Housebreaking tips

[gemgirl]

If any of our puppy Mommies or Daddies have any housebreaking tips or tricks for me, please share!

 

[TooPatient]

Go out the same door to the same area of the yard EVERY time.
If your puppy hasn't done anything within 5 minutes, back inside into a kennel for about 10 minutes and try again.
For every potty or poo.... TREAT! (once it becomes pretty much habbit you can do one treat for each potty trip)


Somewhere around 15-30 minutes after eating the puppy will probably have to potty.
After running/playing the puppy will probably have to potty.
To avoid accidents if you play inside, take puppy potty BEFORE playing.

 

[Matata]

This is what worked for me and it was a technique recommended in a bringing-up-puppy book that I no longer remember the title of. I used it successfully on 2 Whippet pups.

Pup was kept in a baby playpen with bed, toys, and newspaper covering the entire bottom. In addition to using the usual method of taking him out to potty before & after meals & play, I gradually reduced the newspaper in the playpen to one corner. He would always potty only on the newspaper. When he got big enough to roam the house, I laid a trail of newspaper from the playpen to the back door. If he had an accident, it was always on the paper. As he grew and was able to hold it better, I gradually shortened the trail of paper until it was no longer needed.

 

[TooPatient]

Millie shredded the potty pads I tried to use for her. I had several suggestions like what matata did, but it just didn't work for us. I had to pick up shreds of this stuff from EVERYWHERE (Millie shredded anything paper-like she could get hold of) and I know she ate some because of the blue chunks in her poo. The cleanup was especially fun when she's pee on the floor and the throw shreds of this stuff on top so I'd pick it up and get a nice surprise


If those work for you, I've also had it suggested that you can start putting a handful of dirt on top of the pad to get the puppy used to going outside.

 

[soocool]

Go out the same door to the same area of the yard EVERY time.
If your puppy hasn't done anything within 5 minutes, back inside into a kennel for about 10 minutes and try again.
For every potty or poo.... TREAT! (once it becomes pretty much habbit you can do one treat for each potty trip)


Somewhere around 15-30 minutes after eating the puppy will probably have to potty.
After running/playing the puppy will probably have to potty.
To avoid accidents if you play inside, take puppy potty BEFORE playing.

Exactly this! I would always say "Go Potty" (for peeing) or "Get Busy" (for pooping) , give a treat ( I switched to a clicker later) afterwards, and then say either"Good Potty" or "Good Busy". So if I need to go out and take the dog out and say "Go Potty" and he does immediately (saves me time). I stil remember it was 2 weeks when he then learned to go to the door when he had to go out.

Once he was trained though, I made sure that I would get up once during the night to take him out as well until I knew he could hold it in all night.

 

[TooPatient]

Go out the same door to the same area of the yard EVERY time.
If your puppy hasn't done anything within 5 minutes, back inside into a kennel for about 10 minutes and try again.
For every potty or poo.... TREAT! (once it becomes pretty much habbit you can do one treat for each potty trip)


Somewhere around 15-30 minutes after eating the puppy will probably have to potty.
After running/playing the puppy will probably have to potty.
To avoid accidents if you play inside, take puppy potty BEFORE playing.

Exactly this! I would always say "Go Potty" (for peeing) or "Get Busy" (for pooping) , give a treat ( I switched to a clicker later) afterwards, and then say either"Good Potty" or "Good Busy". So if I need to go out and take the dog out and say "Go Potty" and he does immediately (saves me time). I stil remember it was 2 weeks when he then learned to go to the door when he had to go out.

Once he was trained though, I made sure that I would get up once during the night to take him out as well until I knew he could hold it in all night.

How could I forget that one?
Outside at night is REALLY important otherwise it is "okay" *sometimes* to go on the floor...

Millie had some health issues so I actually started out having to take her at least twice per night then gradually shifted to once per night. When she was comfortable with that, I started shifting her night-time potty trip a little later each night until she was happy with going right before bed and then first thing in the morning.

SooCool -- I love the idea of different commands! I imagine that is helpful!

 

[gemgirl]

I know it's only been 24 hrs. since we brought her home and I guess I was expecting too much, but we're doing all the right things and this wee pup hasn't done her business outside yet. Lucky for me, she not a prolific pee-er or poop-er. In 24 hr., she's only peed twice and pooped twice (unlike my other dogs who had to go frequently as pups). I asked my husband to take her out and try when he got home from work and our sweet baby did the same thing for him- sat on his foot and played with the leaves in the wet grass. It's not helping that it's freezing cold here in NY, and there's patchy snow and ice on the ground. Besides that, she's so very tiny and close to the ground as it is that I'm not sure I'd be able to tell if she's squatting to pee.

Does anyone have experience with wee-wee pads? Exactly how do those work? Do you put something under the wee-wee pad so your floor doesn't get ruined or retain an odor?

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Not sure about the pads, but wanted to recommend a potty bell. You hang it on the door low enough for her to hit with her nose or paw or even grab with her mouth. She is way too young to get it right now, but it's worth starting soon. You ring it every time you go outside for potty and say potty outside or something like that. Our pup is trained with it and she uses it. They use it to go to out to play sometimes, so just keep consistent and wade through that so that they associate the bell means potty outside not play. They usually connect the bell means go outside part before the go outside and potty part.

Other tips (sorry if someone else said these/you've heard them before): it's not helpful to yell at them when they're going potty inside..just pick them up and take them out right away. You don't want to make them scared and start hiding from you and going potty. Also, if you find it later still not helpful to scold since it's long gone. Consistency and a tight schedule are key. Also, crate training is good.

 

[AGBF]

gemgirl-

Is your puppy paper trained? if so, I concur with the poster who suggested using paper in reduced amounts to get the puppy used to going outside. I used that with my Golden Retriever puppy years ago very successfully. I actually brought newspaper outside and she used it out there at first. She got trained so nicely that one day she got loose from the kitchen and the door swung shut again, keeping her from re-entering it. A piece of newspaper from the kitchen had gotten swept into the living room with her when she escaped, though. When I got home I found the puppy loose in the living room and one square of newspaper on the wood floor with a little pile of poop on it! I thought she was the best dog ever!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[iLander]

I litter box trained both my dogs. It's basically the same thing as paper training, it's just you start with a little box of papers and a floor of newspapers, and eventually remove the newspapers. I kept the puppies in a wire exercise pen, and walked them about once an hour, or when they needed it. But when they went on the newspapers, I fold it up and put it in the litter box. I'd clean the spot thoroughly. Every so often, I'd see "the look" grab the dog, put it in the box. She'd tinkle, I'd give her a half inch square of cheese.

Eventually, we moved the exercise pen toward the doggie door and the porch. Then after they mastered the box, the box went on the porch. The littlest one would run out, tinkle, then run back in all excited looking for cheese.

To this day, even though the litterbox is long gone (she's 5 years now, and only goes on grass), she'll still walk out to the porch, then run in all excited, looking for cheese. Even though she hasn't tinkled.

I think all I did was train my dog to lie to me . . .

I give her the cheese, what the heck, life is short.

Maybe she trained me, come to think of it!

The bigger dog, my avatar, took about 3 days to understand the litter box. She helped with the little one because EVERYBODY gets a treat for a successful tinkle in the box. She would nudge the little one out onto the porch when she saw "the look".

Have you tried walking your puppy with another dog? Doggie see, doggie doo!

A dog can "hold it" for one hour for every month of age. That means housebreaking is HUGE pain, no fun, and the worst part about having a dog. After this hurdle it gets easier.

Take a TON of pictures, they grow up so FAST!

 

[lliang_chi]

Crate-training is key for potty training. At night/early AM when you take her out for potty, put her straight back in the crate. Night time potties are all business, no play time. For puppies, good rule of thumb is age in months + 1 is the number of hours she can hold it for. So she's probably 2 months, she can hold it for 3 hours.

The potty bell is good but she's probably too young for that. But it's good to have it there for now.

 

[Jennifer W]

I opened this thread because I couldn't believe the title. Total misunderstanding on my part. In Scotland, housebreaking is something that would get you a hefty prison sentence. (Burglary)

House training is the term used here. I have no tips, I'm still laughing at myself for thinking you were asking for advice on breaking into houses and stealing loot. Sorry!

 

[soocool]

I litter box trained both my dogs. It's basically the same thing as paper training, it's just you start with a little box of papers and a floor of newspapers, and eventually remove the newspapers. I kept the puppies in a wire exercise pen, and walked them about once an hour, or when they needed it. But when they went on the newspapers, I fold it up and put it in the litter box. I'd clean the spot thoroughly. Every so often, I'd see "the look" grab the dog, put it in the box. She'd tinkle, I'd give her a half inch square of cheese.

Eventually, we moved the exercise pen toward the doggie door and the porch. Then after they mastered the box, the box went on the porch. The littlest one would run out, tinkle, then run back in all excited looking for cheese.

To this day, even though the litterbox is long gone (she's 5 years now, and only goes on grass), she'll still walk out to the porch, then run in all excited, looking for cheese. Even though she hasn't tinkled.

I think all I did was train my dog to lie to me . . .

I give her the cheese, what the heck, life is short.

Maybe she trained me, come to think of it!

The bigger dog, my avatar, took about 3 days to understand the litter box. She helped with the little one because EVERYBODY gets a treat for a successful tinkle in the box. She would nudge the little one out onto the porch when she saw "the look".

Have you tried walking your puppy with another dog? Doggie see, doggie doo!

A dog can "hold it" for one hour for every month of age. That means housebreaking is HUGE pain, no fun, and the worst part about having a dog. After this hurdle it gets easier.

Take a TON of pictures, they grow up so FAST!

iLander, DD trained her hamster to go in a potty. I think she did it because she hated cleaning out that cage. The hamster used to roll around in the clean potty pellets right after he cage was cleaned.

 

[soocool]

I opened this thread because I couldn't believe the title. Total misunderstanding on my part. In Scotland, housebreaking is something that would get you a hefty prison sentence. (Burglary)

House training is the term used here. I have no tips, I'm still laughing at myself for thinking you were asking for advice on breaking into houses and stealing loot. Sorry!

How do you think we can afford our bling?

 

[gemgirl]

I opened this thread because I couldn't believe the title. Total misunderstanding on my part. In Scotland, housebreaking is something that would get you a hefty prison sentence. (Burglary)

House training is the term used here. I have no tips, I'm still laughing at myself for thinking you were asking for advice on breaking into houses and stealing loot. Sorry!

LOL Jenn, now THAT'S funny! No, this is a puppy pee and poop thread!

 

[gemgirl]

gemgirl-

Is your puppy paper trained? if so, I concur with the poster who suggested using paper in reduced amounts to get the puppy used to going outside. I used that with my Golden Retriever puppy years ago very successfully. I actually brought newspaper outside and she used it out there at first. She got trained so nicely that one day she got loose from the kitchen and the door swung shut again, keeping her from re-entering it. A piece of newspaper from the kitchen had gotten swept into the living room with her when she escaped, though. When I got home I found the puppy loose in the living room and one square of newspaper on the wood floor with a little pile of poop on it! I thought she was the best dog ever!!!

Deb/AGBF

Hey Deb, no, Chloe is not paper trained or anything trained yet. She's only been with us since Sunday afternoon, and so far, every time I or my husband take her out, she avoids the ground and sits on our foot. If we do get her walk on the ground, she plays with a wet frozen leaf or just sits and looks around. She hasn't gotten the concept of outside equaling doing her business. She also doesn't do her business on any type of a schedule at all. Most often, she doesn't go after she eats. She goes at a random time an hour or two later. The only plus with this puppy and it's a big plus- she doesn't like having pee or poop in her crate. Once she goes, she let's me know it - BIG TIME! This little three pound monster shrieks at a very high pitch, She sounds like a baby monkey screaming her lungs out.

It sounds like you have a great pup!

 

[TooPatient]

I know it's only been 24 hrs. since we brought her home and I guess I was expecting too much, but we're doing all the right things and this wee pup hasn't done her business outside yet. Lucky for me, she not a prolific pee-er or poop-er. In 24 hr., she's only peed twice and pooped twice (unlike my other dogs who had to go frequently as pups). I asked my husband to take her out and try when he got home from work and our sweet baby did the same thing for him- sat on his foot and played with the leaves in the wet grass. It's not helping that it's freezing cold here in NY, and there's patchy snow and ice on the ground. Besides that, she's so very tiny and close to the ground as it is that I'm not sure I'd be able to tell if she's squatting to pee.

Does anyone have experience with wee-wee pads? Exactly how do those work? Do you put something under the wee-wee pad so your floor doesn't get ruined or retain an odor?

The puppy-training pads (buy them from a pet store!!!) have some sort of puppy attractant to make the puppy more interested in doing stuff there. Some have adhesive corners so they stay where you put them. They are **supposed** to not leak through so your floor won't have a problem.

Millie wouldn't use them -- she shredded, pulled corners up and wadded into a ball (even sticky cornered ones), peed on the floor and put shreded bits on top....
That lasted all of a week before I gave up.

My grandparents have a dog who uses the pads. He decided he LIKES using the pads so now (at something like 12 years old) he refuses to use anything but the pads. They don't exactly leak through.... (assuming they are replaced frequently).... but... well... his aim is off. He is careful to get all 4 feet on the pad but that very often leaves the important end hanging over the edge.

So....
Yeah.

Used right I think they can be okay but I don't think there is a good way to protect your floor. (extra papers or a towel or a scrap of extra carpet or a big garbage bag or anything could lead to a puppy who thinks that those things are okay to potty on too)

Oh... and those adhesive corners are SUPER strong and a HUGE(!!!) pain to get off the floor. (imagine pulling at this thing until it finaly just rips, puppy poo flying, and then permanently stuck tape residue)

 

[gemgirl]

I know it's only been 24 hrs. since we brought her home and I guess I was expecting too much, but we're doing all the right things and this wee pup hasn't done her business outside yet. Lucky for me, she not a prolific pee-er or poop-er. In 24 hr., she's only peed twice and pooped twice (unlike my other dogs who had to go frequently as pups). I asked my husband to take her out and try when he got home from work and our sweet baby did the same thing for him- sat on his foot and played with the leaves in the wet grass. It's not helping that it's freezing cold here in NY, and there's patchy snow and ice on the ground. Besides that, she's so very tiny and close to the ground as it is that I'm not sure I'd be able to tell if she's squatting to pee.

Does anyone have experience with wee-wee pads? Exactly how do those work? Do you put something under the wee-wee pad so your floor doesn't get ruined or retain an odor?

The puppy-training pads (buy them from a pet store!!!) have some sort of puppy attractant to make the puppy more interested in doing stuff there. Some have adhesive corners so they stay where you put them. They are **supposed** to not leak through so your floor won't have a problem.

Millie wouldn't use them -- she shredded, pulled corners up and wadded into a ball (even sticky cornered ones), peed on the floor and put shreded bits on top....
That lasted all of a week before I gave up.

My grandparents have a dog who uses the pads. He decided he LIKES using the pads so now (at something like 12 years old) he refuses to use anything but the pads. They don't exactly leak through.... (assuming they are replaced frequently).... but... well... his aim is off. He is careful to get all 4 feet on the pad but that very often leaves the important end hanging over the edge.

So....
Yeah.

Used right I think they can be okay but I don't think there is a good way to protect your floor. (extra papers or a towel or a scrap of extra carpet or a big garbage bag or anything could lead to a puppy who thinks that those things are okay to potty on too)

Oh... and those adhesive corners are SUPER strong and a HUGE(!!!) pain to get off the floor. (imagine pulling at this thing until it finaly just rips, puppy poo flying, and then permanently stuck tape residue)

I haven't tried taping them down yet, but Chloe has rolled them up like a newspaper and then pooped on the other side of her crate. LOL! I've got to laugh this point because we're going to get a foot of snow tomorrow and outdoor potty training is going to be put off even longer! Thank goodness, small dog- small poop. OIY!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Crate training, crate training, crate training. Crate. Training. Oh, and did I mention crate training?

That's what we did with Tucker, and it worked wonders!!! I had never crate trained any of my puppies before Tuck, but now that I've seen how well it works, I will NEVER have a non-crate trained puppy again. It was really amazing! I can probably count on one hand the number of times he had an accident in the house, and more times than not, those accidents were OUR fault for not realizing that he needed to go outside. He is now 20 months old, and he's been 100% reliable with his potty training since he was about five months old. (We got him when he was 15 weeks old, and the breeder had already started working with him a bit on crate training, so we just picked up where she left off.)

Don't get me wrong, crate training isn't always easy. Tuck was pretty good about it for the most part, but some puppies will cry and cry at first when they're in the crate. You MUST IGNORE the tears!!! That is the hardest thing in the world to do, but you HAVE to do it! If you give them any response at all (even if you're just telling them to knock it off), they're getting "rewarded" with attention for crying. Which means they'll cry more.

Once you get past that initial crying phase, most dogs learn to love their crate. Tuck will actually crate himself sometimes when he's tired and ready for bed. Also, we always make it a positive experience by giving him a cookie each time he goes into his crate. That way, "crate = yummy, delicious cookie" instead of "crate = horrible cage that I don't want to go into"!

 

[gemgirl]

Chloe is being crate trained, as Cassie and Bella were. In fact Bella is tremendously territorial about her crate. That's her little condo!

Chloe is actually being pretty good about being in the crate. All three dogs sleep in the hall that separate our bedrooms at night and Chloe is a sound sleeper, only waking once around 1 a.m. to wee. The only time she cries in her crate is when she's up from her nap, sees her sisters' walking around and she wants to get out to play with them.

We're very proud of Chloe today. She went outside to the backyard for a potty break with her sisters and she actually peed!

 

[TooPatient]

Chloe is being crate trained, as Cassie and Bella were. In fact Bella is tremendously territorial about her crate. That's her little condo!

Chloe is actually being pretty good about being in the crate. All three dogs sleep in the hall that separate our bedrooms at night and Chloe is a sound sleeper, only waking once around 1 a.m. to wee. The only time she cries in her crate is when she's up from her nap, sees her sisters' walking around and she wants to get out to play with them.

We're very proud of Chloe today. She went outside to the backyard for a potty break with her sisters and she actually peed!

Yay!!

Good for Chloe!