So, let me get this straight...you keep him in a crate, punish him by making him stay in his own waste and muzzle him at 3 months of age? Wow...you don't have the patience to own a dog.
If you can't deal with this puppy correctly you should admit defeat and rehome the poor thing so he can have a better life with someone who knows what they are doing.
However, if you want to try and to things right you're going to have to start over. Purchase a puppy playpen that has a top so he can't escape, get some puppy pads and train him to stay in the playpen and use the pads, keep his food, water, bed and a few toys in the playpen with him on one side and the pad on the other. Leave him in the playpen while you are gone or sleeping...when you are home take him outside to potty often...at 3 months his little bladder can't hold it for more than about 3 hours...rule of thumb is 1 hour for each month of age. Once you have him out and he potties you can play for a while and give him a treat, then it's right back in the playpen. Never take him out when he cries (unless there is something wrong or he is hurt) or you will reinforce that behavior...he cries and you pick him up. Continue doing this and stretching the time out of the pen longer as he ages...after a little time and some hard work on your part he should be trained. Also, have him neutered before he starts to lift his leg and that should help with his training too.
If you don't have the time, funds and patience to do this with and for your little puppy then I would have to recommend you rehome him to someone who does.
Training a dog is like raising a child...you can't react to something they do...you have to take a step back and act on it. You are reacting by leaving him in a soiled crate to teach him a lesson but it's not working...you should be upset with yourself for leaving him in his crate so long that he had the accident and you need to decide what you are going to do to change things so he doesn't have accidents in his crate again. Help him learn through love and compassion...not anger or spite. He doesn't know what you expect out of him until you train him to do something properly and praise him for it.
Good luck... |