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5 months into house training help...

1K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  mcdanfam 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everybody! I got my GSD puppy at the age of ten weeks old. She is now 5 months old. She is actually my first ever dog that I have cared for completely on my own. I must say, the first few weeks were rough. After that everything became sort of routine. But I would like some information about house training. For one, My dog knows shes supposed to use the bathroom outside, and she enjoys it. She associates it with running around and playing fetch. However the problem is that, although she knows to go outside, she often will not hesitate to go in the house if she has to go. She is 100% crate trained, and wont use the bathroom in her crate and can hold it for at least 12 hours while in my room or the crate, as she stays in her crate while I'm at school or running errands. However if she's free roaming the house it seems like she doesn't attempt to hold it at all. She'll often quickly sneak away while I'm not looking and leave a mess on the carpet. I do not scold her or anything if I don't see her do it. The oddest part is that usually when she does this, its shortly after I bring her in from playing or using the bathroom. When I take her outside to go, she normally promptly does her business and returns to me. I always praise her when she does as shes supposed to. What are some tips to teach her to hold it until she's outside? I know she's capable of holding it I just need to teach her to wait. How can I show her that using the bathroom in the house is not okay and only to go outside?

Thanks very much, looking forward to some great info on this site!
 

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#2 ·
How do you house train? What do you do if you catch her going in the house? If she isn't house trained, she needs to be supervised 100% of the time she is not in her crate.
 
#4 ·
When I catch her using the bathroom I usually scold her firmly saying "NO!" Then quickly taking her outside and letting her use the bathroom. she's a very sensitive dog, and often in a quiet environment, so scolding shows a visible effect on her as she always lowers her ears and hangs her head.
 
#5 ·
The 12 hour thing was an exaggeration, my mistake. I'm only in school for 5-6 hours. But she has never had an accident while in the crate. And as soon as I get home I always run her outside. Some days I end up taking her out as many as 4-5 times. She goes every time. I try my best to read the signs. (I.E. sniffing around, usually she'll whine, scratch at bedroom door at night) but sometimes she just does it without any warning.
 
#6 ·
Have you tried keeping her tethered to you when she is not in her crate? That way you can keep a far better eye on her, and it won't be hard to catch her and quickly make it clear that you have to go outside for that. I kept my golden on a leash for awhile when we were out and about in the house. In my bedroom I could see him in every corner and was very cautious with what he could get his mouth onto/what he was doing.

Doyle is now 6 months, but the few accidents he has had were my fault. I caught him every time in the act, quickly was saying no and just grabbing his leash or harness and saying, go outside before putting him outside. Fairly sure with how fast I ran at him to grab him and get him outside it made a point lol. Now the only real accidents he has is if I cannot get him outside during work hours. I work a 9 hr shift, but some days it gets extended out. The day this last week that was a 14 hour one for me, I couldn't get to them. The blanket in their kennel was soaked, but I just took them outside without a word otherwise. I do always say good potty when he goes outside or good boy.

Them figuring out how to signal you can be the challenge. The time that we were visiting my parents and he went in the house, it was because he was wanting to go out, but just not on his own. He kept looking at me, then going toward the back door, but when I let him out the one time, he just came back in. Now I just basically put him out with my golden and walk away so he at least goes to potty lol.

Good luck to you guys! Potty training can be a long process in some cases.
 
#7 ·
#10 ·
I definitely take a way a lot of free roaming when teaching potty training. It has to be earned by my dogs, so until they are reliably clean in the house, they are either crated when they can't be supervised or 200% supervised when out. Then just lots of repetition and praise and super frequent trips outside creates the routine.

Good luck!

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#11 · (Edited)
The first few weeks set the stage for what will come months down the road.

The hardest part of potty training is not for the dog, it is for the owner. You must have enough dedication to rise at all hours of the morning, trips outside constantly during the day, and be willing to stand in all types of weather for what may seem like an hour to make certain their business is finished.

Puppies don't know they aren't to go in the house unless you teach them where they are supposed to go.

Many more times than once last winter I stood in an N2-B parka, watch cap, boots and sweats at 0300 in either rain or snow waiting and encouraging Lisl to "go potty" and stood there until she did.
 
#12 ·
We taught our to ring the bell to alert us. For the first day, every two hours...we would ring the bell with their little paws and give a treat as we opened the door, they potty, play for 30 mins and go back to the crate, two hours later, repeat the process....a 24 period, they both had nailed it and were alerting us at (9 weeks old) to go outside to potty.
We never let them roam alone, never let them off leash until we trusted they understood the bell and how to alert us. :)

Good luck! I can't say that was the right way or the way others would do it, but it worked for us.


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