HELP! Potty Training Issues

[locednloaded]

Hi guys!

I have a 16 week old, who was once showing such promise with the housebreaking. She would use her potty patch at any time she needed to potty. Then I decided to crate train her, but she will actually soil herself in the crate/carrier to the point that she is covered in her own feces and urine.The carrier is only large enough that she can only turn around and lay down. When I take her out of the carrier I take her to the patch, but she doesnt seem interested. As soon as I place her in the carrier to leave or even on the floor she will "go". I honestly don't know what to do.... shes pottying everywhere (which she hasn't done before 2 weeks ago).

Help please?

[gracielove]

It is very difficult to crate train a puppy under 16 weeks of age. Puppies that age have to potty frequently. If you are not right there to let them out when they have to go they have no ability to hold it back. The result being that they learn to potty in the crate. It sounds like that is pretty much what has happened to you little one.

The ability to hold back urine and stool does not start to work until a pup is around 16 weeks. With small breed dogs it can take longer.

You may want to try letting her out of the crate and put her in a play pen or just one room and watch her closely. Make sure you get her to the potty whenever she shows signs of having to go. You may be able to convince her that the crate is not the potty anymore.

[locednloaded]

Originally Posted by gracielove

It is very difficult to crate train a puppy under 16 weeks of age. Puppies that age have to potty frequently. If you are not right there to let them out when they have to go they have no ability to hold it back. The result being that they learn to potty in the crate. It sounds like that is pretty much what has happened to you little one.

The ability to hold back urine and stool does not start to work until a pup is around 16 weeks. With small breed dogs it can take longer.

You may want to try letting her out of the crate and put her in a play pen or just one room and watch her closely. Make sure you get her to the potty whenever she shows signs of having to go. You may be able to convince her that the crate is not the potty anymore.

My problem is I currently work about 20 minutes away from 9am-3pm each day. Originally she was in a playpen with piddle pads.... but within an hour she would chew them to shreds and then start to use the "area" as a pad and again end up covered in her business. Are there any more options? Also, I watch her closely but she will urniate all over my floors no where near the patch (even if i take her there).

[Maximo]

My Teddy had the urge to potty whenever he thought he was going to be alone (which was really just alone in the house, while I was outside doing yardwork). I would put him in his pen and walk out for 5 minutes and then go back to change his poopy pad. Then we were set.

As Gracielove indicated, small pups have to go often, especially when they are only 16 weeks old. Anything that causes excitement or anxiousness will make them want to go.

For a potty schedule, you can count on your pup having to go whenever she wakes up from sleeping/nap, after she eats, after she plays, and after anything that causes excitement and anxiousness, and probably in between.

Are you still using the potty patch or did you decide to outdoor train only? My boys are pad trained in addition to outdoors. For a puppy, confine to a smallish area like an xpen with the pad/patch in one corner.

[locednloaded]

Originally Posted by Maximo

My Teddy had the urge to potty whenever he thought he was going to be alone (which was really just alone in the house, while I was outside doing yardwork). I would put him in his pen and walk out for 5 minutes and then go back to change his poopy pad. Then we were set.

As Gracielove indicated, small pups have to go often, especially when they are only 16 weeks old. Anything that causes excitement or anxiousness will make them want to go.

For a potty schedule, you can count on your pup having to go whenever she wakes up from sleeping/nap, after she eats, after she plays, and after anything that causes excitement and anxiousness, and probably in between.

Are you still using the potty patch or did you decide to outdoor train only? My boys are pad trained in addition to outdoors. For a puppy, confine to a smallish area like an xpen with the pad/patch in one corner.

Its very complicated (sigh). When I purchased her, she was used to living in a pack 'n play with a pad on one side... so I bought the same set up. The goal was to eventually have her crate trained and able to use the potty patch and go outside, when the weather permits. Early on she loved the potty patch, and we had maybe 3 accidents in 4 weeks. Now shes peeing any and everywhere except the potty patch, she wont even try a pad anymore. I'm completely out of ideas.... The crate has become a potty, as well as my floor (and it only took 2 weeks).

Even if I take her to the potty patch after eating/drinking, before bed and etc.... she wont go. She will run back into the crate.

[locednloaded]

The other problem she has is chewing/playing with the piddle pads which results in her being covered in feces/urine.

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by locednloaded

The other problem she has is chewing/playing with the piddle pads which results in her being covered in feces/urine.

We use washable potty pads.. Cathy makes them in just about any fabric choice you could want and they hold up for years!

Washable and reusable dog and puppy pee pads, belly bands, and diapers by T. Bumpkins & Co.

[locednloaded]

Originally Posted by sugarmamma

We use washable potty pads.. Cathy makes them in just about any fabric choice you could want and they hold up for years!

Washable and reusable dog and puppy pee pads, belly bands, and diapers by T. Bumpkins & Co.

Thanks!!! How should I get her to use them? Sorry if thats a dumb question....When I got her she was already pad trained.

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by locednloaded

Thanks!!! How should I get her to use them? Sorry if thats a dumb question....When I got her she was already pad trained.

There are a few ways you can go about it.

You can soak up any accidents she has on the floor with the washable pad ( and also put any poorly placed poos there)
or you could try a training spray or place disposable pads on top of the washable for a while but that doesn't sound like an option for you.

Mine had no problem switching to washable. A white towel could also be a temporary option.

[locednloaded]

Originally Posted by sugarmamma

There are a few ways you can go about it.

You can soak up any accidents she has on the floor with the washable pad ( and also put any poorly placed poos there)
or you could try a training spray or place disposable pads on top of the washable for a while but that doesn't sound like an option for you.

Mine had no problem switching to washable. A white towel could also be a temporary option.

Thanks so much! I think i have confused my puppy, so she has reverted to peeing on the floor and etc... Ill try the training spray idea.

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by locednloaded

Thanks so much! I think i have confused my puppy, so she has reverted to peeing on the floor and etc... Ill try the training spray idea.

I actually think her own urine is a better attractant. She knows exactly what it is

[Khoojy]

Originally Posted by locednloaded

Its very complicated (sigh). When I purchased her, she was used to living in a pack 'n play with a pad on one side... so I bought the same set up. The goal was to eventually have her crate trained and able to use the potty patch and go outside, when the weather permits. Early on she loved the potty patch, and we had maybe 3 accidents in 4 weeks. Now shes peeing any and everywhere except the potty patch, she wont even try a pad anymore. I'm completely out of ideas.... The crate has become a potty, as well as my floor (and it only took 2 weeks).

Even if I take her to the potty patch after eating/drinking, before bed and etc.... she wont go. She will run back into the crate.

My little girl has similar problems too. When I put her near/at the patch, she refuse to do her business. She will try to slowly crawl away from me and start running around the housesnd pee randomly ....

[gracielove]

It does usually take a while longer to train a dog when you are away during the day. It's just a long length of time where they are not learning anything.

Did you try using one of those lock down frames for your potty pads? It worked great for Gracie. She never played with a potty pad after I got the frame for her. Pups that are alone for several hours at a time do get bored and find things to make into toys...like potty pads. Even with the washable ones it may be a good idea to get a frame for it. Make sure it is the kind that goes down over the pad and locks into place. I know they sell them on Amazon. Some Walmart stores still have them.

It does sound like she is confused. You are going to have to watch her closely and catch her in the act of peeing and gently put her on the pad when she has to go. Give her a tasty treat as soon as she does it right. That will encourage her to repeat the process. It is going to take a few times for it to sink in probably but once she knows what you want she will do it. Treats help a lot during the puppy stage. Making the potty pad a fun and rewarding place rather than seeming like a punishment will go a long way in convincing her to use it for her potty. Sometimes people catch a puppy peeing in the wrong place and then scold them and put them on the potty. To a puppy that is more like punishment and they will avoid that place as much as possible. If she refuses to pee there then just take her there and give her a treat now and then until she starts to relate to the potty as a reward rather than a punishment place.

A puppy play pen is the best idea for someone that has to leave their pup for the day. Getting the scent of urine on the potty pads is also a really good idea during training.

[Khoojy]

Originally Posted by locednloaded

Its very complicated (sigh). When I purchased her, she was used to living in a pack 'n play with a pad on one side... so I bought the same set up. The goal was to eventually have her crate trained and able to use the potty patch and go outside, when the weather permits. Early on she loved the potty patch, and we had maybe 3 accidents in 4 weeks. Now shes peeing any and everywhere except the potty patch, she wont even try a pad anymore. I'm completely out of ideas.... The crate has become a potty, as well as my floor (and it only took 2 weeks).

Even if I take her to the potty patch after eating/drinking, before bed and etc.... she wont go. She will run back into the crate.

The problem I faced with Bailey was (she's always 1 week with me), first 5 days she would poo and pee everywhere she likes. And she even sit on her pee and eat her poo...

What I did was I soaked a piece of wee pad with her pee and poo and place it at dedicated corner. If you watched them properly, they will give out sign when they need to "go". Once you see them about to "go", try to distract them a bit (not to scare them, else you need to wait for another couple of minutes before the ritual happens again...) and take them to that spot.

Initially they will not want to do it at "that" spot but after a while, they will get the idea. Also, another impt thing is to praise them and give them treats when the pee/poo at the right place or close to the spot and slowly adjust them.

Remember to clean the "accident" spot immediately to remove the scent so that the only place they can find their poo/pee scent is that dedicated spot.

There are still accidents around. probably 2 out of 5 times.
But she is getting there.... *finger cross*

Hope that helps....