I had an ex-pen setup with a pee pad in it for Oscar. When I first brought him home, I would periodically pick him up and put him in his pen with the pad (actually put him on the pad) - walk away and leave him there for a couple minutes. When I returned if he had done his business, I would gush over him and tell him what a good boy he was (some use treats, but he responded really well to my high-pitched, happy voice). He would wiggle his bum and wag his tail and knew he had done something right. I didn't wait for him to start peeing on my carpet - I made sure to take him in there every hour or so. He did really well with this - caught on very quickly. Soon, you start to notice the 'signs' that the puppy needs to go (Oscar doesn't bark, so I have had to be really 'in tune' with him and his body language). Now, I just leave the door to the pen open and Oscar trots off in there, does his business, and comes back out...
It's really just like training anything else - reward them for doing the right behavior, and don't scold them unless you actually catch them in the act. If you do see your puppy about to squat, clap your hands once really loud to startle them and they'll stop peeing - then pick them up and take them to their pad. It sounds like you're doing ok with the training - it just takes time - and an understanding that when they gotta go, they gotta go - puppies can't hold it. |