# Housebreaking frustration!!



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

Ok. So, we have a bell on the back door. Ava knows how to use it. She will ring it and sit there and wait for us to let her out.

Unfortunately, sometimes it's because she just wants to go outside and play. :smirk:

My problem with Ava is this....I have never had a dog or known a dog that doesn't sniff the ground to give some sort of indication they are about to go pee/poop. Ava just runs around playing like normal and then stops and pees/poops without even sniffing the ground.

That's fine outside...whatever works for her. :laugh: However, she is not fully housebroken and this is causing a problem because she doesnt give me the typical "I'm looking for a spot to potty" signals. She's just walking along all la-de-da and BOOM squat and pee. 

I'm like what the heck?!?!?!?:nono: I have tried tethering her to me but it's still the same thing, she will just squat and I have no clue it's about to happen. 

I'm at a loss here...I've limited her water, she knows how to ask to go out, I always take her out right after eating or napping. I would say these "accidents" happen about 2-3x a day.:shrug::help:


----------



## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

We're currently having trouble housebreaking our 4 month old pup, Tanner, so I understand your frustrations. Minnie was pretty well housebroken by 10 weeks, but Tanner is still learning. Here's what I do - limit the water (you're already doing that), and when he's out of his crate I take him out every 20-30 minutes. Before we go out, I ask him, "Tanner, go outside?" and just this past week he started to run over to the door and wait for me. I take him out, on a leash, to his "spot" and let him do his business. If he does it, we go back inside and he can stay out of his crate and play, if not, he has to go in his crate for a while. I'll set the timer for another 30 minutes, let him out, and take him to potty again - if he goes he stays out, if not, it's back in the crate for a few more minutes. 

Is Ava only 2 months old? She will not have full control of her bladder muscles for some time yet, so it's important to keep her on a very strict schedule so that you can predict her potty times. It also sound like she doesn't know that she's only supposed to go outside. Make sure that you're cleaning up the house accidents with an enzyme cleaner to get rid of all of the smell, so that she doesn't think it's ok to go in the house. Also, what do you do when she does go in the house? When our pups are little and we catch them in the act, we say "No, go outside" and pick them up (while they're still peeing - they have always stopped when I pick them up mid-pee) and carry them outside to their spot to finish their business, where they get lots and lots of praise. It's like redirecting their pottying the same way you redirect their chewing - put them where then need to go. 

Good luck! I know that house training can be super frustrating. Just have patience and know that she's not trying to be bad, she just doesn't know what you expect yet.


----------



## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Your puppy is only 3 months old. A few puppies can learn at that age, but I would never count on it. Continue to take her outside every hour (to start) and praise her when she potties. And I think girls can't hold it as long as boys, but every puppy is different.

And I couldn't sleep through the night until Boaz was nearly 5 months old, so don't forget to set your alarm.


----------



## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

My foster puppy is just like that; there is no notice before she squats. When she's awake I was to taking her out every 15 to 30 minutes and she would pee every single time she went out. If I didn't, she would pee in the house. This is something that you just have to wait out as they discover their bladder. My puppy just turned 5 months and now I'm up to letting her out every 30-45 minutes while she's awake. Some puppies are just slower than others.

I never limit her water except I don't put any in her crate.


----------



## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

My girl never really gave notice either. I've found that at this age a schedule is more important than waiting for a signal. If you consistantly take out your dog on a schedule that you initially adjust to give them maximum success, eventually you change the schedule to meet your needs. Continue to reinforce the bell and interrupt and discourage the peeing. 

I've found that while some of my dogs have had more accidents than others, they have all relied on me to get them out, and that they are not really reliably housebroken in the way of an adult dog until they are about 5-6 months old. Sort of like kids, they might be reliably using the toilet at 3yrs but are still capable of accidents for years afterwards. It just takes time. Hang in there!


----------



## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

First off taking her outside more often and giving her a treat and praise when she potty's in her spot will help her to understand. I always give a treat which sit in a bowl by the back door to encourage coming back into the house. It's not rocket science you just need to be 1 step ahead and by keeping treats by the door helps along with letting them outside more so you can praise her big time when she potty's outside.


----------



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

Minnieski said:


> Is Ava only 2 months old? She will not have full control of her bladder muscles for some time yet, so it's important to keep her on a very strict schedule so that you can predict her potty times. It also sound like she doesn't know that she's only supposed to go outside. Make sure that you're cleaning up the house accidents with an enzyme cleaner to get rid of all of the smell, so that she doesn't think it's ok to go in the house. Also, what do you do when she does go in the house? When our pups are little and we catch them in the act, we say "No, go outside" and pick them up (while they're still peeing - they have always stopped when I pick them up mid-pee) and carry them outside to their spot to finish their business, where they get lots and lots of praise. It's like redirecting their pottying the same way you redirect their chewing - put them where then need to go.


Thanks!! I do tell her "NO!" if I catch her in the act. I don't pick her up as I was afraid that would cause a trail of pee. I will try that!!


----------



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

BlackPuppy said:


> Your puppy is only 3 months old. A few puppies can learn at that age, but I would never count on it. Continue to take her outside every hour (to start) and praise her when she potties. And I think girls can't hold it as long as boys, but every puppy is different.
> 
> And I couldn't sleep through the night until Boaz was nearly 5 months old, so don't forget to set your alarm.


 
Fortunately for me....she will go 7 hrs at night without needing to go out. For the first couple of weeks it was every 2 hours but now she sleeps thru the night!!!


----------



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

Thanks all! I do have a treat jar right by the back door. She gets major praise and a treat when she comes in. I take her out frequently and she pees everytime...yet also comes inside and does it. She is 13 weeks old...sounds like from what you guys are saying, I have another month or so at least until she should be almost 100% consistantly going outside. 

That's a relief....I was thinking she was just never going to be housetrained!!! I didnt realize it took that long!! That goodness for wood floors!!!!


----------



## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

AvaLaRue said:


> That's a relief....I was thinking she was just never going to be housetrained!!! I didnt realize it took that long!! That goodness for wood floors!!!!


Ha, I wish we had wood floors! I'm so tired of cleaning the carpet! When he's finally housetrained I'm calling in the pros to clean it (or maybe I can talk dh into ripping it out and putting in wood instead!).


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Two words... crate training.


----------



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

Relayer said:


> Two words... crate training.


 
Two words....SHE IS


----------



## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Just a thought, I tried this with my dog. And I've noticed that dogs can understand quite a large variety of words so...

When I take my dog out and he goes potty, I say "go potty, good boy!" or "potty" when he's actually going, and then praise him so he can associate pee/poop with the _word_ potty. And everytime before he walks through the door I say "outside" or if we are going in "in the house". After doing that for a while it seems that he understood that potty=outside. If I caught him going in the house I would say "No, potty outside!" and he got all bashful and knew he did something wrong and hid (he's a major softie!). I can also now take him out and command him to "Go potty" and he actually does it! Even if he really doesn't have to go much, he still tries. He was doing this all around 6 months (the potty on command). 

I also verbalize when we are going into "the front" or "the back" yard and he seems to be able to distinguish between the two. I just feel that the more opportunities we give our dogs to learn our language, the easier they will be to live with. Hopefully with all the advice on here, it will be a success!! Best of luck to you!


----------



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

I take Jake out every two hours, if he doesn't go, in the crate, I wait then back outside....it's exhausting. I am WITH YOU on this...


----------



## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

AvaLaRue said:


> Thanks all! I do have a treat jar right by the back door. She gets major praise and a treat when she comes in. I take her out frequently and she pees everytime...yet also comes inside and does it. She is 13 weeks old...sounds like from what you guys are saying, I have another month or so at least until she should be almost 100% consistantly going outside.
> 
> That's a relief....I was thinking she was just never going to be housetrained!!! I didnt realize it took that long!! That goodness for wood floors!!!!


 
Uh, yeah..I was still battling my dog at that age too...I wonder if there are any other signs she gives you when she needs to go? My dog gave me signs but I didn't catch on, my husband did though, wow!! He just stands there and looks us in the eye...sometimes I don't even realize he is there, he just sneeks up on me and stares at me. I mean I had dogs in the past that just would stare at me/my mom for whatever reason and we just ignored them. Ava's still pretty young, so just be watching for odd signs (if she has any)...I think the bell is a great idea though. Just keep trying even though it is VERY frustrating!


----------



## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

two suggestions for the OP. 

1. try treating immediately after she starts peeing outside. Don't wait until she comes in.... for her she can go just enough to relieve the pressure then stop so she can come in and get a cookie....

2. When you take her out make her go potty twice, and on a lead so to help with possible distractions. Many times pups will get distracted mid pee and not actually empty their bladders. And more males than females will only pee enough to relieve the pressure of needing to go and not actually empty the bladder. So when you take her out have her go potty once.... then wait about 10 minutes to see if she has anymore in there.


----------



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

So true, Jake goes twice....thought it was odd until I just read this!


----------



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

GSDSunshine said:


> two suggestions for the OP.
> 
> 1. try treating immediately after she starts peeing outside. Don't wait until she comes in.... for her she can go just enough to relieve the pressure then stop so she can come in and get a cookie....
> 
> 2. When you take her out make her go potty twice, and on a lead so to help with possible distractions. Many times pups will get distracted mid pee and not actually empty their bladders. And more males than females will only pee enough to relieve the pressure of needing to go and not actually empty the bladder. So when you take her out have her go potty once.... then wait about 10 minutes to see if she has anymore in there.


:shocked: I never thought of this!! She does tend to go twice in the yard sometimes!! I bet those other times she only goes once is because she just relieves the pressure and then comes in and pees a bit later!!! 

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

MAKE HER GO TWICE, I bet it helps. However we do have puppies and it's going to be a while...


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I think all my pups had the 2 pee rule. Lakoda doesn't give any notice, except I see her walk around like she's looking for something, if it's a poop she has whinned a little. In the morning as soon as I let her out of her crate I head right to the back door, then we come in, she gets some breakfast, I get a few sips of coffee and it's back out for pee #2 shortly after and hopefully a poop. Then I can relax and finish my cup of coffee. If I catch her having an accident, she knows she's doing something wrong by my shrill "oh no outside, go potty outside". She can hold it, but I think sometimes she forgets.


----------



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

kiya, did you say RELAX? Drink your coffee? LOL....


----------



## justgill (May 28, 2010)

word association has worked wonders for all my dogs. First thing in the mornings I would take her into the garden for her pee and when she squatted I would repeat "pee, pee, good pee pee chyan" She quickly associated the act of urinating on the "pee" command. I would make a big fuss of her to begin with and use that word as often as I could while she relived herself. They soon pick it up. And as your pup matures you will recognise the signs. Goodluck


----------



## florina (May 27, 2010)

hi, 

I am new arround here. Mine is 5 month old, he was quite ok since 3.5 months. When I take him out in the morning, I do not talk to him or play with him. No toys arround. I have my morning coffe while he looks for THE spot, when he does it... we start playing. The same ritual at noon or late evening.


----------

