Another training question.

[gracie]

Here I am again, you have every right to bark at me for being a pest.! I have another training question. My puppy knows how to bark, but she won't bark when she needs to go outside. She looks at me and expects me to know when she needs to go. Sometimes my back is good enough because she thinks it's the same as the front of me, and if I don't turn around in time, she piddles on the floor. My puppy is not in her cage in the daytime, and in the daytime is not consistent with the times she does need to go. Sometimes I'll let her out and half an hour later, she's piddling in the house. At other times she can hold it for 3 hours and 8 hours everynight. Someone must have an answer, how do I teach my dog to bark when she needs to be let out? LoL, don't tell me that I need barking lessons.

Puppy is now 3 months old.

[Taz]

I have a friend who put a small bell by her door, and trained her dog to ring the bell when he needs to go out. She started by getting him used to the sound by ringing it throughout the day. Then attached it to the bottom of the door frame. Then she would ring it with the puppies paw each time they went outside, and praise him. Eventually he got the idea, and now he rings it every time he needs out. This might be a solution if you need a warning that she needs out.

I don't like to encourage barking. I don't mind when someone is at the door, or they hear a strange sound, but other that I like to keep the barking to a minimum(for the neighbors sake).

[dogx3]

Some dogs will not bark to be let out. None of mine do. My suggestion would be to try and keep to a semi regular schedule and keep an eye on when your pup messes on the floor. Take your pup out at regular intervals, every two to three hours. A rule of thumb is that most pups can "hold it" their age plus one, so in your case that's four hours. Puppies usually have to go out after eating, sleeping and playing. Let your dog outside from the same door every time. At least this way when you see your pup standing at the door you will know it's time for a potty break. We tried to teach our golden to "speak" at the back door when she needed to go out but she never caught on.

[dogx3]

The bell idea sounds good.

[Taz]

Originally Posted by gracie

Here I am again, you have every right to bark at me for being a pest.! I have another training question.

BTW, please feel free to post any questions you have. We have great members here, and I'm sure if we all put our heads together we should be able to answer them

[gracie]

Yes the bell sounds good, but I can't quite undertand when you say at the bottom of the doorframe. Do you hang it over the doorknob and let it extend to the bottom?????
This puppy is different, she doesn't seem to have a set time. I let her outside every hour since I'm home and she still sometimes manages to piddle inbetween. She sure likes her water and that has become one of the setbacks in training her. It's funny her cage is dry so she can hold it for eight hours, but no way will she hold it for four hours in the daytime as you mention. She'll go for a day without messing and I don't know if I was just lucky to catch her on time, and the second day will usually have 1, sometimes 2 accidents per day. Maybe she's just one of these dogs which take longer, but I hope not.
Thanks you're all a great help.

[Taz]

The bell she used had a little petal on it that pushed a little bar into the bell to ring it. It just screws onto the door frame. It’s a neat thing, I'll ask her where she got it.

Most dogs will not have an accident in their crate. For a dog that is crate trained, that is their den, their "safe" place, and they don't want a mess in there.

[gracie]

Taz, should I crate train her during the day also, allowing for eating, playing and bathroom time, or is it too late for that since she's already been free in the day. I don't want her to start off on the wrong foot. I don't like scolding her everytime she has an accident, not that she's upset or anything, so anything that lessens my load and calms me will calm her also.

[Taz]

It’s a good idea to keep her in the crate when ever you can't keep your eye on her. At 3mths they can get into anything and everything so it is safer for her too. Crates can be a very effective house training tool.

If you are going to keep her in it during the day, make sure she gets lots of play time, walks etc.and I wouldn't leave her in for more than 3-4hrs at a time. Might be a way to train her to use the bell. When she comes out of the crate, ring the bell and go outside. When she starts to go to the bell on her own, try leaving her out of the crate more. If she has another accident, take her to the bell, ring it, and tell her "pee outside".

It really depends on your daily routine, and what works for the 2 of you.

[gracie]

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.

[Barrett]

When you let her out for a potty break do you go with her and watch her? Do you give her a treat and praise when she is done going potty? I know a lot of people that simply open the door and let the dog out by itself and all the dog does is play around and ask to come back in.

I always went with my puppy and watched her until she went potty. Most of the time I kept her on a leash until she was finished so she couldn't run off and play. Plus I wanted her to go in one particular spot, not all over the yard.
I would let her play off leash as an extra reward for going potty and would give her a favorite toy to play with. She only got this toy when she finished going potty so it made her go very quickly so she could get the toy.

[gracie]

Hi Barrett and thanks for your reply. I always go with my puppy so I can watch her. I always praise her, but I don't give her a treat. I always give her ample time to relieve herself so I know I'm doing that right. When she doesn't pee, I know when I bring her in to watch her. Sometimes she squats and tricks us into thinking she went and then 15 min or so later when in the house has an accident. There are days when she is potty accident free, and on other days she'll have 1-2 accidents a day. I guess I'm expecting too much of her for her 3 months. I've read some posts where their pets were trained at 3 months and some even sooner, so I was expecting more of her than I should. Like babies, every animal is different and will be trained in their time.
I put mine on a leash and she did not like it, she doesn't know what to do with herself because she is so used to running free. She goes pee in basically the same spot, but to pooh needs to circle the yard several times over, before she finds the right spot to go.
This is not my first dog and everyone in their own way was different. With each one, it was not only a learning experience for them but for me as well.

[Carrie]

Have patience. LOL. Get a carpet shampooer. (best investment I ever made) My Dobe, although the most intelligent dog I've ever had took the longest to housebreak....7 or 8 months old! A-r-g-g. (slow to develop in some ways) My German Shepherd and Lab only took a very, very short time. So did my boy Chi mix. I think 6 months is suppose to be kind of the average. So, hang in there and keep doing what you're doing.

Carrie

[gracie]

Carrie thanks for the advice, I know, I'm hanging in there. I know every dog is different and does his/her last accident in their own time. I do have a carpet shampooer, and yes it is a big help. Lord, give me patience!

[Carrie]

Lol!