Housebreaking Help

KyJustice · 12-04-2007, 10:46 AM

Of course I need more help......

My puppy is peeing in the house a little more than I thought or had expected since his previous owner told me he was already pretty much housebroken...(NOT!!!!) I was wondering what the best way to get him trained would be? Should I start from square one with paper training? or do I just keep watching him and trying to catch him in the act and tell him outside and take him to the same spot outside to go to the bathroom. These past 2 days I have been doing the catching him in the act routine, Trust me it could be going better. Any other secrets or hints would be great. Thank you all for your help and responses!!!!!!

Linda H · 12-04-2007, 12:50 PM

How old did you say he is??
The main things I always do with a pup, no matter the age, is to take them outside after they first get up from any sleep, after meals and before bedtime. You really need to take them out probably around every hour till they are about four months old or so just for the peeing. Boys!!!
If you crate your pup for sleep time and at nights it will help immensely.
The rest of the time I just watch them constantly and when they start to go, say "No" loudly, and either pick them up or lease and take them outside, depending on their age. My boy started going to the door one week and one day after I got him at nine and a half weeks old. Now if I didn't see him at the door he would pee so I really had to watch him. Also, don't punish them if they go inside, just say no(you have to catch them in the act to say anything)and swoop them outside.

JavasMom · 12-04-2007, 01:10 PM

I didn't bother using a newspaper on the floor because I wanted our pup to go outside and didn't want to add to any confusion about where her potty spot was. Just to repeat what Linda has said, just automatically take him out after he eats, drinks, sleeps, plays and right before he is put into his crate at night - every hour is about right when he is awake. Praise him like he just won the lottery when he goes outside (no matter how foolish you may think you sound - we've all been there). Eventually he'll get the hang of the schedule.

Baby gates are a life-saver during the housebreaking period, if only to keep puppy where you can see him.

tiredguy · 12-04-2007, 02:40 PM

Baby gates are amazing, keep them in say the kitchen till they can be trusted. My rule of thumb really was, I took him out every hour almost on the hour, he's getting better now, like everyone else says, When they wake up, after they play, I always take him out right before new people come over if friends are coming over, and then again about 15 mins after they arrive, (nothing is more embarrassing then the new pup peeing on someones foot, lol) get the dog on a schedule, and I like using a pee command, everytime I take him outside I say "get busy" till he goes, then lots of good boys when he does and give him a treat for going outside. The first few weeks it seemed like a lot, now it just seems natural and he's getting much better, he just a run and jump at the door when he needs to go out,

**sebsyd** · 12-04-2007, 06:22 PM

Lots of good advice above. My two are just getting the message. My 6mo is actually starting to stand in front of the door, but my almost 4mo female is a work in progress. I never scold for accidents, but I do tell them a firm "NO". good luck

**Kratty** · 12-06-2007, 10:52 AM

Persistence and not letting him be unsupervised is the key. Like with any puppy, at first, you have to decide when they go out to potty. If you leave it up to them, they wait until its too late. When you are with them, take them out at regular intervals at first. I started with every 30 minutes at first, because puppies need to pee after everything they do. Then start to increase the times between potty breaks. If you can not watch them, they should be crated. You really do not want to give then a chance to potty in the house. Accidents do happen though, but repeatedly, it becomes a learned behavior. Make sure you go with them to potty and when they do go potty, praise them like they did the most wonderful thing in the world.

sheenbeen · 12-06-2007, 10:59 AM

we haven't used crate training and Bailey at almost 4 months hasn't had an accident in weeks now. He noses the cat flap on the back door when he wants out and will even 'go pee' to order if we need him to go before we take him in the car etc

We were consistent with our toilet training and like Kratty said above took him out always after waking, after 10 minutes of solid playing, every 30 minutes or so and any time when he looked like he needed.

I read somewhere that you can average 1 hour of bladder control for each month of puppy age so for a 3 month old puppy they 'should' have 3 hours bladder control when 'at rest'.

even though Bailey appears to completely house trained we still take him out after playing and after waking - the time spaces are just a bit longer now.

consistence is the key and making sure you take him out often - even when it is a pain

sizzur · 12-07-2007, 04:06 AM

Crates help SIGNIFICANTLY during house breaking process.
Just gotta be very diligent and patient. I took out my pup almost every hour for atleast a week, then very slowly extended the intervals.

Also, don't forget to get a bottle or two of Nature's Miracle, which is a stain/odor removal when they pee. I used it enough lol..
I remember i was also Extremely tired the first 2 weeks I had my pup. So keep plugging.. The grass is greener on the other side!

**Doberdog** · 12-07-2007, 12:29 PM

In addition to all the great advice, be sure that you totally remove the smell. Clean immediatly so they won't smell it and go back to the same area. Maybe what Sizzur posted does that, I used Clorox wipes on my wood floors and I bought a spot shampoo thing from Walmart and used the cleaner that removes pet smells. I used all the above advice and crated him when I could not watch him. Sometimes I even kept him on a leash in the house. He was house broke very early but he had a submissive urinating problem for month or so after he was housebroke. He would be playing with the other dogs and it would just come out. You can't scold them for that, it is best to ignore it and clean it quick and completley. I also bell trained him. First I trained him to touch my hand. I would rub a treat on my palm then hold it in front of him, when he touched it would say touch as I saw him coming toward my hand then good touch when his nose hit. After he had that down, I hung a bell by the door and everytime I opended it to take him out I would ring the bell and open the door. I did this for almost a whole day. Then I started holding the bell in front of my hand and saying touch, when he did I would open the door and let him. You have to be prepared though, at first they ring the darn thing every 15 minutes but you have to let them out everytime they ring it at first or it won't stick. I finally started having to take it down when I knew he already went and I just wanted to sit down for a minute. He currently has broken his bell so has resorted to jumping on the door.
Have a great day, SRC

Lambo · 12-09-2007, 02:30 AM

when i trained my pups to go outside i just take them outside knowing that they usually need to go every hour if they're still young under 9 weeks ... after that they usually go after they sleep .. nap .. eat .. play and so on ... take them outside instead of using newspaper... this way there will be no confusion ...
sometimes i'd have to wait with them outside until they go ... but hey i find this most effective