[Roccosmommy]

Originally Posted by AmberJ

Thank you for your replies. I got her at 13 weeks, and she came from a private breeder from a household with lots of other dogs and cats. I really have been very consistent with her, and I spend so long standing outside with her! I always stay with her when she goes out, so I can see what she does, and praise her. She has a gravel toilet area that she goes on outside, and I take her out every hour in the day, and she's usually good, and I do praise her like mad when she goes, and she gets all excited! When she does go indoors, I just totally ignore her, and clean it up, I have never shouted at her, as I know that only makes problems worse, and she'd be scared to go at all bless her. I don't shout at my pets. I've only recently started using the crate, and she doesn't seem to go quite as much as she did when she was shut in the kitchen, but she still does overnight. Her crate is about 30 inches by 20 inches, and I put vet bed at one end, and it has a plastic base. She usually has had a poo on the plastic bit when I get up to let her out, but this morning, she had weed and pood on her vet bed, and was laying on it! I wash vet bed once or twice a day, at 60 degrees, it's always hanging up drying! She is only in her crate overnight, and when I take/collect my daughter from school, I rarely go out, and I'm with her most of the time. She has had a vet check and the vet said she is very well, apart from conjunctivitus, which is now clearing up nicely on antibiotic eye drops. I am going to bed at midnight, so I can let her out as late as possible, but she hates late night let outs, and sometimes won't go, even if I stand there with her for half an hour, she'll just stand there and not move! I try and encourage her in a cheerful positive way. I set my alarm for 6.00am every morning, and it's still dark, but she's almost always already been in her crate. I've started feeding her at 6.00pm instead of 7.00pm, but that doesn't seem to have made a difference either! (I also feed her at 8.00am.) Sorry this is long, I was trying to answer all the questions you'd asked! I appreciate your help! I have considered taking her to bed with me, but we have always had a no pets upstairs rule, and I don't want her to get so attached to me that I can't ever leave her!

Wow - sounds like you have it all covered and indeed seem to be doing everything possible. Ok, I have one more suggestion, if you can stand one more... What about instead of keeping yourself up so late at night, you go to bed reasonably on time, and set the alarm to wake up and taker her out (say, 2 or 3am). Yes, I flinch at even the suggestion too, but I'm thinking that if you can take her out BEFORE the accident happens in the crate, then you can break the cycle. And when she's older and can hold it longer you won't need to do this. I really wish you the best in potty training her ... it sounds like you are a wonderful mommy to Poppy!