Oh Rupert, Dont know what to do. (potty)

[beefcake09]

This has probably come up, but I am at work right now and cant spend much time on here, sorry.

Anyway. I have had Rupert sense Friday (monday now) I spent all weekend with him trying to train him where to go. HE WILL NOT PEE OUTSIDE. The only time he EVER went outside was when I put him out there and SHUT the door on him and wait 5 min, he will wine and pee right there on the concrete next to the door. This is the only way I can control when/where he goes. Other than that one time he has never gone outside.

He will wake from his naps, and I will start to play with him to get him riled up, so i will know he has to go.. He will stop playing and start sniffing.. I know he has to go.. Its been a good 4-5 hours now, and i know he will go any minute (he is almos 12 weeks old btw) So I will take him outside and NOTHING, he just sniffs and jumps around biting the grass. There have been times where he got about 2 drops of pee out, I grab him and take him outside right away to the grass, and sit there for OVER 30 min and he doesnt do a single thing. Just random searching. But I take him back inside he is ready to go again.

Also, I have him sleeping in a crate right now. I took him out this morning at 4 AM (clean kennel, and he didnt go before bed) he didnt do a damn thing, put him back in his kennel went to bed, woke up at 630 to get ready for work and he crapped in his cage. (anger)

Took him out to potty, NOTHING. Went to go PT (Military) came back an hour later fed him breakfast, let him chill for 15-20 min took him outside NOTHING. Came home on Lunch today crapped in his kennel again (3 hours after breakfast or so)

I give him every opportunity to go outside, but its like he is trained to go on the carpet and is afraid he will get in trouble for going outside or something. I dont get it.

Someone please tell me what to do.

Sean

[beefcake09]

Oh, and right when i took him on from lunch, tried to get him some water, he just took one lick of water and peed a little right there... he was literally outside 15 seconds beforehand.

[Niterider1784]

Hi there Beefcake,

Let me just start with telling you that I know the feeling. First, let me tell you that I don't think your dog is doing it purposefully and that he will change with a little more patience. My question for you would be what is your demeanor with the puppy when you think he needs to go? Dogs can sense you are angry, annoyed, or happy. Are you calm when he needs to pee? Have you praised him when he went near the correct area? I want train my dog to use the balcony but I am first paper training him. At the moment he is scared of the balcony because of all the noise, we live near a busy street. Have you spent time with him in the yard where you want him to go? Does he feel safe and comfortable there?

Seems like I have more questions than answers. I tried using a one of his slightly soiled papers and placed it in the area where I wanted him to go. Once he smelled it, he ended peeing there. You can try something like that so it will tell him where is the area to go. Don't forget to praise, him and maybe give him a treat if he does it.

Goodluck

PS. I've been trying for two weeks now, and we have accidents everyday, but he is getting better.

[AddieLove]

I know it's so frustrating to potty train new pups, but it really does take tons and tons of patience.

I got mine at nine months and she STILL wasn't potty trained. She went in the crate AND she never went outside. She just didn't seem to understand what outside was for. I'd stand out there for over 30 minutes with her and I'd get nothing (and what made it even worse was it was the middle of winter with freezing temperatures, since I lived in a different state than I do now). It was so incredibly frustrating; There had been points when I seriously considered giving her back.

Not only did I have to break her old habits, I had to retrain her.

Here's what finally worked for me: I would pick up her poop or pick up her pee-soaked paper towel after cleaning it up (by the way, you can only tell her "No" if you actually catch her going to the bathroom where you don't want her to. If you tell her even just minutes after the fact, she'll cower but won't know what she did wrong), pick her up, take her outside and drop the poop or pee paper towel on the ground. Let her sniff there and say "potty." It took several times before it worked, but it was like a miracle for me. Also, I would catch her hunched over about to poop and I would pick her up, run outside and she would actually finish pooping outside. I'm not sure how your pup works, but mine would continue peeing on the carpet even if I would pick her up. lol It was awful. I finally started putting an empty plastic cup next to me so I could catch the pee in the cup and then take it outside with her, empty it on the grass and have her sniff.

Don't forget when she does go to the bathroom outside to have a key word or sound for her during the act. The hope is to eventually be able to make that noise outside with her and she will immediately begin going to the bathroom. Mine is "shh." LOL

Also, every time right before you pick her up to take her outside, say a key word so she knows it's time to go to the bathroom. Mine is "potty outside."

As far as the crate, you have to make sure she has enough room to stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably. If it's too small, it will cause major problems, but if it's too big, she will just potty in one corner of the crate and hang out in the other. Pups don't like to roll around in their own mess. Mine did the first few times, but she eventually learned she didn't like stepping in it. Plus, she hated the bath afterwards.

BUT crating is best for older pups. Since you have a very very young dog, I wouldn't really recommend crating her. I would put her in a little pen area with a blanket, food, water and a pee pad. She is much much too young and young pups just can't hold it for very long. Plus, you don't want them to because it's super bad for them.

I hope this helps! She's really really young, so it's just going to take some time. Just be thankful that they learn to be potty trained faster than skin kids!

[Niterider1784]

Also, if you don't already have an odor eliminator, get one ASAP. Nature's Miracle works great, but you may find something else. Don't clean anything up with regular household cleaners if they have have ammonia, that won't stop him from going in the same area.

[AddieLove]

Oh yes, and make sure when your pup does go to the bathroom correctly to praise him and give him a treat. You have to be consistent with him and your puppy will be consistent with you.

[AddieLove]

Also, you don't want to be angry/spank your pup when he doesn't go to the bathroom outside. He will then begin associating outside as bad and that will just stall the training and make it that much more difficult for you to potty train him. Outside should be a positive experience, not a negative one.

Ummm ... and I accidentally put all "she's" without thinking on the first post and it's too late to go back and edit. Sorry!

[beefcake09]

Thanks for all the responces. When I catch him, I calmly/firmly tell him no. Take him outside and Say "Rupert Potty" I dont want him to think its playtime, so I kind of ignore him, but I am calm, not mad or anything, and I just sit out there and wait on him.

The crate is about the right size, I hate putting him in there, but I cant give him free roam.. He is in the bathroom right now, floor is covered with potty pads and I have some quiet music playing for him so he isnt so bored/alone.

I took one of his BM outside and put in in the grass, but he just sniffs it and walks else where, but I will try blotting some up immediately and taking it outside for him. I also live at an Apt complex, so there is frequent cars, and the birds chirp A LOT.. so maybe that could be the problem.

I just want him to go OUTSIDE, i understand he wont get it right away, and that he will have accidents, if he can just go outside and learn its ok i would be so happy. When he did pee by the door i praised him and gave him treats. But i didnt see it immeadatily as i was inside.

After a couple min walking around in the grass, he just comes back up to my feet smiling, and i put him back in the grass and say potty, but never anything. I will keep with it though. Thanks for the responces.

Oh and no worries about the she :P

Sean

[AddieLove]

It seems like you're doing everything right. You've got a positive (albeit frustrated, with good reasons!) attitude and I'm sure he'll get it eventually. I lived in an apartment complex, too, when I was potty training. I think it really makes things so much more difficult because rushing outside is really opening the door, locking the door, running down the stairs, finding a nice, quiet place (if you're lucky!) and then setting him down. My pup would ALWAYS get distracted with cars and birds and people.

I really did think about giving her back time and time again, so you're doing a lot better than I am!

Just remember: when he's actually trained, you'll be so very proud. And relieved. Endlessly relieved. LOL

Good luck and keep us updated!

Oh, and Rupert is absolutely adorable!

[Beantownguy79]

Stick with it. I have the same problem, my yorkie is 5 months old, and she does the same thing. She will not go outside. I even went to lengths of staying outside for 2 hours! And nothing, and the second she was inside she would go on the carpet.

I have though finally taught her to go on her pad. It's such a blessing. Just stick with it. Yorkies can break even the strongest minded people.

[westieboy]

This is what you do if you want him to go outside. By the time you catch him in the act indoors it is too late. So figure out his schedule for the times he is most likely to go. So when he wakes up, after he eats, after a nap etc.

These are the highest percentage training opportunities so take him outside and if he doesn't go take him back inside and put him right in his crate. Do not let him have a chance to have an accident. After 15 minutes or so in the crate, take him back outside and try again. Eventually he will go and when he does reward him with a high value treat. After a few successes he will start understanding why he's out there.

I would keep him on a leash outside so he doesn't just think outside is play time.

[beefcake09]

So he had dinner at about 8 last night, we played for about an hour maybe, then I took him out on a long walk, and nothing. I tried to tucker him out and run him around all night to get him to go and nothing. But when we got back in, it was bed time so i put him in his crate, had him sleep on the floor right next to me, so he could see me and be calm and not mess his crate.

the next morning (today), probably 10 hours after he ate, first thing i took him outside to start walking and he peed, yay rewarded him heavely, took him inside off the leesh and let him run around and play but no poo.. im sure he has to go though. he is waiting here on base at a friends house in his kennel for the vet, i just hope he doest poo there.

[AddieLove]

Yay! I would definitely call today a good day! It seems like he's beginning to understand what outside is for. I was the most proud when my pup finally went outside. It was like this huge burden lifted off my shoulder ... until she went inside again. *knocking on wood for you*

I'm glad there's progress! And crossing my fingers for no poo in his kennel!

[Sassygerl]

Eco-88 works great for removing odors! I have tried many products and this stuff is amazing. Many vets are starting to carry it and you can also order it online. IMO it's much better than Nature's Miracle.

Hope this helps for those frustrated with potty training. We adopted a senior and she's not potty trained at all. She has gone on our leather couch from time to time since she's unable to get down herself and doesn't bark to let us know Frustrating, but she needed a home after being abandoned at a vet and she is high maintenance all the way around...the little princess

[AddieLove]

Originally Posted by Sassygerl

Eco-88 works great for removing odors! I have tried many products and this stuff is amazing. Many vets are starting to carry it and you can also order it online. IMO it's much better than Nature's Miracle.

Hope this helps for those frustrated with potty training. We adopted a senior and she's not potty trained at all. She has gone on our leather couch from time to time since she's unable to get down herself and doesn't bark to let us know Frustrating, but she needed a home after being abandoned at a vet and she is high maintenance all the way around...the little princess

Thanks for the information on removing odors and welcome to YT! If you'd like, you can go to the General Forum to introduce yourself. I promise most of the members don't bite!