Pets
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Potty Training Tips?
in Pets
we have our puppy mastiff mix (we arent exactly sure how old she is, the SPCA said 10 weeks, the vet said 8). we have had her for about 3 weeks now, and while she seems to be getting better at using the bathroom outside, she is still peeing a lot inside. we have another dog whos a year old, and she never had accidents in the house when we got her at 4 months, but, she was crated (i thought i read something about when they are crated they wont want to use the bathroom because its their "space"?). would crating the puppy help with this at all? she has a crate, but every time we close it she starts whining and yelping, and will not stop!!
any tips or suggestions?
Re: Potty Training Tips?
FF
Crate training is the easiest way to house train! A puppy that young will only be able to hold it about 2 - 3 hours, though, so if you're not able to take them out that frequently they will still have accidents in the crate more than likely. Their bladders just aren't strong enough to hold it yet.
When we are training a new foster we end up taking them out about every 30 minutes until they start getting the hang of it, because the absolute fastest way to potty train is to do whatever possible to prevent them from having accidents inside in the first place. If you can't be there to take them out this much, is there a friend, family member, neighbor or dog walker you can hire to help out with this until she gets a bit older? Even someone who could check in with her a couple of times throughout the day would make a big difference.
Praise her like crazy with yummy treats and an excited voice right after she does go outside.
If she does have accidents, be sure to clean them up with Nature's Miracle or another enzymatic cleaner. These are the only products that truly take away the scent so that she won't keep smelling it and think it's ok to go there again. If you catch her in the act of peeing inside, you can interrupt and take her outside to finish (with praise.) If you find an accident after the fact, the best thing to do is just clean it up and move on. She likely forgot about it the second she finished peeing so nothing you can do at this point will show her it's not desired behavior.
Also, check out our FAQ link at the top of this board for more info about crate training.
The FAQs (in the green banner on the top of the board) have great info on crate training and potty training, so I would check them out.
I would definitely crate train her, and to me that includes acclimating her to the crate. Just putting her in the crate and closing the door might be too much to start with. I would start by praising/rewarding her for going in the crate with the door open. Once she is comfortable with that, close the door for just a second and then open it and praise/reward. Work up to longer periods of her in the crate with the door shut, first with you still in the room, and then with you leaving the room. It may also help to cover the crate with a towel/blanket to give it a more den-like feel. You can also have a super-special treat that she only gets when she goes in the crate. I am also a huge fan of the "crate fairy," which is when you secretly put treats in the crate when the dog isn't around and then the dog finds the treats when s/he goes in the crate. This was the #1 most effective technique for crate training my second dog (rescued at age 4 and had never been crate trained so would whine/bark in the crate).
For housebreaking, an 11-13 week old puppy needs to go out a lot. If possible, I would take her out every 30 minutes at first, gradually increasing the time between potty breaks if she is doing well and not having accidents. If she potties when you take her out, give her tons of praise and rewards (treats as well as love, play time, etc.). If she doesn't potty, put her back in the crate and try again 30 minutes later. I would also tether her to you when you are in the house and she isn't crated. That way you can watch her very closely for any signs of having to potty, prevent or interrupt any accidents, and she can't sneak away. Also take her out after she wakes up, eats, drinks, plays, etc. You need to be consistent and set her up for success because the more she potties outside, the faster she will learn. The more she has accidents, the harder it can be to fully housebreak her.
Finally, make sure you clean any accidents with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle to make sure she doesn't smell the pee and think it's ok to go there again.