My puppy WON'T house train!?

Question

I recently brought home a golden retriever puppy. I have had him almost two weeks, and I still can't get him to house train. I have raised several other kinds of dogs, but this one takes the cake on the stubborn-ness! They say not to scold or yell when you see them going potty in the house, to interupt them and take them outside to finish. First of all, he won't stop, and if you pick him up, we will just trail it all the way to the door, then once you get him outside, he won't go, he just sits down and looks at you. I use words like "outside" and "get busy" once we are outside, but he is just having lots of trouble. We live in an apartment, so I go out with him every time. I give him lots of praise and a 'cookie' when he goes outside, anyone have any suggestions? Even if he just went out 10 minutes ago and actually went potty, he will go in the house too! I use Nature's Miracle to clean up the smell, and I have tried a kennel. He has meal times and I limit his water intake....HELP!

Answer 1

Bamma a dog whisperer. Bamma say keep bucket near by at all time. Bamma say when dog go you put bucket under him. Bamma say in time dog used to bucket and pee in it. Bamma say then put bucket outside. Bamma say dog can't go until he near bucket. Bamma say dog beg to go out. Bamma otta know.

Answer 2

Some dogs are harder to train than others. This worked on my stubborn one, but it's a bit of a time investment.

You need two days, a crate, a bell, and a leash.

Attach the leash to the dogs collar, and tie the other end to your belt loop. Set up the crate, and tie the bell to the door knob.

Whenever the dog looks like he's about to go, take him out. You have to watch out for the signs. Some dogs will sniff around intently, some start panting, etc. Go directly to the door, ring the bell, and go out.

When he pees outside, act like he's the best puppy ever. I mean, he just outdid Lassie, saved the world. Good dog.

Keep him on the leash attached to you so you can watch him all day. He only gets off the leash to go into the crate at bedtime. (Make sure the crate's not too big so he can't pee in one end and sleep in the other.

Skip the cookies. by the time you get it from the cupboard or out of your pocket, he may not associate the behavior with the treat. You could do clicker training with it, but that takes a while to associate, and the praise and petting should do it.

After a few days, he should start ringing the bell when he has to go outside.

Answer 3

I don't think 2 weeks is enough time for a puppy to completely learn house training. Give him some time. And give the Nature's Miracle some time. It doesn't destroy the urine on contact, it has to work and destroy. Especially if it is in a rug or an unfinished floor. It has to soak in through the rug, padding and to the floor. And it does take a few applications to destroy all the scent. Don't give up.
When he gets old enough, if he isn't yet, get him altered-fixed. This may help too. You seem to be doing all the right things, and he may be just a bit stubborn. If you want to save your floors and/or carpet, you may have to crate train him until he learns. You didn't say how old he was. I would keep to 1 word for going outside..Outside is good. But always use the same command, don't confuse him.

Answer 4

#1- they are smart, but stubborn animals!

#2- don't limit his water, he needs it. he'll limit himself.

as far as crating goes, how big is his crate? since he is a retriever, he will get bigger. i suggest what my mom did when they got a black lab. get a kennel that has an inner cage piece that can be moved around to suit the size of the dog. the space for the puppy should only be big enough for him to stand up and lay down (curled up, not stretched out). puppies won't poop/pee where they have to lay down. as he gets bigger, you can move that piece back a little. WHENEVER you leave the house, you put him in the kennel. it sounds mean, but it works very well. i have a mini dach, and he learned in 3 weeks. i live in an apartment too, and it was very important not to have him pee on rugs that aren't mine! when you are home, take him out every hour, and after he finishes eating, playing, sleeping and drinking. don't limit the water, because his kidneys need that to function. he needs a lot of attention, but don't scold him if he has an accident in the house. take him outside, and give him lots of praises. stubborn or not, he'll learn.

email me if you need more help. let me know how he is doing.

Answer 5

It just takes persistence. It sounds as though you are doing all the right things the only thing that I would suggest is take him out more freqeuntly and no freedom in the house until he is reliable meaning he only gets freedom after using it outside and only for a specific amount of time, no unsupervised running around the house. when you take him out give it a time limit if he does not go put him back in the crate and try again in 20 minutes. Puppies need to go out after eating, drinking, hard play and sleep. Some pups need to go out every hour. Limit the amount of water he gets and put him on a feeding and water schedule it is easier to monitor what will come out if you know when it went in. Be patient your pup will become housebroken and then there are more fun things to deal with LOL. Good Luck!!

Answer 6

Hi,

I have a new pup in the house too! They can be challenging can't they? I've had Jet for 3 weeks now and her potty training is coming along nicely. What I do is this...every time she wakes up/stops playing/sniffs/eats etc I take her outside and say "slash" (I know its a silly word for wee but my other dog knows it) Nine times out of ten she'll do something. I must sound like a nutter to all my neighbours but after she's been I give her loads and loads of fuss. She does still soil in the house more often than not but the messes are getting closer to the back door so I know we are making progress. Pups are like children, sometimes they just forget where they have to go. Have patience and persevere, you'll get there in the end

Answer 7

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://bitly.im/aMQrx

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 8

Best suggestion I have is keep him on a leash in the house so you can tell when he starts to look for a place to potty, then immediately take him outside. GIve him some time, and ignore him until he does his business. If you stand there glaring at him and commanding him in a mean voice to go potty, he's just going to be hurt and confused. He should be in the kennel any time you can't watch him even if it's just for a minute. The absolute best housetraining book is Housebreaking: Pure and Simple by Mark and Dru Katz. It is EXACTLY the method I use and recommend and it works for any age, size, or breed of dog. It's less than $5.00 on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Housebreaking-Pure-Simple-Mark-Katz/dp/0970062311/sr=11-1/qid=1166484041/ref=sr_11_1/002-8767348-5363230

Answer 9

I do recomend a quick "NO" when they are in the act, picking him up quietly will not let him know that it is wrong, the instant he is going.

Consult a veterinarian to ensure the puppy does not have a medical reason for going. once this is done, ask him for a good local pet trainer to assist you.

And always remember thet each dog will be different.

Answer 10

In my oppinion, 'they' are wrong about not scolding a puppy when you catch him going to the bathroom in the house. It's one thing if you find it after the fact, but dogs (like kids) need to know that what they're doing is wrong. Otherwise they'll think it's a game... 'hey, if I pee here and they see me, I get picked up and get to go play outside!'.

I'm not saying hit him... not in the least. But firmness is key. Look him in the eye and say 'bad dog' in an unpleased tone. Then take him outside, where you want him to go pee, and praise him and tell him how good he is. He should learn very quickly which is which when he has to go.

Answer 11

Email me and I can help you out. I first have a few questions. Do you crate him at night? Where did you get him from? How old is he? Do you contain him during the day?

Alysia
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