Hi Everyone!
I have a 5mo male, (not neutered yet he will be after he turns 6mo) I am training him with a grass potty patch on our porch. My question is, how can I tell if he needs to go outside? Does anyone have tips for training to do a trick? I tried to get him to ding a bell by putting his paw on it before I let him outside but it scared him and made him scared of the door for a couple days, he isnt scared anymore thankfully! My other concern is that he will only let me know he has to go potty when we are playing fetch with him and he will instead of running right back to us with his ball he will make a little loop and walk past the door first...other than during play time he won't let us know when he needs to go....has anyone had this happen and figured something out? It hasn't concerned me much because I'm a "housewife" and home with him all day so I usually let him out frequently, and he was doing extremely well and not having any accidents until just now we were snuggling on the couch and he was sleeping and I got up to get a drink (5ft from couch) and he got up to watch where I was going which is normal for him, and then when I turned around for literally 5seconds he peed on the ottoman and he has never done that before so now he's back in his crate and I'm concerned now! Thanks for listening to me vent a little and any advice would be wonderful!!
P.S when he had his accident I picked him up by his harness shirt (so he knows its not a good pick up) and said "NO!" very stern and put him in his crate for 5mins, then put him outside he peed again on his patch I said good boy, and pet him and then put him back in crate is that a good way to punish?!?
Thank you all!