confused

[gilda25]

My 3-month old MaltiPoo just got his first set of shots last week, and in 4 weeks he'll be getting the second set. By then, the vet said it'll be safe to take outside w/o worrying about him catching diseases etc.
My issue is that since I got him w/o all his vaccination shots I've been paper training him since he couldnt go outside yet. He's peed on the training pad voluntarily - which I must say is very encouraging - but of course he inevitably still has accidents. (I'd say he has more accidents than doing it in the right place. My fault for not paying attention). Im confused on what to do.... should i continue paper training him until hes okay to go outside in a few weeks, or should I (might as well) start training him to go outside? I just worry about risking him getting Parvo etc. etc.
I just got him 3 weeks ago and I must say it can get really frustrating especially when consecutive times in a row Im not able to catch him pottying in the wrong spot. (I realize its not his fault, Im frustrated at myself b/c I want to be as consistent as I can with taking him to the designated area for ptty). Sometimes i feel like he'll never be potty trained.
Also, can someone give me any tips for when i start training him to go outside? I'd really appreciate it. Im a new puppy owner so there are so many things I have questions about. Thanks!!!!!!!

[Kade]

Have you considered crate training?

We started taking Winston outside after his first set of shots. If you have an enclosed yard, I would do the same starting right away. Also, you may not need to wait a full 4 weeks between shots...

It's a tough situation. I think the best option at this point is to crate train.

[TribalRats]

I think crate training is a wonderful idea for many reasons. Not only will it aide you in the potty training issues it will be of invaluable help if you ever need to leave him somewhere (boarding,friends House vets) or even at home while you are out. The crate gives him a safe place to call his own and it gives you the peace of mind you need when you can not be with him ie: during the night or while out running errands. There are so many things in the house a pup can and will get into out of curiosity, at least when you are not home and they are crated you know they are not chewing a cord or the carpet.
Good luck with your potty training, let us know how it goes.

[Carrie]

Oh...I never would keep my pups inside or keep them from being socialized on account of parvo. If you use reasonable care to stay away from areas of a high concentration of dogs and associate with dogs who are vaccinated, you should be all right. Of course, there's always a small risk, but the consequences of under socializing a pup is terrible and a known factor. I never paper trained my dogs, always trained them to go outside from the get go. Of course, I live and have lived in areas where there wasn't much liklihood of contracting parvo. If you know there have been dogs affected in the area that you're taking your pup, that would be another story.

[gilda25]

Thanks for the replies
I keep him in a pen while im at work then when im at home I let him out. I try my best to keep an eye on him particularly after napping, after playing and of course after meals. But regardless of what activity he does, I think the ideal or typical times to take him outside is every 1-2 hours right? (hes 3 months old)
I'll definintely take your advice on starting to take him out. He's not really paper trained yet so hopefully its not too late and not confusing for him...

[GermanShepherdLVR]

for a 3 month old I take them out every 30min-45 minutes.The more they get the chance to do it outside the less chance of them going in the wrong place inside.

[Kade]

Well, every 1-2 hours is sort of a guide, but rather than keeping an eye on him at playtime, before and after meals and naps, etc., just take him out at those times! I remember well the feeling that I was going in and out of doors nonstop -- but the payoff is very worth it!

[Carrie]

I too would err on the side of caution and take him out every 30-45 minutes plus sooner, after eating, drinking, horse play or napping. The more accidents you prevent, the sooner he'll catch on. You could, at this stage, start by taking the newspapers outside to the area you want him to use for his potty place...try associating what he knows (the papers) with the change of going outside. Don't forget to praise him big time the second he finishes his business. And don't make a big deal out of it if he has an accident. It's a learning process which takes some dogs a longer time than others.

[anaconda]

I'd advise crate training. We crate trained Finn (in a cardboard box) and now when he wants to come out he calls. We take him outside before doing anything else, and though he's only been with us two weeks he's already learning. I shouldn't worry about vaccinations, as long as he doesn't go near other dogs or get too cold.

[gilda25]

Awesome... I'll definitely take a little bit of everyones advice. Its certainly encouraging hearing people say that it'll happen eventually b/c like i said, there are times when it feels like it will take ages
But I will start taking him outside more often to get him accustomed to doing it there...
thank you guys sooooo much!!!! This forum is awesome!

[Carrie]

If you've been keeping him inside and not taking him anywhere (not sure if I'm reading your posts right) has he not met other people, seen traffic, seen different enviornments, dogs, kids, unusual objects, ground surfaces etc etc etc? If he hasn't had an ample supply of this, every day or every few days by the time he's 16 weeks old, he may turn out to be very fearful of new things, people, places, experiences, mal adjusted. This socialization process needs to have been happening a lot before this 4 month age when their little personalities are quite formed and finished "evolving." His experiences should not overwhelm him and should not frighten him, but be pleasant and fun while he gets accustom to the world. It's a life long part of his education but an ample dose of it needs to be complete by 16 weeks. Getting cold is not a cause of parvo. Parvo is contracted by other dogs with it or who carry it and in the feces of other dogs which can be in the ground where affected dogs have been. If you take care where you go, not where a lot of dogs have been, if it hasn't been reported in your area, you should be OK. Stop into a little corner store and let the people see him and pat him. Stop off at your hair salon or laundry mat. Think of places where he can meet new people, see new and various sights and smells.

[gilda25]

Yes I've actually been taking him out such as when I visit friends or my parents, wheni go to the pet store etc etc People also visit our house so he's not at all afraid of people (as a matter of fact, he's very friendly). As frustrating as it is trying to potty train him, Im thankful that im just dealing with typical puppy issues and not anything like behavioral or aggressive issues etc.
I started training him to go outside yesterday and he went a few times, but then the rest of the night he still went inside the house although that was my fault. It could literally be a split second that I'd turn my head and just like that, he's going...
I put him in his pen when im at work. If I do the same at night when its time to sleep, would that be too much time for him being in the pen? If he's in the pen all night then I wake up to feed him and play, and wait for him to potty then once i leave for work he's back in the pen again. I just feel kinda bad. Is it normal to do that? I'd appreciate any help and advice.

[Kade]

No, it's not too much time in his pen. Just make sure that he still gets plenty of quality interaction time with you. I used to sit with Winston in his pen and play, because if I took him out, he would pee (I learned this very quickly, LOL!). As he got older, we allowed him a bit of freedom after he had gone potty outside, but at six months we still keep him relatively confined.

I am very pro-containment for puppies. Just make sure you're spending lots of time with him (don't use the pen as a dogsitter, just as a location, so to speak).

[gilda25]

Awesome. Im glad to hear that I thought I was being a bit mean by keeping him in there for so long.
Thank you soooo much!

[gilda25]

Its been 3 days and it seems like Reggie still isnt comfortable going outside. Im not expecting him to learn overnight but whenever i take him out, he'll sniff around (even on the paper I put out there) but he'll eventually want to go back inside and he'll start barking. Its like he knows he's been doing it in the house... his area of elimination has now become the hallway so Im thinking of blocking that area off so I can hopefully lead him outside. It happens SO quick that he's been going there more than he has outside. I turn my head for a second and there he is going....
Now Im afraid I've totally confused him by trying the paper training at first, then now im taking him outside. I've had him for 3 weeks now so did I totally start off the wrong way? Im thinking I should have just trained him outside as soon as we took him home... help!!!