# Need Help Pottie Training



## Braincell (Feb 19, 2009)

Hi 
I am new here, and we just got Drake, hes a Shepherd / Husky mis and Vet beleaves he's about 8 months old. We dont think he has had any real training. The porblem I am having is I am takeing him out for Pottie and he will pee but is hit and miss on pooping. Hes pooped 3 times in side now with no warn I have seen. Dose any one have any good ideas to get him to do his bussines out side all the time?


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Is drake being crated when youre unable to supervise? 

Does he usually sniff around or show any signs before doing his business inside or does he just go in the blink of an eye? 

Is it only pooping inside or both peeing and pooping?


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## Braincell (Feb 19, 2009)

Hes pied twice and pooped 3 times, and i havent seen him actuly do it. Also when I take him out side he will pee and then sniff and sniff and sniff but dose nothing else. And I am home all the time rt now. ANd he not good with his crate, I had to sanatize it it had hvy urin in it. when we got him and it from he previose owners I think the kept him in it almost all the time. As soon as we put Drake in it he barks and wines.


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## Papanapa (Mar 1, 2008)

Do you feed him on a schedule? I feed the dogs twice a day at the same time. They usually poop within one hour (or sooner!) after eating. 

If you are not already on a steady schedule, this might help.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

It sounds like you need to start completely over like he's 8 weeks old and youre just bringing him home. 

The first thing i would do is start with the crate. Make sure he only has enough room in that crate to completely stretch out when laying down and thats it. Any more room is not needed when potty training. This method works because dogs typically dont go to the bathroom where they sleep. If he has any more room than what i mentioned, he will lay down in one spot and go to the bathroom in the other.

Second make sure you bring him outside every hour on the hour. Make sure you take him out before he goes in the kennel and the second he gets out. Do not waste any time, just bring him out immediately. Dont even give him the chance to go because he will. When he does go to the bathroom outside like a good boy, make sure to praise and treat so he knows he's doing a good thing going outside. These dogs want to please their owners so show him youre pleased when he does the right thing.

Third thing is to watch Drake like a hawk when youre inside. If you cant watch, put him in his kennel. Do not give him any opportunities to go. If you see him sniff around, take him outside, and praise when he goes.

Oh and make the kennel a fun place for him to be in. Give him a treat when he goes in so he recognizes it as a positive place to be. Put some of his favorite toys in the kennel for him to play with. Make the kennel a positive place. I've got my lucy bolting to her kennel the second i say the word because she knows it will be followed up with a tasty treat. 

Just have some patience because its not an overnight fix, but just work on it with him and he'll eventually get it. Let me know if you have any other questions.


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## Braincell (Feb 19, 2009)

Thanks for the Ideas. he Is a good dog. If I take him out to potty after hes eattin Should I just stay out with him till he goes? of should I stop and try again latter after a certain amount of time?


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I think it depends on how long it's been since his last time he's gone. If he's 8 months old he physically should be able to hold it a good 6 hours without going, but thats for a dog thats house broken. I dont think he'll actually be going every hour like a 8 week old pup so there's no need to wait all day out there, but i'd give it a good 5 to 10 minutes. If he doesnt go by then, wait an hour and bring him out again. Dont let him out of your sight and praise and treat when he finally does his business outside. 

Oh and if he does have an accident inside and you catch him in the act, a good way to make him stop pissing is by making a loud noise. Immediately bring him outside and let him finish up outside.


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## IN101 (Jul 21, 2000)

When I was potty training, I took her out on a leash and kept saying "ok let's go potty" and kept saying it until she went and then would praise her like crazy when she did it and made sure she knew she did the best thing and now all I have to do is take her out and tell her to go potty and she goes. It is great....she never had an accident in the house. I took her out all the time until she got the hint that she needs to go outside. I would take her out nearly every hour (I don't work outside the home) until she got the idea doing her "buisness" belongs outside.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

All excellent advice and all if it which I followed for our 5yr min pin rescue that was not housebroken and would mark in the house. The good news is that we did housebreak him and he is totally trusted which is such a relief. 

One thing I made sure and it was mentioned (maybe) is if they don't go when you take them out then you can 1. put them back in their crate or 2. if you are home tether his leash to you so he is always with you.

As he gets more regular you will figure out when he has to go and instead of every hour you can do every 3 hours (but keep him by you in the house between each potty break) as you see he is going regularly outside you can work on trusting him in the house.

I never let Cabela out of my site or he was tethered.

What I found is that as long as I kept him going out, saying go potty, didn't play with him at all even in the house until he went he got the concept. 

I never did any punishment when I found the mess because it doesn't work they don't understand it unless you catch them in the act. If you punish them for something they don't remember doing then what you have a dog that is fearful and is hiding to do his business instead or running from you in the house when you want to play etc...


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## bmass01 (Apr 7, 2005)

Everyone has given you great advise. I also recommend attachment to you if not in the crate. My pup is almost 16 weeks and still under constant supervision. He is either draging a leash or in his crate. Set your pup up for sucess!

Good luck!


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## sgtmom52 (Aug 30, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Lucy Dog When he does go to the bathroom outside like a good boy, make sure to praise and treat so he knows he's doing a good thing going outside. These dogs want to please their owners so show him youre pleased when he does the right thing.


We have 2 six month old GSDs and we always keep treats in our pocket when we go outside. We tell them "go pottie" for peeing and "go poop" for pooping. When they do "go poop" we reward them with praise and a treat. They actually seem to know the difference between peeing & pooping and look for the treat after only the poop. I also make it a point not to go directly inside after the poop as they love being out and I don't want them to think that going inside is a "punishment" for going poop. 

They haven't had any accidents in the house for quite a while, but we still re-enforce the praise so they don't relapse.


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## Braincell (Feb 19, 2009)

Wow thank you all for the great advice. I will put it to good use. Drake pooped again inside, But I think I missed his cue that he had to go. It dose seem to be about 9 hours between poops. but he usaly pees every time i take him out. I started to day training him to like his crate. He hates it I beleave his last owners kept him in it on a apartment porch all the time. When we got it home it had dried urin in it and I cleaned and sanatized it. But still no luck yet with him being ok in it. I was thinking of getting him a kennel do you think that would be good for him? some new and fresh ?


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## Judykaye (Feb 20, 2007)

We recently rescued a collie that had lived in a barn/kennel environment for her first five years and housebreaking was challenge to say the least. 

She periodically poops in the house but is really getting pretty good about pottying outside now.

I was told that when she poops in the house to take the poop outside and make her go out after you find it...when I tried that she seemed to understand...it's worth a try.

Judy


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## Braincell (Feb 19, 2009)

Thanks ill try any thing. Its not his fault he was just never shown how and where to go potty I think.


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## Braincell (Feb 19, 2009)

WOW! I just want to say thank you to every one for there advice, It took a bit, but we now have Drake on a sceduel for going to the bathroom and we have learned to read him for when he needs to go out. Its been over 8 days now and potty in the house we are thrilled. ANd he is such a wonderfull Dog. Once again than you all.


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## mmarie (Feb 25, 2009)

+1 for taking the poop outside. bella was actually really easy to potty train, but i have noticed that when we pick up her poop and there is absolutely none in the backyard, she doesn't want to poop out there. if we leave a landmine for a reference point she poops much quicker


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