When you have them confined in your kitchen, do they mess there or just when you let them out. Also, what are you using to confine them, a gate or door to close off the kitchen, or are you using a puppy pen? If you are using just a gate or door to confine them to the kitchen, then I would suggest getting a puppy play pen or a crate. Until they are housetrained, they should be confined to a crate for a majority of the time. Make sure the crate is not too big to where they can go to the bathroom in one part of the crate and lay down in another part of the crate. As far as house training them, you have to go back to step one. Keep them in crate during the night, put the crate beside your bed. When you first wake up, take them outside to go to the bathroom. If they go, then praise them. If they do not go, you need to put them back in the crate and check on them in about every 15 minutes to take them outside, continue doing this until they go. After they go, reward them by letting them play for a little bit. The point you are trying to get across to your boys is this... In order for him to get play time or time out of the crate, they have to go to the bathroom first. You need to keep track of how often your boys go to the bathroom each day and how often they poop and pee to split it up even further. This will tell you how often to take them out and how often they pee and poo. This should tell you how many hours you have to wait before you need to take them outside. By crating them it will teach them to hold it, and to go when you take them outside otherwise they go back in the crate. The only reason they are allowed out of the crate is to go to the bathroom outside, play or eat. They won't like this at first, but it is the best way to do it. Once they grasp the concept, they can get more privileges. Note- before you take them outside to go to the bathroom, stop at the door and making sure you have their attention, ask them in a high pitch voice, do you have to go out? Do this everytime, eventually, they will recognize this later and will be able to tell you themselves that they have to go potty. When they reach this step they can have most of the run of the house. This is the last step and will take time to get to this point. Also, once on the ground outside give them a command such as "go potty" or "do your business", this will let them recongnize the command so that when you give it, they know what is expected of them. Do all of this for a couple of weeks, and then if you think they are doing good increase their time out, if they mess up, simply go back to step one. Being patient and consistent is they key for this to work! I have trained all of my dogs using this method and if you do it correctly it will work for you too. As far as the chewing problem, give them bones such as nylabones for them to chew on, also give them durable chew toys that are meant to be chewed excessively. I wouldn't give them soft toys or toys with squeakers while you are away, all they will do is tear it apart costing you money because you have to go out and buy a new toy. Also to keep them entertained try using interactive or smart toys to keep their mind stimulated and free of stress and boredom. I hope this helps you. Good Luck and let me know how things go! |