I have a 4 and a half month old lab mix at home who we’ve had for a couple months and he isn’t making any progress on his potty training. He frequently urinates right next to us after going outside less than a half hour beforehand.
Here is what we’ve done already to try and help him along:
-Attempted to put a bell on the door to try to get him to tell us and mandates he rings it before he gets to go out
-Made him wear male bands
-Yelled at him for going inside
-Given treats and praise for every potty outside
-Increased the frequency of his visits outside
Any other ideas? Feel free to ask me for any more information
We’ve also been crate training and he does just fine in the crate with no accidents so I know he CAN hold it.
I also don’t want people to get the wrong idea… we don’t yell at him all the time, only when we catch him in the act. I know that negative reinforcement is bad but we ran out of other ideas.
I would forget the bell, for the time being. Keep it simple :o)
I have heard of using male bands for marking, but never for potty training.
I have housetrained many, many dogs (none as young as yours, though) and this is the method I use:
If the dog pees inside, clean it up with an enzyme cleaner to remove the smell. If you CATCH the dog peeing inside, say NO (you dont need to yell), immediately pick the dog up and take it outside.
If the dog poops inside, pick the poop up and take it out to where you want the dog to go. Again, clean up with an enzyme cleaner. Again, if you CATCH the dog going, say NO and pick them BOTH up, and take them BOTH outside.
When the dog goes outside where he is supposed to, throw a party :o)
I take adult dogs outside last thing at night (before crating for the night), first thing in the morning, and every two hours during the day (if that is not enough for a puppy, someone who knows puppies can tell you).
I keep dogs who are not yet housebroken confined to areas where there is no carpet, because most dogs prefer to use a soft surface, plus I can spot a mess more quickly that way.
I think you may be missing the crucial enzyme cleaner step. I use Natures Miracle. Dogs recognize the "bathroom" by the smell, so you need to be sure to remove any smell inside. Plus, you need to establish the smell outside. That is why you need to take the poop out with you.
10 Responses
2010 Feb 21
if u call the vet the vet will tell u exactly what to do
References :
2010 Feb 21
one thing people forget, is a dog wants to go where it went before. It wants that same smell. so if the dog does go in the house you have to clean it up quickly and with something that will kill the smell. The next is what you are already doing. Prise when the dog goes out and does it right. Do not yell at the dog when it does it wrong, it only scares the dog to be near you. Be consistant. Maybe your dog needs more than 30 minutes to do it’s business.
This is one case where your Vet will prbably not have the answers. Go to your pet store and get some products there to clean your house up.
References :
2010 Feb 21
You are expecting a little too much out of such a young pup. You need to master the basic before you start training him to ring a bell. Also, wearing the bands and yelling at him doesn’t do a darn thing for his training.
Go back to the basics. Take him out every few hours and within 30 minutes of every meal (make sure you are feeding a scheduled meal rather than leaving food available at all times).
References :
2010 Feb 21
House Training
House training your dog is simple if you follow a few basic rules. Remember that puppies younger than 10 to 12 weeks have little control. Accidents will always happen when teaching puppies to be clean in the house. Be kind and patient, and reward handsomely all outdoor elimination. Always remember that dogs do what works for them. Make outdoor pottying work really well for your puppy.
1) The puppy must have NO time unsupervised in your home. NONE. If you are not directly watching the puppy, it should be in the crate, or outside in a safe area. You MUST watch the puppy at ALL times when loose in the house. Use baby gates, crates, or tie the leash to your belt.
2) The puppy should sleep inside the crate by your bedside. This way you can hear if the puppy should happen to need to go out during the night.
3) You must go WITH the puppy outside for ALL trips for elimination. You must have treats with you. When the puppy is urinating, say "GO PEE PEE" in a nice praise tone of voice the entire time. When she is finished, pop the treat into her mouth at once, and praise praise praise. This should be something she gets at no other time, like tiny pieces of string cheese or boiled chicken. Same for defecation. Say "GO POOP" while she is going, and food reward and praise afterwards. You must observe and reward ALL outdoor potty time.
4) Keep a schedule. Feed at the same time, and walk outside at the same times. Your pup needs at least 4 trips outdoors each day, and 5 is probably better. Pup needs to go out at wake up time, lunch time, 4-5 PM, after dinner or any other meals, and before bed. Younger puppies may need to go out much more often.
5) Use a key word each time you go out. I say "Let’s go out!!" in a happy tone of voice each time I’m opening the door to go out with the dog.
6) If you catch the puppy IN THE ACT of eliminating in your house, CLAP YOUR HANDS, say AH AH, OUTSIDE!! And immediately rush her outside. If she finishes there, do your usual food reward and praise.
The keys to getting your dog reliably housetrained are:
SUPERVISION: NO loose time in the house if you are not watching
REWARDS: ALL outdoor elimination MUST be observed and rewarded. If you only do this ONE thing, your puppy will get housetrained.
PATIENCE: Anger and punishment have no place in dog training. Elimination is a natural and pleasurable experience for your dog. You can teach her to not soil your house, but punishment will NOT help. It will only teach the dog to hide when she needs to eliminate.
If you have applied these techniques carefully for 4 weeks and you are still finding spots or piles after the fact, it’s time for stronger measures. Roll up a newspaper and fasten both ends with a rubber band. Keep it handy. The very next time you find a spot of a pile that the dog has left behind, whip out that newspaper, and hit YOURSELF over the head firmly several times as you repeat "I FORGOT TO WATCH MY PUPPY".
Works every time.
This article copyright 2004/2007, RedyreRottweilers. Free for unlimited distribution as long as copyright info remains intact.
References :
2010 Feb 21
Hi,
I know it is frustrating right… We have a 4 and a half month old Norwegian Elkhound… We tried using those indoor potty pads… And well they do help a little You could try using those… The worked really well for us… She still relieves herself every now and then but not as much… I don’t know if you are kennel training… I was told that after they eat or drink you should put them in the Kennel for up to 30 minutes then take them outside right after… Then always praise them after… Also maybe her bladder isn’t developed all the way yet so the next time you have a vet check-up you could always ask just in case there is no improvement… Hope I helped.
Amay
References :
2010 Feb 21
I would forget the bell, for the time being. Keep it simple :o)
I have heard of using male bands for marking, but never for potty training.
I have housetrained many, many dogs (none as young as yours, though) and this is the method I use:
If the dog pees inside, clean it up with an enzyme cleaner to remove the smell. If you CATCH the dog peeing inside, say NO (you dont need to yell), immediately pick the dog up and take it outside.
If the dog poops inside, pick the poop up and take it out to where you want the dog to go. Again, clean up with an enzyme cleaner. Again, if you CATCH the dog going, say NO and pick them BOTH up, and take them BOTH outside.
When the dog goes outside where he is supposed to, throw a party :o)
I take adult dogs outside last thing at night (before crating for the night), first thing in the morning, and every two hours during the day (if that is not enough for a puppy, someone who knows puppies can tell you).
I keep dogs who are not yet housebroken confined to areas where there is no carpet, because most dogs prefer to use a soft surface, plus I can spot a mess more quickly that way.
I think you may be missing the crucial enzyme cleaner step. I use Natures Miracle. Dogs recognize the "bathroom" by the smell, so you need to be sure to remove any smell inside. Plus, you need to establish the smell outside. That is why you need to take the poop out with you.
References :
five dogs and two foster dogs
2010 Feb 22
I would suggest taking him outside more often and keeping him outside for longer periods of time. Always give lots of praise for getting it right but don’t yell at him for having an accident. Labs are smart dogs, he will catch on eventually. Please be patient and keep trying.
Good Luck!
References :
2010 Feb 22
It is NOT your 5 month old lab’s job to tell you when he needs to go out. It is YOUR job to make sure that he goes out every hour!
The bell is a good idea, but it takes TIME and patience. Four month old dogs don’t have the bladder or brain capacity to go "oh, I need to pee. I had better go ring that bell." No..it is more like this." OOPS! I gotta go now!" *sqat and urinate* It is the same thing with children. They don’t understand the sensation that they need to head to the bathroom, they just go.
Using belly bands is just lazy, and yelling only works as a startling device if you actually catch him in the act.
So basically, half of what you are doing is ineffective.
Here is how I successfully trained a *difficult* shih tzu, an eight week old schnauzer and an australian shepherd pup. I have a dog door, and I think that makes house training 100% easier.
Crate. Crate the dog when you cannot watch them constantly. Easy enough.
Limit access to the house. My dogs are blocked in the kitchen. When they are reliable in the kitchen, then I add the living room. When you add more space, you have to watch constantly! They will be tempted to go in there, but don’t let it happen. It took months before my shih tzu was allowed downstairs.
Put the dog on a strict schedule and adhere to that schedule. Example: feeding at 8:00 am. 8:15 out to potty. Play, nap. Out to potty at 9:30 to 10:00. etc. You have got to tailor this to your dog.
Stay with the dog. You MUST accompany the pup outside…he has to know that he is good for peeing in the grass.
If your dog pees without you seeing it, smack yourself with a newspaper and yell "Bad owner! I am so bad for not letting the puppy out!" If you catch the dog in the act, do something that will startle the pup enough that it stops peeing. I usually shout "HEY!" and that is good enough. IMMEDIATLY take the dog outside, and then praise like crazy when he finishes his business. Clean the spot thouroughly with a deodorizer.
References :
2010 Feb 22
The bell won’t work unless he understands it.
What are Male Bands?
Yelling at a dog sounds like LA LA La La La….whatever…stop the noise.
Treats are good, but you need to learn HIS schedule. He is a baby and cannot control his potty needs yet.
Always use the same door for his potty times. Make a big deal as you take him out. Use your Happy voice…you need to go out?? Good boy! and get him out the door. Be patient as he sniffs around and finds a spot. Have a small treat in your hand to feed him when he is done.
Learn his schedule. He isn’t a machine that is programed to go when you are ready.
Don’t ever blame the dog if you don’t learn his signals.
References :
2010 Feb 22
Your dog says:
Thanks for taking me outside. And thanks for teaching me that if I pee inside you will get all excited and bark at me while you drag me back outside because that is where I wanted to be all along. I don’t ever get bored outside but inside wellllllll its just inside ya know? > Literatis turn to talk.
Punishment for peeing inside should never be to get outside. Try a 20 minute crate time-out. Everytime you leave through his door ring that bell, even if its to take out the garbage. Make sure the whole family is on board with the plan. When you ring this bell, be prepared to find the pup trying to run outside with you. And by all means take advantage of it whenever you can.
References :
The breeder of my outside loving schnauzer taught me this.