Hi there - I had similar frustrations with Oscar when we first started his house training. I've posted this on another thread but wanted to copy it here for you too ... it is a synopsis of a house training guide I found online. Oscar and I have been following it carefully, and he's doing really well! I'm box and outside training my little guy, but if you want to train yours just to go on pads, then replace everywhere it says "take the dog outside" below with "put the dog on his puppy pad."
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"First off, crate training is key. Get a crate that is just big enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around and lay down. Anything larger will encourage him to potty on one side and sleep on the other.
Starting first thing in the morning, take your puppy from the crate outside on a leash. Give him enough room to sniff around, but be boring ... don't move and don't play with him ... he needs to understand that the purpose of going outside is to eliminate. Give the command "go potty." (Or whatever you use). Once your dog goes, immediately reward with a treat. Then reward him by letting him off the leash for a short outdoor play period, and give him 30 minutes off the leash in the house. Then he goes back in the crate.
Approximately every hour, (and after feeding) repeat the same scenario. Once he goes, immediately reward with a treat and off leash play time. If you take him out and he doesn't go, put him back in the crate. Take him out about 20 minutes later and try again. Repeat crate - outside - crate - outside until he goes. Then, treat & off leash play time.
Once your puppy has gone a couple weeks without accidents, begin to increase the off-leash play time by 10 or 15 minute increments. If he has an accident, slightly reduce the play time until he's able to go a week again with no accidents. Eventually he will be spending more and more time out of the crate until you have established a pottying routine, and he doesn't need to be crated. I've tweaked the times based on my own puppy's schedule and intestinal needs, and you can be flexible. (Also important - if you actually catch your dog going off the pad, clap your hands loudly and tell them "No" and immediately put him on the pad. When he finishes on the pad, give him a treat. But don't scold them if you find an old pee spot or poop ... they won't understand why you are angry.)
It takes a ton of energy, but it so worth it! If we don't give them an opportunity to have accidents, life will be so much easier for us and the puppies!
Hang in there and good luck!" |