I have 5 week old lab pups and would like to know when to start training them to go outside to potty. Any ideas? I dont like the idea of having p-pads in my house forever. Please help! All of my other dogs were older when I got them and were so easy to work with. I dont know if I am jumping into it too quick to get the house broken or not, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
No your not to early!
Start with kennel training her - have her inside of a crate or kennel whenever you are not able to watch her. Give her water and food in the kennel and be sure to regulate how long she has access to it (dont free feed her - or water her right now)- but be sure to offer it often - after 10-20 minutes let her out of the kennel and WALK her (do not carry her) to the door - as best you can… to let her do her business outside. After naps - do the same - take her immediately outside - its best if she’s aloud to walk herself - rather then you carrying her - so she knows the way -
The smaller kennel is better at this stage as dogs dont want to poop or pee where they sleep
As she grows - advance the size of the area she sleeps in, like maybe to a bathroom? But continue to follow the rules strictly - don’t water and feed her unless you can be sure to take it out after she’s had a drink - and take her out within the 20 minutes or so-
You’ll note that your puppies can’t hold the urine or stool for very long at this age - so mistakes will hapen! Dont reprimand just try to take the stool outside so they can smell where the toilet is! Offer the toilet often!
This works - be sure to stay dedicated and you’ll be able to slowly start allowing your dog free roam of the house once they realize the house is where they sleep - not poop!
8 Responses
2009 Nov 02
take your puppy outside every 1-2 hours (since he is younger, i recommend taking him outside every hour)
when he does his job outside, give him a treat/ praise him
*when puppies wake up from a nap, take him outside immediately
*when puppy finishes eating/drinking take him outside
good luck
References :
owner of 2 maltese and poodle
2009 Nov 02
I have houebroken two golden retrievers using crate training and I can swear by this method. This website pretty much tells you what you need to know.
Pee pads are a bad idea if the goal is for the dog to go outside - that’s a definite with labs - these aren’t toy dogs. With pee pads, you are teching to go inside, then you have to re-train them to go outside.
With ones as little as these, you can start early but you are going to have to take them outside very often.
References :
http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html
2009 Nov 02
you can never start training to early!
i would just take them out VERY often. as soon as you see them eat or drink something, 10 minutes later take them outside. as soon as they do their business give them LOTS of praise and a treat.
if they go inside don’t beat them or rub their nose in it, take two fingers and lightly swat them on the nose and firmly say NO and immediately take them outside.
References :
2009 Nov 02
I got this off of http://www.freewebs.com/jasmine0001
2009 Nov 02
No your not to early!
Start with kennel training her - have her inside of a crate or kennel whenever you are not able to watch her. Give her water and food in the kennel and be sure to regulate how long she has access to it (dont free feed her - or water her right now)- but be sure to offer it often - after 10-20 minutes let her out of the kennel and WALK her (do not carry her) to the door - as best you can… to let her do her business outside. After naps - do the same - take her immediately outside - its best if she’s aloud to walk herself - rather then you carrying her - so she knows the way -
The smaller kennel is better at this stage as dogs dont want to poop or pee where they sleep
As she grows - advance the size of the area she sleeps in, like maybe to a bathroom? But continue to follow the rules strictly - don’t water and feed her unless you can be sure to take it out after she’s had a drink - and take her out within the 20 minutes or so-
You’ll note that your puppies can’t hold the urine or stool for very long at this age - so mistakes will hapen! Dont reprimand just try to take the stool outside so they can smell where the toilet is! Offer the toilet often!
This works - be sure to stay dedicated and you’ll be able to slowly start allowing your dog free roam of the house once they realize the house is where they sleep - not poop!
References :
2009 Nov 02
I crated them two by two at night, starting at around 7 weeks. They left at about 7 1/2 weeks, at the point when they were forming a pack and needed to leave, and by that time, they were well on their way to being crate and house trained, although they did often go into the pen with the pine shavings during the day - but they were used to the crate, and that gave their new families a head start. They all reported that the puppies were housetrained within about 3 days or less.
References :
2009 Nov 02
I’ve had two litters of foster pups, and I started them outside at 5 weeks of age. I took them out (carried in a laundry basket) every hour and worked on the pee command. I rewarded when they peed, and did not go back in until they all did. I also got up once in the middle of the night - four hours into sleeping - and gave them the opportunity. I did sleep through the rare night and let them use the paper in their pen.
I have a dog door, and by 7 weeks of age many were tripping outside on their own to pee (not always and not absolutely consistently, but they were getting the idea). I had one reliably housetrained by 10 weeks, and three more by 12 weeks. The other four were well on their way when they went to their homes and reports back say they did great in regards to peeing outside right from the start. For toy breed dogs, that is pretty good I think.
Of course carrying out is easier with small breeds and small litters I believe (mine were two litters of four), but 5 weeks is ideal for starting on it.
References :
2009 Nov 02
First, tie some jingle bells onto a string and tie the string to the doorknob of the door that pup will always go out. Every time you take pup out (every 1-2 hours, after he wakes up … etc.) ring the bells like crazy for 10-15 seconds. Make a big deal out of them. Then take pup out and wait as long as you have to for him to pee/poop. Bring a treat outside and give to pup right after he goes … and give lots of praise. Eventually your puppy will learn to ring the bells when he needs to go out - and as soon as you hear them - run like mad to take him out. Give extra treats (or a special one) the first time he rings the bell then goes outside.
Good Luck - and it takes time & patience!
References :