housebreaking a pup

[Ashley]

Its been a long time since I have had to do house breaking. Any tips? I am looking at getting a pug/frenchie mix. She is 4 months and is used to a kennel which is good because she will be in one here.

 

[bevann]

At 4 months bladder control is getting better.Confine pup to a small area that is easy to clean-kitchen,utility room, bathroom and put crate(door open) in there.Cover floors with newspapers or puppy pads.Gradually remove papers so area covered is not as big.When home take pup out often and praise when pee or poop happens.Most animals are clean and don't like to step or lay in their own messes if given the choice.Puppies are so much fun and can teach kiids so much about kindness, love,affection and responsibility.Sound like you've mad a good choice with the breed. you've chosen.Let us know how things progress.

 

[Debby - LB]

congrats! ditto what bevann said..the only thing to add is please post photos!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I only ever confine my pups when I can't watch them. My preference is to put them on a leash and keep them near me at all times. That way if they need out between my frequent outside times (after every nap/meal or playtime)I will notice them getting restless and take them outside again. As they mature slightly I will begin dropping the leash and letting the pup drag it but continue to encourage them to be in the room I am in. Along with this I praise/praise and praise some more when they do 'go' outside and altho I do not punish for 'accidents'(which BTW you won't be unaware of if the puppy is right there with you) I will make a big deal of hurrying them out side (even if its too late)The other thing I find useful is a command word for going to the bathroom. Some people will use 'Hurry Up' because if the weather is crappy we all wish they would just hurry up lol. I use 'Go Pee' or "Go Potty' but only because those are the phrases that come naturally after raising kids. All my dogs learn to sleep in a kennel and are given treats there often to make it their favourite place but during the day they are out with me unless I must leave them unsupervised.

 

[Marty]

Actually Ash, I used basic crate training but mostly I kept taking my dog out a lot and by a lot I mean like every hour or less. Especially right after drinking or eating and stayed out there until we accomplished something. I swear my eyes were never off of the dog like ever and I had to devote myself to this 100%. At first of course its a pain in the butt but its the most effective way to avoid accidents. I used the same area in the yard also each time.

 

[Ashley]

I have been taking her out alot but its cold so we can't stay out long. She doesn't appear to know outside for potty as they started her on puppy pads which drives me crazy. She isn't to fond of the create either. Its a good thing I don't have neighbors

 

[Ashley]

Here she is. Betty is here name now but trying to find a new one.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Yep...ditto on the leash in the house and puppy near you at all times so you can recognise the "signs" . Most pups will try not to eliminate in front of you, they prefer to leave the room and find a nice carpet or something absorbant to pee or poop on. When I need hands free, I clip the lead to my belt loop or put it around my waist. Your pup will bond to you, learn to walk nicely on a lead and we call this process "putting puppy on an umbilical cord". When I can't watch pup or I am occupied use the crate, but gets a treat and or a toy for going into the crate, always use a reward for crating. This leash in the house process works on older dogs too. I have housebroken several rescue dogs by using the lead in the house. We go outside, and in the beginning I put the dog on a long line and I stand still and give the potty command. Praise with my voice if they do go, if not, we go back inside and on lead again or in the crate. After a successful trip outside of poop and pee, only then can they "run free" in the house. They quickly learn that there is an advantage to going quickly. I have known folks to walk and walk and walk and the dog holds it until they go back to the house and then they eliminate. These are dogs that have been trained that pooping means "fun walk is over" and in many cases it means "owner leaving for work and crate time follows" ... this is why I stand still, wait for them to go, and then follow with a walk or free time in house, so mentally they don't associate going potty with play time over. I also do the potty break... feed... then another potty break following feeding. Lots of dogs are so excited about breakfast that they skip part of their routine, then find themselves in the crate for the day.. Going out with the dog so you are SURE of what they are doing outside is very important. I don't stress out the "cheaters" just provide one extra opportunity to go before you leave the house. Best wishes

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I also subscribe to the leash plan. If he wasn't in the crate, he was leashed to me or to the table leg if I was working in the kitchen. Anytime he went outside, it was party time! My dog responded so much better to praise than to scolding. Anything good was party time, anything bad was How Sad He Made Me.

I tried the scolding thing first and it didn't work (hey, that's traditional) then someone here on the forum suggested the Party. MUCH better success! The leash thing is a real pain, but not as much of a pain as cleaning up after them.

Perhaps you could put the puppy pad outside so he would connect the two more quickly.

I also use Hurry Up. I know it isn't the most accurate command, it's just the way I felt at the time and I keep using it.

Good luck. It is the hardest part of having a puppy and if they weren't so darn cute we probably wouldn't survive it.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I skip the puppy pad unless no other way. Even hiring puppy walker for those owners that work for mid day walks is better than puppy pads or newspaper. Puppy pads teach them there are some instances where it is ok to pee on something absorbant in the house. Unless you live in a high rise apartment taking puppy out is best choice over providing absorbant locations inside house.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Ps. Puppies are smarter than you think. An 8 week old pup lacks attention span but has brain power and trainability of older dog. Teach it is never ok to go in house. Do it with praise.. if you see pup in process of going.. interrupt and take out praise and do happy dance when pup goes outside. If you come across accident then clean it up with natures miracle or something similar. Do not allow pup to watch you clean up accident found in house. Do not scold..do not show pup the accident and do not look stressed out or sad. Just clean it up. Lack of praise is enough of a correction for most dogs. Puppy will think..hmmmm.. no happy dance from owner unless I go outside. I used to tell this to my students on puppy corrections. I would say..you Just found a steaming pile of poo on your best carpet..get a piece of news paper and roll it up...then take the rolled up paper and (dramatic pause..class listening )...then.......WACK YOURSELF in the head with it and say.."I should have been watching my puppy better. "My fault". Snicker...worked every time to get point across.. Best wishes.

 

[MountainWoman]

No scolding, no rubbing noses. Just regular feeding times, regular trips outside and wait until the job is done and then come right back inside. Don't stop to play or do any other thing outside - just potty. Go to the same place every time too. What you need to do is to watch your dog and to learn what her signs are right before she has to go. Tethering with a leash to you is another good idea. Just no reprimands because dogs don't understand. When you see a dog acting chagrined because he/she has been reprimanded that just means he/she knows the owner is upset. Doesn't mean they understand what went wrong.

With some breeds you need lots and lots of patience and a sense of humor.

ShortHorseMom gave you really good advice.

 

[Ashley]

I don't do puppy pads, but that's how she started so we are taking it away. She isn't doing to bad. Dry all night with por break at midnight and 4 am. She had one accident in the crate today but other then that she has been going outside. The problem I will have is when I'm at work. I wanna give some water in the morning but not to much because right now I don't have anybody to let her out. Until then I will have to count on puppy pads.

 

[Ashley]

Right now she has an older dog to help show her the ropes but she's not always around. I don't scold either and actually got after my gf for scolding.

 

[shorthorsemom]

For dogs that have to go longer than they should due to owner working, I suggest an xpen, and crate inside the xpen. Put the puppy papers outside of the crate, but inside of the xpen so puppy has to leave the crate to eliminate. If you can at all give pup a break during the day it would work better. Really difficult to expect a young pup to go all day while owner works.

I got a pup once from a breeder that chuckled when she thought she was clever in training her pups to pee on dish towels on the floor. Said her pups were dish towel trained. At that time of my life I too could not get home to let pup outside during the day which added to the problem (lived too far from work). For the next 18 years I had a min pin that would pee on a dishtowel if you dropped it on the floor and she would potty in her crate bedding. I learned much from her. For my next pup I invested in puppy day care until she was 6 months old. Well worth the money. Not one of those day cares where your dog plays indoors and pottys all over the place and they clean it up while your dog is exposed to numerous other pups. A private day care or small facility where somebody can take proper care of the housebreaking job.

Yep, we do need to protect our pups and get after folks that do the "old school scolding" Dog training has come a long way. I highly recommend the show "its me or the dog" victoria stillwell. Skip Cesar Milan. Except for a few points, I don't like his flooding methods. Best wish on your puppy. Writing fast, gotta go milk the cows...take care.

 

[Ashley]

Today I was able to run home at lunch to give her a potty break. No mess!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Whoooooohoooo awesome puppy mom.

 

[Ashley]

Well if I am on my normal job I could make it home everyday, however my job got shut down again today for who knows how long. Didnt know alcohol could grow bacteria. Will see where I am tomorrow, hopefully where I can come home again. IF I am at the other building I cant leave at lunch.

 

[shorthorsemom]

You do the best you can do.. puppies grow up fast. The first few months are the hardest. I do remember running home in a mad dash, letting puppy out, and rushing back to work eating my packed lunch in the car praying I wouldn't get in trouble for being late when I got back. I worked in a R and D lab for 32 years, know what that is like to get surprises and time changes and everybody working long shifts. yep..I I know what it is like to come home to a brown chocolate poop painted puppy with poop splattered walls and wondering how I could get it cleaned up to get back to work in time. I kept two crates those days, a second clean crate to transfer puppy into so I could do bath and clean up of both crates later when I had more time. You are always thinking of your puppy and ways you can help make things easier. Most important thing a new puppy mom can do. Your puppy will tell you what is working and what is not working... you are building that line of communication with your new baby. Keep us posted, love hearing puppy stories.