# Potty training success - I hope!



## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Hi All. Happy New Year! It's been awhile since I posted. With all the holiday madness and taking some vacation time it was hard to find the opportunity. 

Just wanted to drop a line to those of you who may still be struggling with potty issues (and who isn't? ;-) to give a quick update. Eli is one day shy of 7 months old and has been accident free for almost 4 weeks. I know that doesn't sound like much but we went from (sometimes multiple) daily accidents to zero! I had rented a house for a week between Christmas and New Year's so the family could take a ski vacation. I've rented this house before and it is almost fully carpeted. I was certain he would not be able to resist the carpeting and accidents were bound to happen. I dreaded going because I was concerned he'd have a potty training set-back. We were there for almost one week and he was accident free the whole time!

It seems strange that not too long ago I had despaired that we would ever get to this place but it seems we have. Consistency, patience and age (his, not mine!) have all payed off. I've now given him the run of one room when we need to leave rather than the small expen area. 

Hope this is encouraging to those who still struggle.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Yea Eli,
You might try getting your rugs cleaned at home because even tho we all try to do a good clean up sometimes the sent is still their. It might help Eli on his road to success.


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## SOPHIES-MOM (Oct 4, 2010)

How wonderful! I'm so jealous! When Sophie went to my sister's house for Thanksgiving, no accidents. Maybe in a new place they aren't as comfortable because Sophie is still having accidents at home. The worst thing she does is start to poop, and when I see her circling, I say outside Sophie, at which point she starts to run and it's coming out as she's running. By the time I catch her to go out, she's done. I already know everyone will say keep her in a smaller area and she is mostly in the kitchen where she doesn't do this. She hasn't wanted to go in the snow and she usually goes on the pee pad, but sometimes not. She really is a funny little dog. She will be 5 months on January 20.She has very few pee accidents.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Way to go, Eli! :whoo:


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Suzi said:


> Yea Eli,
> You might try getting your rugs cleaned at home because even tho we all try to do a good clean up sometimes the sent is still their. It might help Eli on his road to success.


Suzi - All the rugs have been picked up and cleaned to remove pet odors and stains. I still have them wrapped in plastic packaging and will wait a few more months to put them down. Hopefully, by then he'll be fully house broken.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

We got ours cleaned before Maddie came to live with us. I have often thought that was silly we should have waited for after the house training


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Woot WOOOOOT! go Eli!!!:whoo:


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## jenisny (Aug 26, 2010)

We just had our carpets cleaned, and it reactivated some of the odor. It's very hard to get out unless you pull the carpet up and clean the pads underneath. That is so encouraging with Tillie. Hershey is 4-1/2 months old, and we just got an ex pen and are starting with a more strict schedule. We went from an average of one a day (mostly #1) to only two #2's since Friday (one when he managed to escape the ex pen.) I am encouraged that we may be where you are in a couple of months!


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

Ellie NY said:


> Hi All. Happy New Year! It's been awhile since I posted. With all the holiday madness and taking some vacation time it was hard to find the opportunity.
> 
> Just wanted to drop a line to those of you who may still be struggling with potty issues (and who isn't? ;-) to give a quick update. Eli is one day shy of 7 months old and has been accident free for almost 4 weeks. I know that doesn't sound like much but we went from (sometimes multiple) daily accidents to zero! I had rented a house for a week between Christmas and New Year's so the family could take a ski vacation. I've rented this house before and it is almost fully carpeted. I was certain he would not be able to resist the carpeting and accidents were bound to happen. I dreaded going because I was concerned he'd have a potty training set-back. We were there for almost one week and he was accident free the whole time!
> 
> ...


First of all CONGRATULATIONS! Second - thank you for posting this as it gives me hope. I am still in the thick of it all and getting frustrated. I am not giving up but will welcome the day that the pups can be more free in the house and among the family members more. I know in the long run this is a small blip on the radar screen but it seems like it is going on forever. Your post gives me hope - thank you!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tony & Milo said:


> First of all CONGRATULATIONS! Second - thank you for posting this as it gives me hope. I am still in the thick of it all and getting frustrated. I am not giving up but will welcome the day that the pups can be more free in the house and among the family members more. I know in the long run this is a small blip on the radar screen but it seems like it is going on forever. Your post gives me hope - thank you!


Yeah, it's sort of like diapers when you are in the midst of that.:biggrin1:


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

krandall said:


> Yeah, it's sort of like diapers when you are in the midst of that.:biggrin1:


Karen - thanks - I may try diapers or the belly band you talked about in the other post. Anything to be able to enjoy them more and be frustrated with them less. Maybe that will buy me the time they need until they are older.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I didn't mention belly bands, and I was talking about the diaper stage with children... not puppies. I would NOT use these on puppies... You will just prolong the time it takes to potty train them, since you will not know when they are going.

Belly bands are usually used for adult dogs who mark, and whose owners haven't been able to break the habit. Diapers are usually for bitches in heat.


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## MaggieMay (Sep 8, 2010)

That's so great!!! Yay for Eli!!!! Maggie too is finally getting it!!! It's been like 3 weeks here since accidents. She's also got 3 full rooms downstairs when I'm home. I've even left her in the kitchen when I've gone out instead of the crate and she was good no accidents!!! Yay, finally getting it!!! Congrats to you!!!


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## jenisny (Aug 26, 2010)

Hershey is doing much better. Some accidents here and there, mostly when we weren't watching him closely. It seems he has learned that carpet is not where he should go, and he has used the pee pads. We are still working on going to the pee pad or outside when outside of the ex pen. However, one thing I have noticed is that he will confuse a towel with a pee pad. Yesterday, he walked out of the room and went to the laundry room and went on a load of towels ready to go in the wash. And he has gone on the towel in his ex pen that we use to cover his crate at night. But I think it's good that he is associating it with a pee pad and not carpet.


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

krandall said:


> I didn't mention belly bands, and I was talking about the diaper stage with children... not puppies. I would NOT use these on puppies... You will just prolong the time it takes to potty train them, since you will not know when they are going.
> 
> Belly bands are usually used for adult dogs who mark, and whose owners haven't been able to break the habit. Diapers are usually for bitches in heat.


OK, sorry - I thought it was you. I must have misunderstood.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

jenisny said:


> Hershey is doing much better. Some accidents here and there, mostly when we weren't watching him closely. It seems he has learned that carpet is not where he should go, and he has used the pee pads. We are still working on going to the pee pad or outside when outside of the ex pen. However, one thing I have noticed is that he will confuse a towel with a pee pad. Yesterday, he walked out of the room and went to the laundry room and went on a load of towels ready to go in the wash. And he has gone on the towel in his ex pen that we use to cover his crate at night. But I think it's good that he is associating it with a pee pad and not carpet.


It seems that a lot of people who use pee pads mention that their dogs have trouble discriminating between small throw rugs, towels and pee pads. It seems to go with the territory, and from the dog's perspective, I can understand why!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Yes and you can get away with it if all you leave around on the floor are white towells a least they wash up nice with a bit of bleach good as new for the pup to poo Hey you do not have to worrie when you go to a hotel got your poo pad their complements of the staff HA HA just kidding


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Tony & Milo said:


> OK, sorry - I thought it was you. I must have misunderstood.


With two puppies you have twice the accidents to worry about and clean up. I can only imagine your frustration. I also thought about belly bands and a host of other "solutions". I think time is the answer. I think small dogs are pretty slow to be house broken. From what I can tell from this forum with other parents of Hav babies Eli's age that most just seem to get the whole house breaking thing around 6.5 to 7 months of age. I guess something just clicks in their head at this time. That doesn't mean that they're totally accident free but the accidents to diminish significantly. Hang in there.

Now I need to focus on getting Eli to signal me when he needs to go. He sits by the door but that isn't very helpful if I'm in a different room. I'm going to try Tell Bell training again in a few weeks. Hope this time it sticks!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ellie NY said:


> Now I need to focus on getting Eli to signal me when he needs to go. He sits by the door but that isn't very helpful if I'm in a different room. I'm going to try Tell Bell training again in a few weeks. Hope this time it sticks!


Good luck!!! I hope he catches on quicker than Kodi did. Kodi is SO smart in so many ways, and has learned everything we've taught him in obedience and agility very quickly. But the bells were a bust. And he did just what Eli is doing to ask to go out... go to the back door (which I can't see from my desk) and sit there. Not useful.

FINALLY, in the last 2 1/2 months (he's 20 months now) he has started coming to me, giving some little yips and leading me to the door when he needs to go out. He's doing it more often than he actually needs to potty, but, hey, that's OK with me for the time being... The fact that he's found a way to communicate that he wants to go out is a HUGE step in the right direction!

If he'd shown ANY inclination to use the bells, I would have kept them, but he wan't getting it at all, and they were just scratching the H--L out of the wood work as they swung back and forth. This is better for us!


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Well, Abby doesn't know a single command except sit and stay but she learned the bell system in a couple of days! Of course, she was older before I heard of it so that might have something to do with it. That has been a lifesaver since we can't see the door from where we sit in the living room. I have noticed when the weather is nice she rings the bell a dozen times a day but when it's cloudy and drizzly she manages to only go out two or three times!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kathie said:


> Well, Abby doesn't know a single command except sit and stay but she learned the bell system in a couple of days! Of course, she was older before I heard of it so that might have something to do with it. That has been a lifesaver since we can't see the door from where we sit in the living room. I have noticed when the weather is nice she rings the bell a dozen times a day but when it's cloudy and drizzly she manages to only go out two or three times!


I know they work great for some people... but they didn't work for us. Plus, I betcha Miss Abby could learn MUCH more than sit, stay and ringing her bells if you wanted to teach her!

But I hear you about the weather, Kodi's requests to go out to potty have been few and far between today, and NOT because he's used his box in between... just because he hasn't wanted to brave the weather. The snow storms didn't stop him, but this all-day rainy (turning the snow on the ground to frozen slush) is DEFINITELY not to his liking!


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