Frustrated with Training.

[candacejaydee]

Hey everyone!
Lexi is 3 months old and I've had her since she was 6 weeks.
She has been peeing on her pad since I got her, although it took me a while to get her to go on her pad. She STILL has accidents. Peeing and Pooing everywhere, she goes on her pad once and a while. I'm trying to get her to go outside. I was outside with her for about 20 minutes and she didn't do anything. As soon as I brought her in she peed on the floor. I was so confused! She has peed and pooped outside before and I praised her....I don't know what to do. I have patience, but my parents don't , they're getting very mad that she keeps peeing and pooing where she shouldnt be. I'm moving out in August and the apartment has carpet and I'm nervous...help?

[barneysmommmy]

3 months is pretty young. I suggest that you crate train (although I used a pen, not a crate) and give it time. I would sit with my two for hours at a time outside waiting on the magic to happen. Take her out first thing in the morning. Who doesn't need to pee at that time? When she goes, cheer and treats. Put her in a pen when you can't supervise. I would put some old blankets under the pen so she doesn't ruin the carpet. I kept a daily journal of every time my dogs ate, drank, peed or pooped, including where they peed or pooped (if inside, where they did the deed in the house, if outside I just wrote outside). It really helped me to get an idea of why the accidents were happening.

[Lovetodream88]

Normally puppies are just now going to there new houses and there moms have shown there pups where to go potty. At 6 weeks she was to young to grasp any potty training she is now at the age to grasp it so your just gonna have to keep trying. Make sure you tell her no when she goes in the wrong spot. Keeping her confined in a small area is best when you can not watch her. There really is no magic answer Callie was not 100% potty trained until 8 months.

[CouversMom]

You have a long road ahead of you if you are frustrated with her at 3 months. She is still a baby. Would you expect a human infant to be potty trained?

I would keep her contained unless you can keep an eye on her. Some people even suggest tethering the puppy to you so they cannot leave their owner's side.

Good luck. We lived in an apartment with carpet with my fits yorkietalk and we had to pay to have it replaced when we moved. We now have hardwood in our home, so it's not an issue.

[KazzyK810]

I know some people claim to be able to train a young puppy to go both inside on pads AND outside too, but personally I think that is just too confusing for a young pup.

Pick which training you want & stick to it. If pad training, keep her in a small area (playpen) with pads & a bed and praise the heck out of her every time she pottys on her pad. If outdoor training, crate her & take her out every few hours to go potty and again, praise, praise, praise, and give a yummy treat, when she does. YOU have to create the environment for her to be successful and then praise & treat when she is!

[sasha2334829]

I also suggest either doing just pads or just outside potty training. Way too confusing for a puppy. I personally am going with puppy pads. My pup won't potty outside unless we are outside for hours. And it rains so much here and the winters are very cold so it just works better that way. But I am crate training my pup who is 14 weeks old and I got him at 8 weeks. I do stay home all day so it might be a little easier for me. But if I am not able to watch him at all, I put him in his crate. The rest of the time he is out playing (only in the living room). He's not allowed in any other room except to sleep in his crate in my room. So, as soon as he wakes up in the morning, he goes to his pad. Then he drinks, eats and plays for an hour. If he hasn't went potty on his own within that hour, I take him to his pad. And until he goes, I don't let him off of it. Which he always does. So after he goes potty, I let him drink, eat and play for another hour. And continue this all day. If I need to do something out of the living room, I put him in his crate. Even if I just need a drink. I also sit on the ground with him during his out of crate time. It's easy to grab him if he starts to go on the floor. Which he hasn't done for a few weeks now. When he does go on the potty I say "good potty!" the whole time he is going. And when he's done, pet, pet, pet and a Cheerio. He now is always excited to go potty because he knows he gets so much praise and a treat. But, if you need to leave for long periods of time, an x-pen is a very good option. Just line it with puppy pads and also leave food, water, toys and somewhere to lay. Once she starts going on the pads, she will want to go on that surface. So gradually take a pad away and eventually she will be down to one. I hope this information helps you. Good luck with your little girl. And remember, it takes time and patience.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

I know some people claim to be able to train a young puppy to go both inside on pads AND outside too, but personally I think that is just too confusing for a young pup.

Pick which training you want & stick to it. If pad training, keep her in a small area (playpen) with pads & a bed and praise the heck out of her every time she pottys on her pad. If outdoor training, crate her & take her out every few hours to go potty and again, praise, praise, praise, and give a yummy treat, when she does. YOU have to create the environment for her to be successful and then praise & treat when she is!

I agree. And your pup is still VERY young. Do not get frustrated yet. Some yorkies can take a year to fully potty train! I'd say Jackson was pretty much at 100% by 6 months.

[Lilies]

I can only agree that it is important to be consistent on where and what the appropriate potty place is because confusion does happen! And then it's as if you have to re-potty train her all over again..

Example 1: Since Lilly was used to going on pads that were laid out on hard surfaces (the pad area being raised and softer than the floor beneath it), when introduced to a carpet with a pad she just assumed the entire area was one huge potty-pad and proceeded to potty everywhere!

Example 2: When I started to train her to go outside, she really liked and preferred the outside potty option. Only problem is the doggy door is too heavy for her liking so she refuses to use it. So on days when I'd need to leave her alone inside with a pad, she'd pee there but she'd poop by the door leading to the outside. I ended up having to re-train her to also consider the pad as a poop-place option. That took a week and careful watching! There was one day where she pooped 3 times by the door despite my saying "No!"

My method for potty training was:
1. Bringing her to the pad once I started to see the sure signs of premeditated squat action (walking around in circles and sniffing before pausing very suspiciously!)
2. Telling her to stay and basically guard her from leaving the pad. Usually she'd take maybe two steps, and proceed to go potty.
3. Praise her a ton while she did it and once she was finished

In training her to go outside, I also put her (and myself) on a schedule: Letting her outside 1hr - 2hrs after she had eaten and also every 2-3 hrs throughout the day. Since yours is young she may have to go more frequently. Lilly was a week shy of 5 months when I put her on the above schedule and at night she'd wake me up every 3-4 hours for potty time too.

Also, for accidents, having some pet odor and stain remover at the ready was a big help to the carpet too.

[ironmike86]

Usually expect 2 yrs with accidents. Mokie was Pee pad trained ~95% by 6mo. He would still have accidents when he had free roam sometime he just didn't make it to the door. At one Yr he goes out 100% of the time were home. I leave a pad out. But when were gone he may go on the pad. Hopefully by the time he's 2 he can just hold it and wait till we get home. My other dogs always did. But I will always leave a pad out.

[The 4 M]

Hi, I feel you frustration, Yes your pup is young. Merlin was a nightmare to toilet train, I could almost cover the floor of his "safe place" but he would find the carpet and pee/poo any where but the papered area, so.... outside all the way it was and he picked this up really quick and I have done this with all my others, Mickey is my youngest at 6 months he is fully house trained, just my opinion but it must be so confusing for pups to be allowed to pee on a soft pad but not a soft carpet. Praise and treat all the way, Good luck

[jeane]

I agree// Morgan was the most difficult to house break// patience is the key

[ironmike86]

Originally Posted by The 4 M

Hi, I feel you frustration, Yes your pup is young. Merlin was a nightmare to toilet train, I could almost cover the floor of his "safe place" but he would find the carpet and pee/poo any where but the papered area, so.... outside all the way it was and he picked this up really quick and I have done this with all my others, Mickey is my youngest at 6 months he is fully house trained, just my opinion but it must be so confusing for pups to be allowed to pee on a soft pad but not a soft carpet. Praise and treat all the way, Good luck

I agree. I rolled up all my rugs in the area I keep Moki. It has all tile floors. So he was able to learn the difference. Took awhile. He did have a couple accidents on the rugs in the other part of the house but ime to bad.I put baby gates up and Moki still never gets free roam if nobody is home. The area is big. The family room and kitchen and somebody is usually home. Thats the key. Somebody need to beable to take them out ever 1-2 hrs