Question about potty/crate traing- newbie here! :)

[flowerlady]

Hello, my name is Libby. I introduced myself on the general board. We just got our puppy on Wednesday night, so yesterday was our first full day with her. I am so happy to report that she is doing SO well!

Except for one accident in the morning yesterday (I did not have my ducks in a row) she has gone every time on her pee pad. I keep her in her crate and let her out to go on her pee pad. I say "Go Potty! and keep her there for a few mins. If she doesn't go I put her back in her crate and try again in a little bit. She gets lots of love and praise when she goes and seems to "eat it up."

Anyway, my question is can you put the crate and a puppy pee pad in a small "pen" and still be successful. I would like to go to the grocery store, chruch etc and it would be nice for her to have a place to go. I'm not sure how that works.

I am SO happy I found this forum! I'm trying to put a picture of her in here- she will be 9 weeks old on Sunday. This is a pix of my husband holding her.

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v20/libbyjo/?action=view&current=DSC03303.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/libbyjo/DSC03303.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[juliaw04]

It sounds like you are doing a great job with your new baby! Congratulations on not having any accidents, that's a HUGE accomplishment! Patience is key though, as a few more "accidents" are bound to happen.

Do you have an exercise pen that you can put her in while you're gone? It worked well for us to keep a bed, food and water, a toy, and potty pads in it and that's where my KaCee stayed whenever we had to leave the house.

[flowerlady]

Thank you for your swift response! We do have a pen that we can fit her crate and potty pad into. Will that set her back in her training to have both in one pen?

And you are right one the accidents. I just came back from taking my daughter to school and had to stop at the store real quick. She went potty right before I left and I was only gone about an hour but she went in her crate while I was gone. I think I just missed getting her out. I felt so bad!

Do you think I should put her in a pen with her crate door open and a potty pad? Is that pretty effective?

[KathyinCali]

Hello and welcome

[tiffanylynzer]

HI!

I keep my puppy in our laundry room. We keep her little crate (with the door open), toys, food, water, and potty pad in there. She does just fine with going on the pad during the day while my husband and I are at work and has NEVER peed in her crate. We can move the potty pad around the house or put one down for her when we go to my in-laws and she will go right on it Every dog is different, but she does just fine!

[Tammyh]

Originally Posted by flowerlady

Thank you for your swift response! We do have a pen that we can fit her crate and potty pad into. Will that set her back in her training to have both in one pen?

And you are right one the accidents. I just came back from taking my daughter to school and had to stop at the store real quick. She went potty right before I left and I was only gone about an hour but she went in her crate while I was gone. I think I just missed getting her out. I felt so bad!

Do you think I should put her in a pen with her crate door open and a potty pad? Is that pretty effective?

How small is her crate? Normally they won't mess in their crate. It should be just big enough for her to stand up and turn around in and no bigger. I'm not sure her age but I would think she should be able to hold it for at least an hour or so. Bella was holding it about 5 or 6 hours at night when we got her at 12 weeks. She never messed in her crate but size is very important.

[flowerlady]

Thank you Tamie and Tiffany too!

The crate is much bigger than what you described. It's probably twice as big. However, the weird thing was that she peed toward the front and that is where she sleeps... I think though that I will block out the back with something to make it even smaller. I was surprised that she went in it that quickly- especially since she went just before we left. However, she is only 8 weeks old...

[katelin]

We keep all our new puppies in an x-pen with little beds, pee pads and food/water, plus toys and chew things. They are raised in these pens from about 6 weeks to 12 weeks. They have room to play, sleep, eat and potty. By 12 weeks they are completely trained to the pee pads. Almost never miss.

I'm also a fan of crate training. But that is hard on a little guy when you have to be gone. I like the pen myself.

[Tammyh]

Originally Posted by flowerlady

Thank you Tamie and Tiffany too!

The crate is much bigger than what you described. It's probably twice as big. However, the weird thing was that she peed toward the front and that is where she sleeps... I think though that I will block out the back with something to make it even smaller. I was surprised that she went in it that quickly- especially since she went just before we left. However, she is only 8 weeks old...

That's a good idea to block the back off, this way her whole space is her bed. She is still very young so that may be part of the problem and if she's really tiny she may just have a weak bladder at this age. You're doing everything right so I'm sure it'll just be a matter of time. Good luck!

[flowerlady]

Thank you everyone for your help. We went last night and purchased a smaller crate. She loves it- I'm amazed at the difference something like that can make! Also we put up a play yard (it's actually from Target and designed for small children outside) and put her crate, dishes, and potty pad inside. Last night went really well. I could tell she went in the night and her crate was dry! She's pottied a couple more times this morning and right now is curled up in her crate. I really love the pen idea as it allows us more freedom to come and go. As well as provide her with her own little place of security.

Now, we just need to figure out what we are going to name her!

[katelin]

OOOOO I love to name puppies. Go online and google "dog names" there are thousands of them on there for boy/girls and lots of foreign names too.

We always get a list going and anyone who comes over marks their favorites and eventually the name just seems to be the right one. Have fun!! This year I got two of our puppy names from Starbucks (Sumatra Noir and Kenya Vente). Yes, I do spend a lot of time at Starbucks.

Have fun.

[JJinjersey]

Hello All,

Maybe someone can tell me what i'm doing wrong.....my little Bryan is going everywhere.....He's gotten so that he doesn't go in the crate anymore....now when i say crate i mean it has 4 sides and no top or bottom...I put wee pads in there his bed and toys....he crys in the morning and i take him outside in the backyard.....we can just come in from outside and he will go on the kitchen floor or upstairs on the carpet.....he seems to love carpet to wee or potty on....what am i doing wrong? HELP!!!! My husband is loosing his mind! and starts to yell at Bryan because he's getting frustrated. Bryan is 14 weeks old

[flowerlady]

You know- I am so not an expert so I don't know a lot. You say he goes inside after you've taken him outside. What exactly is the time frame? I.e. how long after he goes outside is he having an accident inside? Also, does he have a place to go inside?

[mypreciouspups]

Libby.. you sound as tho you are doing very well.. and yes you can put a cage/bed in a small area with a pp pad and toys..but I think your doing well..

please post picture's, we all love to see pics..lol

good luck and ejoy yt and your new furbutt...anne

[JJinjersey]

Hello Flower Lady,

I'm talking a matter of minutes.....less than 10min. It's very frustrating