Help me housebreak my stubborn puppy?

Question

I have had an eleven week old puppy and have been trying to housebreak him for almost three weeks but he's not getting it. The weather was bad when we first got him so when he wouldn't go outside, we put down puppy pads. We also kept taking him outside in the mornings and nights. We praise him like crazy when he goes in the right spot and give him treats and yell "no" and pick him up to put him on the paper when he starts going in the wrong place. I can put him on the paper or take him outside a dozen times and he'll wait to go inside and deliberately walk away from the paper and pee on the carpet or on the hardwood floors. He does this most of the time. I'm at my wits end and am not sure what to do. Any suggestions? Should I see if a itter box would work?

Answer 1

We have a terrier mix that we got when she was about 3 months old. She was almost 1 year old when she was completely housebroken. We tried the litter box thing.....she walked up to it and began eating the pellets(litter). We had to take doggie treats outside - two of them. I showed her one and walked to where she was supposed to "go" and then gave her the treat right after she peed. Then the next treat is given after she poops. Once we started doing that, she was housebroken after one week.

Answer 2

Don't try a liter box, they're unhealthy to the people living in the home and they smell something awful. I'm highly against hitting dogs. But just like sometimes children need to be spanked, and sometimes dogs need to be smacked on the rump. Don't do it enough to really hurt him, just so he get's the idea that it's bad. Another option would be to just have him stay outside until he goes to the bathroom. If he pees inside, get him a crate and put him in that and in a lonely room for a "time out" or you can stick him outside if you have a fenced in area. Just know that eleven weeks is still pretty young, it does take a bit of time, but until them try to get him to use the puppy pads or the outdoors. If he goes inside, punish him, and not just by yelling "No" because he doesn't get that just yet.

Answer 3

You might try crating him when you are not home, my dog loves her crate and even goes in it when there are people over and she wants to get away, we call it her den. Dogs will not go where they sleep, so when he is in his crate, he will hold it. The other thing you can try, is when he DOES go poo in the house, pick it up and put it outside where you want him to go. That REALLY helped a stubborn dog I had as a kid learn what I was expecting him to do. Also, do you feed him on demand (leave food out so he can eat at will) or on a schedule. Remember, what goes in, must come out in about 20 minutes, so if you establish a feeding time, you know when to expect a potty break. Good luck!

Answer 4

If you have the time-I kept my puppies on a leash inside the house that were hard to 'break.' Then I could stop them as they squatted, not after. It worked for my more difficult ones to break. The others responded well with a doggie door, if you have a patio or yard. I know the leash is a hassle, but after a few days, it worked! You stop them, then re-direct them. Hey, try looking up on 'Dog Whisperer' and see what he says!

Answer 5

Our beloved puppy was difficult to house train, until I actually took the time to train him.

I don't work, so it was fairly easy once the holidays were over.
It was rather difficult to train him properly with all the holiday preparations and visitors.

All I did was take him outside every hour during the day and when he pee'd or pooped, I would praise him.
He was totally trained within 3 days!

It was quite easy once I got serious and took the time!

Answer 6

I had a dog like this and always felt like he said "Thanks for letting me inside I was dying to go to the bathroom" It was very frustrating. I finally just bought him a belly band and lined it with a maxi pad. It solved the peeing issue and I was able to break him from having bowel movements inside.