents Occur: anywhere he is standing and feels like it. Once on me. In my bed. 
7.) How Long Its Gone On: since I have had him
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: generally when we are there. Not when he is alone
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: Fenton was a stray so obviously not housebroken. He was rescued in December but the rescuer had a yard where he went in and out as he pleased. She said he had a few accidents but it wasnt a daily occurance


----------



## Oscarthecute

*1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy
*8 - 9 months!

*2.) Length Of Ownership
*11 weeks

*3.) Method Of House Training
*Uhm, We crate him, then let him out to poop and pee, THEN he gets to play

*4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy
*Dachshund 

*5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept
*He is left in the most populated area. The kitchen in a crate inside a nice big playpen 
which we dont let him stay in because he'll poop in it.

*6.) Where Accidents Occur
*Pee:

*The living room by the fireplace 

* His little mini bed that is right by the backdoor in the kitchen in the sun (once )

* in the kitchen / on himself. When a new guest came over. (once )

*The FANCY reading room which is right next to the main hallway (once )



Poops:
*The living room by the fireplace, he peed there once on a small rug, so we moved the rug somewhere else. 

* The rug in the main hallway by the front door (once)

* The carpet in the guest bedroom (once)

*His playpen (once)

*his play pen his crate is in (once) ((He did it as soon as we took him out to poop and pee, he pooped and peed then he came back into the house and pooped again in his play pen almost immediately ))



*7.) How Long Its Gone On
*
The pee was a month ago or so

the first play pen poop 3 weeks ago

The hallway, living room, playpen poops 1 week ago (in the same week)


*8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs
*
Not very long or not at all (sometimes I'm not home to see these poops since I go to school)

Most of the time he'll be alone for 30 seconds or not at all. He isn't alone per say when he does these things, either he's not in our field of vision or im 2 steps behind him. ( because of the first couplee of accidents, when he gets free and play time to roam the house, i follow him whereever he goes)


*9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver
*
I am, Dan. 

*10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant
*None that I know of!


----------



## Gogoclips

Oscarthecute said:


> *1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy
> *8 - 9 months!
> 
> *2.) Length Of Ownership
> *11 weeks
> 
> *3.) Method Of House Training
> *Uhm, We crate him, then let him out to poop and pee, THEN he gets to play
> 
> *4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy
> *Dachshund
> 
> *5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept
> *He is left in the most populated area. The kitchen in a crate inside a nice big playpen
> which we dont let him stay in because he'll poop in it.
> 
> *6.) Where Accidents Occur
> *Pee:
> 
> *The living room by the fireplace
> 
> * His little mini bed that is right by the backdoor in the kitchen in the sun (once )
> 
> * in the kitchen / on himself. When a new guest came over. (once )
> 
> *The FANCY reading room which is right next to the main hallway (once )
> 
> 
> 
> Poops:
> *The living room by the fireplace, he peed there once on a small rug, so we moved the rug somewhere else.
> 
> * The rug in the main hallway by the front door (once)
> 
> * The carpet in the guest bedroom (once)
> 
> *His playpen (once)
> 
> *his play pen his crate is in (once) ((He did it as soon as we took him out to poop and pee, he pooped and peed then he came back into the house and pooped again in his play pen almost immediately ))
> 
> 
> 
> *7.) How Long Its Gone On
> *
> The pee was a month ago or so
> 
> the first play pen poop 3 weeks ago
> 
> The hallway, living room, playpen poops 1 week ago (in the same week)
> 
> 
> *8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs
> *
> Not very long or not at all (sometimes I'm not home to see these poops since I go to school)
> 
> Most of the time he'll be alone for 30 seconds or not at all. He isn't alone per say when he does these things, either he's not in our field of vision or im 2 steps behind him. ( because of the first couplee of accidents, when he gets free and play time to roam the house, i follow him whereever he goes)
> 
> 
> *9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver
> *
> I am, Dan.
> 
> *10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant
> *None that I know of!


Maybe he doesn't need free roam of the house right now, if he's peeing/pooping in different places in the house. How long does he go between potty breaks and how long does he stay outside for? I have known dachshunds to be reluctant to give up comfort for bodily needs. My MIL's doxie, for example, poops 2 feet away from the fireplace when he knows it's raining. Does he have a way of letting you know he needs to go potty or a way to let himself out?


----------



## Oscarthecute

Gogoclips said:


> Maybe he doesn't need free roam of the house right now, if he's peeing/pooping in different places in the house. How long does he go between potty breaks and how long does he stay outside for? I have known dachshunds to be reluctant to give up comfort for bodily needs. My MIL's doxie, for example, poops 2 feet away from the fireplace when he knows it's raining. Does he have a way of letting you know he needs to go potty or a way to let himself out?


Our schedual is 

3-5 am go pee or poop or both (it's between these times because, sometimes he can hold it until 6 am, or sometimes he can't)

from 5-6:30 play time, or sit on me while we play tug of war with a nylabone

6:30 food
then crate
6:30 til 10 am pee or poop or both time

play time until 12 pm then lunch
then crate
3 pm pee or poop or both
play time for a bit, sometimes he put him back in at 3 30 or 4 pm

6:30 food


crate until 10 pm then pee or poop or both

then back in the crate all night



i can't seem to tell his tells, not yet anyways.

I know he sniffs around and circles when he's about to go, but it looks so much like when he's sniffing around for food on the floor, so I can never tell the difference. We're going to try and teach him hte bell method.

We dont let go out by himself because, he probably wont come back home, and we have giant birds in the backyard and they could swoop in at him, we also have bears, foxes, coyotes and wild turkeys


----------



## Gogoclips

Oscarthecute said:


> Our schedual is
> 
> 3-5 am go pee or poop or both (it's between these times because, sometimes he can hold it until 6 am, or sometimes he can't)
> 
> from 5-6:30 play time, or sit on me while we play tug of war with a nylabone
> 
> 6:30 food
> then crate
> 6:30 til 10 am pee or poop or both time
> 
> play time until 12 pm then lunch
> then crate
> 3 pm pee or poop or both
> play time for a bit, sometimes he put him back in at 3 30 or 4 pm
> 
> 6:30 food
> 
> 
> crate until 10 pm then pee or poop or both
> 
> then back in the crate all night
> 
> 
> 
> i can't seem to tell his tells, not yet anyways.
> 
> I know he sniffs around and circles when he's about to go, but it looks so much like when he's sniffing around for food on the floor, so I can never tell the difference. We're going to try and teach him hte bell method.
> 
> We dont let go out by himself because, he probably wont come back home, and we have giant birds in the backyard and they could swoop in at him, we also have bears, foxes, coyotes and wild turkeys


The bell worked great for us. We can bring it everywhere so he can always tell us when he needs to be let out. Your schedule looks good and consistent. The only thing I would change is maybe bring him out a little sooner after meals, like 30 min to an hour after eating. Also, you may want to try tethering him to you, or whoever is at home, with a leash so that he is always in your sight and you can hopefully catch his signals earlier.


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## jojodoggy

I need some advice on a nervous pee-er. 
1.) 5 ish?
2.) don't have her yet
3.) i dont know
4.) pit mix
5.) Basement while we are gone/main floor of house when we are home. Crate if necessary
6.) Where everywhere
7.) How Long Its Gone On - always
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs - varied
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver - me!
10.) Here goes. This is my brother's dog. He has had her since she was an 8 week old puppy and has never taken the time or care to see if this 
problem could be fixed. She goes outside to poo and will pee outside too, but when she see gets nervous or excited she pees. She could be outside, in the kitchen, on the couch. She'll pee. She gets excited for a treat, or to see my mom (her favorite person) or is scared of someone at the door.. she pees. We will be gaining custody of this dog tomorrow. Long story short my brother suffers from mental illness and is being forced out of his house tomorrow. Not sure where he will be staying. He hasnt paid his mortgage for a long time and believes they have the wrong guy and everything will be fine. Anyway back to the dog. She comes to my house from time to time so we are not strangers. She gets along well with my dog, but gets excited and pees! She's been in my basement but usually out in the yard when she is here. I work at home and will through August and have the time to work with her.. we'll get her to the vet and have everything checked out, but if this is something we can overcome that would be great. Then she can stay here forever..otherwise it will be a temporary home for her. The dog we have now is very calm. She didn't come to us that way, but over time has gotten used to the fact that she is safe and she can just chill. I am hoping this new dog will learn from her, but obviously want to do my part too. She is an absolute sweetheart. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!


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## Growwhite

very descriptive comments over how to make potty a pleasure for your doggy .. in fact i also have picked some tricks to ally on .. thanks...


----------



## joeyjojoe

Hi folks. I have some experience with dogs; I had a SO with a Pug in the past, and have fostered several Jack Russells for a rescue group. My wife and I got a puppy from a local shelter a week ago. She loves my wife and was initially very scared of me (and all men, children, bicycles), but she's warming up to me too. I've been home for the last few days, so I've gotten some time to bond with her. We've been crating her for 4-5 on the days we both go to work, and she's been doing fine until 3 days ago. When I got back home from work, she had pooped on her bed in the crate. Since then, any time we both leave, she poops in the crate.

I've made sure that the crate is scrubbed clean with bleach, and the bed is washed with odor eliminating agents. She's totally happy on the bed, and will still sleep in the crate on the bed, so I don't think that's the issue. I don't believe she "has to" go, because I make sure she goes out to poop and pee before I put her in the crate. Also, I'm certain the crate isn't too big because the bed fills up the entire crate and it's not like she's trying to eliminate in the corner; she's pooping in the middle of the bed and then it gets all over her and then all over the crate too. Cleaning everything up is a 2-3 hour task and it's wearing me out.

I don't think she has health issues because otherwise she has solid stool and goes 3-4 times a day. She also has no problem holding it at night when we're asleep, but leaving the house for 10 minutes means I'll come home to find a giant mess.

I'm thinking she's displaying separation anxiety. She's happy in the crate at night and any other time of the day. I've heard her start to whine when I'm leaving (prior to this whole poop thing happening) but she stops after 2 minutes (I videoed her to make sure she's okay). Any thoughts? 

I've read one way to reduce anxiety is:
1) Putting her crate near a window, leaving and then when she makes noise, walk over to the window ... and repeat. And praise her any time she doesn't make a mess in the crate.
2) Having her sit in the mess and not paying attention when I get home. I think this is cruel.
3) Have something occupy her time. I got her a Nylabone and a Kong to play with, but I don't think she chews as soon as we leave.

Please help. She's a wonderful dog other than this one issue.

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy -- 4 months, almost 5
2.) Length Of Ownership -- 1 week
3.) Method Of House Training -- crate
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy -- terrier mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept -- in a crate in the bedroom
6.) Where Accidents Occur -- on her bed in the crate
7.) How Long Its Gone On -- 3 days
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs -- has happened when we're gone 4 hours or even as little as 20 minutes
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver -- wife and myself
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant -- she's a shelter dog and was rescued with 3 of her brothers that went to other homes


----------



## bobfletch

Hello, everyone. This is my first time posting on a forum like this, and it's prompted by an issue I'm having with one of my dogs. I have two Chihuahuas, Zoey (2) and Oscar (1). When I first got them both I pee pad trained them, and because they're small and because they are inside all day when I'm at work, I've just continued using that. They've been at the point where they really don't even try to go when I take them outside, they're just accustomed to the pee pads. I change the pads regularly to make sure they don't feel like there's too much on the pad. I get the occasional miss on the pad, but nothing major until recently. A few weeks ago Oscar started peeing or pooping at almost random places in the house, even on the couch a couple times. He also started showing a lot of fear/anxiety when it came to walking on the laminate kitchen floor (which he has to pass through to get to the pee pad in the back hall). He knows he's not supposed to be doing it, because he gets that ashamed pup look when he sees me clean it up. I've attempted to put the pee pad in a part of the house that he's not nervous about walking on, but he just ignores it. If I put him in the back hall where the pee pad is and block his way with a gate he will go after a bit, but he's very anxious about being back there. But at other times, like when they're being fed, he'll just trot back to the pee pad and do his business like normal. I'm at my wit's end trying to figure out how to help him. I don't want to have to confine them both to the kitchen/back hall area when I'm away (especially given how anxious he is about that area), but I can't have him relieving himself on the furniture. Most of the rest of the time he's playful and loving. I've read hypothyroid issues can cause issues similar to these, and I'll have him in at the vet soon for his yearly rabies booster and I can talk to them as well, just wondering if anybody has advice. 

Thank you,
Bob


----------



## Raggedw00ds

Hi! 

Ok, I have a question. I have an 8 week old female Australian Shepherd that we are in the (slow...) process of potty training. She's getting better in the fact that she now has accidents in the Kitchen (by the door that we let her outside to potty at) instead of just wherever. 

This is a step forward (isn't it? Please say it is! lol) BUT....she doesn't SQUAT to pee when she's inside...she walks and pees. Leaving a long pee trail. Making it hard sometimes to tell if she's peeing or just walking. So, my question is...is this normal? Will she grow out of this? Has anyone else experienced this? IS THERE HOPE!!!??? Also...she drinks A LOT, and pees A LOT. Just in the last half hour shes peed 3 TIMES!! THREE!! I don't want to restrict her water...but, should I?


----------



## 3doglady

Raggedw00ds said:


> Hi!
> 
> Ok, I have a question. I have an 8 week old female Australian Shepherd that we are in the (slow...) process of potty training. She's getting better in the fact that she now has accidents in the Kitchen (by the door that we let her outside to potty at) instead of just wherever.
> 
> This is a step forward (isn't it? Please say it is! lol) BUT....she doesn't SQUAT to pee when she's inside...she walks and pees. Leaving a long pee trail. Making it hard sometimes to tell if she's peeing or just walking. So, my question is...is this normal? Will she grow out of this? Has anyone else experienced this? IS THERE HOPE!!!??? Also...she drinks A LOT, and pees A LOT. Just in the last half hour shes peed 3 TIMES!! THREE!! I don't want to restrict her water...but, should I?


The fact that she's walking towards the door, is normally a good sign, but she is only 8 weeks old. She will not have good control over her bladder, etc until about 5-6 months old (if she is still walking an peeing, instead of squatting, at 12-14 weeks old, then be sure to let your vet know).

My typical puppy potty schedule at 8 weeks goes like this: 
Take her out 1st thing in the morning
Once before and twice after every meal
every 30 minutes (unless crated, in which case, every hour)
during mid-play
immediately after a nap
Last call around 11pm

Make sure you praise them when they go outside. Don't correct for accidents. Just pick them up and take them out. Clean up when you get in with a good enzymatic cleaner, or vinegar.

I do withhold water after 8 pm, until morning, but I give 1 ice cube every hour until bed time. Some people don't like to withhold water. If at any time the pup develops a UTI, you should not withhold it though.

It seems like no matter how often you take them out, there are days where they still have multiple accidents.

Good Luck.


----------



## Raggedw00ds

Thanks! So I guess we are progressing normally?! The walking and peeing thing is normal at her age? 

You're right though, some days it all goes so well with only a few accidents, then other days (like today) its constant pee. lol 

Thank you so much for the advise! It's been 12 years since we've had a puppy, we can't remember what's normal and what's not!


----------



## 3doglady

Raggedw00ds said:


> Thanks! So I guess we are progressing normally?! The walking and peeing thing is normal at her age?
> 
> You're right though, some days it all goes so well with only a few accidents, then other days (like today) its constant pee. lol
> 
> Thank you so much for the advise! It's been 12 years since we've had a puppy, we can't remember what's normal and what's not!


Because she is only 8 weeks old, I would say the walking pee thing is simply because doesn't realize she has to go until it's too late; she has no real muscle control at this age. If at 10 weeks she is peeing every 30 minutes regularly, I would have her urine tested for a UTI.

If you find she is still 'leaking' at 12-16 weeks, then it could be a leaky ureter, UTI, recessed vulva or something else. A UTI would need to be treated. A leaky ureter would be monitored to see if she grows out of it. A recessed vulva would mean waiting to spay until after her first heat, and a little extra sanitary care until then. 

What you're going through at this point does not indicate any of this and may be perfectly normal for her current muscle & GI development. But if it continues past a certain age, you can begin to look for other causes. (just putting that out there).


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## Raggedw00ds

Ok! Thanks so much!!


----------



## Kyndall54

Raggedw00ds said:


> Hi!
> 
> Ok, I have a question. I have an 8 week old female Australian Shepherd that we are in the (slow...) process of potty training. She's getting better in the fact that she now has accidents in the Kitchen (by the door that we let her outside to potty at) instead of just wherever.
> 
> This is a step forward (isn't it? Please say it is! lol) BUT....she doesn't SQUAT to pee when she's inside...she walks and pees. Leaving a long pee trail. Making it hard sometimes to tell if she's peeing or just walking. So, my question is...is this normal? Will she grow out of this? Has anyone else experienced this? IS THERE HOPE!!!??? Also...she drinks A LOT, and pees A LOT. Just in the last half hour shes peed 3 TIMES!! THREE!! I don't want to restrict her water...but, should I?


Ammy walks/squats and pees too, haha! She still walks and squats and pees outside too, I've never seen a dog do that but vet said nothing was wrong haha. You shouldn't restrict water for a puppy unless it's maybe a half hour or so before bed time, Ammy got a UTI when she was about 12 weeks. If you think she's peeing and drinking too much and you already have a vet, you can just get a pee sample and take it for a urinalysis for about $40. Ammy was on antibiotics for a week or so and cleared right up.


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## carlyd

I've had lots of dogs, generally with no housebreaking problems, until.....Tyler.

Tyler is 12 weeks old, and I got him at 7 weeks. Per his DNA test he is Chihuahua, American Hairless Terrier (a type of Rat Terrier) and Dachshund.

He has access during the day to an open sliding glass door to outside, and constant access to an open garage door that is one foot away from the doggy door to outside. As usual, we started with going outside every hour or so, plus after eating or waking up. My two older dogs "helped" by going along, and peed also. The first two weeks he seemed oblivious to the whole thing.

By 9 weeks, he would occasionally take himself outside, and would pee outside when I asked him to, but about half the time still went inside.

Now at 12 weeks, I'm getting beyond irritated. Today, I got up, walked across the room, stopped when I saw pee on the floor--as soon as he saw me stop where the pee was, he took off running and sat on the patio until I'd cleaned it up. He seems to know that me finding pee in the house is a bad thing--if I catch him actually peeing I will say "Bad Tyler" in a very sad, disappointed voice, and he will get droopy sad for a couple minutes. When he pees outside, he gets tummy rubs and happy voice and he really likes that.

We've been to the vet regularly, and the last visit last week, she said that due to his breed, it could take a lot longer to housebreak him than I was used to, but I'm scared to think how long that is. My previous dogs have run hours (German Shepherd) to a couple of days (Corgi).

Any suggestions? Am I doomed?


----------



## cookieface

carlyd said:


> I've had lots of dogs, generally with no housebreaking problems, until.....Tyler.
> 
> Tyler is 12 weeks old, and I got him at 7 weeks. Per his DNA test he is Chihuahua, American Hairless Terrier (a type of Rat Terrier) and Dachshund.
> 
> He has access during the day to an open sliding glass door to outside, and constant access to an open garage door that is one foot away from the doggy door to outside. As usual, we started with going outside every hour or so, plus after eating or waking up. My two older dogs "helped" by going along, and peed also. The first two weeks he seemed oblivious to the whole thing.
> 
> By 9 weeks, he would occasionally take himself outside, and would pee outside when I asked him to, but about half the time still went inside.
> 
> Now at 12 weeks, I'm getting beyond irritated. Today, I got up, walked across the room, stopped when I saw pee on the floor--as soon as he saw me stop where the pee was, he took off running and sat on the patio until I'd cleaned it up. He seems to know that me finding pee in the house is a bad thing--if I catch him actually peeing I will say "Bad Tyler" in a very sad, disappointed voice, and he will get droopy sad for a couple minutes. When he pees outside, he gets tummy rubs and happy voice and he really likes that.
> 
> We've been to the vet regularly, and the last visit last week, she said that due to his breed, it could take a lot longer to housebreak him than I was used to, but I'm scared to think how long that is. My previous dogs have run hours (German Shepherd) to a couple of days (Corgi).
> 
> Any suggestions? Am I doomed?


A couple ideas - 

- He's not really old enough to be allowed free access. Keep your eyes on him or, if you can't watch him, keep him confined to a smaller area. Take regular potty breaks.
- Go out with him _every time_ and reward like he just pooped gold. He may like tummy rubs and a happy voice, but treats might help get the point across faster.
- Clean any spot he's gone with enzymatic cleaner to completely remove the odor.
- Don't scold him when he does have an accident. You risk making him scared to pee in front of you any time - inside or outside - and it doesn't really teach him anything. 
- Don't compare him to your other dogs. He's different. Not better or worse, just different. That might help reduce some stress. 
- Many dogs aren't reliably house trained until they're much older - and when they get full bladder control at around 6 months. Dogs who are house trained earlier are often the ones whose owners a vigilant about watching and sticking to a potty schedule.

Relax and enjoy him. Is the avatar a picture of him? He's adorable!


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## Jaria

Hi All, 
Sorry if maybe this was addressed in the thread, but I couldn't read through it all.
Our 15 week old Shih-poo, Chewy, is finally able to go outside (i.e., fully vaccinated). We live on the 8th floor in a city and were advised by our vet and breeder to hold off on outside potty training because of the risk of disease.

Now we are trying to get him to potty outside after being 100% pee pad trained (no accidents / no crate issues / he holds his potty while we are out for 4 hours/day while in long-term confinement [even with pee pad there]). 

He refuses to go outside. We have taken him for 2 hour walks and he will hold it until he gets home. 
If anyone has had success with this transition, I would love to hear it. He's super smart and responsive to training. We'd like to nip this in the bud soon! I've even brought his pee pad outside with his scent and nothing... thoughts?
Thanks!


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## 3doglady

Sounds like he's basically going where he was trained to go and doesn't connect with going potty outside. He could also be hindered by the noises and smells outside. You could try taking the pee pad outside with you for a week or two. If he doesn't respond to the clean ones, bring out a dirty one. The best time to be successful is first thing in the morning. Bring a pee pad outside and be prepared to wait it out.


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## Jaria

3doglady said:


> Sounds like he's basically going where he was trained to go and doesn't connect with going potty outside. He could also be hindered by the noises and smells outside. You could try taking the pee pad outside with you for a week or two. If he doesn't respond to the clean ones, bring out a dirty one. The best time to be successful is first thing in the morning. Bring a pee pad outside and be prepared to wait it out.


Thank you, 3doglady. I actually had success yesterday and today! Now to get him consistent and on a schedule. 
Thanks!


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## Lynnlee22

I have three dogs, two males (both unaltered) and one female (spayed at early age). Rocky (3yrs) never had any issues with marking until Jake came along. Jake (2 yrs) is my chronic offender. He will mark anything, anytime, anywhere. When we are outside playing, he has lifted his leg and gone on my foot. I talked with my vet about getting them both altered, to hopefully eliminate the marking and to hopefully calm the aggression that exists between the two of them. In the meantime (surgery isn't cheap...especially for two) can anyone recommend a good enzyme cleaner tat they've had success with? I've tried carpet cleaner, upholstery cleaner, 50/50 vinegar, and they still "mark" their favorite spots. Any information would be greatly appreciated.


1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy
2 years
2.) Length Of Ownership
1 1/2 yrs
3.) Method Of House Training
Trained to go outside, confined to one room when home alone
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy
Jack Russell/ Shih tzu mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept
He is confined to one room with the other two dogs when he's alone.
6.) Where Accidents Occur
In that room
7.) How Long Its Gone On
1 year or so but has gotten worse over the last few months
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs
He doesn't have to be alone. He will do it right in front of me.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver
Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant

See above


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## DougMasters

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy / 5mo
2.) Length Of Ownership / 6 Days
3.) Method Of House Training / Crate training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy / Mini Schnauzer
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept / His crate is in our bedroom
6.) Where Accidents Occur / living room / kitchen ( smallish apartment )
7.) How Long Its Gone On / Full length of ownership
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs / Never alone when this occurs, we watch him like a hawk
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver / My wife and I
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant / Bred by a breeder, sold to puppies 'n' love and bought by us.

He was 5 mo when we got the little scrapper. Great dog, is getting certain commands already. We love the guy. He doesn't go in his crate which is great. But in the morning I take him out of his crate, right outside. Now I have tried being out for only a few minutes, and sometimes 40 minutes, we have tried just hanging around the grassy area right outside and taking a long walk. No matter what, he just doesn't potty outside. He never, once has eliminated outside. After 40 minutes of being outside, he will pee within 30 seconds of being inside. Every time he goes inside, immediately we give a clap, a no, and repeat potty outside, potty outside as we take him outside. We also say go outside everytime we take him out in general. 

A good friend of ours who owns three dogs suggested we keep him in his crate and take him out every 15 - 20 minutes to go, and only for 3 or so minutes, if he doesn't go put him back in his crate, lather rinse repeat.

We tried that annnnnnd it broke our hearts, cause after a few hours of that, when we finally just let him out to hang out with us he was afraid to leave the crate, when he did he sulked out dragging his back lags, wouldn't lift his face off the carpet until we reallllly lifted his spirits.

So, in short, we have no idea what to do. We are very attentive. Watch him closely. Our outside area is pretty distracting though.


----------



## CptJack

DougMasters said:


> 1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy / 5mo
> 2.) Length Of Ownership / 6 Days
> 3.) Method Of House Training / Crate training
> 4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy / Mini Schnauzer
> 5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept / His crate is in our bedroom
> 6.) Where Accidents Occur / living room / kitchen ( smallish apartment )
> 7.) How Long Its Gone On / Full length of ownership
> 8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs / Never alone when this occurs, we watch him like a hawk
> 9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver / My wife and I
> 10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant / Bred by a breeder, sold to puppies 'n' love and bought by us.
> 
> He was 5 mo when we got the little scrapper. Great dog, is getting certain commands already. We love the guy. He doesn't go in his crate which is great. But in the morning I take him out of his crate, right outside. Now I have tried being out for only a few minutes, and sometimes 40 minutes, we have tried just hanging around the grassy area right outside and taking a long walk. No matter what, he just doesn't potty outside. He never, once has eliminated outside. After 40 minutes of being outside, he will pee within 30 seconds of being inside. Every time he goes inside, immediately we give a clap, a no, and repeat potty outside, potty outside as we take him outside. We also say go outside everytime we take him out in general.
> 
> A good friend of ours who owns three dogs suggested we keep him in his crate and take him out every 15 - 20 minutes to go, and only for 3 or so minutes, if he doesn't go put him back in his crate, lather rinse repeat.
> 
> We tried that annnnnnd it broke our hearts, cause after a few hours of that, when we finally just let him out to hang out with us he was afraid to leave the crate, when he did he sulked out dragging his back lags, wouldn't lift his face off the carpet until we reallllly lifted his spirits.
> 
> So, in short, we have no idea what to do. We are very attentive. Watch him closely. Our outside area is pretty distracting though.



Your friend actually gave you the right advice, unfortunately. You have to stop letting him have access to the inside when you know he hasn't gone outside. If you can't stand the method suggested then your only option is to stand outside, every time, until he does go. Bring treats and a book, because it's going to take a while. It's a rough thing to do, either way, but he CAN NOT be allowed to think inside is where to go, and since he has gotten that idea (holding it outside, going in), you're going to have to prevent him going inside, and get him to go out so you can praise him. Only method for that is to let him only have access inside after a successful potty trip outside. Accomplishing that means limiting his indoor movement, or a whole lot of trips where you take him outside often and wait, wait, and wait some more until he's gone. 

Puppy will sulk and be upset. It's a different routine, but when you let him out if he gets upset? RIGHT BACK OUTSIDE. Until he goes, the only options need to be, either way, crate or outside.


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## DougMasters

CptJack said:


> Your friend actually gave you the right advice, unfortunately. You have to stop letting him have access to the inside when you know he hasn't gone outside. If you can't stand the method suggested then your only option is to stand outside, every time, until he does go. Bring treats and a book, because it's going to take a while. It's a rough thing to do, either way, but he CAN NOT be allowed to think inside is where to go, and since he has gotten that idea (holding it outside, going in), you're going to have to prevent him going inside, and get him to go out so you can praise him. Only method for that is to let him only have access inside after a successful potty trip outside. Accomplishing that means limiting his indoor movement, or a whole lot of trips where you take him outside often and wait, wait, and wait some more until he's gone.
> 
> Puppy will sulk and be upset. It's a different routine, but when you let him out if he gets upset? RIGHT BACK OUTSIDE. Until he goes, the only options need to be, either way, crate or outside.


thanks cap. I can deal with the pup being sad. I was worried that continuing to do that would do the dog harm or his relationship with us harm in the long run. but I can accept my worry being unfounded. of course if its best for the pup we could do it.


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## CptJack

DougMasters said:


> thanks cap. I can deal with the pup being sad. I was worried that continuing to do that would do the dog harm or his relationship with us harm in the long run. but I can accept my worry being unfounded. of course if its best for the pup we could do it.


You'll be fine. He'll probably catch on pretty quickly that peeing outside not only brings treats and praise, but - Free time to play! It's sad all around, but the faster they get it, the more fun you get to have in the long run. You'll be okay.


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## DougMasters

Our dog Mickey, and accidents...

As far as potty training goes things have been mostly ok. He has a tell tale sign that we recognize, more like a ritual actually. But there has been 3 times he has peed in our apt since we started the crate training.

He doesn't "let" us know when he needs to go, he seems to wait mostly until we decide to take him out. But he has had a couple "accidents"

So our question is, how do we get him to tell us he wants to go out and go potty?

We have affixed a small bell to the wall next to the door and are thinking about associating ringing the bell with going outside

Any thoughts?


Originally Posted by DougMasters 
1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy / 5mo
2.) Length Of Ownership / 6 Days
3.) Method Of House Training / Crate training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy / Mini Schnauzer
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept / His crate is in our bedroom
6.) Where Accidents Occur / living room / kitchen ( smallish apartment )
7.) How Long Its Gone On / Full length of ownership
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs / Never alone when this occurs, we watch him like a hawk
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver / My wife and I
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant / Bred by a breeder, sold to puppies 'n' love and bought by us.


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## cabber

I have two 5 1/2 month old springer spaniel lab mixes. We've had them for about 6 weeks and both are doing pretty well with housetraining. Well, WERE! One is fine and hasn't had any accidents in several weeks. The other was doing really well, but has recently started peeing inside once every other day or so. They are let out/walked regularly and do their business right away and are rewarded with treats and super excited "Good business!" (my neighbors must think we are nuts). We are going to keep the supervision a little tighter for a while, but just wondering if there is anything I'm missing? We do have them in crates and there are no accidents in the crates. 

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy / 5 1/2 months
2.) Length Of Ownership / 6 weeks
3.) Method Of House Training / Crate training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy / springer spaniel/lab mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept / Crate in living room
6.) Where Accidents Occur / @ home - living room, @ SO's office
7.) How Long Its Gone On / Last 10 days or so
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs / Minutes - usually when prepping dinner or something
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver / SO and I
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant / Have littermates (I KNOW, but it's going really well and we have done a LOT to address any issues before they arise)


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## AustralianShepherdOwner

Even though this post asks people to stop posting "potty" questions, I think just going to those links posted int the first post are not entirely helpful. People have individual problems and these posts don't exactly answer people's individuals needs. It's also hard to sort through every answer as some of those posts have many pages of answers that go back to a few years ago.


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## morgen

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed, but I'm not having luck searching keywords. My dog, Yoora, has been peeing and (much weirder for her) pooping inside for about 2 months after having fastidious potty habits since I adopted her. She was a rescue and lived with an established dog in a foster home for a while, and pretty much learned all her good manners there. She goes out about four times a day and doesn't do it in my bedroom, which is where she stays when alone.

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy / ~10 years
2.) Length Of Ownership / 6 years
3.) Method Of House Training / Pee pads
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy / Chihuahua/pomeranian/something else
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept / My bedroom when I'm out
6.) Where Accidents Occur / Living room, dining room, kitchen, foyer
7.) How Long Its Gone On / Since adopting cats, about 2 months
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs / Only happens when I'm home
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver / Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant / I adopted two cats in November and recently my sister moved in. There has been zero conflict between her and the cats; they were introduced carefully, neither she or the cats has ever shown aggression, they bump up against each other very casually. I wouldn't say they're friends exactly but they are living peaceably. My sister just moved into a spare bedroom in my place, but Yoora has always just adored her and has known her for a long time. This potty behavior had begun long before that though.

It seems clear that she's reacting to the cats, I assume? But why is she doing this? The floors are wood so it's not too big a deal to clean up, it's just a huge hassle since it happens several times a day and I'm going through so many paper towels that I'm worried the Lorax is going to come take me out. I'm tired of stepping in puddles. What can I do to curb this behavior?


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## morgen

So if I had to guess, I'd say that this is probably why people start new threads. Thanks anyway.


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## lxxenigmaxxl

Every one feels there situation is special. The whole point of a forum is to group people of the same interest and share information and knowledge. Just because someone asked the same question does not mean it will get answered the same.


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## morgen

No idea what you're getting at. If the "whole point" of a forum is for people to share _their_ information and knowledge, and no one does, that is a pretty pointless forum. Similarly, a forum that makes people feel wrong or like they're inconveniencing the other members (and because this is such a common question, a lot of people are being made to feel that way) for trying to use the forum for its intended purpose is not likely to attract and keep new members. People's situations _are_ different, which is why one thread for all potty questions is absurd. But I've already gotten pretty thorough help for this elsewhere, so further replies to this thread won't be read.


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## dins4

well I'm gonna apologize now cause I just posted one prior to reading this and I don't know how to delete it.I can post it here if someone let's me know how to delete the original 

"So we got Kaos 3 days ago and have realized he's got some separation anxiety problems. Whenever me or my girlfriend leave or come back from somewhere like the bathroom (we haven't left the house with him alone yet) he will pee even if the other person is still with him. As soon as my girlfriend is home from work he pees and of course if we attempt to crate him he pees so we're now starting to work with him to make his crate a positive place. However I was sitting in the living room and he walked into his crate sniffed around (we leave some little treats in there so it is a positive space) then peed while the door was open and he had gone in willingly. This obviously to me doesn't seem like a separation anxiety issue so I was wondering if maybe he is just trying to mark the crate as his? (he is 6 months old)"


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## morgan_lynne

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy / 8 months
2.) Length Of Ownership / 3 Days
3.) Method Of House Training / Pee Pee Pads/outdoors
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy / chiuaha/poodle
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept / kitchen with a baby gate
6.) Where Accidents Occur / living room/bed room hallway
7.) How Long Its Gone On / so far whole time
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs / Not alone, usually happens when I return
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver / Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant / Bought from previous home, and I am not aware of their methods.


So that's some backround info. My main question is though that I work 8 hours during the day and am unable to take my puppy out during the day, I leave her blocked off in my kitchen area of my apartment. Today is the first day I have left her by herself the full 8 hours and am a little scared of what I will return to. How long will it be before the dog learns the routine? Also when I wake up in the morning should I take my dog out immedietly? How many times a day does an 8 month old generally need to go out? Because if I take her out at 5:30 when I wake up, should I take her out again at 6:30 before I leave because I won't get home until 3:30ish.

Thanks for any adivce!

Any help is greatly appreciated!


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## Idrankwhat

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy
6 to 8 years old
2.) Length Of Ownership
4 years
3.) Method Of House Training
Was already trained. Rescue dog.
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy
Shepherd / Huskie mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept
Large outdoor run during work day. In house when at home.
6.) Where Accidents Occur
Back door when putting on leash.
7.) How Long Its Gone On
Since I got him.
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs
He is submissive peeing when putting on leash.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver
Me
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant 
Bear is a rescue dog who had been abused. When he was at the pound a pit bull bit his neck and he had to have surgery. I think he has a great fear of a leash since he was not only abused but probably had to wear a leash while recovering from neck surgery.
He lets me know he needs to go outside. When I go to hook up the leash to his collar he pees.
I'm not sure how to change his mood there. He is in a submissive state, sometimes even rolling on his back even while peeing. I am not scolding him or anything at the time. But I am amiss on how to correct this behavior. I have had dogs all my life and understand them fairly well. When my Jack Russell died, and before I got my new rescue dog, his peeing almost ceased. I don't know if that is a clue to this or not. It seems to be worse that it was while he was the only dog in the house. I really could use some help with this. And yes, another pottie question. Sorry!


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## Pavlov-BC

Just over a week ago I adopted a 4.5 month old border collie. He came from a family that treated him very well, but decided that raising a dog was too much for them. He is perfectly fine through the night and when he's tied up, but when he's free around the house he will sometimes pee with no warning or explanation. It can be a few minutes after returning from a walk and while he's standing next to me. There is no consistent location for it.

The prior family crate trained him and after a day or two I returned to walking him every hour and keeping him tied up whenever I'm not directly interacting with him. Even so, he has accidents. For example, just now I was teaching him a trick. Before I had a chance to open the room door he peed in front of me.

It doesn't seem to be due to fear or excitement, and he is able to hold himself for far longer at times. I have no idea what causes it or what I can do.


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## JanJanBunny

I didn't want to make a new thread so I'm asking here! 

I have potty trained dogs before with no problem, I always used to my advantage the dislike of urinating/defecating in their "den" (crate). Well this little pup I rescued isn't only too young to be away from mom (got her at almost six weeks, been a week with her) she was kept inside a bird cage WITH her mother, it was such a tight fit that her brother broke his neck (there were four pups, she's apparently the only survivor). She was never allowed out of the cage, so the dislike to use her den as a toilet isn't there. I have no idea how to even start training her :\ She goes potty anywhere, day/night, alone/supervised, on floor, her own bed (right where she's laying down, she doesn't mind laying down on her own urine), the only place she hasn't peed/pooped has been me when I hold her. She's a half a pound, seven week old Chihuahua pup.

She's HALF a pound. So no leash/collar properly fits her, because usually I'd do the ALWAYS SUPERVISE routine and just rush to the pad when she's about to go and say YAY. 

I also CANNOT do the "control feedings", she eats so little she's had (before I got her) hypoglycemic shocks already, she needs food 24/7 availability. So I can't just feed three times a day and go outside 30 minutes later :\

I have NO idea what approach to take! I'm moving to my parents house in ONE YEAR, and they are a carpeted house (mine's tile, so no much problem here), she needs to be 100% trained by then :c If not, she'll be stuck in one tiled room and kitchen x.x; At least until I move out (moving with them after college to get a job near them). Im confident she'll be trained in a year, but I just wanna get it started, the earlier the better!


----------



## taquitos

JanJanBunny said:


> I didn't want to make a new thread so I'm asking here!
> 
> I have potty trained dogs before with no problem, I always used to my advantage the dislike of urinating/defecating in their "den" (crate). Well this little pup I rescued isn't only too young to be away from mom (got her at almost six weeks, been a week with her) she was kept inside a bird cage WITH her mother, it was such a tight fit that her brother broke his neck (there were four pups, she's apparently the only survivor). She was never allowed out of the cage, so the dislike to use her den as a toilet isn't there. I have no idea how to even start training her :\ She goes potty anywhere, day/night, alone/supervised, on floor, her own bed (right where she's laying down, she doesn't mind laying down on her own urine), the only place she hasn't peed/pooped has been me when I hold her. She's a half a pound, seven week old Chihuahua pup.
> 
> She's HALF a pound. So no leash/collar properly fits her, because usually I'd do the ALWAYS SUPERVISE routine and just rush to the pad when she's about to go and say YAY.
> 
> I also CANNOT do the "control feedings", she eats so little she's had (before I got her) hypoglycemic shocks already, she needs food 24/7 availability. So I can't just feed three times a day and go outside 30 minutes later :\
> 
> I have NO idea what approach to take! I'm moving to my parents house in ONE YEAR, and they are a carpeted house (mine's tile, so no much problem here), she needs to be 100% trained by then :c If not, she'll be stuck in one tiled room and kitchen x.x; At least until I move out (moving with them after college to get a job near them). Im confident she'll be trained in a year, but I just wanna get it started, the earlier the better!


I have a puppy mill dog... and there isn't much you can do other than hover and take them out lots of times and reward the heck out of going outside. Pee pads did not work over here. He doesn't "get" them.

Anyway the first 4 months he was having accidents in the house... first two months he would just pee where he was sitting, or he'd be in bed with us and he'd just pee while laying there. It's been two years now and he is generally good, but he still has accidents if left for more than 6 hours alone.

Good luck :/ Just be prepared to hover and take out often.

And... I wouldn't trust my dog on a fully carpeted house, period lol. I am still nervous with area rugs around my house...


----------



## LittleFr0g

I can't add anything to what taquitos already said, but I just wanted to comment on your issue with no collars fitting your teeny tiny girl. Have you ever tried a kitten harness? I've heard of people with super tiny dogs using them with pretty good results.


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## JanJanBunny

taquitos said:


> I have a puppy mill dog... and there isn't much you can do other than hover and take them out lots of times and reward the heck out of going outside. Pee pads did not work over here. He doesn't "get" them.
> 
> Anyway the first 4 months he was having accidents in the house... first two months he would just pee where he was sitting, or he'd be in bed with us and he'd just pee while laying there. It's been two years now and he is generally good, but he still has accidents if left for more than 6 hours alone.
> 
> Good luck :/ Just be prepared to hover and take out often.
> 
> And... I wouldn't trust my dog on a fully carpeted house, period lol. I am still nervous with area rugs around my house...


I'm definitely ready to hover and rush lol And thankfully my parents are understanding of her situation (we have a bet going, whoever doesn't take her out to pee/poo in an emergency pays for the carpet replacement XD). I just wanted strategies but I guess hover and rush are it for now!


----------



## JanJanBunny

Kuma'sMom said:


> I can't add anything to what taquitos already said, but I just wanted to comment on your issue with no collars fitting your teeny tiny girl. Have you ever tried a kitten harness? I've heard of people with super tiny dogs using them with pretty good results.


Well I tried kitten collars and leash. Harnesses not because no stores in my area carried them and I don't want to order online for it not to fit, specially since she's growing so fast. But I DID try ferret harness and Guinea pig harness. Nothing fit ;(


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## LittleFr0g

JanJanBunny said:


> Well I tried kitten collars and leash. Harnesses not because no stores in my area carried them and I don't want to order online for it not to fit, specially since she's growing so fast. But I DID try ferret harness and Guinea pig harness. Nothing fit ;(


Wow, she IS tiny! Hamster harness? lol

Your best bet might be to go to someone that does custom harnesses. Collars aren't good for toy breeds, too much risk of damaging their trachea. I know if you search on Etsy there are a lot of people that make custom dog harnesses based on your dog's measurements and many of them are very reasonably priced.


----------



## JanJanBunny

Kuma'sMom said:


> Wow, she IS tiny! Hamster harness? lol
> 
> Your best bet might be to go to someone that does custom harnesses. Collars aren't good for toy breeds, too much risk of damaging their trachea. I know if you search on Etsy there are a lot of people that make custom dog harnesses based on your dog's measurements and many of them are very reasonably priced.



Ooh I've never even heard of Etsy, I wonder if they ship to PR. Thanks for the info I'll look it up! And yeah she weighs 8 oz lol


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## LittleFr0g

JanJanBunny said:


> Ooh I've never even heard of Etsy, I wonder if they ship to PR. Thanks for the info I'll look it up! And yeah she weighs 8 oz lol


Oh, Etsy is the BEST! I'm sure there are some who would, there's vendors on there from all over the world.


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## DaveInChicago

I have a question. We have an 8-week old puppy coming home in two weeks. The breeder will take care of the first round of shots, we will do the next two rounds. They advised not taking him to places where other dogs who may not have been vaccinated go before we complete the shots. That's a problem, since we're in a condo and everyone in the neighborhood takes their dogs to the same park. 

We have a 20x5 foot balcony, so I suppose we could use a patio potty or pads, but still, the dog needs to get exercise, right? I can't believe this is a unique situation. 

Do I need to roll my new puppy around in a plastic bubble?


----------



## nds1981

*Potty question 1*

Can you retrain a dog to go potty at certain times of day? I have a lab he is almost 4, he's been an outside dog all this time. He got hit by a car recently and I decided to bring him in. The problem is he will hold his urine and poo all night and most of the day no matter how many times we take him outside until around 12-2. No one is usually home during that time so how can i get him to go sooner or later during the day? Is that even possible?


----------



## nds1981

*Potty question 2*

I have a yorkie poodle mix who marks EVERYTHING he cant go 3 steps without cocking that lil leg up. It seems he has gotten worse since I brought Bandit in from outside. what can i do to stop this other than buying doggy diapers? He was a rescue dog and is at least 4 years old or older. The vet said that even once he gets fixed he still may do it because he's being doing it for so long...any help is appreciate


----------



## Tuonov

*Re: Potty question 2*

Hi,
Thanks for the excellent advice in this post. 

I needed some further advice though, and I can't seem to get the search working on my phone to look through the ther posts.
My parents have just got a 10 week old German shepherd puppy. She hasn't got a crate, but so far seems quite happy to sleep on the dog bed in a part of the kitchen that's quiet and a little darker.

So far she's been going toilet on the kitchen floor. We've been trying to take her outside but what we are finding is that she seems to refuse to go outside, even going as far as holding it in, then as soon as she is back inside she'll go on the floor. We take her out first thing in the morning, after every meal, every time she wakes from a nap, and last thing at night, but so far no luck.

We've tried taking her out 5 minutes after her meals, but perhaps being a large pup she holds it in and doesn't go outside at all. Eventually if we stay out long enough, she'll get agitated which is presumably from holding out to go back inside.

Do you know anything that we can do to encourage her to go outside rather than in? 
All of the advice I've read online suggests using a crate, so that will be the next step, but is there any way to train her without using a crate?

Thanks in advance


----------



## chimunga

*Re: Potty question 2*



nds1981 said:


> I have a yorkie poodle mix who marks EVERYTHING he cant go 3 steps without cocking that lil leg up. It seems he has gotten worse since I brought Bandit in from outside. what can i do to stop this other than buying doggy diapers? He was a rescue dog and is at least 4 years old or older. The vet said that even once he gets fixed he still may do it because he's being doing it for so long...any help is appreciate


Marking isn't really a potty issue. The best way to do it is to just not let him. With my dog, I just stay very aware of what he likes to mark, and then I don't let him near it. If he does start to mark, I interrupt him, and give him a treat when he comes to me.


----------



## BrowniesPerson

*Re: Potty question 2*

Hi all.

My sweet goldendoodle puppy arrived home today and I'm concerned because she hasn't peed or pooped since we picked her up. I've taken her outside like five times and I also took her on quite a long walk around the neighborhood and still nothing. I've fed her a bunch of treats throughout the day as well as two and a half meals (she abandoned the second one after a few bites). And she's had a LOT of water to drink. Yet she won't pee or poop.

She flew to us from Alabama and we're in NY. It was a seven hour flight. When we picked her up, she had already peed and pooped in the crate at some point during the trip. After that she's gotten quite a bit of exercise and eaten/drank a lot, like I've described.

She's been farting, so I've taken her outside twice after she started and nothing.

I should mention that she was trained for six weeks by the breeder before she came so she isn't a complete beginner. At this point she's 16 weeks old.

I'm going to wake up in the middle of the night to take her out again, but I'm not sure when I should try. Right now it's 11:15pm. She's already in her crate sleeping. When should I get up?


----------



## SueAndHerZoo

*Re: Potty question 2*

Re-awakening this thread - this may have been discussed before but after two days of searches I'm not finding it so I apologize in advance. I'm by no means a newbie to dogs - I've been heavily involved in foster/rescue/transport for 20 years and have had many, MANY dogs come through my home. I've had the seniors and I've fostered 5-day olds. But my current situation is one I don't recall having before and I'm a little stumped:

I currently have two dogs: a 150-pound Saint Dane and a 25 pound pug. This Saturday me and my husband will be going to a rescue adoption event and hope to come home with a puppy. The Saint-Dane acts like one and could really use a playmate, and I'm not accustomed to only having two dogs in the house so we thought it was time to experience the joys (said with tongue-in-cheek) of a puppy again. We've got the weekday and weekend schedule covered as far as crate-training, potty training, etc. but there will be occasions in the next few months where we will both need to be away from the house for 5-7 hours at a time. The two older dogs can use the pet door to access the fenced-in yard, but I won't be ready to leave the puppy with free reign of the house for some time yet. So what do I do when I have to leave the pup for 5-7 hours????? If I put her in a small crate I am essentially forcing her to either hold her urine that long or to pee in her crate and lie in it. If I confine her to one of our rooms with a crate and a wee-wee pad, not only will the pad confuse her, but my bigger fear is that the big dog will jump any and all barriers we put up. I don't want them playing when we're not home to supervise. 

I do have an ex-pen but same problem will occur - big dog will step right over it. Do I confine the pup in a room with a solid door with water, bed, chew toys and a wee-wee pad and hope for the best? I've had bad experiences in the past with the pads..... not only does it seem to confuse them by saying "it's ok to pee in the house, but today only" but it also sometimes leads them to think they can now pee on any fuzzy piece of fabric that is on the floor (like throw rugs). I was planning on avoiding wee-wee pads like the plague this time but don't know what to do with those engagements we are already committed to. 

Thoughts and suggestions? 
Thanks in advance, and sorry if this has already been discussed elsewhere.
Sue


----------



## Piddle Place

*Re: Potty question 2*



SueAndHerZoo said:


> Re-awakening this thread - this may have been discussed before but after two days of searches I'm not finding it so I apologize in advance. I'm by no means a newbie to dogs - I've been heavily involved in foster/rescue/transport for 20 years and have had many, MANY dogs come through my home. I've had the seniors and I've fostered 5-day olds. But my current situation is one I don't recall having before and I'm a little stumped:
> 
> I currently have two dogs: a 150-pound Saint Dane and a 25 pound pug. This Saturday me and my husband will be going to a rescue adoption event and hope to come home with a puppy. The Saint-Dane acts like one and could really use a playmate, and I'm not accustomed to only having two dogs in the house so we thought it was time to experience the joys (said with tongue-in-cheek) of a puppy again. We've got the weekday and weekend schedule covered as far as crate-training, potty training, etc. but there will be occasions in the next few months where we will both need to be away from the house for 5-7 hours at a time. The two older dogs can use the pet door to access the fenced-in yard, but I won't be ready to leave the puppy with free reign of the house for some time yet. So what do I do when I have to leave the pup for 5-7 hours????? If I put her in a small crate I am essentially forcing her to either hold her urine that long or to pee in her crate and lie in it. If I confine her to one of our rooms with a crate and a wee-wee pad, not only will the pad confuse her, but my bigger fear is that the big dog will jump any and all barriers we put up. I don't want them playing when we're not home to supervise.
> 
> I do have an ex-pen but same problem will occur - big dog will step right over it. Do I confine the pup in a room with a solid door with water, bed, chew toys and a wee-wee pad and hope for the best? I've had bad experiences in the past with the pads..... not only does it seem to confuse them by saying "it's ok to pee in the house, but today only" but it also sometimes leads them to think they can now pee on any fuzzy piece of fabric that is on the floor (like throw rugs). I was planning on avoiding wee-wee pads like the plague this time but don't know what to do with those engagements we are already committed to.
> 
> Thoughts and suggestions?
> Thanks in advance, and sorry if this has already been discussed elsewhere.
> Sue



Greetings Sue

I thank you so much for fostering pets and finding them forever homes. It takes a special person, and that is you. I also foster many pets, and when they are puppies, we set up their crate, but leave the door open. We attach a folding baby fence to the open door of the crate. This creates a little play area for the puppy. When I use this setup, in the play area, I leave chew toys, clean water, and an indoor pet potty. I know many have concerns with these, but we find using the right attractant makes a huge difference. The one we use has the small of grass. This is so the puppy will not become confused, and their puppy potty will smell like the outside. Otherwise, they may think every rug is a potty, and will become confused. 
As the puppy grows, we have removed the fence, but left the open crate, and their potty nearby. When I am at work, the dogs have learned to use the potty, when I get home, we go for a long walk. This have removed the barriers to my fostering dogs, and for others to adopt these dogs. We found the main reason people dropped dogs off at my shelter was housebreaking issues. This seems to make dogs more adoptable.

Sue, I thank you again for all your efforts on behalf of our furry friends. You're wonderful

Kathleen


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## SueAndHerZoo

*Re: Potty question 2*

Thank you, Kathleen, for also being one of those special people. I will look into the products you mention right away. In chatting with a co-worker a short time ago, I asked how she handles a similar situation and she strongly recommended the "fake grass" pee area so now that you've mentioned it, too, it's definitely worth trying.

Thanks.... talk soon.
Sue


----------



## Corgi Problems

I've got one to share, kind of a head scratcher as I've never had any of my dogs be so defiant to being trained anything.

I have a now 11 month old purebred Welsh Cardigan Corgi, she is great except for one thing. She does not grasp the idea of that she needs to go outside to use the bathroom ALL the time.

She was born in January. Unfortunately, I was unable to get her until May of this year. I started with puppy pads, each time she got on the pad I moved it closer and closer to the door. If she had an accident off pad (which is easy given shes very long and low to the ground), I would use nature's miracle spray, clean up the mess, reapply, and do it again. If she did it on the carpet I would do mostly the same thing ensuring there was a good layer of the enzyme spray in the carpet or the hardwood.
When I initially got her I let her have free roam of the house, I imagine this was not the best of ideas.

Recently I decided to put my foot down. I have been unemployed for a bit now so I leashed her, and wherever I went, she went. She fights the collar/lead like its a mortal enemy, no matter how long it is kept on her.
In the past few day I have been successful with getting her to go outside (we have a fenced back yard), and fuss all over her and give her treats when she does her business.

Currently I have a gate in front of my office and she stays with me in here while I do what I need to do. I leave it today to go to the restroom, no more than 30 seconds. I come back in and she has pooped twice and peed on the carpet. It is like she is being DELIBERATE on this.

I have no clue on what to do at this point or how I can get her to fully get the idea that the inside of the house as a whole is not grounds to use the restroom. She's young and from what I can observe insanely intelligent (finding ways to open doors, get over obstacles, etc.).

At this point I am absolutely begging for help because unless I literally conjoin the two of us with a leash, the moment she knows I'm gone she will relieve herself.

If you have any questions please let me know.


----------



## Lillith

Corgi Problems said:


> I've got one to share, kind of a head scratcher as I've never had any of my dogs be so defiant to being trained anything.
> 
> I have a now 11 month old purebred Welsh Cardigan Corgi, she is great except for one thing. She does not grasp the idea of that she needs to go outside to use the bathroom ALL the time.
> 
> She was born in January. Unfortunately, I was unable to get her until May of this year. I started with puppy pads, each time she got on the pad I moved it closer and closer to the door. If she had an accident off pad (which is easy given shes very long and low to the ground), I would use nature's miracle spray, clean up the mess, reapply, and do it again. If she did it on the carpet I would do mostly the same thing ensuring there was a good layer of the enzyme spray in the carpet or the hardwood.
> When I initially got her I let her have free roam of the house, I imagine this was not the best of ideas.
> 
> Recently I decided to put my foot down. I have been unemployed for a bit now so I leashed her, and wherever I went, she went. She fights the collar/lead like its a mortal enemy, no matter how long it is kept on her.
> In the past few day I have been successful with getting her to go outside (we have a fenced back yard), and fuss all over her and give her treats when she does her business.
> 
> Currently I have a gate in front of my office and she stays with me in here while I do what I need to do. I leave it today to go to the restroom, no more than 30 seconds. I come back in and she has pooped twice and peed on the carpet. It is like she is being DELIBERATE on this.
> 
> I have no clue on what to do at this point or how I can get her to fully get the idea that the inside of the house as a whole is not grounds to use the restroom. She's young and from what I can observe insanely intelligent (finding ways to open doors, get over obstacles, etc.).
> 
> At this point I am absolutely begging for help because unless I literally conjoin the two of us with a leash, the moment she knows I'm gone she will relieve herself.
> 
> If you have any questions please let me know.


I would get rid of the puppy pads all together. Basically, you ARE teaching her that sometimes it is ok to go inside. Puppy pads can often be very confusing for some dogs. They resemble rugs or carpet.

Have you tried crate training? Dogs do not typically go where they sleep. When you cannot supervise, crate her to prevent accidents.

Take her outside very, very often, like she is a little puppy again. When she goes, praise like crazy.

Do you scold her when she goes potty inside? If you do, stop. That will teach her that going in front of you is bad, not going inside, which could be why she decides she needs to go when you have left the room. Instead, just clean it up and don't signal that you are angry to your dog.


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## holmeyjoe1017

Hello Folks!

So I did some research and have not found anything that is particularly convincing in one way or another, so I am hoping that the brainpower of this forum can help me.

First, the basics:

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy - ~3 and a half (rescue, so no way to tell for certain)
2.) Length Of Ownership - 3 years
3.) Method Of House Training - Crate Trained
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy - West Highland White Terrier
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept - Free reign of the home when we are not around.
6.) Where Accidents Occur - In her bed.
7.) How Long Its Gone On - ~ 3 months
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs - She isnt alone, we are sleeping in the same room as her.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver - My wife and I
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant - N/A

So, I have had Hudson for 3 years and they figure she was about 6 months when we first rescued her from a kill shelter in upstate New York. We started right away with crate training her, and making sure she had ample time outside to do her business. Strongly rewarded her, and made sure to have specific code words for number 1 and number 2. Great, grand, wonderful! She is very good in the home, maybe 1 accident per 5 months or so and it usually has much more to do with her peeing when being excited than anything else (seeing a new person, or the inevitable person riling her up as soon as they walk in the door). Our vet says she has a weak bladder and must have had some issues with submissive peeing earlier in her life - but she has been very good to us.

So here is the trouble in paradise; Over the last few months she has decided to just urinate in her bed and then get up and leave the smelly bed and go sleep on the couch (can you blame her - it must be smelly). We let her sleep in the room with us on her own bed and she is allowed to come and go as she pleases in the apartment. For no reason that I can figure (having gone out around 9-10PM) she will pee in her bed in the middle of the night, get up and go elsewhere in the house (usually the sofa) and go back to sleep. She has no issues holding it for that time frame from 9-10PM-6:30A which is pretty typically when we bring her out the next morning. She doesn't yelp or whimper, and has not had an accident in the morning. Before this she was having no issues at all and lasted through the night with no trouble. We have tried a few types of beds thinking maybe the soft feel of the bed was reminding her of grass (I don't know, we are looking for any explanation), and none of them have made a difference. 

The kicker is that it only happens if we give her a bed to sleep in. A few times we have thrown one bed away and have not purchased a new one yet, and she will sleep on the sofa, or in my sweatshirt if I leave it on the floor and there will be no issues whatsoever. It is like she is upset I only buy the $15 TjMaxx Beds and she deserves better or something.

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated! Maybe I should try just getting a pillow and blanket and making a bed? Use an old sweatshirt of mine? 

Regards,

Joe


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## Onnie

About a week or so ago i got a month old Dachshund puppy out of the blue (his mum is my neighbour's dog, but she started rejecting him and being really aggressive towards him, and they were unable to keep him because of space/how hostile the mum was being), he's still not allowed to go outside and he lives on the second floor of the house, but he does go downstairs to play with my mum's dogs (a 7ish y/o and a 10something y/o, they are rescue dogs so we don't really know how old they really are) every day for a couple of hours, and we try to introduce him to as many people as possible and other neighbour's dogs so that he gets well socialized.

my issue is that i've never had a puppy, much less a puppy so young, because we've always had old rescue dogs and they already kinda knew the drill of things so we didn't really train them, but with Otto (the puppy) i have no idea what to do or if what i'm doing is right. Because we got him so suddenly we didn't have time to prepare beforehand, so we don't have a crate or a pen for him, he's living on a DIY pen we made out of two sofas in one corner of the living room and he's got a blanket and some pillows as bed, and a litterbox in one corner for him to go potty, the rest of the floor is covered in newspaper; so far i think he's doing a really good job at doing his business on the litterbox, he goes there 80% of the time i'd say, but i think maybe i'm doing more harm than good by letting/teaching him to go potty on the litterbox, my theory was that he was going to get used to the texture of the litter and then when he can go out it'll be easier for him, but right now i'm not so sure, but i'm also scared of letting him go outside because there are stray dogs and he could catch fleas or something (because he's so young he hasn't got all his vaccines yet).

so what do i do? do i keep the litter box until he can go outside safely? i also don't know if i should get him a real pen or not, because the place he is in now is temporary obviously, and next month i'm buying him a crate, but i also feel bad about letting him alone in such a tiny place, and i feel like he shouldn't be there all the time i'm working/busy, i thought maybe i could put the crate on the bathroom and also the litterbox while i can't supervise him? so he has space to play? but i've also read that's bad because he'll get used to peeing where he eats.
and i i can put the crate next to me bed when it's night time so i can take him to go potty more easily, thoughts???

please help


----------



## Cleyequien

Ok, so I will attempt to read as many of these as possible, but I'm at my wits end. Here goes the thing, I never leave her un supervised, when I'm at home, she never leaves my side, and never would even if I wanted her to, if I get up to the kitchen, she goes with me, always at my feet. I go to the bathroom, there she is walking by my side, she gets sad if I go out without her, etc. So, when I'm home, she is(technically was, as I won't let her anymore) always cuddling at my lap, or at my side, on top of the couch, and there is the issue, she might actually be extremely lazy but I don't really know, the issue is(and it has happened 4 times, but I honestly cannot remain angry with her for a long time, she is just so sweet) she pees on the couch, last time is the best example of it, I took her out at 5am to the loo, then again at around 9-10, then at 1pm, and after the last one, she was so peacefully asleep on my side, and then suddenly she moved her head a bit, but then fell asleep again, I didn't though tmuch of it... Until a few seconds later, when I started felling a bit warm wetish... suffice it to say this is the 4th time on the couch and twice on the bed(Yes she is my baby puppy and she DID sleep on the bed until that time)
So I am desperate, she is smart, I mean, I just tested her, I put some food beside her and ordered to stand still, she didn't attempt to go for the food, and she knows several commands already, like stay, come, sit, wait, it hurts(she stops biting and licks my "wounds" when I say it hurts), etc. So I can't really understand why is it so difficult for her to understand potty(And BTW, if it matters, I attepted to shower newspaper with attracting liquid, I bought her special attracting mats, and the little fake grass attracting mat, and nothing works, whatever I try is not working (so far)


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## DaySleepers

Just a heads up, despite being a sticky, this thread doesn't get a ton of traffic, so if you don't find an answer to your specific questions here you may actually be better off starting your own threads, regardless of the title of this one, haha.

Cleyequien: How old is your dog? I'm assuming she's a puppy, and I think it's important to remember that most dogs don't physically have complete bladder control until 6 months (ish, since every dog develops at a slightly different rate). If she's a very young pup, I'd suggest more frequent potty breaks, even if you have to wake her up to take her out. However, the fact that she seems to be going in her sleep makes me want to suggest a vet. Is she spayed? Spaying a female before their first heat can sometimes lead to spay incontinence, basically without their reproductive organs they don't produce the hormones that allow their urinary system to develop fully, so they can't 'hold it' as well as they should. Otherwise, have your vet check for a UTI, especially if this is a new problem, because sudden changes in potty behavior can be caused by infection. Your vet should be able to arrange a treatment plan in either case. Once you rule out health... is there any reason she's not being trained to potty outside? Some dogs have a hard time grasping that they can ONLY go on potty pads indoors, and start thinking that anything that looks like a pad/newspaper (like blankets, rugs, dog beds, towels, etc) are also okay pee spots.

Onnie - Wow, so young! I'm sorry your neighbor was so thoughtless in allowing their dog to breed when they didn't have the time/space to handle complications, but good on you for taking care of the pup. It sounds like you don't have any outdoor space that isn't frequented by unknown dogs or wildlife, like a fenced yard, is this correct? If so, I totally understand why you're keeping him indoors - you don't want to mess around with parvo or distemper. It'll get easier once he's fully vaccinated! I've never had a puppy so young, so maybe posting a new thread about him would get you some more advice from other, more experienced members, but at his age he's going to have so little control over his bladder and bowels that I think keeping him in a playpen or dog-safe room (like the bathroom) is your best option. Put down lots of pads or paper, give him a separate area to sleep and eat (like an appropriately sized crate - something only big enough for him to stand, turn around, and lie down in, possibly with a divider since he has so much growing left to do), and reward him for going on the pads/paper, but don't worry too much about potty training at this point. You can start building good habits, but a 4 week old is still basically an infant, so set your expectations really, really low. Seriously though. Post a new thread. Raising a puppy that was separated from his mom/littermates so early has unique challenges above and beyond potty training, and I'm sure people would be willing to help out!


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## Cleyequien

DaySleepers, I will start a new thread if I can't find something that solves it, jeje, I sure will.

Now, she is about 3 months old. She is not spayed, I had heard from my family that has dogs that is a bad idea to do that before the first time, AKA, on pregnancy and then bye bye. So that is my idea. She has always been like that, but I doubt it is an infection anymore, I rescued her one month ago, she was dying and had a lot of parasites(her tummy was bloated as a baloon) and the vet gave her an anti-parasite inyection and vitamins, but he didn't saw any kind of infection, the first time it happened it was a few days after she came home, once she was feeling better. Then next time a week or so later, then one week ago and the day before yesterday, but what feels strange to me is, the only one that might have been an accident is in my very inexperienced opinion) this last time, as she was deep asleep and sometimes she has nightmares and cries on her sleep, or "runs" a lot on her sleep. The other three times it kind of felt like she did it intentionally; the first time I was listening to music on my bed, and she still slept on a pillow I set up for her beside my bed, but she kept asking me to put her up, I put her by my side on the bed and she immediately peed. Then next time, I was playing video games, and then I decided to get her out and after I started cooking, after eating, I sat and she asked me to let her up(and she had just peed beside the couch BTW) and I did... Not 5 minutes later she had peed and pooped on it, and you might be able to kinda call it my fault, as I went to the loo and left her alone on the couch, so I'll gut that. But then, as I mentioned, one week ago I went to the market, came back and took her out(I dont like the idea of a box and I live in a studio so the only door is the bathroom, so when I leave I leave her in the bathroom knowing it will be a mess when I'm back) she peed and tried to run back inside(She is going to be a home dog, not a "lets go to the street" kind of dog) and I stopped her and told her I knew she had more in her(She actually can hold for a bit, and I realized because she was most of the time laying by my side, so when I pet her on the belly I can feel her tripes if she needs to really go, so If I feel them I take her out, and she does a ton, and then her tummy doesn't feel like that any more) so she pooped a lot and then went pee again, I took her in and then she asked me to let her up(usually I wait until she asks me to let her up, IDK why, and I try to make her climb on her own) and I took her up... I had just put her on the couch and she peed... Again.

I will follow your advise, I just took her to the Vet on monday, but I will go for an in depth check up, and well, I gotta be patient I guess.

Thanks for the advise!


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## DaySleepers

Thanks for the additional information! It helps.

Did you mean one heat and then done? Female dogs are still babies themselves - by which I mean both physically and emotionally immature - until about two years old, so they shouldn't be bred before then. In addition, testing to make sure she doesn't have any genetic conditions she could pass onto the pups and possible health complications add a lot of stress, expense, and potential heartbreak to the mix. There's an old myth that females "need" one litter, but it's just that - a myth. Waiting for her to have her first heat is great, but actual breeding, even just once, isn't for the faint of heart!

At three months, I'd say the first thing I'd try is more regular breaks. When she's awake and active, start with every hour, hour and fifteen minutes. If she's still having accidents, reduce the time immediately. If she's holding it well, you can start increasing it by 15 minutes every couple days. You should be able to narrow down how often she needs to go out, and as she matures, she'll be able to hold it longer and longer. The 'rule of thumb' is they can hold it for an hour for every month of age, but every dog is different, and it's better to take her out more often than she needs than to let her have accidents indoors. If she's a small dog, they sometimes need to go more often, too. When she's sleeping, I'd still give her one or two breaks overnight. Again, more if she keeps having accidents. Set alarms for everything if you have to! It's a pain, but it's not forever and you'll get really solid potty training out of it.

When you let her out, go out with her, preferably on a leash. When she potties, act like it's the best thing ever, get really happy and excited, praise her, and give her an extra tasty treat. Maybe even play with her for a few seconds. Dogs don't have the same concept of indoors vs. outdoors that we do, and it sounds like she might just not 'get' that outdoors is WAY more fun and rewarding to potty in than indoors. Clean up the spots she's had accidents indoor super well, either with vinegar or a pet-specific cleaner that contains enzymes. Even if you can't smell the accident anymore, she probably can and it's like a neon sign to her that say "potty here!" I assure you that she's not doing it intentionally, at least not in the sense that she's doing it out of spite or 'knows better'. Dogs don't think that way, she just hasn't quite understood what the expectations are for her yet. She likely doesn't know she has to go until last minute, just like a little kid, which more regular breaks should help with, so she doesn't get to that 'full to bursting' point and go wherever she happens to be standing.

See what the vet says, esp. about the peeing in her sleep, because that's the only thing that doesn't seem 100% normal for a puppy her age, but it could just be that she was so deeply asleep that she couldn't help it.


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## Himannv

After a few months with us, my puppy is almost potty trained. I say "almost" because there's a small glitch my system right now. Sadie now pees and poops outside throughout the day, but pees inside the house at night. She probably can't hold it for the whole night. The best solution would probably be to wake up in the night and take her outside. I did try this when I first brought her home, but my wife doesn't like the idea of me going out at night as she's superstitious about it. 

I'm considering getting her a litter box so that she has somewhere to pee if she needs to, but I'm also not a big fan of this idea. I'd have to find sand from somewhere on a fairly regular basis for one thing.

Does anyone have any other solutions for me? I don't want her to get too used to peeing in the house, even if it's only at night.


EDIT: One other problem is that she does not go if the ground is wet after rain. Even if the door is wide open, she will pee inside the the house.


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## laurenlizard

* 1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy:* almost 2 yrs

* 2.) Length Of Ownership:* in 3rd week 

* 3.) Method Of House Training:* frequent visits outside, praise and treat 

* 4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy:* Shorkie 

* 5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept:* free roam when I'm home though he always stays by me, kitchen only while I'm away 

* 6.) Where Accidents Occur:* everywhere 

* 7.) How Long Its Gone On:* since adoption 

* 8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs:* when I'm with him, generally - hasn't had an accident while I'm at work with walker during the day. He's too interested in looking outside. 

* 9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver:* me

* 10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant:* crate training did not work and frequent outside visits will not work because this dog can go 24 hours between pees and poops. He eats and drinks normally. The peepee that comes out is a river. He doesn't have a medical issue. He came from a doggy door foster home. I will not do doggy door. He often goes on walks or is let into the back yard and doesn't mark /pee. I can't associate outside with pee if he doesn't go! Please help.


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## Lillith

laurenlizard said:


> * 1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy:* almost 2 yrs
> 
> * 2.) Length Of Ownership:* in 3rd week
> 
> * 3.) Method Of House Training:* frequent visits outside, praise and treat
> 
> * 4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy:* Shorkie
> 
> * 5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept:* free roam when I'm home though he always stays by me, kitchen only while I'm away
> 
> * 6.) Where Accidents Occur:* everywhere
> 
> * 7.) How Long Its Gone On:* since adoption
> 
> * 8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs:* when I'm with him, generally - hasn't had an accident while I'm at work with walker during the day. He's too interested in looking outside.
> 
> * 9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver:* me
> 
> * 10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant:* crate training did not work and frequent outside visits will not work because this dog can go 24 hours between pees and poops. He eats and drinks normally. The peepee that comes out is a river. He doesn't have a medical issue. He came from a doggy door foster home. I will not do doggy door. He often goes on walks or is let into the back yard and doesn't mark /pee. I can't associate outside with pee if he doesn't go! Please help.


It sounds like he has developed a habit of going inside. Was he previously pad trained, do you know?

If you haven't already, clean up his accidents with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle or a similar cleaner that eliminates the scent of the accident. Cleaning it up with a regular cleaner doesn't eliminate the scent.

For now, I would not give this dog free roam of the house, even when you are home. Keep him in the same room as you at all times so you can catch him if he starts to go. When you cannot 100% supervise, crate him. You're basically going to treat him like a baby puppy in the potty training department. If you catch him, say something like "Oopsie!" and get him outside quick. Praise and reward for going outside!

Have you tried letting him sniff around in areas you know other dogs have gone potty? That typically makes most dogs want to mark at least a little. You could also try taking his accidents outside to see if that would encourage him to go outside, since you are having such trouble getting him to go out there in the first place! When you take him to the back yard to potty, put him on a leash and just stand there. Nothing fun is going to happen until he goes potty. If he's allowed to roam freely out there he might get distracted. Make potty trips separate from play trips.


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## laurenlizard

Thank you for your suggestions.

The foster had him doggy door trained. He only used pads as a pup and doesn't seem to recognize their purpose anymore. I clean every accident with Nature's Miracle. And when we are home together, he is stuck to my side like glue. 

I have taken outside a potty pad that I used to clean up an accident inside. When we are out there in the yard, he'll sniff a little, but mainly just sit there. I've stayed out there 30/45 minutes without results. The times that he does eliminate outside seem to be random. On walks, he'll sniff droppings other dogs have left, but that doesn't trigger him. Walks do seem to be more successful at getting him to potty, but they are not a surefire method. 

The main issue is that he just holds his pee and poop so long despite normal eating and drinking.


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## Lillith

laurenlizard said:


> Thank you for your suggestions.
> 
> The foster had him doggy door trained. He only used pads as a pup and doesn't seem to recognize their purpose anymore. I clean every accident with Nature's Miracle. And when we are home together, he is stuck to my side like glue.
> 
> I have taken outside a potty pad that I used to clean up an accident inside. When we are out there in the yard, he'll sniff a little, but mainly just sit there. I've stayed out there 30/45 minutes without results. The times that he does eliminate outside seem to be random. On walks, he'll sniff droppings other dogs have left, but that doesn't trigger him. Walks do seem to be more successful at getting him to potty, but they are not a surefire method.
> 
> The main issue is that he just holds his pee and poop so long despite normal eating and drinking.


What exactly is doggy door trained? Did the foster report accidents? So he will go outside if he can go through a doggy door, is that it?

Does he have accidents in his crate? Where does he go when he has an accident? Just goes right in front of you or sneaks off?


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## laurenlizard

Lillith said:


> What exactly is doggy door trained? Did the foster report accidents? So he will go outside if he can go through a doggy door, is that it?
> 
> Does he have accidents in his crate? Where does he go when he has an accident? Just goes right in front of you or sneaks off?


The foster reported no accidents. He could come and go out of the doggy door as he liked to do his business. When I attempted to crate train him, he would not eliminate in there. The issue was that he didn't mind the crate when I was present, but unable to give him my full attention; however, leaving him in the several hours at a time when I was at work stressed him out. I just don't have the time to increase his alone time in there, especially because he holds his bladder forever. When he has an accident, he does it in front of me or goes off on his own.


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## Lillith

laurenlizard said:


> The foster reported no accidents. He could come and go out of the doggy door as he liked to do his business. When I attempted to crate train him, he would not eliminate in there. The issue was that he didn't mind the crate when I was present, but unable to give him my full attention; however, leaving him in the several hours at a time when I was at work stressed him out. I just don't have the time to increase his alone time in there, especially because he holds his bladder forever. When he has an accident, he does it in front of me or goes off on his own.


Ok, like I said earlier, if you catch him do the "Oopsie" thing. If he is sneaking off on his own, you need to supervise him more closely. He shouldn't be able to do that.

If he doesn't have accidents while you are away at work, whatever, let him hang out in the kitchen. But if you need to take a shower, make a meal, eat, or do anything where you can't have eyes on him 100% of the time, crate him. You can even tether him to you if that makes you feel better, but the absolute best way to potty train a dog is make sure he doesn't have accidents inside, or catch him before he can! Its not like having to crate him when you can't supervise is going to be forever, its only while you train, and it does take a little extra time. I would suggest playing crate games (you can look it up on this forum) to get him more comfortable with the crate. Feed him in there, give him yummy stuffed Kong, chews, etc. Good things happen in the crate!

Bottom line is, the dog has to go potty eventually. You need to make sure he goes in the right spot, and that takes time, consistency, and a ton of patience.


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## laurenlizard

I appreciate your help. Thank you!


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## mikachu

I get the reason for the sticky, but some of the posts in the sticky have zero responses lol. Here is the one I am talking about. And it just so happens to be the topic I need help with (even though my dog is pooping in front of my door and my roommates door). Is it okay if I make a post about marking in the normal board, if I search up and find nothing useful?

Especially since this thread hasnt really been active since Feb.


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## rebecca1938

Thank you for the comprehensive list of potty threads. I had questions about this, and this is really helpful!


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## thatsmia

Hello all, here's the basics for my puppy (who is now 3 months!)

1.) Age Of Dog/Puppy: 12 weeks and 3 days
2.) Length Of Ownership: A little over 5 weeks
3.) Method Of House Training: Crate Training
4.) Breed Of Dog/Puppy: German Shepherd and Lab mix
5.) Where Dog/Puppy Is Kept: She's kept downstairs only because there's no room in my bedroom to keep her there yet. Have to do major overhaul of my room.
6.) Where Accidents Occur: Crate
7.) How Long Its Gone On: This happened last night and just earlier tonight when we got home from dinner.
8.) How Long Dog/Puppy Is Alone When It Occurs: Last night she was only in the crate for almost 4 hours when I went down to take her out to go. Tonight she was left in there for about 2 hours.
9.) Whom Is The Primary Caregiver: I am
10.) Any Background History That Might Be Relevant: These are the first poop accidents she's had in the crate. Her poop has been half solid and liquid for a few days and I've tried to cut down on amount of food slightly as well as trying to make sure she doesn't eat things she's not supposed to. She's eaten some paper and part of a plastic lid to an empty frosting container (it was cleaned of any frosting prior to her chewing it up). Our house is a bit cluttered so things fall on the floor a lot and she gets them in her mouth. I try to keep an eye on her as best I can when I'm home as I'm a student and have to go to class during the day. My brother and parents help me out in taking care of her and I've asked them to cut down a bit on her food when they feed her as well as treats. I'm brand new at owning a dog (I'm 24 and still live at home) so this is both frustrating and worrisome to me. She's never pooped in the crate until now and I don't know what to do. I try to get her to pee on the puppy pad but she also still pees on the carpet. We've started to take her for short walks every day and try to give her a routine. We feed her 3x a day but I'm not sure if that's also good for her since she's pooped 2 times in the crate already. She also starts puppy classes on the 9th of December but I'm not sure how much this will help. We also have a small backyard (it's really more of a patio) and have started taking her out there more. She does pee and poop outside but still pees and poops on the carpet inside. I don't know what I'm doing wrong so any help would be appreciated. Also, for those who are worried she won't have enough room to run around, lots of people in our neighborhood (we live in townhomes) have dogs big and small.


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## Guest

Okay, I’ll preface this by saying that I TRIED to find a similar post but I had trouble trying to find one with a 2 puppy perspective. I have 2 husky puppies, Meru is 8 weeks and Anna is 7; they are obviously not litter mates but they have been together a lot as they came from the same place. I picked them up from a breeder about 5 days ago. We live in a second floor apartment in the city, but there’s a large grassy area about a block away that I’ve been trying to get them to utilize. The puppies are currently being crate trained, I work a block away from my apartment so I try to get home to let them out every two hours or so. They’ve already gotten so much better about going outside (each has maybe 1 or 2 accidents during the day, usually close to the door). However, while they’re good about waiting to get outside, they almost exclusively go on the sidewalk now. No one has complained about it and I always make sure to clean it up if it’s poop, but I do feel guilty because there is grass so close and often some residual is left behind on the pavement. I bought them a patch of the fake grass stuff, thinking that maybe they’re only using the sidewalk because they can’t hold it long enough. They’ll use the fake grass on the way out of the building, but then go again on the sidewalk halfway up the block. I’ve been praising them for using both the grass and the sidewalk because I feel like either way, they’re taking care of business outside rather than inside, but is this wrong? I’m worried that I’m only teaching them that the sidewalk is okay, how can I get them to get used to going on the grass and only using the sidewalk as a last resort? Additionally, I’m wondering if it’s better to take them outside separately or together. Everything I’ve read says they need “separate but equal time” with me but I worry that taking out one before the other is contributing to their not being able to hold it as they still get anxious/excited when they’re separated. Any advice is VERY much appreciated.


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## Kona1207

Age: 5 months
Length of ownership: 2 weeks
Type of training: Rookie here. Not sure of the terminology. 
Breed: German Shepherd/Blue Heeler
Kept: In apartment. Never to far from us. Sleeps on the floor in the bedroom.
Accidents: Occurred twice on the bed. Once on our rug and once near her food (tile floor)
How Long: It's gone on since we adopted him.
These accidents usually happen when he's alone for 4-5 hours
Primary caregiver: My girlfriend and I

Background: He was the only of his litter. Handled by one vet in Tennessee. Sent to New York and had only I set of foster parents. We can tell he is very smart. Loves to use his brain. The schedule of peeing/pooping outside is consistent but when left alone for longer than 4 hours, we usually come home to a accident. He sits,lays, and stays when he's told and learning very quickly. He gets long walks on the beach usually on our last walk of the day around 6-7 then once again for a quick pee/poop for about 15 minutes. We also live in NYC, but luckily we live right next the ocean and near parks and trails. 

When we travel through manhattan with our dog, sometimes he'll pee indoors (never pooped indoors) after having just taken him out for a week a little while before. The accidents at home have only happened once when someone was home. He turned to my girlfriend, squatted and peed. He gets at least 3 walks a day in a great outdoor environment. I'm not overly concerned since he is only 5 month old, but would love any suggestions on how to prevent this from happening.


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## Julia2001

Hello sir,
you have pointed important questions but can you please share some page from where i can get the answers related to the above-mentioned questions. i need all the information from root level after getting a puppy of few days. how i can train him well. how i can train him to learn its name and basic training commands?
thanks an waiting for your reply.


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## TMNorth

I am at my wits end with my puppy. Like to the point where I feel getting her was a mistake and I hate that feeling. She is a 20 week old Pomeranian puppy. I’ve had her for two months now. This has been happening since the minute I brought her home. She will pee every 10 minutes. A little bit at a time. She has zero desire to even try holding it. 

I’ve tried keeping her on a leash with me. I’ve tried crate training her. Both a larger crate and a crate so small she couldn’t turn around (a desperate attempt after the normal size of turn around and lay down) Peed in both. She’s completely content to sit in her pee and poop. She gets fed in her crate. She will poop or pee in her food bowl. She will squat right in front of me. Ive tried treats outside. I’ve tried clicker training with her (she gets it but she’s not motivated to work out different ways to get treats). I’ve tried the NO as she does it. I’ve tried tapping her on her butt. She goes in her crate at night. 

I’ve tried taking her outside every 5 minutes. That isn’t a realistic life because I have a job and need to sleep. She doesn’t let me know she has to go potty. We’ve tried bells on the door.

The only time she holds her pee longer than 10 minutes is if I’m holding her or she’s on my lap asleep.

I had the vet check her urine. No infections. I literally don’t know what else to do and I’m losing my mind. All I do is clean up pee and poop. Not an exaggeration. By the time I clean up her poop, she’s peed again.


I cut her water off 2 hours before bed. That doesn’t even help.
Any ideas anyone? Please?


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## Alex parker

Potty training has always been the biggest issue for me. I bought my dog when it was a few days old little pups. I tried to train my dog hard. I used to make him sit in the litter, but it didn't work. It was so frustrating to see my puppy peeing and potting around my house, messing it up. I sought help from many forums and honestly followed every single instruction until my pup was trained. Now that he's going to be a dad soon, I have experience for his upcoming cubs. lol


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