Another potty training thread

[Kissu & Aara]

So I've had Kissu a little over a month now (seems MUCH longer). I started off training him by going out with him on a leash and waiting for him to go. It was going ok. He's young, so accidents still happened as expected. But it got to the point where he would not go unless I went out with him. So the few times when I'm not home, he wouldn't go out side, and my mom would bring him in, and he'd go right by the door. And for simple things, like if I have to answer the door right as I'm about to get ready to take him outside, when I'm done talking to whoever it is, I grab the leash and get ready, but then find that he's already gone by the back door again.

I talked to my vet tech who also trains dogs, and she said that I should stop going out with him, but watch him through the window. Well, that didn't go well. He just stayed by the door the whole time yelping (he sounds like he's getting beat, I hate that) and pawing at the door.

After a while of ignoring him when he did that, he finally started to go outside without me. But then it was me who always had to let him out. If I was busy and asked anyone else to let him out, he wouldn't go. My mom would have to take him by collar and put him outside.

Now, it feels like his training has gone backwards. Very rarely, he'll scratch at the back door, and then I'll jump up and tell him good boy and let him out. For a while I felt bad. Like maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. I've been monitoring his drinking. And sometimes he'll sit by the counter where I put his water up and let me know he's thirsty. And then i make sure to let him out 10 to 15 mins after. But then sometimes he just goes outside and plays. Then I walk off to do laundry and then let him back in when he yelps at the door. I figure he went, cause he was outside a while. So then I sit down to relax, and I see him squatting by the back door. I jump up and tell him no while he's mid pee, but he doesn't stop. He finishes peeing sometimes before i get there and then leans against the back door like, "Ok, now you can let me out".

Vet tech suggested I start showing him the pee. Not in a mean way. Just holding his collar and pointing at it and saying "No no" in a firm but loving manner. But I'm unsure about this cause it just doesn't feel right. But I don't know what else to do. Am I being and idiot going going about this the wrong way?

This is the routine now. If I catch him peeing, I hold him in place by his collar and point at it and tell him "no no" and then let him outside and keep him out there until I'm done cleaning it up, so he knows what he did was bad. But sometimes he plays, so I'm worried that he's not getting it. I try and bring him back in, and he acts like it's a game. So I turn around and ignore him, and he starts sniffing around and digging or playing again.

When I don't catch him peeing and just find a puddle, I still put him outside until I'm done cleaning it up, but I don't show it to him. Sometimes he still plays, and other times he paws at the back door while yelping as i clean it up.

[Mazz]

I don't think showing him the pee and saying "no", does much for training. You've also changed the routine on him, so now he's confused. Bottom line, some dogs take longer to potty train. I don't agree with anything the vet tech has told you. If you don't go out with your puppy, how do you know if he did his duty? And, how do you then know if to praise him or not?

Puppies can hold for an hour, maybe two. After they eat or play also speeds up the process, so to speak.

We always took Zoya out about every hour or so. During the night, I set my alarm to go off every 90 minutes. If Zoya, who was in her crate, did not wake me up between alarms, I would wake her up and take her out. When she went potty, she was praised like there was no tomorrow. When we came back in the house, she was given a small treat.

When taking Zoya out, we put a fifteen minute time limit on the venture. If she did not go potty within fifteen minutes, we went back in the house, but no treat was given. An hour later, we'd try again. There were a few accidents along the way. If we caught Zoya in the act, we calmly told her "no", and immediately picked her up and took her outside to finish. When she did finish, we praised her. While I had her outside, my wife would clean up the mistake, or we'd switch roles. We praised the good, and ignored the bad. We were very fortunate. Zoya was letting us know within two weeks that she had to go potty.

You have to set the routine, be consistent, be diligent, praise the good, and ignore the bad, and reward accordingly. Sounds simple, but it can be a lot of work with some dogs. But it pays off in the end.

[Kissu & Aara]

I don't know what to do for when I'm not home. I can't and wont just leave him outside.

Before we started this method of training, I suggested that my mom go outside with me when he has to potty so he gets used to her being there. But that didn't help. I would even call my mom when I knew he should be let out and talk to her for a while. Then each time I would retrain him cause he would start messing in the house again. He would be great for a week, then I'd have to leave him to my mom to run errands and we'd start all over again for a week or 2. It's only been 5 days since we've changed his training. And I really don't approve of it for very many reasons. Two days ago, (2 days after we switched the training) he got out of the back yard cause there was a small gap that we hadn't noticed, and weren't there to see him find it, obviously cause we weren't out there with him. And other time cause the landlord came by and opened the gate without saying anything. Both times he stayed in the front yard, thank goodness. So because I don't know when the donkey of a landlord we have will come by, I've started going out side again with him to make sure the gate is closed. But not with him leashed. And he's starting to have problems again with only going if I'm there.

I always take him on errands with me when I can. I never leave him in the car alone. So he only gets to come with when I have someone who can watch him, or go in the store for me while I stay with him. So if someone can't come with me I leave him home with my mom. He's never messed in the car.

And he never has over night accidents in his crate. I cut his water off 2 hours before bed. Our morning routine now is he wakes me up and I let him out right away. I watch him and he always goes pee right away, and he comes right back to the door cause he knows it's time for food. I crack the door open and tell him good boy before letting him in, and then he runs right to his crate and sits down while I prepare his food. Then I set his bowl down in his crate and close it and he lets me sleep for 30 minutes to sometimes 3 more hours. I let him out again right away after waking up the second time. And there's no problems. But the rest of the day is hit or miss. And more often miss.

He's always done the thing where if I catch him mid pee, and tell him no and then put him outside, he doesn't stop. He finishes peeing and leans against the door. I put him outside and he plays. It's because of this that I think he's not doing so great, even before I changed his training.

I feel stuck and like I'm failing him cause I can't always be the one to be out there with him. Each time it's someone else, the training always went backwards and he'd do the 'looks at me while peeing and doesn't stop when I tell him no, then plays when I put him outside.' One time I put him on a leash while I cleaned his pee up so he couldn't go pee, and he pooed right on the patio and for a while thought that was his poo place cause of it. Another time he started chewing on the leash and broke it. Luckily we had one spare. It's like no matter what I do I can't make it right.

My friend on the phone make me bawl like a baby yesterday cause she suggested I rehome him. But I will not do that. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I just can't. If I am being an idiot I wish someone could tell me, cause maybe it's what I need to hear.

[HuskyCouture]

We had the hardest time potty training Embry, I hate even thinking about. He was afraid to go potty outside, no idea why but he just wouldn't do it! He finally start around 5 months, after he got neutered.

It helps to wipe up the mess when he isn't watching, because apparently if they see you cleaning it up they think it's okay. I'd put him in a separate room while you clean up the mess, say a "time out" room. when you clean up the mess, take the paper towel and put it outside so his smell is on the grass out there. Also make sure your cleaning up the mess with an enzyme cleaner, Petsmart sells one, Natures Miracle (we used that)

Now to the actual Training. You want to set a timer for every hour, if you aren't home, crate him until he's completely potty trained. It'll be worth it in the end since Huskies usually won't relieve themselves where they sleep. Key times to letting them out would be morning, after breakfast, after naps, after playtimes, after dinner, before bed.

Puppies should be able to hold their bladder for 1 hour, for every month old they are.

Make sure when he does go potty, make a huge deal! "Good Potty!" and treats!

When he has an accident, ignore him and remove him from the room.

[madmally]

I would say never draw attention to the "OMG look what you did indoors" it will make no difference just calmly and in silence clean it up. Pup will soon get the idea as long as you stick to training pup will gradually get that bladder control anyway but you just have to stick to one training programme and be consistent. Pup wants you to be outside as well for the praise once the business has been done. Eventually will grow out of this but to begin potty training this is a good thing.

The key overall really is be patient and consistent. x