My dog is 7 Months also and i have been having problemo's, so i talked to STITCHES29This is what she said.
1. Crate sleeping at night: crate in your bedroom, with a soft towel or blanket inside. Cover with blanket or sheet. Only give them enough room to stand, turn around and lay down. Anymore room and they will use the leftover space to potty in. He may cry when you put him in it, but IGNORE him, especially if he has already been to pp or potty. If he cries in the middle of the night, get up and take him outside, on a leash. Then back inside, straight to the crate, no verbal praise or treat. Just business and back to bed. He should be sleeping all night at this age. Night time breaks are quiet business breaks. It's almost like Sleep Walking. You don't want to make the dog think it's time to get up and play.
2.Strict feeding schedule, using a high quality dry dog food. Sprinkle breakfast portion with some parmesan cheese or whatever you would like, to speed up the eating. NO HUMAN FOOD OR TREATS, UNTIL POTTY TRAINED, then only a tiny limited amount. After eating breakfast, in about 15 minutes, it will be time to go outside to Potty. Watch him very closely after eating. If he won't stay in the eating area, you may have to put up a baby gate, so you can watch his actions closely. Should he start to sniff around, then pick him up and outside to Potty, always on a leash. Soon you will know about how long after eating, will your baby have to Potty. Sometimes Maggie potties upon waking up, sometimes right after she eats breakfast.
3. Take your dog outside every two hours during the day. Always take him outside on a leash. Stay only long enough for him to PP or Potty. Pick him up immediately when he has done his business. If he is determined not to PP or Potty, take him back inside, NO TREAT and place him in the confined room for about 5 or 10 minutes, then try outside again. He will soon learn that he will only get a treat, if he PP's or Potties, outside. Potty training is not Playtime outside. Go the the same spot everytime you take him out. His bladder should be strong enough at this age to easily hold it for two hours. DO NOT let him have run of the house, until trained or under CONSTANT EYE. DO NOT wee wee pad train, if you are wanting him to potty outside. This is too confusing for them. If you can't watch his every move, put him behind a baby gated room, or inside an exercise enclosure. I only use the crate for night time sleeping only.
4.Always take them out FIRST thing in the morning, after nap times, and after all play times. Make sure they go outside before nite, nite too. After you get his feeding schedule down pat, then the potty times will be easy. I know that Maggie potties in the morning after breakfast and again after her late afternoon meal. I only stay outside for a minute or so, using the same area, and giving the same command of PP or Potty. Keep saying that over and over, using their name and then the command. Praise them like that too. As soon as they are in the process of doing their business, give them lots of praise---like "Oh such a good boy, good PP boy". Same with Potty. Take them back inside, and give them a PP treat. They love small pieces of American Cheese. We call them PP treats. Ask them, once inside if they want a PP treat. They will soon connect PP outside with PP treat inside. After he connects outside with PP or Potty, then you can train him to ring the bell. We can go into that later.
In the meantime, confine him unless he can be watched. I would also have your carpet professionally cleaned. Tell them about the doggy accidents. Until you can get your carpets cleaned, keep him out of that area. He has marked his potty room (s), so off limits will need to be set until trained. |