# Potty training 90% there getting to 100%



## rmerikle (Jan 6, 2012)

Sorry I have searched, but can't find anything that fits the bill. We have a 10 week old female Lab/Sheppard mix. Potty training has been going great. As long as we are watching her she really has no issues. At night with crate training she has no issues. The problem is how do we go from watching her and taking her out to having her go out on her own?

She has a doggy door that she can use and she actually thinks it is somewhat of a game and enjoys using it even though it is still to big for her. We have an area setup that is fenced in so to speak in the house where she stays during the day and she will go out and do her business. 

The problem is if we take our eyes off her or if we don't take her out while we are home she will not go out by herself. There have been a couple of cases where we think she has gone out on her own, but not 100% sure. To complicate things we live in a three level house. The bottom level has the doggy door and therefore the backyard. We spend most of our time on the 2nd floor and then the bedrooms are on the third floor. 

I am torn. I know she is only 10 weeks and has done more than I would expect at this point, but it would be great to get her to just go out on her own. 

Tied into all this is I think we are struggling with a little separation anxiety as well since when we are home we have to keep her right at our side and therefore when we leave she has a tough time being by herself. I would really like to trust her in the house so that she can become a little more independent when we are home. 

Thanks in advance...


----------



## Kev (Sep 11, 2011)

rmerikle said:


> I am torn. I know she is only 10 weeks and has done more than I would expect at this point, but it would be great to get her to just go out on her own.
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance...


At this age this might be a little to much to expect her to go out by herself.
It's better to limit the doggy door access for now since she thinks its a game  If you keep bringing her out on a scheduled potty break eventually she'll go out own her own when she really needs to go out


----------



## Shepherd Jones (Dec 20, 2011)

Braylee, my 7 wk old gsd, is in the same part of training. She is doing well when we are watching her and in our alert mode. We hang bells on our door and she rubs her head in them probably 50% of the time she wants/needs to go outside. I am struggling with her pottying in her crate. I put a larger box in the crate to make her more confined, we'll see how that works. 
It will be a judgement call but I do not plan on letting Braylee run loose in the house until she is about 1yr or so. She is always in the same room with me or my wife at all times for potty training and obedience reasosns. If I leave her with my two boys (8 & 5) then all training would be a lost cause. Haha.
There may be some separation anxiety but all gsd dogs that I've been around have all been attached and bonded to their family (particularly 1 family member). That's why they are such great protectors of their territory and home.
The joys of a puppy! Don't know if any of this helps but I feel your desire to get past this stage, I'm in the same stage also.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

the rare breed Lab/Sheppard is hard to train and socialize.
a friend of mine has a Lab/Shepherd that's a peice of cake to train.
your pup is 10 weeks old. don't expect to much at this point
besides you don't want a 10 week old pup outside alone, do you?
you have to train your pup. work with your pup on the anxiety.
crate your pup for short periods of time while you're home. sometimes
stay in the room where she's crated, sometimes leave the room
and sometimes leave the house. i did this often with my pup.
the more you can do it the better.



rmerikle said:


> Sorry I have searched, but can't find anything that fits the bill. We have a 10 week old female Lab/Sheppard mix.


----------



## rmerikle (Jan 6, 2012)

Thanks so much for all the quick feedback. I feel better now. Yes as I thought I am expecting to much to quickly. Isn't this usually the case the owner is the problem not the dog? :blush:

Shepherd Jones - We have put a large box in her crate and give her just enough room to stretch out and sleep in the crate and we have had zero problems with crate training. She whines a little bit, but that is usually because she wants to play more than anything. She settles down quickly. I have even had to move the box back a little bit since she is growing so fast. 

This is my second Lab/Sheppard mix and they learn so quickly.  I have never dealt with a puppy this young. Long story short we got her just before 8 weeks. Bonding is going well, socialization is going well. We have had lots of friends come over and feed her and play with her and we have even had two dogs come over and socialize a little bit. She is doing great. She has learned sit and is learning stay and down. Overall she has more than beat expectations. Can you tell that I am a proud parent.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

Lab/Sheppard owners are proud but the
Lab/Shepherd owners are more proud.



rmerikle said:


> This is my second >>>>Lab/Sheppard<<<
> 
> mix and they learn so quickly.  I have never dealt with a puppy this young. Long story short we got her just before 8 weeks. Bonding is going well, socialization is going well. We have had lots of friends come over and feed her and play with her and we have even had two dogs come over and socialize a little bit. She is doing great. She has learned sit and is learning stay and down. Overall she has more than beat expectations.
> 
> >>>>Can you tell that I am a proud parent.<<<<


----------



## Shepherd Jones (Dec 20, 2011)

Thanks for the advice on the box, already put in crate will see what happens tonight. Just did our first 10 min SIT training session and Braylee is picking the command up quick. This is forward progression, still working on her first command I,m trying to embed into her brain, NO!!!
Thanks and good luck.


----------



## glinny (Sep 14, 2011)

Effie is 22 weeks and is fully housebroke. She spends time outside during the day. We live on a farm a 1/2 mile from the road or neighbors. She wanders a little but stays very close to the house unless she is with one of us. BUT. First thing in the morning and any time in the evening she will not go out alone. I have to be with her when it is dark if I want her to leave the porch. I tried to fool her by going out the door and then right back in when she went out. Now she won't go out unless I have on my coat and gloves. Only fooled her twice. I would love to send her out alone to pee but she won't go. If you have ideas please let me know.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i wouldn't let my dog/pup out to roam if i lived
on a farm. suppose your dog takes off
after a rabbit, deer, ground hog, stray dog
or just wonders off out of curiosity. build your dog
a kennel if you want to leave her outside unattended.



glinny said:


> Effie is 22 weeks and is fully housebroke. She spends time outside during the day. We live on a farm a 1/2 mile from the road or neighbors. She wanders a little but stays very close to the house unless she is with one of us. BUT. First thing in the morning and any time in the evening she will not go out alone. I have to be with her when it is dark if I want her to leave the porch. I tried to fool her by going out the door and then right back in when she went out. Now she won't go out unless I have on my coat and gloves. Only fooled her twice. I would love to send her out alone to pee but she won't go. If you have ideas please let me know.


----------

