Potty Training

k_oller

New Member
Hey I posted this morning but forgot to ask about this important subject. I have had my ten month old dog for 6 months and have tried EVERYTHING I know to potty train her. She has a regular schedule and a crate but she just does not seem to get it. Today for example I took her with me to my babysitting job and she pooped AND peed on the floor. This was after being given the time to go before we left the house, and she does it with no warning. THis is especailly problematic when we are at home because I usually let her out of her crate when I am around. Instead of giving me a signal she simply squats down and goes. I am at my witts end! I dont discipline her for going inside and I praise her for going outside. What more can I do?:dogtongue:
 

fickla

Experienced Member
Does she pee in her crate? Or how about if you tether her to you so she has to be within 6ft of you at all times?

Often with young puppies I do a 2min-10min rule. the exact times don't matter but basically you give the dog a short time to go to the bathroom outside (2min), if they go you praise/treat like crazy and then allow them to either play outside or inside. If the dog doesn't go you put them back in their crate or tether them to you (1min with the real little ones). It's not a punishment but more so removing the opportunity to go inside your house when their bladder is full. You let them back outside when you think enough time has passed that they should have to go again. The puppy learns that they have to go to the bathroom right away or they lose the opportunity to play. Of course it's easiest with the real little ones since while you have to repeat this a billion times a day you're also certain that they have to go the billion times you take them outside :)

And on another note, dogs don't generalize well. So while your dog may learn not to pee inside your house, it doesn't learn that you ONLY want her to pee outside. So your friend's house, petsmart, etc are all fair game. So with my dogs I basically repeated potty training protocals everywhere I went so that they never had the opportunity to pee inside. Eventually the dog gets the same rule applies everywhere.
 

dogbuddy

New Member
I also have a similar experience...Good thing, I found this thread :) Thanks fickla for the wonderful tips :) I will keep all those in mind...Thanks to you k_oller as well for starting this thread :)
 

roserharper

New Member
Good post!
I am looking for these types of knowledge about pet. Is there anybody else to provide some suggestion on this.
 

vickih

Well-Known Member
If it were me training I would take the dog out into the garden and wait until it goes, even if that means standing outside for half an hour or more. Only then would I take the dog back inside. I don't really agree that bringing the dog back inside after 2 minutes teaches the dog to pee or else lose play rights. For that to work the dog needs to know he's got to pee outside in order to win the fun and at the minute the dog isn't weeing outside often enough to learn the association. He's not fussed if he doesn't go in the garden because there's always the house when he needs to go later :msnohyes:

Have you tried teaching him to ring a bell everytime he needs to go? Attach a bell to the back door and ring the bell everytime you take him out to pee. Initially ring the bell and go outside with him hourly. If he's peeing inside purely because he needs to go and doesn't understand he's doing wrong then this will teach him how he can get your attention.

Don't forget that dogs often go back to the same spot to pee so wipe up with a paper towel and put it outside where you do want him to go to encourage him to go in the spot you choose, and make sure you're using a decen cleaning product to get rid of any scent inside.

Hope you fix this soon, it took a year to train my Corgi but the bell thing soon helped!
 

leema

New Member
I agree with the suggestions here, and also wanted to add: The more chances your dog has to practice toileting inside, the harder it will be to completely toilet train your dog.

Make a commitment to have no more accidents. This is your job, not your dog's! Supervise your dog. If you can't supervise, crate them (if she won't toilet in the crate) or put her somewhere she is allowed to toilet (e.g. outside).

Also, thoroughly clean everything. Things that smell like pee attract dogs to pee on top.


However, perhaps it may be worthwhile to have a vet check to completely rule out any physical problems and be certain you are dealing with a behavioural issue.
 
Top