Potty Training Puppy... How do you get them to get it?

Question

I don't know what to do with this stinker!! I take her outside everymorning and try and get her to go no. 1 and no. 2 but all she does is play with the leash or pull on it like she's taking ME for a walk. When I bring her back inside, then she finds a spot to do her business. I feel like all I do is yell at her and smack her. I have the puppy pads but she doesn't use them she goes NEXT TO them. How do you get them to get it???

She's only 2 months so I don't hit her hard, I like tap her and she knows. She knows the word "NO" and comes when you whistle. She also rips puppy pad apart but only the one time. I praise her when she does go potty outside and give her a treat. I am as consistant as humanly possible. I try and keep her in her kennel at night but she cries and whimpers and keeps us up ALL NIGHT LONG! I tried putting a blanket over but that only worked the first couple nights. So I have confined her to my room at night time. When I'm away I put her in and let her cry all she wants she's not getting out. Although she has figured out how to get out.
She knows she did wrong, like a little kid who does something then looks around to see if mommy saw, she does the SAME thing!! And if she sees, me getting up she runs and hides and conveniently where I need to move furniture to get her.

Most of the time my eyes are on her. I watch her constantly. She's a Labrador/Rotweiler mix. Are these hard breeds to train?

Answer 1

It seems like you've already got the consistency part of it down. Make sure that if, by some chance, she DOES go potty outside when she's supposed to, you give her a small treat and TONS of praise. If she doesn't go, the "punishment" should depend on the rest of her training. If you're trying to crate train her, then don't put her in the kennel as punishment for not going to the bathroom outside. She'll learn that the kennel is a "bad place", not a safe, comforting spot for her.

What we did was put our dog out on a long leash until she went to the bathroom. Luckily it was warm when we were training her so being outside wasn't a problem.

Another thing to try is putting her in her "spot", whether it be a kennel, or a pen, for an hour or 2 at a time. Then, when you're ready to bring her out, take her directly outside because she'll probably have to go to the bathroom. When, or if, she goes, praise PRAISE PRAISE! And treat. :-]

Patience is the real key. It takes a special kind of person to have and train a dog. You obviously care about her, so I have no doubt that it'll all work out for you 2!

Answer 2

potty training takes time and effort. if you willing to put in the effort in time your puppy wil be potty trained, second get rid of the pads, if your dog has already marked your house the pads are useless and just follow the advise below to unmark your home . when you take your dog outside in the morning she is using that as aform excersise and i bet she loves - when she tires then she is ready to do the deed but by that time your already inside.
Just follow the outline below and you will condition her behavior to be potty trained and you will feel better and you and your puppy will be happier for it. Remeber Rome was not built in a day. Enjoy and have a great day!

First and most important thing to use when housebreaking a puppy is a crate. Now make sure you use a crate constructed totally of wire not the plastic travel crate. The puppy should be in the crate at all times unless you can totally have your eyes on him. If he whines while in the crate ignore him! If you go to him while he is whining it will not reassure him, it will teach him that all he has to do is whine and someone will come. Only go to him when he is quiet. When he is taken out of the crate he needs to be brought outside immediately. Use the same door everytime and bring him to the same place each time. If he is small enough to carry it is better to carry him to the pottying spot so he doesnt have an accident on the way. When he does eliminate praise him tremendously as if he just spoke to you in japanese. Giving him a small treat works wonders too not a biscuit, that takes too long to eat. a piece of hotdog or dog jerky treat works very well. The times a puppy will have to eliminate is: 1.when he comes out of his crate 2. 15-20 min after eating or drinking anything 3. When waking up from a nap 4. after playing and running.
If your puppy made a mistake in the house and you didnt see him make it its too late to punish he will have no idea that he did it. You have to catch him in the act and react at that time. Never ever call your puppy to you to punish him he will think he is being punished for coming to you and that could be dangerous if he decides to run into the street and wont come back when called. anyway the other thing that is very important when training is that you will have urine smell in your carpets and floors. It is very important to neutralize that odor or your dog will eliminate there again. A dog can smell 1 part urine in a million parts water so Resolve or Glory just wont work. Go to a pet store and get the odor neutralizer called Natures Miracle. When the puppy has an accident use the neutralizer on it. You see, with dogs when they smell urine it makes them feel like they have to eliminate. Just like us when we hear water running. above all dont get discouraged and dont EVER hit your puppy!!!! May take 30 days but it will work just follow those simple rules and you and your puppy will be much happier. Good Luck! P.S. The reason I said to use the same door every time is that you will start to notice your puppy hanging around that door when he has to eliminate. You can even go another step and hang a bell on the doorknob and find a way for him to ring it before you open the door possibly jumping up at it. He will figure it out trust me

Answer 3

Give her no more than five minutes to eliminate when you go outside (right now she is too distracted and if she doesn't go within 5 minutes, she's not going to go anytime soon). If she doesn't, bring her in and either put her in her crate or keep her on leash next to you. Take her out again in 5 or 10 minutes or when she looks like she is getting ready to relieve herself. Praise, praise, praise and give her a small treat when she does go outside. You can also spend some more time playing outside then.

If she is not using them, stop using the pads. And stop hitting her - it does not teach her what to do, as you have now seen.

You don't say how old the pup is. Dogs do not have the necessary muscle strenght to control elimination until they are at least five months old; most dogs are not reliably housetrained until they are over one year old. With a consistent schedule, reinforcement for the correct behavior, and prevention of accidents she will eventually get the idea.

Answer 4

Make sure you have your puppy on a feeding schedule. She/He should have to go within 1 hour of feeding time. Take treats outside with you and give them to your puppy immediately. Also, you should always be watching your puppy while in the house. If it looks like they are sniffing for a place to go, take the puppy outside. If it starts inside, make a loud noise to stop him/her from going and take them outside. If you can't stop it, still take it outside when it's done. The sticking the nose it in thing does nothing. Also, crate training is always strongly recommended by vets and training facilities. If you can't keep an eye on your puppy, it should be in it's crate. They feel safe in there. It may not like it right away, but will get use to it. Be careful with "smacking" her. This will not create the feeling of being able to trust you. It may also make her scared to go to the bathroom in front of you, inside or outside. Good luck!

Answer 5

when she's pulling the leash, what do you do? are you pulling back? yelling? if so, you are giving her attention for the leash pulling and turning it into a game. you need to bring treats outside with you, and when she starts pulling the leash, say "drop it!" and put the treat on her nose. when she drops the leash say "good!" and give her the treat. you need to stay out there until she goes! when you yell at her and smack her for going in the house, in her eyes you are punishing her for going to the bathroom, not for going in the house. at this point, she doesn't know where she is supposed to go! she might not go outside because you are watching, and her previous experience is you smacking and yelling when she goes (she doesn't understand the difference between going inside and outside yet). you need to WAIT outside, as long as it takes, until she goes. when she does, throw her a party! lots of praise and treats when she pees and poos outside. if she goes inside, ONLY if you catch her, just say "NO!" pick her up and take her right outside. no need to yell or smack her, that won't help one bit. puppy pads are only going to confuse her. unless you want her using puppy pads forever, get rid of them. like someone else suggested, if she doesn't go when you take her out, crate her when she comes back in, and take her back out a bit later and try again. you need to be patient and consistent. it will work.

Answer 6

If you take her outside and she does not do her business then you need to take her back inside and put her in a training crate or kennel. She needs to figure out that if she doesn't go potty outside then she does not get to be around humans. If she goes potty outside like she's supposed to then you can take her inside and spend some quality time with her.

Answer 7

You don't smack a puppy!! Who the heck taught you that? Show that baby some love and she will spend her life trying to please you....part of this is by going potty outside. Get her used to a command word (like 'go potty') and praise the heck out of her when she does what she is suppossed to.

You also need to actually walk the dog, hopefully you aren't putting her on a leash and standing in front/back of your place. She's pulling on the leash because she needs exercise and your attention.

Don't yell -- don't smack. Poor baby will end up in the animal shelter one day because she'll grow up to be timid or worse yet -- violent.

Also -- crate training. It's not cruel and they need a place to call their own. She won't go potty in it unless it's too big or she's in there too long.

Answer 8

It's because all you are doing is yelling and smacking, that doesn't help puppy, it harms puppy. if you stayed outside long enough eventually she'd go out there and when she does give a treat and praise lots. When she goes inside, scold her but take the poop or pee on paper towels outside and show her and say "go pee" or whatever your potty command is.

Answer 9

How do you get them to get it? By training them correctly. Yelling and smacking does not help the situation at all. Would you yell at and smack a learning toddler? Google crate training and take her to obedience class.

PS: Rubbing noses in it does not teach a thing!!@

Answer 10

Lots of training, be consistent and dont give up! Some breeds of puppies are harder to train than others. She will eventually catch on, i know its very nerve wrecking though. Try and hang in there!