I agree that your puppy is too young to be fully housebroken. Puppies have small bladders and practically no ability to wait. If you are with them you can take them out or put them on a pee pad, when you see them looking for a place to go. We are learning to read their signals and they are learning where we want them to go. In my opinion it would be easier for you to pee pad train your dog. To begin with YOU must put the puppy on the pee pad. They haven't got a clue that we want them to pee there until we show them over and over. OUTSIDE training: When I am training puppies I always take them on a leash outside to a pre appointed place. Where I have a soiled pee pad. I do this until they are fully pee pad trained. I praise and treat when ever they go on the pee pad. Then I let them off the leash to run around a little. This teaches them out side means pottie first, then play. If you just take them out they will hold off going as long as they can, because they think going pottie means going back in. When you take them on a leash give the go pottie (get busy or what ever you say) then if they don't go after a few min.s bring them back in. I prefer using a play pen, exercise pen or much larger crate when pee pad training, rather then blocking them in a small room. Closing them in a room is very lonely and usually they can not see out of the windows. Also they begin to hate that room because they know that means you are leaving. But a play pen, can be in your busy room, you can even move it from one room to another. You can use the pen when you are home too. The small crate you described is fine for sleeping. If your play pen is large enough you can use the crate inside that. This post is getting so long. I am sorry, but I really want to help. If you would like more information about how to make their crate their little safe place just let me know. |