5 month old potty issues
 

My 5 month old Chloe is a joy to have in our home,yet potty training has been a struggle. We have had her since 12 weeks. I am a teacher and home with her for the summer.She has had fairly free run of the house, though I am constantly watching her and rooms are closed off. I know she can hold her potty for a long time because she goes to bed in her crate at around 10 and up at 5 with no accidents or even waking. We constantly take her out and she goes often, gets Cheerios and a lot of praise. Then when we come in, she will potty again shortly on the carpet, even though she may have just gone 10 minutes earlier!

I have tried to put her on a feeding schedule, but she just picks at her food all day. When we go out to potty, she gets distracted often, we come back in when she doesn't go and before I get her back out she will squat and potty! Since it is hot,she always acts thirsty when we come in,so I give her a little water. Am I giving her too much water? She does eat all her food at one setting, so feeding is also a struggle.

Sorry for the ramble, I just wonder if we will ever master this? Is she too old for crate training? I just feel it may be cruel after being free in the house. Any advise.

Winnie is 9 months now and we keep going back and forth with training for several weeks she wont have a single accident, now all of a sudden she refuses to go outside. I am no expert but I have heard that it is a struggle with a Yorkie.

I had heard this too before we got our baby, yet I told myself we would be different! Lol! I feel like we are being very consistent and in the beginning knew any accidents were our fault, however, it is upsetting when I feel like we are doing the right things and she still has accidents. Often when she squats, I go to clean it and can even feel the mess, like she is just dribbling, making me wonder if she has too much access to water. How much is too much?

I dont really think that there is such a thing as too much water in this heat. They are tiny puppies and do have tiny bladders. I would be much more concerned about not giving her enough. When I first got Winnie I would do a potty break every 15 minutes. I also use a puppy pad inside which she knows to use in case of me being unavailable. With a tiny bladder the puppy pad does help extend the inbetween time.

I agree that tiny dog equals tiny bladder and would just assume this was the problem if she did not hold it all night long. She sleeps in her crate next to me and never makes a sound. I had to get up with her for the first week or so and take her out but after that, she sleeps all night long.

Bella is 51/2 months. My dh and I were just talking yesterday about how well she was doing. So, today 2 pees in the house. Oh well, she's still a joy and she'll get there eventually.

I have a 16 year old daughter and 13 year old son, I remember way back when I never thought they would master potty training! The only difference is that they messed in their pants, not on my new carpet! I fell in love with her at first sight though and know she is well worth the headaches and I refuse to lose my patience! She will test it, but I know that she will learn, it's all part of the process! I am curious though if I am the only one with these issues and feeding problems?

Its always been the same with Winnie. She sleeps through the night but cant hold it during the day. My experience was because she was crated at night and puppies wont pee where they sleep so during the day she had the ability to pee other places. Do you crate your pup at night?

Yep, she's crated at night. I wonder if I need to do that during the day, but feel like she's been "free" too long to now crate here during the day. Also, when would she learn that she can roam around the house without messing all over the place? I worry I have given her too much freedom and now will have a hard time taking it away.

My 12 week old will hold it from 10pm till 6am in his puppy apartment. Will go pee and poo at 6am then at around 8:30am. He's on schedule but we still have pee accidents. We have wood floors so clean up is better. He's a good boy and is like a sponge on learning!

I agree with you that she has been given too much freedom before she's ready. However, I've never been comfortable with crate training. Is it possible to restrict her to one small area until she gets it? Perhaps you can stay in that area with her most of the time so she can still be with you. Lexi and I stayed in the kitchen, where there is tile, for her first couple of weeks. Her potty pad was always close. I was able to see her EVERY time she went on the pad and she got huge praise and a treat. I even made up a potty song that she would wait to hear each time. She would be so excited! She loved going on her pad! It was like New Year's Eve every time.

After about a week, she was going exclusively on her potty pad so we expanded our area to my bedroom where I put a potty pad in the master bath. I was going stir crazy and wanted to move around more, but I sucked it up and stayed with her as we expanded her area until she was totally trustworthy.

Jan, where did she sleep before she was allowed out o fthe kitchen?

This morning I tried to restrict her by tethering her to me. Though she roams freely, there is almost always an eye on her, yet that does not stop her from squatting. The only problem is by the time I say NO, the damage is done! So back to the tethering. Took a shower and left her with 13 year old son, by the time I was done, she had chewed her leash in half! First attempt, not a success. One accident so far, but she has slept a lot and not outside much so I have restricted her water dramatically. Most accidents happen when my husband is home in the evenings, hard for me to convince him we are making any progress!

Oh my. I wouldn't restrict her water. I'm always happy when they drink water because it's so good for them.

For the first two weeks I put Lexi's crate on an ottoman next to my bed. When she cried I would lay my head on her crate so I was really close to her. It was almost like she was in the bed with me and she would lay down and go to sleep. I was afraid to let her sleep in the bed because I thought I'd roll over and smash her.

After about 2 weeks I couldn't take it any more. She was in the bed and we've been pleased as punch every since! Don't worry about rolling over on her. You'll know, even in your sleep.

Jan,

Just wanted you to know that I am not cutting her water off, just not keeping her bowl full all day like I had been. Basically offering her a drink ever couple hours, then taking her out. I hope that's okay. I feel like with her having access to it all day, she would take a little drink, potty on the carpet a little, drink a little more potty a little more. Then she would not really empty herself when we were outside. Just a theory, let me know what you think.

Night time is not a problem for us, she is ready for bed when we are and sleeps all night in her crate. My bed is pretty high, so I would not trust her to not fall! No accidents in the crate! We have that mastered, its when she is awake! LOL! Laina, sounds like our babies are very similar!

So glad to hear she's getting water. Actually, I think her eating and drinking on a tight schedule is highly recommended when training. I'm sure some of the more experienced YT members will offer some help shortly. I don't think Lexi was a typical experience as she was totally driven by the praise and treats. She'll do anything if I dangle those carrots (literally) in front of her. I think there's a sticky in the General Training section on potty training that you may find helpful.

As for bedtime, even though she could hold it all night, I would wake her up and take her to her potty pad. I just thing she's more comfortable if she doesn't hold it all night. Even if she gets really disgusted with Mommy for waking her up.

I don't want to disappoint anyone but Pixie had occasional accidents until she was about two years old:( now she will be almost 4 and she normally asks to go out but I still keep a pee pad down and she will use it sometimes if it is raining or company is over and she is nervous.

I don't think I would restrict the water intake though, that is my opinion.

So should I have water out all the time? Wouldn't she just constantly need to go then? I take her out about every hour and still have accidents, not big ones, but just little squats and maybe a tiny tinkle. She loves her treats, but seems to not yet have associated them with potty time. She will potty outside and look up to me for a treat, so she gets that she gets them outside, not in, so maybe she's catching on?! Patience is key I guess, I know she will get it, but get sad (not mad) each time she has an accident because I feel like I'm failing her!

oh my goodness! this post sounds JUST like my 13 week old puppy leo!! the only time this puppy doesn't whine is when he is in bed with me asleep. AND he holds his bladder (although i get up with him). when i have to go to work and put him in his crate, he shreds the newspaper and pees all over the place BUT will not poop. he also does not eat well at all! and when i take him outside, i can spend 15 mins outside with him, him roaming or sitting at my feet...with me saying "go potty leo. go potty!" he will go potty. we go right back inside and he is squatting!!!! ugh. so frustrating!!

but he is as smart as a whip!!! he minds so well and he knows when he has done wrong by pottying inside because he tries to cover it up!! he is learning his commands so easily but i cant get his eating or pottying or crate crying and barking down. very discouraging!

My little Martini has access to food and water all day long. He is 5 months old also and he has accidents, probably some that I haven't found. I was about to tear my hair out after the first 2 weeks, he won't go anywhere but outside and on my carpet! I've tried pee pads, litter box, potty patch and he just won't use it. I have found that taking him out every couple hours and PRAISE AND PATIENCE are starting to work, oh and he loves treats, so as soon as he goes, he's looking for his treat...ummm guess he is trained! LOL! I am in the process of trying to bell train him, where he will ring the bell when he wants to go out, but he usually just stands and looks at me like, crazy lady let me out! Good luck, hang in there and just know it will happen and there are more of us hoping that our dogs would figure out why they can't pee on the carpet!

I just joined this forum to address this very problem . This thread has been helpful thank you. I have my first yorkie, she is 5 months, and she is having trouble with potty training. I won't crate her all day like suggested on some websites and by trainers. I see I need to regulate food schedule and seal off large parts of our house. Thanks again