I want to squash all rumors / sayings and go on to answer all the questions you have.
It is NOT harder to housebreak smaller dogs.
It is NOT harder to housebreak smaller dogs.
Also Puppies can hold their bladder longer than YOU think!
STOP making excuses for the dog it won't help you in fixing this problem.
NO your dog does not know better or you wouldn't be having this problem.
NO doggy doors until your dog is 110% Housebroken! Doggy doors are a great convenience for dog owners but make sure your dog is fully housebroken 1st.
Do I need Potty Pads? NO! Teach your dog to go outside right off the bat.
Now lets move forward on how to fix the problem.
Your dog needs your 100% commitment and EVERYONE in the house on board with the training plan for your dog to be successful. Your dog really wants to please you, help them by giving them the rules and guidance they need to grow into the dog you know they can be.
STOP making excuses for the dog it won't help you in fixing this problem.
NO your dog does not know better or you wouldn't be having this problem.
NO doggy doors until your dog is 110% Housebroken! Doggy doors are a great convenience for dog owners but make sure your dog is fully housebroken 1st.
Do I need Potty Pads? NO! Teach your dog to go outside right off the bat.
Now lets move forward on how to fix the problem.
Your dog needs your 100% commitment and EVERYONE in the house on board with the training plan for your dog to be successful. Your dog really wants to please you, help them by giving them the rules and guidance they need to grow into the dog you know they can be.
So your dog is pottying in the house where do you start?
SUPERVISION SUPERVISION SUPERVISION
It all comes down to that simple thing called Supervision.
Crate Train your dog + Praise for Potty Outside
Get them confident walking into their crate and being there for extended amounts of time.
Make sure they potty OUTSIDE before going into the crate and have had playtime and its not right after a meal or a bunch of water.
When you let them out of the crate take them outside on a leash to potty. Use a word "Hurry Up" is what we use. Stand in one spot and let them walk around and smell.
When they potty outside PRAISE and make it a PARTY! Excited... YAY good dog! If you think you look stupid then you are doing it right. Just make sure to wait until they have finished going to praise or you will stop them mid pee.
How long can I leave my dog in the crate?
Puppies 8-16 weeks: Up to 4-5hours. YES they can hold it that long.
4months - old age: 8 hrs
What if I work long hours?
Get a pet sitter or dog walker to come in and let them out midday.
I read or someone said to treat them when they potty outside is that right?
NO!!!! Do not treat your dog for pottying outside just lots of praise. So many dogs will start fake peeing and just squating to get the treat and they become more focused on the food that pottying for you.
When I let my dog out of their crate what if they don't potty when I take them out?
Put them back in their crate and let them out in 10-20 minutes and try again. You don't want to give your dog any freedom in the house until they have pottied outside. When you take your dog out to potty take them out for 2-3 minutes if they don't go take them back in.
My dog cries in her crate should I let her out to potty when she is crying? What if she is telling me she has to go?
Make this a business mission out of the crate. No contact, talking, petting or ANYTHING
. Just leash pup up take outside and let them potty (no praise when they potty - You can say good but nothing else don't get excited and put them back in their crate after. You don't want them to learn that crying gets them freedom from the crate. It will get them a potty break and that is it.
What if my dog potties in their crate?
Get your dog a smaller crate or put something in the crate to make it smaller (a box or a crate divider)
Do not give your dog ANY bedding in the crate if they potty in the crate it will only soak it up and make it not as bad when they do. You want them to have to stand it when they potty in the crate. They shouldn't be able to potty in one corner and sneak away and sleep in the other corner.
. Just leash pup up take outside and let them potty (no praise when they potty - You can say good but nothing else don't get excited and put them back in their crate after. You don't want them to learn that crying gets them freedom from the crate. It will get them a potty break and that is it.
What if my dog potties in their crate?
Get your dog a smaller crate or put something in the crate to make it smaller (a box or a crate divider)
Do not give your dog ANY bedding in the crate if they potty in the crate it will only soak it up and make it not as bad when they do. You want them to have to stand it when they potty in the crate. They shouldn't be able to potty in one corner and sneak away and sleep in the other corner.
SUPERVISION inside
After your pup has pottied outside and you let them back in leave a leash dragging so you have more control and do NOT let the dog out of your eye sight!
My dog sneaks around the corner and always goes when Im not watching?
You CANNOT let this happen while housebreaking your dog. You MUST keep your dog where you can see them. EVERY time your dog gets the opportunity to sneak away and potty they are self reinforcing the behavior of pottying inside. When they potty it feels good and is a physical relief which in itself is reinforcing the behavior and if they can sneak out of the room and potty and they feel better why not? So you MUST be watching so they don't get the opportunity to sneak away!
What do I do when I catch my Puppy Pottying in the house?
IMMEDIATELY Surprise the puppy to interrupt the behavior to get them to stop and drag them outside.
I recommend Yell / Scream "No" "STOP" Whatever makes it out of your mouth 1st. Rush over to the dog and drag him outside. By the scruff of the neck or collar is best. Once you are outside become Normal and allow them to finish pottying outside. Praise if they potty outside. Take them back in and clean up the mess. DO NOT rub their nose in it. There is no lasting punishment. Just in the moment correct. You want to be as dramatic as possible to make it clear to the dog this behavior is NEVER to happen again.
When can I start giving my dog more freedom?
Start with Crate or in your sight for the 1st week.
As you are successful with this then you can use an x-pen or a baby gate in a small section of your home. Try leaving them in this confined area for a few hours (Start slow and not long) - while you take a shower, leave the room etc. Then move up to being able to leave for a short errand. If your pup is successful and no accidents great! You can start leaving them out more in this confined space. If they have an accident. Back to the crate. They weren't ready for that freedom yet. Give it another week or so before you try leaving them out again.
If your pup has been successful with the xpen or penned off in the kitchen or other confined space for a few weeks you can make that confined space a little bigger.
Your dog EARNS their right to be loose in the house it is never just given to them.
This also depends on how the rest of your training is going. Assuming they weren't chewing on your walls and baseboards in the confined space. This post is just about pottying but use your best judgment based on your dog and their other behaviors.
I have been really good about watching my dog and taking him out regularly he hasn't made ANY mistakes at all do you think he knows and is good now?
As with all training you want to start PROOFING your puppy/dog. This means set them up in a situation and let them make the choice. If they make a mistake and its the wrong choice you will correct and they will learn from it. If they make the right choice great! But we don't want to just prevent mistakes as your dog won't learn that way. We do want to help them and create a good foundation and make sure they can't make mistakes where we can't see us. But it is important for them to make mistakes to learn from them. Again true of all training. So... When you think your pup is Awesome and are almost sure they wont potty in the house. Set them up to fail and see what happens. In the morning after breakfast when you know they are going to need to potty again instead of taking them outside asap wait them out. Keep and eye on them and see if your pup will wait for you to take him out or if he starts to sniff and circle beside the door. You ultimately want your dog to learn to wait until you have time to take him out. Right now your life runs on the pups schedule but you don't want your whole life to look like that.
What if my dog goes to the door? Should I teach him to ring a bell?
Initially right off the bat its ok to let your dog out when they go to the door (ON A LEASH) it is not playtime when we go out to potty! You want to reinforce the pup starting to tell you he needs to go out. NO do not teach him to ring a bell or scratch at the door. It may seem cute now and useful so you know he needs to go out but what happens when you are gone for the day at work and your not right there to let them out? What happens when you are in the shower? The dog starts to demand it and if your not there will potty by the door. See the answer to the question above about how to PROOF your pup. Also sooo many dogs are too smart for their own good and start scratching/barking at the door to go out because there is a squirrel or bird or they want to play. Don't let your dog train you.
Food / Water
You should be regulating Food and Water so that you know when your pup needs to go out.
Food should be set meals. Feed your puppy if they don't eat it in 15-20min. Take it away and they can wait for their next meal. You will not starve your pup. They will eat when they are hungry and will learn to eat set meals.
Water: You want to make sure your pup drinks plenty of water during the day but don't leave the water down for them to have all the time. Keep it up so that you know when you are giving them water and you will know when they need to go out.
You CANNOT let this happen while housebreaking your dog. You MUST keep your dog where you can see them. EVERY time your dog gets the opportunity to sneak away and potty they are self reinforcing the behavior of pottying inside. When they potty it feels good and is a physical relief which in itself is reinforcing the behavior and if they can sneak out of the room and potty and they feel better why not? So you MUST be watching so they don't get the opportunity to sneak away!
What do I do when I catch my Puppy Pottying in the house?
IMMEDIATELY Surprise the puppy to interrupt the behavior to get them to stop and drag them outside.
I recommend Yell / Scream "No" "STOP" Whatever makes it out of your mouth 1st. Rush over to the dog and drag him outside. By the scruff of the neck or collar is best. Once you are outside become Normal and allow them to finish pottying outside. Praise if they potty outside. Take them back in and clean up the mess. DO NOT rub their nose in it. There is no lasting punishment. Just in the moment correct. You want to be as dramatic as possible to make it clear to the dog this behavior is NEVER to happen again.
When can I start giving my dog more freedom?
Start with Crate or in your sight for the 1st week.
As you are successful with this then you can use an x-pen or a baby gate in a small section of your home. Try leaving them in this confined area for a few hours (Start slow and not long) - while you take a shower, leave the room etc. Then move up to being able to leave for a short errand. If your pup is successful and no accidents great! You can start leaving them out more in this confined space. If they have an accident. Back to the crate. They weren't ready for that freedom yet. Give it another week or so before you try leaving them out again.
If your pup has been successful with the xpen or penned off in the kitchen or other confined space for a few weeks you can make that confined space a little bigger.
Your dog EARNS their right to be loose in the house it is never just given to them.
This also depends on how the rest of your training is going. Assuming they weren't chewing on your walls and baseboards in the confined space. This post is just about pottying but use your best judgment based on your dog and their other behaviors.
I have been really good about watching my dog and taking him out regularly he hasn't made ANY mistakes at all do you think he knows and is good now?
As with all training you want to start PROOFING your puppy/dog. This means set them up in a situation and let them make the choice. If they make a mistake and its the wrong choice you will correct and they will learn from it. If they make the right choice great! But we don't want to just prevent mistakes as your dog won't learn that way. We do want to help them and create a good foundation and make sure they can't make mistakes where we can't see us. But it is important for them to make mistakes to learn from them. Again true of all training. So... When you think your pup is Awesome and are almost sure they wont potty in the house. Set them up to fail and see what happens. In the morning after breakfast when you know they are going to need to potty again instead of taking them outside asap wait them out. Keep and eye on them and see if your pup will wait for you to take him out or if he starts to sniff and circle beside the door. You ultimately want your dog to learn to wait until you have time to take him out. Right now your life runs on the pups schedule but you don't want your whole life to look like that.
What if my dog goes to the door? Should I teach him to ring a bell?
Initially right off the bat its ok to let your dog out when they go to the door (ON A LEASH) it is not playtime when we go out to potty! You want to reinforce the pup starting to tell you he needs to go out. NO do not teach him to ring a bell or scratch at the door. It may seem cute now and useful so you know he needs to go out but what happens when you are gone for the day at work and your not right there to let them out? What happens when you are in the shower? The dog starts to demand it and if your not there will potty by the door. See the answer to the question above about how to PROOF your pup. Also sooo many dogs are too smart for their own good and start scratching/barking at the door to go out because there is a squirrel or bird or they want to play. Don't let your dog train you.
Food / Water
You should be regulating Food and Water so that you know when your pup needs to go out.
Food should be set meals. Feed your puppy if they don't eat it in 15-20min. Take it away and they can wait for their next meal. You will not starve your pup. They will eat when they are hungry and will learn to eat set meals.
Water: You want to make sure your pup drinks plenty of water during the day but don't leave the water down for them to have all the time. Keep it up so that you know when you are giving them water and you will know when they need to go out.
