# the best way to potty train a pup?



## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

can anyone tell me the best way to potty train my new pup?


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

are you using a crate? That is often a good way to help potty training.
Also, some tether pup to them, otherwise just watch your puppy carefully and take outside after playing, sleeping, drinking, eating and praise praise or a treat for pottying outside, or whatever space you designate outside.

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/housetrainingpuppies

http://www.training-dogs.com/potty-training-dogs.html

There is many more links out there!

Just be vigilant, if you catch him/her in the act just say no and take them outside or to their spot, if you otherwise do not catch them in the act you really cannot do much, they won't understand what it is they have done wrong.

You could also try bell training http://www.howtodothings.com/pets-and-animals/a4691-how-to-potty-bell-train-your-puppy.html

I have not done this, but am sure there are more links out there for this sort of thing

Good luck and have fun


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i brought my boy home at 9 weeks old. i brought him in the house and i took him out 15 minutes later and continued taking him out every 15 minutes building up to a 1/2 hour and then on to hours. after feeding or playing out immediately. in the middle of playing take them out because they get so excited. over night i was taking our boy out every two hours building up to over night. you could paper train him. put paper down in a designated area and take him to it often. at some point he'll go the paer on his own. this is first time i house broke a dog without usuing the paper method. we just took him out alot.


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## Sashmom (Jun 5, 2002)

They are so easy to train because theyre so smart . I got Sash when he was 12 wks old and he hadnt been in a house. i took him out ALOT and 3 days later, he would come to me and whine, i took him out and he went. It was so easy Give them a treat when you bring him in, too. Praise alot. I DID catch him in the act, I scooped him up and took him outside. They catch on very fast!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Emjworks05, welcome to the site!!! Can you do us a HUGE favor and go up into 'My Stuff' and then 'My Profile' and add your general location to the info. It will show up beside all your future postings and alot of time helps us with the info we recommend.

CRATE TRAINING!!!!! So much easier to housebreak and so much less anger and frustration for us. Crate are safe happy lairs for our pups. NOT horrible 'cages'. 

Here's some more info:

http://leerburg.com/housetraining.htm

http://leerburg.com/housebrk.htm


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## Sherush (Jan 12, 2008)

If you followed the first 2 posts you will have no problems, Jesse at 8 weeks was housetrained in 2 days as long as I took him out right after eating, middle of play, after play and basically every hour (he was only in crate when we were not home or couldn't watch him) but otherwise I watch him like a hawk. We had a few accidents up to 14 weeks but they were my fault ie. I knew I had to get him out but I wanted to finish something first.....


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## dgon27 (Mar 12, 2008)

I got Tessa at 16 wks old. She lived outside 100% of the time until she came home. It seemed like she was potty and crate trained instantly. She is my 1st GSD and has been unbelievable. Bottom line you just have to watch him like a hawk, like Sherush said. Everytime I took Tessa out I would say "go pee" and now it's as easy as that . I say, "go pee", and she goes. I say, "let's go to bed", and she goes to bed. It's great. 
Good luck...


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: SashmomThey are so easy to train because theyre so smart . I got Sash when he was 12 wks old and he hadnt been in a house. i took him out ALOT and 3 days later, he would come to me and whine, i took him out and he went. It was so easy Give them a treat when you bring him in, too. Praise alot. I DID catch him in the act, I scooped him up and took him outside. They catch on very fast!


i agree with you but i didn't give a treat when i brought him inside. why do you give them a treat when you bring them inside????


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## Eve-Lynn (Apr 28, 2008)

We brought Link home at 9 weeks and immediately took him outside to his "spot" and used the words "be quick" once he had started to pee or poop. We didn't give treats. He was housetrained within the week and has never had an accident again. Now when we want to go somewhere or need to put him in the crate so we can go out we take him outside and say "be quick" and 98% he will pee even if it is only a little. He is now 6 months. Good luck!!!


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

House Training
The Newspaper Method: Always keep a rolled up newspaper in the house. When you come inside from having been out talking to the neighbor for the last hour, and step squarely into a steaming pile of doggy excrement (left there by your unattended pup), grab the newspaper, bop yourself upside the head a few times and repeat, "Bad Owner, Bad Owner" for not watching the puppy. No need to rub your nose in it as your foot has been there!!
or, you can try the Crate-Training Method: The crate needs to be large enough for your pup to stand up as well as to lay down with feet out sideways. Some puppies will take advantage of a too-large crate by using half of it to potty in. When you can not watch the pup, he should be put in the crate. As soon as the pup comes out of the crate, he should go outside. When you take a puppy outside to potty, DO NOT PLAY WITH THE PUPPY! Wait until potty business is done. Otherwise you end up with a pup who goes outside, has a blast, and comes inside and uses your floor as a latrine. You get upset, but it was your own fault. If the pup does not go potty, put the pup back in the crate for about 5 minutes, then try again. Take the pup outside to the same general area each time. Stand there and say, "go potty" or "use the grasses" or whatever you choose as the command. As soon as the puppy goes, you reward with a treat or play and tell the puppy how smart he is. In the mornings, young pups almost always go potty at least twice. So if you wake up at 6AM and want to leave the house at 7AM, you need to take the pup outside at least at 6:05 and 6:55. Do not ever send a young pup (or untrained dog) outside to go potty alone. They do not get it; have no idea why they are out there. It is the owner's responsibility to teach, not just to discipline. Crates are a training tool, and like all training tools, can be abused. If you puppy is spending 20 hours a day in the crate, you need a hamster, not a dog. Do not call me, or the pound, or the humane society to complain about your wild uncontrollable dog that jumps and tears everything up as soon as you let him out.


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## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

My pup doesnt spend any time in a crate, i stay at home so there is no reason to stick him in a crate. I DO NOT spank or put his face in his accidents, i dont believe in that kind of discipline. If i see him messing i pick him right up ( even in the middle of his peeing) and take him outside and stand there with him and usually he will finish going potty. He's been doing really good now he will sit at the door when he has to go potty. When we come back in the house i give him a treat and tell him hes a good boy. So maybe i am doing something right?


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Sounds like you are doing great!! And you and the pup are lucky that you can spend so much quality time with him!!

You may want to consider getting him used to a crate on occassion. That way if you do need to leave him, or drop him off at a vet clinic, or board him somewhere in the future, he won't go ballistic about it
(BTW: that excerpt was from our training club website and so is a general posting.)
Welcome to the board,


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## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

thank you all soooo much for the advice and encouragement!


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