Almost housebroken....yeah!
 

I decided last week to start training Izzy to go potty outside. So far, so good. I guess my method is okay. Let me know what you think. Any suggestions is welcomed:

I took the puppy pads away completely. Now, I take him out in the morning when we wake up, then again before I leave for work. In the evening, we go out as soon as I get home, then once or twice before going to bed. Each time I say, "Izzy, lets go potty outside" I grab his harness and leash then out we go. When he goes, I say, "Good boy Izzy". We go into the house, then I give him a treat and say, "Good boy, Izzy go potty outside." When I say "Lets go potty outside" he gets excited and runs around! When we come in the house he runs straight to the cabinet with the treats.

He had one pooping accident but I know why. I tried to get him to poop like three times before I left the house....I knew he had to go! So I gave up and left. Came back an hour or so later and there was poop on the rug. :( Other than that, he did great. Should I still keep the pads around just in case or keep them away all together? The main reason I took them away and started training him outside was because I ran out of puppy pads and didnt have a chance to go get more...So this kind of motivated me to do it. :rolleyes:

I'm by no means an expert, but you might try giving the snack outside right after they pee or poop. Molly knows to come running right after pees for a cheerio, then she goes to poop and runs back for another one. If I wait 'til she gets back inside, I'm afraid she'll forget what she's getting the treat for.

Just my two cents...:p

Carla

Good suggestion. I didnt think about it like that. Thanks! I see we have the same name, I spell mine with a "K";)

Yes, when I was little I always wished my mom would've spelled it with K so I could be like my friend Kristie...ha!

Carla

i know nothing about switching from pads to outside but i just wanted to commend you on it!! it must be terribly difficult but it sounds like you are doing a GREAT job and i also suggest giving a treat RIGHT after.. Layla is at the point now where we can just have it inside... you might want to attach bells to the door and ring them before you go out... Layla learned that and she will now touch them with her nose to tell me she has to go out.. HUGE life saver :)

Thank you! The only hard part about it is when he wakes up at 6am :eek: (Im not a morning person)taking him out that early is no fun especially on the weekends! During the week is okay because I have to be up anyway.

I will definitely look into getting bells and I started giving him a treat while we are outside. That seems to work better.

I agree with giving the treat outside. That helped A LOT with Sammy. I did that for about a week and now when she goes I just say TREAT! and she runs back in and sits by the cabinet.