housebreaking question

[bn_here_b4]

Jody has been home for almost 2 weeks now. I can see that he is starting to understand that he needs to wait to go out to pee and he has only had one incident of pooping in the house. There are still many (to be expected) accidents as sometimes I miss or misinterpret his signal to go out. ...and sometimes, like any little one he just gets caught up in playing and waits until the last possible second to go! How well I remember this from potty training my children too! I'm not really worried about the accidents as I know that will pass with time.

 

This morning, however, something different happened. We have two kinds of dog treats. Some really yummy doggy beef jerky treats that I use when I am doing focused training time with Bella or Jody. These are the special treats, the pay attention, this is important treats that the dogs have to perform to get. I also have a big jar of puppy biscuits that I buy at the local pet/farm supply store from the bulk bin. They get these treats when we come in from a walk or just anytime the kids or I want to feed them something from our hand. Jody doesn't like these little biscuits as well, but he does eat them.

 

When we came in from playing outside this morning (out for over an hour and I saw him pee right before we came back in) I gave each dog a biscuit from the jar. Bella ate her biscuit. Jody took his, bit it in two, spit out the pieces, looked at me and peed right on the kitchen floor without moving one step. Bad boy! Outside, walk around the garden again, no more peeing, so I brought him back in and put him in the crate which is where he is now, happily taking his morning nap. I didn't want to crate him right after the peeing on the floor. I am trying hard not to crate for being a bad dog. Even when that is the reason, I try to put another experience in between so that the crate is more of a break from each other than a punishment.

 

So what do you think? Did he do that because I gave him the biscuit he doesn't like as well? Am I reading in a motivation he wouldn't have?

[Shetlander]

How old is Jody? I have a hard time believing he peed because he found the biscuit inferior. Depending on his age, he may have limited control over his bladder. He sounds like he is still learning what housebreaking is all about. He may have peed just before coming in, but he might not have finished. If that was the case, he may have dropped the biscuit because he realized he needed to potty. I've had puppies stare at me while they peed right in front of me but I didn't see it as a battle of wills or because they were mad about something. Rather, they were puppies who were still figuring out what I wanted as far as when and where to potty. And sometimes I think they were just as surprised as I was by their sudden need to pee. That's why I take puppies out hourly or even more frequently if they are awake. Keeping accidents to a minimum (I've never had zero but close with a couple puppies) goes a long way to making pottying in correct locations a habit.

 

On a tangent, if that sort of thing happens a few more times, maybe get a urine sample in. I had a puppy that was always peeing (in front of me, behind me, inside, outside). She had a UTI and once she started on antibiotics, housebreaking progressed smoothly.

 

As far as the crate, just make it a very comfy, safe, good place for the puppy and he's not going to care if you send him there once in a while after misbehaving. Most kids still like their bedrooms even if mom makes them take time outs in there on occasion. I don't use crates for that sort of thing very often, but if I need a break from a puppy, in they go. If they've just done something I don't like, they go in without a treat. Otherwise, they go in with a cookie.

[bn_here_b4]

How old is Jody?

 

He was born April 18th, so he is just over 2 months.

 

 

On a tangent, if that sort of thing happens a few more times, maybe get a urine sample in. I had a puppy that was always peeing (in front of me, behind me, inside, outside). She had a UTI and once she started on antibiotics, housebreaking progressed smoothly.

 

I have wondered about a UTI with him becuase it does seem like he pees more than any other puppy I have ever had. I also thought maybe that was a difference between males & females. I've always had girls who peed once and were done for a while. I wondered if he was just being a boy - a little here & a little there, but he should be too young for that behaviour, shouldn't he? We go to the vet tomorrow, so I will ask about that.

 

As far as the crate, just make it a very comfy, safe, good place for the puppy and he's not going to care if you send him there once in a while after misbehaving. Most kids still like their bedrooms even if mom makes them take time outs in there on occasion. I don't use crates for that sort of thing very often, but if I need a break from a puppy, in they go. If they've just done something I don't like, they go in without a treat. Otherwise, they go in with a cookie.

 

 

That makes good sense, especially about the cookie! I will add that to his going in the crate routine. Thanks for the regrounding!

[Journey]

As far as the crate, just make it a very comfy, safe, good place for the puppy and he's not going to care if you send him there once in a while after misbehaving. Most kids still like their bedrooms even if mom makes them take time outs in there on occasion. I don't use crates for that sort of thing very often, but if I need a break from a puppy, in they go. If they've just done something I don't like, they go in without a treat. Otherwise, they go in with a cookie.

 

That makes good sense, especially about the cookie! I will add that to his going in the crate routine. Thanks for the regrounding!

 

 

Sorry I have to disagree with this statement. Dogs, especially puppies have no way of distinguishing prior behavior and getting into the crate. The crate needs to be a "good" place, use a cookie all the time while learning then variable as time goes on, go in - then get the cookie, toss cookie in puppy gets cookie, always make the crate learning experience positive.

 

As for peeing right in front of you..he had to go. You said originally you had been out playing for an hour. I would guess he didn't empty his bladder as he was playing. You might try putting Bella up when you are done, take Jody for a potty walk, no playing, get a drink and then walk again. He needs time to wind down after play sessions and remember to take care of business. As for "motivation" you are reading into whatever you like, there is no thought process for the dogs in that perspective.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I think the pee timing was a coincidence. Never punish or get mad or even yell at a pup for inappropriate pottying. You'll be rewarded with a dog that hides in corners and pees, and refuses to potty in front of you (inconvenient when you need to walk your dog on a leash).

 

A pup that age still needs to be on a pretty strict schedule. I was still taking Sam out once an hour during the day, and every few hours at night, when he was eight to nine weeks old. At sixteen weeks yesterday, he's only just at a point where I can start relying on his "asking" to go out rather than just taking him out regularly.

 

Potty breaks are only doing business, particularly at night. But be sure that going potty doesn't mean going in right away. I sat on the ground and cuddled for a minute, and then we took a lap around the yard quietly together. That helped him do anything else he'd forgotten to do, and also makes sure he doesn't associate going potty with "fun with mom ends immediately."

 

I take him out and say, only once, "Go potty!" then I don't stare at him. I start walking around quietly and being super-boring. When he pees, I wait until the second he's done and say, "Good boy!" then. I don't make a huge deal. Then I get down and cuddle for a bit, and we walk. If I know he needs to poop, I stay super-boring, but I say, "Is there poops?" (okay, silly, but I can walk seven dogs in five minutes flat, so there).

 

If we have an accident, I get his attention with a toy or something or just by running to the door. If you aren't careful about staying on schedule, you can turn this into your dog actually peeing in front of you to "ask" to go out! But, if you stay on a fair schedule your pup won't learn this.

 

You'll notice something missing in all this. I don't crate train. I ask pup to stay in sight from day one. At three or four months I DO start leaving pup in a crate when we are gone but that's more for chewing that pottying. I stay at home all day so of course I have this luxury. When I introduce the crate at the later age, they are much happier about it because it's been the place where they get all their treats and meals until now, except for car trips.

 

I went on to a trial a few weeks ago and had to crate Sam at one point. He shrieked so much people kept asking me if he was okay. He'd been a crate many times and that was always his reaction.

 

I just started crating him instead of leaving him loose when we go shopping or to church. Now that he's a few weeks older, he just curls up and eats his chew treat. When we come home, he just stretches and calmly waits to be let out.

 

But I'm just saying this to point out that I believe that the crate isn't the necessarily the key to house training, but rather a fair schedule and properly timed motivation.

[WildFlower]

"Is there poops?" (okay, silly, but I can walk seven dogs in five minutes flat, so there).

 

I'm sorry, but that gave me a good chuckle. But pretty awesome at the same time.

 

But I'm just saying this to point out that I believe that the crate isn't the necessarily the key to house training, but rather a fair schedule and properly timed motivation.

 

I did not crate train with Daisy either. She always had access to one but I did not lock her in it when I left the house. I think that it is a very valuable tool for a lot of people but it isn't the only one. I am a pretty "routine" person and Daisy just fell right into the routine that I gave her.

[Shetlander]

Sorry I have to disagree with this statement. Dogs, especially puppies have no way of distinguishing prior behavior and getting into the crate. The crate needs to be a "good" place, use a cookie all the time while learning then variable as time goes on, go in - then get the cookie, toss cookie in puppy gets cookie, always make the crate learning experience positive.

 

What statement are you disagreeing with?

[Journey]

I don't use crates for that sort of thing very often, but if I need a break from a puppy, in they go. If they've just done something I don't like, they go in without a treat. Otherwise, they go in with a cookie.

 

This one.

[Shetlander]

This one.

 

Oh. Well, my puppies very quickly associate the crate with good things. They eat meals there for the first few weeks. Have a nice bed. Toys. Cookies. Maybe it is just superstitious behavior on my part, but I'm not giving a cookie seconds after the puppy or youngster just did something I really dislike. I could see a smart youngster associating being swooped up and deposited in a crate with some behavior they were just engaged in. But it hardly matters since the vast majority of time, go in crate = get a cookie. The few times it doesn't are basically when I need some relief.

[sweet_ceana]

If you aren't careful about staying on schedule, you can turn this into your dog actually peeing in front of you to "ask" to go out!

We are potty training our 3rd wee one in the last year, and we had this happen last night. Don't get me wrong, I would rather a squirt on my carpet than

Is there poops?

Yes there is!, but a squirt is not welcome either. We made it clear that this still didn't make the cut of what we wanted, and this morning I had an 11 week old at the back door whining to go out! She is my youngest to ask thus far, but I don't expect her to be 100% for a while.

 

Each pup is different. We had one that just loved to please so much that she was easy to potty train. Cleo is too worried she will miss out on playing and often times she will wait until the very last second. You can see the "UH OH, I have got to go" look on her face. I imagine she cannot feel that she has to pee yet. I know she is getting a handle on the back end because she is starting to look for the best spot to deposit her creation instead of just stopping where she is at. Be patient and timing is everything until they know they have to go and where you would like them to go. Also, when they go outside throw a massive potty party. Cleo looks directly at me when she goes because she knows she will get tons of praise and pets for going outside.

[Shetlander]

Each pup is different. We had one that just loved to please so much that she was easy to potty train.

 

I'm thinking about the five puppies (as opposed to adolescents) I've house trained. I don't see eager to please as being the main part of the housebreaking equation, though it sure doesn't hurt. Three of my puppies were 3 - 4 months old before I could see the blocks falling into place in their little heads and they became active participants in the process -- asking to go out, whining, going outside via the dog door on their own, etc. Quinn was participating the first night he came home at only 9 weeks old and at that age he had zero interest in pleasing me. The total ease of his housebreaking was a saving grace I clung to because I found him such a difficult puppy at first. And then there is the Lhasa, who to this day needs to be managed to stay on the straight and narrow as far as marking goes. Yup, all different.