Potty Problems

We're having a similar issue with Diego who is 8 weeks today. He has yet to poop in the house (we've got the right formula to prevent him from pooping, although we have caught him once in the house). With peeing, we haven't figured out the right formula just yet, but we're close.

Here is what we have so far for peeing:


1a) Crate training is helping a lot; he has yet to pee/poop in the crate and I think we're solid with him understanding that is his Den.
1b) Trigger word: make sure to associate a trigger word with the pee/poop and use the word often when you first bring him outside. During and after he does his business, praise with "Good whatever" and give him lots of praise when he runs to you after he's finished. We use the word "outside" and then "Good Outside".
2) Offer water before you take him out unless after 7pm at night
3) Take him out after long naps in the crate; run him a little if he doesn't pee right away
4) Take him out after each meal, which is necessary for a poop free house
5) The hard part: when he doesn't pee or poop after the above mentioned activities! This is where we're having a hard time 'detecting' his pre-pee symptoms! To counter this, we're starting to put him in the crate a little bit after outside time when he doesn't do his business. If he doesn't fall asleep, we'll wait a good 10 minutes, wait until he is calm and quiet, and then let him out and take him out again. We're also noticing exercise helps a lot here too (just a few laps around the pool, nothing strenous).

Have patience. The puppy will eventually understand what you are trying to teach him. It might take 2 weeks or it may take up to 6 months until you feel he is trustworthy in the house, but it will happen. Each dog is different. All of us have been there, done that. lol.

The best thing to do is to clean up the poop immediately. Your kids will thank you. I hate cleaning poopy shoes.

Chevy is 8 weeks old, got from a breeder and he is eating Canidae.

Right now, we've got him staying in the kitchen by ways of a baby gate. The kitchen is huge so there is room to run around and play. He rarely has an accident in the kitchen but as soon as he goes into the living room, I can expect to clean up a mess from him.

He gets tons of praise when he does potty outside and we've started using the leash even though he doesn't like it because it restricts him from running around the yard and playing. I know it will take time and patience. I didn't think it would be this difficult in training but then again, I never had to potty train a puppy.

This morning he was jumping at the back door every few minutes for nearly an hour and I took him out every time even though he didn't go each time.

I did clean up the yard yesterday, all except the ones that got frozen to the ground . He seems to be leaving it alone. I read something online that if a puppy eats poop one of the reasons could be because they are not getting enough to eat. I gave Chevy a bit more food yesterday after reading that and he has left the poop alone.

Thanks for all the advise and tips. This place is such a wealth of information

Hey French, Just put the pup up in his crate when you cant watch him it will come in real handy for more than just watching movies Crate training is really the best for any dog I've had.....and they LOVE the crate (at least after an adjustment period)

hey chevy for the leash when you take him outside, try a 20 foot cotton or nylon training lead that you let the pup drag around (don't hold onto it). Assuming you have a fence, this will allow the pup to have some freedom in the yard, but allows you to get the pup when needed. We do this with our 8 week old and it works out well.

We also keep a 6 ft leash on him in the house. Again, this allows for us to easily get him if he's getting into trouble. It also allows the pup to get used to the leash being on his collar.

For the kitchen as a long term confinement area, I suggest that you only let him have free reign of the kitchen when someone is keeping an eye on him at all times. In fact, we have started tying the 6 ft leash to our belts to reinforce to the pup that he should be near one of the senior pack leaders at all times.

When we are gone or otherwise busy and can't keep an eye on the pup 100% of the time, he is in his crate. We started crate training the day we got him (read up on that as there is a specific way to train your pup to the crate so he sees it as a positive experience). Now 5 days later, he is getting more comfortable in the crate, no longer crying at night during bed time. He still cries during the day for a short period (15-20 minutes) but then settles down and we either let him out or keep him in there until we are ready for him to come out. We've only left him in the crate for no more then two hours, only two or three times now. He has never soiled his crate.

We just started seeing yesterday that he'll go into his crate and 'hang out' a bit chewing on a treat or treat filled chew toy. He also eats in the crate at mealtime to reinforce that is his den where he sleeps and eats.

I agree, for the first few weeks you have them, take the puppy out every 20 minutes, no matter what. Then have them sleep in a crate at night.

Our puppy can stay in the crate for 6 hours, then in the morning, she really lets a river flow.

Take their water away 1 hour before they goto bed. Feed them on a regular schedule 3 times a day, then take the food away after 30 minutes of being out. Then you will learn when they will have to go solids.

Take them outside after they have slept, after they have played, after they have done anything!

Say "outside" when you are taking them outside, always take them outside to go toilet on a leash, do not praise or touch them until they have finished. Stay standing in one place. They will get it over with very soon.

Never ever use those urine pads on the floor, do not teach the dog that its ok to go in the house.

This is what works for ours.