Crate size
 

The vet told me if I want to get my pup housebroken, to crate him. How big of a crate? I have a 23inch? that I take him to appointments in, is that too small? We have been using a pen setup that is about 5x7 with his crate in it and papers at the other end. She said that will confuse him, to not put down papers. Will this work? Is the crate too small to have him in for 2hrs at a time? It looks so confining..
Thanks,
Liz

I never actually crate trained Reagan at least in the traditional way. But technically it is said that the crate should be just large enough for the pup to stand up, turn around, and of course lie down in. I would think though that people get it big enough to accomidate their pup full grown but I'm not positive. I'm sure you'll get better advice from others, I'm really not much help sorry.

I like the setup of a crate w/ an open door or the door removed completely (no bedding as they'll just pee on it) and a small area of an x-pen set up in front of the crate so that they walk out of their crate, they're IN the x-pen.
The whole floor area of the x-pen has chucks down or puppy pads.

I only use this for night time though for puppies. During the day, they're with me so I can just take them out to potty on a schedule. If we go outside and they don't potty and it's not because they were distracted, then I'll put them in their crate (door closed) and wait another 15-20 (depending on the dog) and take them back outside to potty and when they do they gain their freedom for awhile until it's time to go out again. You just have to watch them like a hawk. The more active they are, the more often they'll have to go.

I should also mention that all of my dogs are fed and watered on a schedule.

had a BM in his crate
 

I tried this the other day: Spike went out, then had some "free time" in the kitchen with me watching. I saw him start to squat so I yelled NO and ran him outside. Well, he looked around, rolled in the grass, chewed on his leash, you name it, no poo. We went back in, he again tried to go on the floor! Same thing, I ran him outside, and he did everything but. We walked around, tried to get him to remember what he was doing, no luck. Then I put him in his crate. He cried for a few minutes, but got quiet. I took him out 15 min later, and he pooped in his crate. What am I doing wrong? What is your schedule like? How often does he need to go out? BTW- I was told he was 10weeks old when we got him. I looked over his paperwork, and he was JUST 8 weeks when we picked him up. Isn't that earlY? So, I guess he is 10weeks now.
Thanks for the advice. I've never trained a puppy this small. If we can't get it in a few weeks, we are considering puppy college :)
Liz

He is really young. Don't get frustrated yet, because you might have a few weeks of it to go. ;) I subscribe to the crate only big enough to stand up, turn around, and lay down in. It's worked for all my dogs. It helps teach them to "hold it". BUT Coby pooped and peed in his crate daily and nightly for the first few weeks no matter what we did or how closely we scheduled, got up in the middle of the night, etc. I just didn't get frustrated (hard when all you're doing is cleaning up crates and puppies!) and just kept training..... I knew he didn't like it any more than I did, because he would poop so tightly in a corner that I don't know how he did it in such a tiny crate and then would lay as far away against the door as he could - he'd actually FALL OUT when I opened the crate he was so tight against the door. After a few weeks, we woke up one morning with no accident in the crate and he's been fine ever since. Most likely, yours just has to mature. Have patience and determination!!

Oh, and he can go to puppy kindergarten, but if you send him to puppy college like this - his dorm mates are going to make his life miserable!! :D

Okay, here ya go!
 

Sounds like you're doing everything right except the part when you're outside.
He's simply distracted, that's all. When you're outside, DON'T "walk" him around on his leash. Find a spot right outside the door in the grass and just stand there. If he starts to sniff the grass like he's about to pick something up and play w/ it, tell him "No". It's GREAT that you're getting him used to that word when in the house, now do the same outside. If he's just standing there looking at the world.....relax. He's a puppy. Give him a second and he'll get bored and want to go back to picking stuff up or chasing a leaf. When he does, tell him "No" again.
All the while, you're just standing in place. What will wind up happening (the first few times you do this, he'll be very trying on your patience most likely, but I assure you it will pay off in the next day or two!) is that he will no longer be able to play=boring; he will no longer be able to just stand there and look at the world on his potty breaks=boring and so the only thing left to do is nature takes it's course and he pees/poops!

BE CAREFUL to not praise him too soon. If he's peeing, wait to tell him he's a good boy until he's come out of his squat and is about to take a step. Otherwise he might not fully eliminate his urine and will go right when you take him back in the house. Same thing w/ poop.

PLAY w/ him inside-while watching him closely-and save the outdoors for just potty breaks. I wouldn't take him for walks either. Not until he's closer to 3 months at least. Right now work on house breaking and manners! ;)

Oh, one more thing.
You can get him used to a command like "Do you have to go potty?" to where he gets excited and knows to go to the door if he has to go.

Each time you go to take him out on his leash to potty, before opening the door, ask him "Do you have to go potty?" in a somewhat excited tone to where you see that little nub start waggin' or just some show of excitement. When he does, open the door and go to your spot right outside the door and stand there. As soon as he is finished, right as he's about to step away from the mess he just made tell him something to the effect of "Yay! You went potty!" and then "Come on".....and go back in the house and do your thing. ;)

Some dogs I've treated when we get back into the house, others not. It really doesn't matter. Just you displaying how pleased you are is more than enough for most dogs. ;)

Happy training!

too distracted to poo
 

Thanks for the advice. We do just stand in one spot, and he usually pees eventually. He only poops when he is running around the yard free. At night, it is difficult to even get him to pee. I think he is afraid of the dark! As soon as it is dark out, he looks nervous. His head and eyes dart around, he growls and does a little bark at nothing, and RUNS for the house so hard I'm afraid he will hurt his neck. I try to reassure him, but he's a bit chicken. I had the same problem today because my neighbors are having work done on their house. The noise (Nail gun) sent Spikey over the edge. He ran for the house shaking. Poor pup. I know the breeder we got him from had guns, maybe PTSD? I put him in his pen w/papers. He did poo on the paper after about 15min. I plan on taking him out later, we'll see what happens...
Liz