Does anyone have good advice on how to potty train a puppy that is totally against the idea?

Question

I have a 3 month old elkhound/terrier mix that has been a nightmare with potty training. I have done everything I have heard or read to do. I let him out regularly, I crate him when I am gone, I have pee pads everywhere, I praise & treat him when he is good & I speak mean & crate him when he is bad. He even potties in his bed which most dogs won't do. The vet says he is in perfect health & he eats Iams, so it is not his diet or health. Any advice from someone who has be in this situation would be greatly appreciated!!!!

My puppy never lets me know he has to go so I am afraid to take away the pee pads. I had him on my bed the other day brushing him after his bath and he just peed right there without any notice. We have a 6 year old dog and they eat together, go out together, play together, sleep together. I don't know why he isn't learning.

Answer 1

Okay, the puppy is only 3 months and you have been thru an array of ways to potty train? This is obviously confusing your puppy as to what you want and remember, your puppy is ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD. Some dogs aren't fully potty trained until a year old, it depends on the individual dog here.

Ditch the potty pads first of all. I personally would never use them with a dog that I wanted to be "outdoors" trained. Just something else to confuse the dog with when you try to move potty time officially outside.

Yelling at your dog when an accident has occured, especially if you didn't catch him in the act, is useless. And crating a dog as a form of punishment also is a bad idea. Your dog is supposed to regard the crate as a safe place and putting him in it for punishment only encourages him to dislike it.

If you catch puppy IN THE ACT, let out a loud noise, such as "Ahhhh", which will slightly startle and stop the behavior. Immediately say "Outside" and take puppy out to finish his business. Then praise when he does.

Also try stepping up your treat rewards. If you are using the same thing you give him on a daily basis, with or without training involved, these are boring and he knows he gets them all the time. Try using small pieces of cooked hot dogs (cooked because the smell more that way and dogs like that), or buy on sale chicken or stew bits, boil them in water with some garlic powder to add a good smell, and cut up into small pieces. Other things I have used is small pieces of cheese and Goldfish crackers--use what your dog really likes. Remember that when step up a reward like this, it should ONLY be used for the purpose of training, not the whenever treat.

When you find a unique treat that your dog really likes, consider using clicker training. This is how I train my Border Collie puppy in a variety of things, including potty training. Teach puppy that the click gets a yummy treat. Click, then treat fast... do this at least 10 times in a row. When you take puppy out to go potty, click as soon as he finishes and reward with treat and praise. Your puppy will soon learn that potty in the house gets nothing, but going outside gets a yummy reward.

Puppy is only 3 months old, and needs to go out at least every 2 hours, as well as after any meal, drink, nap, play time, when first waking in the morning, and yes, even in the middle of the nite... just like human infants, they simply can't be expected to hold their water all nite long.

Your puppy is still very young, and potty training takes time, patience and a commitment from you to make sure puppy gets out often.

Answer 2

Males are much harder to train - just like husbands! :) I make my husband clean his own toilet now...

Kidding aside, looks like he needs 'tough love'. Keep him in the crate more cuz he's still a baby. When you let him out hold him for about 5 minutes and then take him to the pad. Sometimes it takes a little time for a puppy to realise where his urge is coming from - maybe he's still dazed from dreaming about chasing cats or cars? Boys and their dreams... Block him until he does his business and if he doesn't then put him back in the crate. Keep his crate where he can see you most of the time too. Should he somehow get away from you a makes a no-no somewhere then put the pad on that spot - you may need several spots but use them with pads or new papers. Praise him when he does it right as though he's just given you a winning lottery ticket and scold him as though he just pee'd in your BMW! I've paper-trained at least 8 dogs this way so I guess that makes me the Pee Pee and Poo Poo President! Stay consistent, patient and watch him ALL the time. When you change the paper always keep a little piece of a soiled one so he will realise that is his territory. You can always put the fear of God in him and tell him he'll be getting neutered if he doesn't get it right! My hubby was already neuterd when I got him so I couldn't use the same threat for him. Got any ideas for me to get him to put his dirty clothes IN the hamper and not beside it? Good luck! He will get it right eventually...

Answer 3

Yon maybe confusing your puppy in potty training. one cannot expect immediate results. potty training takes time and patience to be successful.JUst follow the outline below and i am confident you and your dog will be happier for it. just remember Rome was not built in one day lol --- 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 4

1st: Get rid of the pee pads, you are confusing him if you take him out, yet let him pee sometimes on pads.
2nd: Don't yell at him and put him in the crate for accidents. The crate is supposed to be a safe place ONLY and never for punishment. i usually make my 3 month old puppy stay beside the door if she has an accident, and that works wonders.
3rd: praise more than you punish. That means, when he goes outside praise lots and give treat outside right after he goes. If he goes inside, one simple NO is all that's needed and then put puppy by the door. No other verbal repremendation is needed.

Answer 5

Buy a crate that is big enough to be comfortable to lay down in but not big enough to be able to turn around and play in. Keep the dog in the crate while you are not playing or working with him. As soon as you let him out of the crate put him outside and watch him. IF he does the business bring him inside and let him play with you for about 1/2 an hour then take him back outside and watch if he doesn't do the business he goes back into the crate for 1/2 hour to hour keep repeating the process over and over. If he goes outside he gets to play inside if he doesn't he is in the crate till he does go outside eventuall (depending on the dog this could take a few days to a few weeks) It took my pug two months for the potty outside is good thought to register. Let the dog sleep in the crate. Let the dog eat inside but as soon as he is done take him outside till he does business. Be patient and good luck.

Answer 6

First, please do not crate him as punishment. The crate becomes his sanctuary or den where they feel safe as it is "their" space. The crate is now a unhappy place to him and will potty in it. Try getting a different crate, something different from the original for the daytime and nights. Be consistent and clear in what you want the pup to do. Do not punish him for pottying if you find it hours or minutes later. They will not remember what they did and won't know why they are getting punished. Don't give up, some take longer than others.

Answer 7

I would remove the wee wee pads entirely - they are just creating confusion (as you have described!) A dog should never be pottying in his bed - time to set up a schedule with food, water, and walks so that you know exactly when to walk him. Be fair to the dog - have you been asking him to "hold it" for longer than he's actually able to?
Don't "speak mean" and crate him when he's "bad". He is a puppy and needs to be rewarded for the good stuff - making the right potty choices being #1 priority right now. Scolding him will not help your cause at all - it's just teaching him that you are untrustworthy. Sign up for a puppy class so that you can learn how to be a good teacher for your dog!

http://www.apdt.com/

http://www.petco.com/Content/Content.aspx?PC=dogtrainingclasses&Nav=131

http://www.petsmart.com/training/index.shtml

Answer 8

when i was training my dogs they were a nightmare, they were constantly having accidents and peeing just because the were bored.

i found that if you let them out every time you are near the back door (or where ever you want them to go) and give them loads of praise even for doing the tiniest bit outside, when you go out the best thin to do is to leave your dogs favourite toy with him, then he will be busy with that not in peeing over the house.