I think it's fine to interrupt the puppy in the process, I'll say "ah ah" and clap my hands loudly if I see puppy start to squat, and then scoop him/her up and get them outside to finish doing their business. If I'm too late and s/he's already finished (shame on me for not paying closer attention!), then there's no point in yelling at the puppy. Punishment after the fact does nothing to teach the puppy that what s/he did is wrong, and an unintended consequence can be that puppy is afraid to potty when you're around, either inside OR outside, which will set back the housebreaking process. Much better to watch the puppy closely (and crate when you can't), take him/her out very frequently, and then big praise and a treat when s/he goes outside. The more you can prevent accidents in the house and reinforce pottying outdoors the faster puppy will learn.
What's the reason for no reprimanding (inside accidents)???
I keep reading on here that if the puppy has an accident inside the house, you are to quietly clean it up and to not reprimand the puppy, say no, or do anything about it...What is the reasoning for this? Shouldn't you be teaching the puppy it is wrong to go to the bathroom inside? Can someone explain this to me?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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When I was potty training Sinister, he only had 2 mistakes (both were my fault) when he went to pee I said "ah ah" grabbed him and took him outside and once he pottyed out there I praised him and then I cleaned up the mess.
Based on everything that I've read and the 2 GSD puppies that I've house-broken thus far, it's more to do with associating their correct behavior with encouragement. Accidents are bound to happen. If you reprimand your puppy by yelling 'NO', etc it will only confuse the puppy as to why you are saying 'NO'. Is it 'No' to doing potty or No to doing it inside. So, what I do is each time I see the puppy acting like it will do potty and even if he starts to do his potty inside, I just start using the potty command that we've settled on and immediately take him outside to his spot. Once he does his potty in the designated area, I then start showering praise and rewarding him. My first puppy learnt it in 1 week and my second GSD puppy is in week 2 and the accidents are now down to once in 2/3 days ..but he is still small 9 weeks and I'm expecting him to be completely house-broken in another few days. Hope this explanation helps
Potty training is like everything else when raising a puppy you have to have a game plan and you have to be one step ahead of your puppy. Potty training for me has always been a piece of cake. I take the puppy outside way more than they need to be taken and every time they potty in their spot they get huge praise and a treat. There is also a jar of treats right next to the door that we use to go outside so when we are in a hurry the treats are right there. I also give my puppies a treat as soon as they come back in the house so on those crappy days they have learned to come back into the house instead of running around the yard. To me this is a piece of cake but guess what.... it takes diligence and it's my responsibility to never let my puppy out of my sight when it is free. I always said leaving a puppy alone is like leaving a 2 year old alone sooner or later the 2 year old will be drinking the Drano and who's fault is it.
Everything Debbie said.
The day Balto came to live with me, I caught him starting to pee inside. Luckily it was near the patio door. I picked him up quickly and got him outside where he finished. That was the day he learned and he's been good ever since.
The day Balto came to live with me, I caught him starting to pee inside. Luckily it was near the patio door. I picked him up quickly and got him outside where he finished. That was the day he learned and he's been good ever since.
We pick Marley up today, she was 8 weeks on Wednesday...
@ZAYDA...What do you use for treats?
If you punish a dog for going in the house they sometimes learn to avoid the punishment, rather than understand the concept of going outside.I keep reading on here that if the puppy has an accident inside the house, you are to quietly clean it up and to not reprimand the puppy, say no, or do anything about it...What is the reasoning for this? Shouldn't you be teaching the puppy it is wrong to go to the bathroom inside? Can someone explain this to me?
Thanks!
Example: You catch puppy peeing and slap his butt, say no and take him outside. Did you teach him that he has to go outside or did you teach him that when he pees in front of you something bad happens?
Some dogs start to go in corners, behind furniture etc. They aren't being sneaky as some people think, they're avoiding the punishment they associate with emptying their bladder.
If you find a puddle on the floor after the fact, the puppy doesn't have any idea why you're showing it to them or yelling, rubbing their nose in it etc. They aren't wired that way.
Saying "ah,ah" etc. when you catch them mid-pee isn't a punishment, it's usually just enough distraction to make them stop, so you can pick them up and take them outside to finish.
But it makes ME feel better when I tell him, "I'm so disappointed in you!" when I'm cleaning up the mess. No, wait...that's only for hubby.
Hondo I picked up mid stream and took outside -that was his only carpet accident. But I stayed glued to him 24/7. If I couldn't be, he was in his kennel. We spent a lot of time out doors!
Hondo I picked up mid stream and took outside -that was his only carpet accident. But I stayed glued to him 24/7. If I couldn't be, he was in his kennel. We spent a lot of time out doors!
I forgot to add, that I think it helps the pup understand the concept of going to the door when he/she has to potty, if you utilize the same door to take them to potty in the beginning.
positive reinforcement is quicker than negative... if you see him ready bout to squat just do the "uh uh", pick him up if he's young enough, and set him down outside.. when he's done going then throw him a treat... but if he has already done the duty just clean it up and set him outside and see if he has to go again... at least thats what happened to me...
a lot of times my pup would let go just enough to ease his bladder, then when i set him outside he would finish up...
he's not quite 3 months yet but he's pretty well potty trained as long as i watch him closely. because when he gives you a cue, it may not be long before he just goes..
but this pup is my only experience and it has worked so far
a lot of times my pup would let go just enough to ease his bladder, then when i set him outside he would finish up...
he's not quite 3 months yet but he's pretty well potty trained as long as i watch him closely. because when he gives you a cue, it may not be long before he just goes..
but this pup is my only experience and it has worked so far
You have to think of the puppy as a baby. Would you hit or punish an infant for peeing while you were changing or doing something with him/her? Until puppies are a few months old they really cant control thier bladder and they don't know any better. Sometimes it gets very fustrating when they just don't seem to get it, but patience and watching every move they make helps. Anger and negativity will only make your puppy scared of you. So even when my pup would have an accident I would pick her up and say "oh no outside, outside" and bring her right outside.
Depends on what you mean by "reprimand".
If you can catch the puppy *in the act* of having an accident, then you can provide some light reprimand. Certainly no hitting or scruffing or rubbing his nose in it or anything on that order, but a "eh eh" or other verbal cue to indicate that you are displeased, and then taking him right outside to finish his business and *immediately praise him* when he does go outside, that is fine.
If you mean reprimanding later, after the fact, when you come across an accident in the house, that is completely inappropriate. He won't remember doing it and certainly won't associate you're reprimand with an action he took earlier.
Very fundamental rule of training and living with dogs. No after the fact punishment of any kind is ever fair or reasonable because they do not have the memory and reasoning ability to put the two together. Unless you catch them in the act, they won't understand it at all and it will be nothing but confusing and potentially abusive. If you find an accident later, all you can do is clean it up and vow to keep a better eye on the puppy in the future so it doesn't happen again.
If you can catch the puppy *in the act* of having an accident, then you can provide some light reprimand. Certainly no hitting or scruffing or rubbing his nose in it or anything on that order, but a "eh eh" or other verbal cue to indicate that you are displeased, and then taking him right outside to finish his business and *immediately praise him* when he does go outside, that is fine.
If you mean reprimanding later, after the fact, when you come across an accident in the house, that is completely inappropriate. He won't remember doing it and certainly won't associate you're reprimand with an action he took earlier.
Very fundamental rule of training and living with dogs. No after the fact punishment of any kind is ever fair or reasonable because they do not have the memory and reasoning ability to put the two together. Unless you catch them in the act, they won't understand it at all and it will be nothing but confusing and potentially abusive. If you find an accident later, all you can do is clean it up and vow to keep a better eye on the puppy in the future so it doesn't happen again.
Quite frankly, because it works.
Remington is 11 weeks old, I've had him for 3 weeks. He was housetrained within 3 days. He had only 2 accidents. I achieved this by firstly maintaining a strict schedule of feedings/playtime/outside and by secondly not punishing him when he had his two accidents. Puppies have baby brains, and like potty training a child, this is a delicate procedure. A lot can go wrong if you yell at or hit a dog for having an accident. They don't yet have full control over their bladders or bowels, either. If a dog is not houstrained, and has an accident, it is YOUR fault.
If I see Remi looking like he's about to try it inside, I whisk him outdoors without a word, calmly, and set him down. When he does his business, I praise the heck out of him, and bring him back in.
Like I said, it worked. He cries at the door when he needs to go.
Remington is 11 weeks old, I've had him for 3 weeks. He was housetrained within 3 days. He had only 2 accidents. I achieved this by firstly maintaining a strict schedule of feedings/playtime/outside and by secondly not punishing him when he had his two accidents. Puppies have baby brains, and like potty training a child, this is a delicate procedure. A lot can go wrong if you yell at or hit a dog for having an accident. They don't yet have full control over their bladders or bowels, either. If a dog is not houstrained, and has an accident, it is YOUR fault.
If I see Remi looking like he's about to try it inside, I whisk him outdoors without a word, calmly, and set him down. When he does his business, I praise the heck out of him, and bring him back in.
Like I said, it worked. He cries at the door when he needs to go.
With pups, owner lead pottying is very important. You know they are going to go after they wake, after they have an episode of busy play and after they eat. So those times are automatic for me to take the pup out. Then, depending on the age, I take them out frequently. The more times I am successful at getting them outside to go then the better the training goes.
I don't reprimand the pups or really worry about their part in this too much. It is on me to get them outside. If I am a good house trainer, then the pups learn pretty quickly. My latest pup knows she is going to get lots of praise for going outside. She is so cute in that she squats and looks at me with building anticipation of the happiness and petting I am about to give her. I would say always go out yourself with a puppy to so that they can understand the pottying is what you are happy about. Reprimanding is not that useful in my experience.
I don't reprimand the pups or really worry about their part in this too much. It is on me to get them outside. If I am a good house trainer, then the pups learn pretty quickly. My latest pup knows she is going to get lots of praise for going outside. She is so cute in that she squats and looks at me with building anticipation of the happiness and petting I am about to give her. I would say always go out yourself with a puppy to so that they can understand the pottying is what you are happy about. Reprimanding is not that useful in my experience.
Most of the time my treats are just samples of quality dog foods, or treats. When I give treats it's just a little piece thats why I get samples of LB kibble and give 1 or 2 of that. I understand why you are asking but their atre many treats you can just leave open in a bowl sitting on a table, ledge,or whatever.@ZAYDA...What do you use for treats?
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