Fagan is almost 5 months old and we are training him to go outside. We have a crate but he was peeing and pooping in it pretty consistantly so we got an x-pen. When we are going to be gone, we set up the pen in the kitchen. His crate goes in there with the door open. We also leave water bowl and put down a pee pad. So far so good. He pees on the pads, but if we aren't gone too long he's holding it more and going outside when we get home. We tried just leaving him (and the older Corgi ..who is totally house trained...) in the kitchen when we were gone but he peed all over. Too much freedom I think. Also, when we are home we have gates up in the kitchen..we spend alot of time in there...but have no pads down. He has started to whine or yip at the back slider to go outside and is doing it pretty consistantly. We always praise him for "telling us" that he wants to go out and we [B
]never[/B] ignor a request...even if he just wants to go in and out because I want him to solidly know if he makes noise at the door it will be opened and he can go out. We use a belly band when he's out of the kitchen, but he's never peed in it. Anyway..I agree that you have to be very consistant in whatever method you use to train because otherwise it confuses them. We never yell at our baby if he has an accident in the house.. I tell my hubby.. Go get the paper and whack me with it ..because I wasn't watching my dog!!1 Bad Owner!!
