potty training question

greekblue · 07-05-2007, 04:27 PM

My puppy will eventually become a very large dog. Where I live, I can use the yard or rest of house for her only when I am at home. When I am not, she must stay in my room -- even when she is completely trained and grown. Until I finish college in a couple years and can move to a place where she can roam in the house without me having to be there, can I try to teach her two different ways of where to do her business or she will get too confused? I was thinking to try to teach her that when I am there she goes potty outside, and when I am not, she can go to a dog litter box or pads held in my room. Is that too confusing for her to learn?
If I teach her the indoor way only, could she ever learn later in her life to go only outside?

I can take her out when I come home; it is not a problem; I am just trying to make it easier. I was even thinking to teach her something like, the night she goes on the pads, the day she goes outside, so we will not have to go outside the winter nights. I think all this would be too confusing for her, but I thought I might ask anyway. Have you ever taught your dog two different ways of doing something depending of the time or place you are in?

By the way, my puppy is a Black Russian Terrier, female. They are extremely intelligent dogs with (citing from a web about service animals) "a brain between humans and monkeys." Nevertheless, I am still afraid that this might be too confusing for her. But it would be so great if she could learn to go indoors the night or when I am not there and outdoors the day or when I am there. I got her the chime bell paw from Petco. She will be soo cute when she learns to ring it.

BoxMeIn21 · 07-05-2007, 04:52 PM

IMO, I think it would be way too confusing. Have you thought of crate training? What is your schedule going to be like?

greekblue · 07-05-2007, 05:08 PM

Hi,
I have a crate for her with dividers and I will train her with that. I was just thinking to teach her that (I agree confusing way) even for later.

I have planned to pick her up August 20, so I will have a whole week with her without school or work. I wanted her to spend her whole first week with me uninterrupted, so she can get used to her new environment / owner smoothly. After that week, I have spread my classes and work in a way that I will only be gone for a few hours at a time, she will be going out potty every two to three hours except for one or two days that I will be gone for about 5 hours. The night though will be a little hard to take her out. I will of course do it, but I was trying to find a lazy way out

You are right though -- too confusing..... unfortunately. Every night, I will have to come down from my high loft bed to take her out. I think I will sleep on the floor. And guess what? I still cannot wait for her to come to give me hard time, but sooo much more joy. My cute, cute puppy -- Fayina Niki Nadezhda!!
Thank you for your response. You will hear from me again the most silly, lazy questions.

BoxMeIn21 · 07-05-2007, 05:42 PM

LOL...it sounds like you have a good plan in place and yes, you will want to be lazy - but the extra effort will be worth it.

Believe me, I raised a boxer in a very small apartment, I do not envy those 3 am potty trips you are going to have to make - good thing it doesn't last too awful long.

greekblue · 07-05-2007, 06:17 PM

Oh my God! How did you do it? Everyone things I am crazy to get such a big dog, but she will live in my room only when I am at work / school for a few hours and at night when we sleep. The rest of the time she will be out with me or studying with me

in my room. I chose a large breed that does not mind having a big place as long as she is near the owner. They are very loyal dogs -- some called them velcro dogs because they will follow the owner around and they will stay forever where the owner is. So she will not mind leaving in my room as long as she gets out a lot. As soon as she gets done her obedience classes, she is allowed to come with me in my class as a help to me when I get too stress in exams or closed places (I have already got a permission) and she will also be going to dog shows because her breeder make me promise that I will because she has the potential. She will come to me almost eight weeks old. For how long do they usually have to potty at 3:00am? I am sooo lazy. I had puppies before, but I forgot!!
I think that these sacrifices are what make us love our dogs more. It is so rewarding to know that you raised a puppy to become a healthy, lovely, happy adult.

BoxMeIn21 · 07-06-2007, 08:55 AM

Well let's see the first month or so Rowdy was home we made middle of the night potty trips every two hours or so it seemed. It's seriously close to having a new born baby on your hands. As they get older though they will be able to sleep through the night. But remember you make the schedule. It helps to write down their potty schedule so you can better anticipate their needs. For the first couple weeks, I would wake your puppy up every 1.5-2 hours for a potty break and see how she does. Then as she is able to sleep longer through the night you can adjust your routine accordingly.

greekblue · 07-06-2007, 10:09 AM

Buy Buy Sleep....

Sophie45 · 07-08-2007, 09:55 PM

When Sophie was a puppy, she slept through the night starting around11 weeks old. I made sure that she didn't get any water after 9 PM, no food/treats past seven-ish, last potty trip out at midnight-ish and she was perfectly fine until morning (maybe 6 AM, but much better than a 3 AM potty run!)
I did crate her at night next to my bed while potty training until about four or five months old though, to ensure no accidents, but I really had absolutely no problems with numerous nightly potty runs at all. Was my experience that unusually lucky???

I think it's actually a good thing that she will be in your room (and probably crated at least as a young pup) when you aren't home-that will be her 'safe spot' and dogs love routine, dens and their own personal place or room. Complete freedom of a large house alone is often distressing to many dogs.

greekblue · 07-12-2007, 12:53 AM

the info from all of you was very helpful. We'll see how everything will work out. Niki is still with her mommy, and she will come to live with me August 20. Yeah!! can you tell, I cannot wait?? I think that is why I am on this forum asking a million questions early -- to lighten up the tention a little.

Flutterby · 07-12-2007, 01:43 AM

A little tip - puppies can hold their bladder for a short time only, especially young puppies and small breed puppies. The general rule is that they can hold it about one hour per every month of age. So, at 8 weeks of age, she'll be not quite two months old, so BoxMeIn's suggestion of taking her out to potty every 1.5 - 2 hours is right on target.

Good luck! Puppies are a *lot* of work (to raise them right, that is).

greekblue · 07-12-2007, 02:21 AM

Yeah, they are a lot of work, but the joy they bring is all worth the trouble and even more.

After all, nothing good or worthwhile comes easy; the more you have to work for something, the more you will appreciate the result (imo). Puppy raising is not much different imo.

07-05-2007, 04:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
greekblue Love Me Love My BRT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 521 Rep Power: 38	potty training question My puppy will eventually become a very large dog. Where I live, I can use the yard or rest of house for her only when I am at home. When I am not, she must stay in my room -- even when she is completely trained and grown. Until I finish college in a couple years and can move to a place where she can roam in the house without me having to be there, can I try to teach her two different ways of where to do her business or she will get too confused? I was thinking to try to teach her that when I am there she goes potty outside, and when I am not, she can go to a dog litter box or pads held in my room. Is that too confusing for her to learn? If I teach her the indoor way only, could she ever learn later in her life to go only outside? I can take her out when I come home; it is not a problem; I am just trying to make it easier. I was even thinking to teach her something like, the night she goes on the pads, the day she goes outside, so we will not have to go outside the winter nights. I think all this would be too confusing for her, but I thought I might ask anyway. Have you ever taught your dog two different ways of doing something depending of the time or place you are in? By the way, my puppy is a Black Russian Terrier, female. They are extremely intelligent dogs with (citing from a web about service animals) "a brain between humans and monkeys." Nevertheless, I am still afraid that this might be too confusing for her. But it would be so great if she could learn to go indoors the night or when I am not there and outdoors the day or when I am there. I got her the chime bell paw from Petco. She will be soo cute when she learns to ring it.

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07-05-2007, 04:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
BoxMeIn21 Don't mind me, I'm crazy. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: At the bottom of the deep down Susquehanna River Posts: 150 Rep Power: 39	IMO, I think it would be way too confusing. Have you thought of crate training? What is your schedule going to be like?

07-05-2007, 05:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
greekblue Love Me Love My BRT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 521 Rep Power: 38	Hi, I have a crate for her with dividers and I will train her with that. I was just thinking to teach her that (I agree confusing way) even for later. I have planned to pick her up August 20, so I will have a whole week with her without school or work. I wanted her to spend her whole first week with me uninterrupted, so she can get used to her new environment / owner smoothly. After that week, I have spread my classes and work in a way that I will only be gone for a few hours at a time, she will be going out potty every two to three hours except for one or two days that I will be gone for about 5 hours. The night though will be a little hard to take her out. I will of course do it, but I was trying to find a lazy way out You are right though -- too confusing..... unfortunately. Every night, I will have to come down from my high loft bed to take her out. I think I will sleep on the floor. And guess what? I still cannot wait for her to come to give me hard time, but sooo much more joy. My cute, cute puppy -- Fayina Niki Nadezhda!! Thank you for your response. You will hear from me again the most silly, lazy questions.

07-05-2007, 05:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
BoxMeIn21 Don't mind me, I'm crazy. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: At the bottom of the deep down Susquehanna River Posts: 150 Rep Power: 39	LOL...it sounds like you have a good plan in place and yes, you will want to be lazy - but the extra effort will be worth it. Believe me, I raised a boxer in a very small apartment, I do not envy those 3 am potty trips you are going to have to make - good thing it doesn't last too awful long.

07-05-2007, 06:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
greekblue Love Me Love My BRT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 521 Rep Power: 38	Oh my God! How did you do it? Everyone things I am crazy to get such a big dog, but she will live in my room only when I am at work / school for a few hours and at night when we sleep. The rest of the time she will be out with me or studying with me in my room. I chose a large breed that does not mind having a big place as long as she is near the owner. They are very loyal dogs -- some called them velcro dogs because they will follow the owner around and they will stay forever where the owner is. So she will not mind leaving in my room as long as she gets out a lot. As soon as she gets done her obedience classes, she is allowed to come with me in my class as a help to me when I get too stress in exams or closed places (I have already got a permission) and she will also be going to dog shows because her breeder make me promise that I will because she has the potential. She will come to me almost eight weeks old. For how long do they usually have to potty at 3:00am? I am sooo lazy. I had puppies before, but I forgot!! I think that these sacrifices are what make us love our dogs more. It is so rewarding to know that you raised a puppy to become a healthy, lovely, happy adult.

07-06-2007, 08:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
BoxMeIn21 Don't mind me, I'm crazy. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: At the bottom of the deep down Susquehanna River Posts: 150 Rep Power: 39	Well let's see the first month or so Rowdy was home we made middle of the night potty trips every two hours or so it seemed. It's seriously close to having a new born baby on your hands. As they get older though they will be able to sleep through the night. But remember you make the schedule. It helps to write down their potty schedule so you can better anticipate their needs. For the first couple weeks, I would wake your puppy up every 1.5-2 hours for a potty break and see how she does. Then as she is able to sleep longer through the night you can adjust your routine accordingly.

07-06-2007, 10:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
greekblue Love Me Love My BRT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 521 Rep Power: 38	Buy Buy Sleep....

07-08-2007, 09:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sophie45 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 341 Rep Power: 67	When Sophie was a puppy, she slept through the night starting around11 weeks old. I made sure that she didn't get any water after 9 PM, no food/treats past seven-ish, last potty trip out at midnight-ish and she was perfectly fine until morning (maybe 6 AM, but much better than a 3 AM potty run!) I did crate her at night next to my bed while potty training until about four or five months old though, to ensure no accidents, but I really had absolutely no problems with numerous nightly potty runs at all. Was my experience that unusually lucky??? I think it's actually a good thing that she will be in your room (and probably crated at least as a young pup) when you aren't home-that will be her 'safe spot' and dogs love routine, dens and their own personal place or room. Complete freedom of a large house alone is often distressing to many dogs.

07-12-2007, 12:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
greekblue Love Me Love My BRT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 521 Rep Power: 38	the info from all of you was very helpful. We'll see how everything will work out. Niki is still with her mommy, and she will come to live with me August 20. Yeah!! can you tell, I cannot wait?? I think that is why I am on this forum asking a million questions early -- to lighten up the tention a little.

07-12-2007, 01:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
Flutterby Royal Star Estates Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Richmond, KS Posts: 192 Rep Power: 37	A little tip - puppies can hold their bladder for a short time only, especially young puppies and small breed puppies. The general rule is that they can hold it about one hour per every month of age. So, at 8 weeks of age, she'll be not quite two months old, so BoxMeIn's suggestion of taking her out to potty every 1.5 - 2 hours is right on target. Good luck! Puppies are a lot of work (to raise them right, that is).

07-12-2007, 02:21 AM	#11 (permalink)
greekblue Love Me Love My BRT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 521 Rep Power: 38	Yeah, they are a lot of work, but the joy they bring is all worth the trouble and even more. After all, nothing good or worthwhile comes easy; the more you have to work for something, the more you will appreciate the result (imo). Puppy raising is not much different imo.

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