sassyfire............I can 100% identify with your situation! We got Lilly 5 weeks ago, and I went into panic mode almost immediately. I had never trained a puppy before, and at that time we had gotten 2! (We took one back the first week....bunch of chickens, we are!)
Anyway, we are doing the crate training. She sleeps in the crate, and is out when we are home. We watch her, and try to get her out at least every 2 hours. I have a small notebook by the door where her trips outside are supposed to be recorded (my sons wrote on the cover that it is Lilly's bowel movement book!). That way, when I get home, or whoever, they can check when she was out last. That has helped me alot. She is doing better, I take her to the same spot and say the same thing every time. She gets a treat immediately after going too. She now looks up for it.
When ever she wanders off in the house, we herd her back to people so they can watch her. She tends to have potty accidents inside when she has wandered off alone.
I have played with the idea of an inside litter. We live in Maine, and I am not looking forward to the trips out in the snow. Not sure what I am going to do yet. I may have her go in the garage on pee pads, but am not sure how to convince her to do this.
Good luck!
Lori |