# Wife's struggling with puppy phase



## jbird720 (Mar 16, 2013)

My wife's struggling with the puppy phase. She's extremely frustrated with potty accidents, lack of sleepless nights despite our greatest efforts to continue training etc. 
Granted the pup is only 9 weeks old, my wife doesn't understand. I don't know what to say or do. I have a feeling she's going to make me get rid of her. 

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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

can you step up more? As in, you do the nighttime potty thing? 

I am assuming you work when home, you take on the puppy, wear her out before bedtime, have your wife crate her during the (assuming she's home with her), to give her some 'me' time. 

Puppies are not easy, I would tell her this shall pass, and will become in a distant memory in a few weeks.

Its tough when adults in the house are not on board, hope she'll hang in there.


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## hrhodes8137 (Apr 7, 2013)

Our puppy is just about the same age as yours and as the wife in the house, I can sympathize. Personally I find myself frustrated with accidents too. I was just talking with my Hubbs yesterday about how I'm tired of being the only one to clean the messes up. I will tell you what I told him and maybe that'll offer some insight from the wife's perspective. It was pretty much...

I don't want to always be the one stuck cleaning up the accidents and being the "bad cop" when I catch him in the act. I love the dog and would never want to get rid of him but sometimes when I'm scrubbing a pee stain off the carpet I can't help but be a little grumpy. Help clean up the messes and help with taking the dog out when you can. The more you take him out the less messes there will be to clean up.

Also, we do put our puppy in a kennel at night. It took him 7 nights to stop whining. It was SO worth it, now we don't have to worry about him at all at night. As soon as I wake up the first thing I do is let him out of the kennel and take him outside. We don't use it as punishment, just confinement while we sleep. He hated it at first but now he just sleeps too! That'll help her a lot, when you can get restful sleep it's much easier to be patient during the daytime. 

Good luck with your pup! And also, talk to your wife. Ask her what you can do to help. She'll feel much better if she feels like you're on her side.


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## jbird720 (Mar 16, 2013)

With my job I'm gone for 24hrs at a time. When I'm home I make sure I for it all. Our 6 yr old daughter is also a tremendous help too. 

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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

Wife has to man up. Every potty accident, if she see it, needs to be corrected. Slap on the butt as the dog is put outside. Then clean the floor. 

let the dog back in. Eventually the dog will understand get gets a smack and sent outside when it pees, so it will start to make a noise when it wants out. 

Imagine the sleepless nights when you have kids... Kids don't train as quick.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Walperstyle said:


> Wife has to man up. Every potty accident, if she see it, needs to be corrected. Slap on the butt as the dog is put outside. Then clean the floor.
> 
> let the dog back in. Eventually the dog will understand get gets a smack and sent outside when it pees, so it will start to make a noise when it wants out.
> 
> Imagine the sleepless nights when you have kids... Kids don't train as quick.


Please stop advising people to smack their dogs. This is a very bad idea, especially with the dog will grow up to be a lot more powerful than you.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

Walperstyle said:


> Wife has to man up. Every potty accident, if she see it, needs to be corrected. Slap on the butt as the dog is put outside. Then clean the floor.
> 
> let the dog back in. Eventually the dog will understand get gets a smack and sent outside when it pees, so it will start to make a noise when it wants out.
> 
> Imagine the sleepless nights when you have kids... Kids don't train as quick.


:headbang: :thumbsdown:


Please, ignore this post- don't smack your puppy. 

Regardless, potty training is not an overnight process. I'm a little confused why your wife would agree to a puppy if she expected perfection in a week  

In any case, hostility towards the puppy is only going to cause insecurity, which will delay and prolong the potty training process, not speed it up. Patience is key! Catching them in the act and rushing them outside to show them where to go isn't being the "bad cop", it's teaching them. They're babies, they know absolutely nothing about what is "right" or "wrong".

Crate train, be consistent, and be patient. Crating is seriously the best way to go, for potty training and for giving your wife some alone time when you're not there. If your wife wants to get rid of the pup after a week, this probably was not a well thought out decision on her part. Is she going to be up for dealing with land sharking, teething, etc? This is probably a serious discussion you should have, because with GSD pups... the potty training is the easy part. But with crate training, puppy classes, etc, it'll be a really rewarding experience that a few months from now she'll be looking back on with a smile.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Walperstyle said:


> Wife has to man up. Every potty accident, if she see it, needs to be corrected. Slap on the butt as the dog is put outside. Then clean the floor.
> 
> let the dog back in. Eventually the dog will understand get gets a smack and sent outside when it pees, so it will start to make a noise when it wants out.
> 
> Imagine the sleepless nights when you have kids... Kids don't train as quick.


Absolutely do not do this!! These actions will only lead to further potty training issues, such as hiding behind something to pee and poop.

OP, think about setting up a xpen with a tarp underneath. The tarp will have to be taken out and hosed off and cleaned BUT it will protect the floors from accidents during this time. I would say have 2 so you have a dry one to immediately put back on the floor. You would need be even more vigilant with taking the pup out for potty. When out of the xpen, have the pup tethered to one of you so you can keep an eye on him. Using the xpen will also give your wife some breathing room. For night time, crate the pup, all of you will get full night sleep , after the crate training lol.

This period really does lasts only a short time, hang in there.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Puppies are no different to having a very new baby in the house  

I wish I could give you some better advise but having to clean up pee is just part of having a puppy - you can minimise "accidents' by crating and having a very strict potty routine which means pup gets taken out for a loo break every couple of hours (depending on age the time can be longer) as well as after every playtime and every meal.
Baby puppies are not easy  but they are sooo worth it once they grow up!!
Hang in there 

DON'T smack the pup it's not gonna help!!!!!!!


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

jbird720 said:


> My wife's struggling with the puppy phase. She's extremely frustrated with potty accidents, lack of sleepless nights despite our greatest efforts to continue training etc.
> Granted the pup is only 9 weeks old, my wife doesn't understand. I don't know what to say or do. I have a feeling she's going to make me get rid of her.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Tell her the puppy is like a newborn baby. Newborn babies don't come potty trained and the pup will be faster out of that stage than a human baby.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Your situation does mean you can't do it without her help so you are beteween a rock and a hard place. I think the best you can do is convince her this really is a short term thing. 

If a dog pen is suitable (garage, basement, outside within a fenced yard) it may buy a little time as long as you are bringing her in those days and nights you are home (the danger being it becomes too convenient to leave her there).........but trying to convince her it really is not all that long would be the best. Outside is kind of dicey though with a puppy. Easy to steal, neighbors, etc


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## TrentL (May 10, 2011)

So ... its pretty simple here ... you love your dog your love your wife... your dog has accidents in the house... your wife doesn't like it.

So stop letting your dog have accidents in the house! (Sounds easy right? Well it is...)

Here are some things that I did (I did EVERYTHING with my dog...my wife has the luxury of playing with the dog and letting him out at night so I can brush my teeth)

1. Don't leave water down for him to drink "Anytime he wants"
2. Leashed in the house 100% of the time, and Tethered to the primary trainer.
3. If not leashed/tethered then the puppy is crated.
4. Provide water often to the puppy which is then followed by a "Pee break" outside.
5. NEVER scold the puppy if he makes an accident. Surprise the dog with a sharp "NO" or "DOG NAME" and pick the puppy up and run him outside. Soon as he/she potty's outside have a party (Cookies play love, toys etc)
6. Night time CRATE YOUR DOG.. I tried sleeping on the floor with the puppy tethered to me, I got lots of cuddles then the dog would wander away 3-4 feet from me and pee then come back and cuddle... in the crate which is sized just big enough for him..he whined because he didn't want ot mess in his crate.
7. NEVER let your dog see you clean up the mess... always take the dog out side, bring the dog in crate the dog in another room, and then clean up the mess and use Natures Miracle (I prefer the tropical one)

8. At night set your alarm for every 3-4 hours to take the dog outside to potty. (Just like a newborn night feedings)

9. NEVER leave your dog alone.
10. If the dog makes a mess in your house... its your own fault so roll up that newspaper and whap youself in the nose.
11. Sticking his/her nose in it DOESN"T work... your dog may fear you but it won't help with potty accidents... he may end up eating or drinking his own potty to try and hide it.

I think if you take the lead set the example, come up with a schedule, etc do as much work with the dog as you can while your home. You wife can follow your schedule and it will help EMENSELY. 

As soon as my Wife and I were following the same pattern we noticed a HUGE HUGE difference. Its almost like my dog preferred consistency (I don't know if all dogs do or not).

Honestly I can't say it enough... letting a little puppy wander around without anyone watching it 24/7 is setting your dog up to fail...the house is a "HUGE" place and the dog doesn't associate it as its "Den" from my understanding... as it grows and learns that there is an "OUTSIDE" place to potty the dogs will learn your routine.

But if you want your dog and a happy wife ... its not the WIFE who has to step up but the HUSBAND. (Or I should say its not the Signifigant other ... but the Dog owner... though mostly I see men complain)

- Spoken as a husband who has a 8month old GSD and I did it all ... and I'm so thankful he sleeps through the nights... now if I could just get him to understand the Weekend is a time I DON'T want to walk up at 5am....


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

TrentL - I think that is wonderful advice that should be taped on the fridge.

For this OP, the issue of being gone in 24 hour increments is a real challenge. I was the one who raised my puppy 100% as well. Because he was, well, my puppy. Hopefully the wife will buy in on it .


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Puppies are a lot of work. It's unfortunate that your wife either didn't realize that or wasn't prepared for it. You've only had your puppy for a little over a week, and realistically, it could take several more weeks or more for her to be housebroken, and that's if everyone is consistent about watching her every second she's out of her crate in the house, and taking her out very frequently and rewarding her for doing her business outside. It's a tough situation when you're gone so long at a time and your wife is not enthused about the whole idea.


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## lily's master (Jul 16, 2012)

Walperstyle said:


> Wife has to man up. Every potty accident, if she see it, needs to be corrected. Slap on the butt as the dog is put outside. Then clean the floor.
> 
> let the dog back in. Eventually the dog will understand get gets a smack and sent outside when it pees, so it will start to make a noise when it wants out.
> 
> Imagine the sleepless nights when you have kids... Kids don't train as quick.


Wow I guess some people train there dogs like this and the dog is still okay but hitting a 9 week old puppy for just doing what is in its nature is not something I would be doing. If you see the puppy start to potty you can give a firm NO and pick it up, by tucking its tail between its legs it will usually stop it from urinating and you can quickly take the dog outside and let it finish there with lots of priase and treats. I think positive reinforcement works better on most, if not all, training issues especially a puppy. If you start smacking the dog it will make her scared of you, she could become fear agressive, and then you would have an even bigger problem. She could start submissive peeing which since you are trying to stop the peeing inside would reverse any progress you have already made. Why advise to smack a puppy because its not trained  its not the puppys fault.


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

If puppy is having accidents than two things are happening. 
1. He has too much freedom. Puppy should not have free roam. He should be on a leash, in a crate or in an x pen anytime you or your wife aren't actively interacting with him. 

2. He's not being taken out to potty enough. During the day start with every 20 minutes if you have to. Make sure you have treats or food. Take puppy out and say potty! Don't play with him, keep it all business. If he goes say yes! Good potty! And give him his treats right after. 

If he doesn't go. Put him up and try again in 20 minutes. My puppy didn't have any accidents and was pretty much potty trained in 2 days. 


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## jessac (Oct 29, 2012)

I can sympathize with your wife. I was the one home all day with the puppy and several of those early days ended with me in tears handing the dog to mk y husband as soon as he walked in the door. I didn't want to get rid of the puppy but I was exhausted and frustrated - loved the little monster but it's tough those first few weeks before you understand each other and their communication style is biting...

I recommend you crate train if you haven't already. It will cut down significantly on accidents and give her some time during the day for herself and to get her usual stuff done. I felt like I couldn't get anything done because pup would get into stuff, but once we started crating, I felt soo much better. You've gotten plenty of potty training advice so I won't go into that, but just wanted to sympathize and say that it does get much better once you build some communication.


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## Linck (Mar 25, 2013)

LOL reading OP post makes me feel like he is talking about me. I'm the wife and I was in exact same mode with her. I stay at home while husband go to work 8 to 5 so I was the one doing all the cleaning. I'm the one take him out at night because husband can never hear him and I feel bad waking him up since he has to go to work. I'm the one get all that scratch (one time his teeth got between my nail and skin, talk about paper cut but bigger wound). 

My husband would take over EVERYTHING as soon as he came back from work so I could get a break. Without me telling him how I really feel he can tell I'm frustrated. You know what make me hang on to Lincoln?

One day I was in the bedroom after take a shower that I so needed, I heard my husband talks to Lincoln. He said "dude, you need to chill. Momma is gonna get rid of you and I don't want to lose you" 

After I hear that, somehow I have all these energy to put up with the boy. At least do it for the husband. 

I never want to get rid of Lincoln but I did have time I wish we didn't get him. Just like other posters here, this will pass. For me its all just a memory now. My boy is only 14 weeks but he is completely housebroken, can be left alone during the day, hold it through the night. He even get his own doggie door where he goes in and out by himself when he needs to go potty and hasn't have accident for 2 weeks straight. 

Think about it, it has only been 6 weeks. That's it. I'm sure your puppy will be in the same place with mine in very near future. Tell her shes not the only one out there.


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## ravensmommy (Mar 24, 2013)

I think you've already gotten some great advice on here, I just wanted to offer my two cents too (as a first time GSD puppy owner). Originally, I convinced my husband to get our puppy Raven for HIM. He's always loved shepherds. Realistically though, she's become my puppy because I am the one who is home with her all day, and he is military so he is gone for months at a time. Maybe I secretly just wanted her to be my puppy anyway, lol. 

My advice for how I deal with the not so pleasant sides of puppy rearing is this: 

-Go outside a million times a day (for the potty issues) BUT also go outside just to PLAY... 
-For the biting issues (I don't know if you mentioned that but I'm sure they're there or will be lol) distractions have been great for me. I found that my pup loves empty plastic bottles and jugs. I keep a variety of them around, and when she goes into piranha mode, I toss down the bottles and toss or gently kick them around and she plays with them. 
-When she is super duper hyper and it's just plain obnoxious, I drop whatever I am doing and work on entertaining her mind. We work on basic commands (because that's all I know how to do so far)... things like sit, down, and watch. This helps relieve my stress because its fulfilling to see her focused on something besides being a tasmanian devil. 
-I made a flirt pole, and we play outside with that to help her burn off energy. Once her shots are finished we will be doing lots of walks, working up to eventually jogging together (she needs to grow and I need to get in shape for jogging) 

-Lastly, I have a baby gate. If I get just way to stressed and annoyed with her, I'll pen her in the kitchen for 20-30 minutes with a nylabone or a kong so that we can both take time to calm down a little.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Walperstyle said:


> Wife has to man up. Every potty accident, if she see it, needs to be corrected. Slap on the butt as the dog is put outside. Then clean the floor.
> 
> let the dog back in. Eventually the dog will understand get gets a smack and sent outside when it pees, so it will start to make a noise when it wants out.
> 
> Imagine the sleepless nights when you have kids... Kids don't train as quick.


Would you smack a baby that peed his diaper? This is ludicrous!


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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

lily's master said:


> Wow I guess some people train there dogs like this and the dog is still okay but hitting a 9 week old puppy for just doing what is in its nature is not something I would be doing. If you see the puppy start to potty you can give a firm NO and pick it up, by tucking its tail between its legs it will usually stop it from urinating and you can quickly take the dog outside and let it finish there with lots of priase and treats. I think positive reinforcement works better on most, if not all, training issues especially a puppy. If you start smacking the dog it will make her scared of you, she could become fear agressive, and then you would have an even bigger problem. She could start submissive peeing which since you are trying to stop the peeing inside would reverse any progress you have already made. Why advise to smack a puppy because its not trained  its not the puppys fault.





Twyla said:


> Absolutely do not do this!! These actions will only lead to further potty training issues, such as hiding behind something to pee and poop.
> 
> OP, think about setting up a xpen with a tarp underneath. The tarp will have to be taken out and hosed off and cleaned BUT it will protect the floors from accidents during this time. I would say have 2 so you have a dry one to immediately put back on the floor. You would need be even more vigilant with taking the pup out for potty. When out of the xpen, have the pup tethered to one of you so you can keep an eye on him. Using the xpen will also give your wife some breathing room. For night time, crate the pup, all of you will get full night sleep , after the crate training lol.
> 
> This period really does lasts only a short time, hang in there.



Why is everyone saying I'm doing something wrong. My guy doesn't pee in the house, and learns to let us know when he wants to go to the washroom, and he is still my friend. Still sleeps at my feet often. 

:wub:

I'm doing something right. Reward good behavior, correct bad behavoir. 

There is a huge difference in Abuse and correction. You guys must be city dwellers afraid to be labeled a michael vic or something by mistake. Do you want the dog to listen or not? My dog is 9 months old, and he is pretty well behaved. The only time he doesn't listen is when we have him amped up in his play mode. But its easy to bring him down by being calm. 

Attitude determines how the dog acts.


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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

Wolfiesmom said:


> Would you smack a baby that peed his diaper? This is ludicrous!


I would smack a 2 year old if he peed on the floor and gave me the finger. There is a huge difference between abuse and correction. Get that straight.


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## lily's master (Jul 16, 2012)

Walperstyle said:


> I would smack a 2 year old if he peed on the floor and gave me the finger.


Holy heck the dog gave her the finger! I wouldnt beat that dog I would be taking it to get an IQ test cause thats amazing!


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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

lily's master said:


> Holy the dog gave her the finger! I wouldnt beat that dog I would be taking it to get an IQ test cause thats amazing!


Reading comprehension isn't your thing is it?


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## lily's master (Jul 16, 2012)

Walperstyle said:


> Reading comprehension isn't your thing is it?


No I am just a girl from the big city(cough cough wyoming) who thinks that there is a better way to train a dog than to hit it. A nine week old puppy should not be compaired to a two year old child. It has no idea that what it is doing is wrong. As for the fact that you train your dog by "gently beating it" as in a correction and not by abusing it, umm yeah I am sure the dog respects and understands the difference. There are others on this forum who have dogs, myself included, who dont have accidents in the house and we trained them with positive reinforcement. 
So you are telling me that when your dog was 9 weeks old and would have an accident you would hit it? I really do hope that you are right and my reading skills are lacking. I hope I am not understanding you. Please explain how you would go about correcting this step by step with your advance "beating the puppy potty training". Is there a video on this style of training? Oh and then if you would please also give me the number to the parenting class you took that says your two year old should be beaten if they have an accident on the floor. I dont know many two year olds who do things like that so spitefully then turn around and flip you off. Wow kids these days!


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

Your going to have a hard time finding anyone to agree with you here. If te dog is peeing in the house it's YOUR fault. Your not watching them close enough. Like I said, my puppy was potty trained in just a few days. No smacking required. 


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Walperstyle said:


> Why is everyone saying I'm doing something wrong. My guy doesn't pee in the house, and learns to let us know when he wants to go to the washroom, and he is still my friend. Still sleeps at my feet often.
> 
> :wub:
> 
> ...


Smacking the dog only teaches him to be handshy. You can accomplish the same by "no" and scooping him up and taking him outside during the act. Your approach is very old school -and can be counterproductive - my own parents figured out (from a dog neighbor) that there were better ways than the rolled up paper all the way back in 1965 after an epic fail with another puppy, using the rolled up paper, and nose pushed into poop approach in 1960.

You are lucky your dog is tolerant of this and it worked for you, but why hit a dog if other ways work perfectly well?

Your stance is very uncommon and there is a broad range from city to farm dwellers here. I had to search, thinking maybe you came from some other country I had not heard of where it was culturally acceptable - oh - Canada/Political Faction in Alberta. Lets keep the discussion to the dogs and not coming to conclusions about "who" their handlers are.


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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

Capone22 said:


> Your going to have a hard time finding anyone to agree with you here. If te dog is peeing in the house it's YOUR fault. Your not watching them close enough. Like I said, my puppy was potty trained in just a few days. No smacking required.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



*My dog peed in the house at 10 weeks old. It was cured within 3 nights. *
I'm thinking there is a bunch of sensitive city dwellers in here afraid of people judging them.

I'm not looking for people to agree with me, just telling you what works. My guy is 9 months old. He's not shy of us, but also listens to us.

so do what you want, I corrected the problem within 3 nights of arrival at home. My guy still wags his tail when he sees me and is happy to sleep at my feet.

AGAIN, HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABUSE AND CORRECTION. If you can't tell the difference that is on you.


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

what good is a correction if the dog does not understand a learned behavior that was done incorrectly?


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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

jae said:


> what good is a correction if the dog does not understand a learned behavior that was done incorrectly?


Practice.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Lets just drop this whole discussion on hitting dogs; it will do nothing to help the OP and is taking us away from the topic.

Walperstyle if you want to start your very own thread on training methods go right ahead.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

jbird720 said:


> My wife's struggling with the puppy phase. She's extremely frustrated with potty accidents, lack of sleepless nights despite our greatest efforts to continue training etc.
> Granted the pup is only 9 weeks old, my wife doesn't understand. I don't know what to say or do. I have a feeling she's going to make me get rid of her.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Like someone mentioned she's a baby, literally. Housetraining was fairly easy and quick for us, the phase that was tough was the mouthy puppy

My advice, buckle down and set yourself up for success.

You may have to do all this on your own, if you want to keep the pup you will accept her as your own responsibility.

I took my boy out on a constant rotation. It was rainy Spring when we first got him. I kept a jacket, flashlight, leash, collar and rainboots by the back door so I could quickly get him outside. We went outside at midnight, 2am, whatever, raining, storming, whatever. 

TrentL gave some really good advice, follow it.

Remember German Shepherd puppies are VERY smart, they catch on quick. We just need to be patient and show them what we want them to do. Getting through the puppy stage (although I miss it terribly) and having a strong bond with these dogs is truely a pleasure.

I hope your wife hangs in there.


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## Crewchef (Feb 12, 2013)

Our new pup is 9-weeks today. Crate and exercise pen are your best tools. That and having a regular schedule for potty time. Zula is taken out immediately after she wakes (naps included) and every hour on the hour. Set a timer to remind you if needed. Never ever should they be out of sight. Tether the pup to you if that's what it takes. The ex pen really saves you during the day. Nap/play time for pup lets you wind down a bit too. Knock on wood we haven't had any crate or ex pen accidents and very few anywhere else. 

Read this in another thread, not verbatim but best I remember the post: if your puppy has an accident inside, pop yourself on the nose and say bad owner.

My DW really didn't want this pup, our one dog was enough. That cotton ball puppy fur and sweet breath won her over. I had to step up and take on most of the early efforts but right now she is watching Zula while I am in the office working (web surfing). Best of luck with your efforts. There is light at the end of the tunnel and fun times ahead.


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## Walperstyle (Nov 20, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> Lets just drop this whole discussion on hitting dogs; it will do nothing to help the OP and is taking us away from the topic.
> 
> Walperstyle if you want to start your very own thread on training methods go right ahead.


Person asks what works, I tell them first hand experience, rest of fan soft emotional fan club gets upset.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

OP - I skimmed through your past posts to try to get an idea of how you are training your pup. I noticed that you stated once that you felt that it's potty habits are a bit out of whack. Perhaps you could try to read what the puppy's time table is and not what you might think it could be.

Example - once a pup eats..it won't be able to eliminate that intake for hours (or longer). If it does eliminate quickly afterwards, it's not the most current meal it's eliminatiing. 

When my dogs are pups they wouldn't poop right after meals. As they got older, they got into the habit (in the evening) of evening meal...one hour 'down' time (in a crate or in the house) and then a nice long walk out in our pastures. They'll eliminate then. That is their habit now. 

It would really help if you and your wife could just buckle down, go hard core and crate train your pup. Don't start and then stop because of the crying. That just reinforces that behavior. Feed in the crate. Treat in the crate. Play crate games. Nap in the crate. Night time in the crate. The crate is your wife's best friend. When that pup is on her last nerve - crate time. When she can't keep an eye on the pup..crate time. When your wife needs a nap...crate time. 

It doesn't mean to keep the pup in the crate 24/7. It just means having to work with a puppy when your nerves are shot (and drug use is illegal..LOL!) isn't in the best interest of your wife or the pup. 

Pup goes into crate, the moment it comes out it goes outside to potty. Pup gets exercise, play, training...time for breakfast. Goes into crate for breakfast. Stays for 45 minutes to an hour, goes outside to potty. Pup gets exercise, play, training, goes into crate for nap. Pup comes out goes outside for potty. Pup gets exercise, play, training, goes into crate for lunch....etc. etc. etc. 

The more your wife enjoys your pup, the more she'll want to spend time with it. You want your wife to WANT to spend time with the pup. You don't want her to feel as though it's a ball and chain around her neck.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I had a heck of a time potty training mine when I got her. I wasn't following through and it was all my fault...drove me nuts. I got my head back together, followed a very strict routine and all of the sudden she was trained and we have never looked back. I did it by myself, went to work and put my head on the desk because I was so tired. Get a routine together that works for all of you, stick to it, and it will all work out. I never got mad at mine when she had an accident, I know it was my fault and I fixed it.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

Lisl has been the easiest to potty train because of the crate.

Use it, it works.

At night she was sleeping with me without accident at 9 weeks. I had to get up a couple of times some nights, but restricting food and water after 1900/2000 worked wonders.

I can leave her to wander the house when I'm here with her and she doesn't have to constantly be supervised.

If she has to go, she will come to me, sit in front of me and whine. Lately, she has even figured out what the bells are for at the back door, and she may jingle those too, but nothing says I NEED TO GO OUTSIDE, like sitting at my feet and whining.

I can't remember the last accident she had. Had to be months ago.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you and your wife should be very involved in raising the
dog through it's life. take the pup out often. alternate
taking the pup out. both of you feed the pup, play
with the pup, take short walks with the pup, etc.
sleepless nights, hopefully in 3 or 4 nights all will be calm.
overnight you take the pup out a few times. look at the pup
as "ours". find a puppy class. good luck.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

If I just wanted results with my pups then possibly I could do the easy no brainer thing and smack them all the time to correct.  And probably they WOULD learn what I was trying to teach them.

Correcting is so easy for us. Doesn't hurt us. Makes sense to us. So for a human it's the way I thought to train my first puppy too. 

Because it made sense to me, my first pup also got housebroken and trained, and it meant I didn't have to learn to be a BETTER and SMARTER trainer. 

Now I've raised my 4th puppy and I decided to do a better job with each dog and to learn new ways that ALSO work and use my brain. So instead of immediately training my dog by teaching it they are BAD all the time (correct correct correct correct correct you stupid BAD DOG) I now know a better way.

Does it sometimes take longer? Maybe.

Does it mean I have to be involved and think thru a problem? Usually.

Does it mean I raise a puppy that thinks they are brilliant, almost always RIGHT and the bright shining light in my life. Absolutely. 

So I choose to manage and teach my dogs generally using POSITIVE training methods and I will get exactly the same results. Exactly. My dogs are all housebroken. My dogs are all trained. 

And I do not hit/smack them. I choose to think, use my brain, learn new methods, and get the same (better?) results.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> And I do not hit/smack them. I choose to think, use my brain, learn new methods, and get the same (better?) results.


And, we cant all be graced with dogs with such perfect, rock solid nerves at such a young age... if I had EVER hit my dog, who is very soft, when he was a puppy... I fear to think what a disaster he'd be now. I followed the "brilliant" advice of a 'trainer' who told me to alpha roll him when he was very young and getting out of hand... I absolutely believe that, combined with weak nerves from bad breeding, is a major contributor to why he can still sometimes be insecure today, years later. I always feel a ton of guilt. If you want to take a gamble on your pup's nerves and risk ruining their temperament, by all means... go ahead. I learned my lesson, though. It's taken us years to undo the damage of even just rolling an insecure puppy onto his back.


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## TrentL (May 10, 2011)

Lots of great advice in here for sure. I know at my house I took the first three weeks of my puppies life off from work so I could spend every waking moment with it.

Weeks 8-9 I think was a fear period and we rarely left our property, we sat outside in the front yard watched the cars and people, and had strangers come up and say hi etc.

Weeks 9-10 we focused on socialization he went EVERYWHERE with us, and met EVERYONE. 

Weeks 10-11 was getting him used to his outside Kennel he'd spend hours out there a day (In small increments, maybe 10-20minutes, someone would walk by let him know he's there etc) eventually we ended with a dog that loved to be in his kennel.

But even to this day at 8months and no accidents since he was 8.5 weeks old. The dog doesn't have full reign of the house he's very confined into which rooms he can go and always with supervision.

With your work schedule and you being gone for so long I don't think you can call this dog "My dog" I think you and your wife have to call it "Our Dog" because you just can't meet its needs being gone for 24 hours.

Its a lot of work but it gets better so quickly ... compared a child anyway ... though my kids never bit me like Draven did


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

The upside for your wife which could make it worth her while is the booming bark of a GSD is a wonderful deterrent to would be criminals!!

We never had any accidents with Beau either. ANY. I did, however, teach poop on command (motivationally-by naming it whenever he went and rewarding) because Grim *really* did not want to potty onlead which can be a real issue when you travel. Fortunately I had great offlead control with Grim but there are some places you really don't want to unclip the lead.

So Beau first learned his "go potty" command, then after he learned it he was taught not to go on our neighborhood walks and that *was* mild correction along with reward for sniffing and NOT marking. IOW-he has to have my permission to go while onlead.

The other neat thing with the dog trained with motivation is seeing the gears go on in his head. We are pretty sure Grim was compulsion trained when I got him as an adult. He did a lot perfectly but he was NOT a thinking dog. The other day, the ball flipped over the fence. Grim would have tried to dig to it. Beau looked through the fence, ran to the gate on the other side of the yard, sat (his trained indication for cadaver), looked at me, and pawed at the latch. I went back, let him out, he got the ball and came back in. I did not teach him that but he figured it out. Dogs who offer behaviors and figure things out can be more of a challenge sometimes but they are a heck of a lot more fun!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

> Dogs who offer behaviors and figure things out can be more of a challenge sometimes but they are a heck of a lot more fun!


Love it!!!


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## jbird720 (Mar 16, 2013)

I just wanted to give a big THANK YOU for all that responded!! I greatly appreciate all the tips, ideas and guidance. Im doing my best to help my wife and reassure her this is a short window of time. 
Thankfully the puppy is on the right track with bowl movement time frames, so that does make it easier to schedule bathroom breaks. And she is getting better at sleeping through the night, every night gets better!

Again, thank you all for your wonderful support. I am ever so grateful!!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

What is difficult is 24 hour stints away. That means, no matter what you do, it largely falls on your wife to manage the puppy that she seems to be not quite on board with for extended periods of time. 

Is your yard securely fenced? At tractor supply company, they sell a doc-bob kennel for approximately $300. You can buy extra panels for about 75 and make it as big as you like, but the 5 x 10 foot kennel -- six panels is actually plenty big for what I am thinking. You really have to set it on some type of solid footing, like concrete so that the pup will not dig under. You can set it up in your fenced yard -- just putting a puppy out back for an hour is not a good idea, they can get themselves in a lot of trouble or chew or dig or bark or escape. 

You can also set it up inside a garage or basement. Garage or patio is preferable though, because then you can use a pooper scooper and hose it down. I usually put a cot or make a wood plank for them to rest on off the concrete. I have a bucket of water in mine so they can drink and potty during the day. I shut water off about 7pm, so that I will take them out at 11pm, and they will usually be able to hold it, while crated at night. 

I would have a special safe chew for the dog in the kennel that he LOVES and that he only gets while kenneled. This can be a marrow bone stuffed with peanut butter, or a raw knuckle bone. Something he can work on. 

Now, not everyone spends 24/7 with a new pup tethered to them. Lots of people raise dogs singly, and they have to work. The dogs manage this. Some crate their dog and come home at lunch and let them out, or have someone come in and take them for a short walk. While others use a kennel like this in a safe location. When they come home from work, they take the pup for a walk and praise it for pottying outside, then they take it in, and feed it, and follow the schedule, through the evening, of feeding, providing water, taking the pup out, doing little snatches of training, playing with the puppy, relaxing in front of the set with the puppy, and then one last time outside to potty, and back into the bedroom, crated for the night. 

If you could do something like this, so that your wife can kennel the puppy for 4 hours in the morning, and then do something with the pup for 30 - 60 minutes, and then 4 more hours in the afternoon, maybe your wife would not feel so over-whelmed by the puppy. 

Usually when people have 24 hours stints away from work, they generally have 2-3 days off. This would be the time when I would tether the dog to myself and watch closely and catch work on ALL the house-training stuff. Because there are two of you training the dog, it might take more than 2-3 days to be completely house trained. But for now whenever the pup is inside, 100% attention is on the pup to ensure that there are no accidents. House training also includes what to chew and what not to chew, how be careful with children and small pets, how to behave toward strangers legally in your home. 

A well-mannered dog is a pleasure to be around, but they are not born that way, and it is not genetic. Some are naturally easier than others, but it is training. They will not become trained outside in a kennel. But the will train a lot quicker if while they are training no one is so overwhelmed that they become fed up with the puppy, and angry with it, but instead, they are fresh enough to quickly take the pup where he is supposed to potty, use high happy tones to indicate what is wanted, and then praise in a happy voice. 

A lonely or bored puppy can become a nuisance, so the thing is, before you have her kennel the pup for a period of time, have her do something, a game of fetch to tire the puppy out. And then give the puppy his awesome safe chew, and with no more fan fare put him and the chew in the kennel. 

Good luck with the house training.


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