# How old is a puppy when he/she is housetrained?



## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

I have a 5 mo.old puppy and he is doing O.k. with training, but he is certainly not fully trained yet. How old are most dogs when they are trained? I am trying to get an idea of what to expect.
Thanks!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

When you say "ok"..do you mean there are daily accidents or weekly/monthly?

I'd say around 5 months, there were maybe a few weekly or monthly accidents but here around 10 months she's doing okay, minus a few days 'regression' she seemed to have after I went out of town and left her with my 18 yo. Daughter.

It seems like bouts of regression and housebreaking problems are somewhat common the first year, but that's just what I gather reading the forum.

Kara


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

That is a really loaded question!! I truely think that all dogs are a little different. They say that they are on their way when you only pull the clean up spray out once a week, then once a month, then once every two months. My girls were fully trained by I would say 10 months, but Logan is taking a little longer. He just turned one, last month, and we went out last night for about 5 hours & he pooped on the floor in the dining room!!!:frusty:
So I really think it is hard to pick just a "time" each pups is different. 
Kara is right, they do have regression issues, which some people have had problems with at 7 month, I had it at10 months, so again, it depends on the pup.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

My male was completely trained by 7 mos. My female is a year and still has an occasional lapse. I am trying to train them to just go outside, but she is still reliant on the pee pads.


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

I have three..I would say by 8-9 months, I quit having accidents..I have even put all my rugs back out I did have regression at about 6 months...But my youngest is now 10 months and I would say I haven't had any accidents in about 2 months...I would be shocked if my other two went in the house...

I had them ringing the bell on their own by 5 months, but they did regress at about 6 months...I think they get busy playing..and like Kara, I left them with my daughter...who was too busy to take them out...

But she did much better this month when I had to leave them with her overnight...no accidents...I even checked under the rugs

Of course, now that I have said this...they will all pee and poo on my floors today..


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

I think all Havanese are a little different when it comes to house braking/potty training. I have two standard poos, so I was in shock that my puppy didn't train within a two week period (I got him at twelve weeks). :biggrin1: My standard male was trained the first day - literally, my standard female was fully trained in two weeks, but with Bugsy I had to rethink my training methods and be "on top" of him all the time. He wouldn't ever use pee pads, because the others didn't so I litterally had to carry him outside almost every 15 minutes and praise and treat like crazy. When I couldn't watch him, in the play pen he went! He was fully house train at 6 months and even when we went to So. Cal to stay with my mom for the summer, he didn't regress or had a sing accident (which I was really worried about).


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

My first one was totally reliable at about 8 months. The second was at about 7 months. It certainly does take time patience and persistance with these little ones.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

JCChaplin said:


> I have a 5 mo.old puppy and he is doing O.k. with training, but he is certainly not fully trained yet. How old are most dogs when they are trained? I am trying to get an idea of what to expect.
> Thanks!


I think they're all different. I remember going nuts because my spoo wasn't potty trained at 4 months and lets face it, a 4 month old spoo can make a BIG mess. Someone in a pet store told me to try a bell by the door so I bought a parrot bell thinking I must have lost my mind. I took it home, hung it by the door, took her paw and hit the bell with it and said the word potty and let her out back. That was the trick she needed and was fully house trained the next day.


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

Our first sheltie was housebroke in a day.No kidding!He was amazing!Our second sheltie Vinnie---we had to work with quite abit.He would go to the door and pee right there.

I really was worried about Quincy.I had read havs are very hard to housebreak.I was persistant,and I'd say he was pretty much housebroke at 6months--but he also relapsed and stuff about 8 months or snly after he was about a year old,did I feel I could trust him completely.It's a good feeling when you're done and feel like you can trust them...it's definitely worth it--but just hang in there.Stay persistant and watch them like a hawk!We also introduced the bell......there is a thread on here about bell training.You might want to check it out.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Yes! I agree with the BELLS!! They helped alot and she was actually alot more reliable after them. Even with the regression...I think that is partially my fault because I would put the pads on top of the bathroom rugs, so she thinks bathroom rugs were okay for awhile. My bad! I confused her, I know I did.

Kara


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

I agree - ? do you really want to know .. I think it depends on the dog .. cosmo is very good except when he sees what I call a throw rug .. He squats and pees . I think it is more territorial and marking ..
He was trained to pee pee pads and he was always pretty good except for the small rugs .. 
I do confine them and I do keep then leashed with me while we are trying to finish up the construction .. one gate is left open so I worry about them getting out on the street so everyone is on doggie watch 
My German shorthair was trained at 10 weeks and he rarely had an accident until he got older and he had health problems .. He never needed pee pee pads or a bell - he was walked twice a day but if he had to go he would go to the door and bark ..


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Milo has regressed so much with his training at just about 9 months that I'm ready to tear his and my hair out. But oops, I don't have to tear his hair out, it's matting and coming out all on it's own (a topic for another time). He doesn't even go on the pee pads anymore, he'll make anywhere, especially on the carpeting all over. I'm literally out of patience with it. 

All the other dogs I've had were trained very quickly and once trained were thoroughly reliable. This little man had better get his act together or he'll be wearing diapers for the rest of his life. 

BTW, what do you all use to get the complete stain and the odor out?


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Now Milo - you need to start behaving!!!! Poor little boy - I mean mommy!-lol
I would put him in a crate when you cant watch him- that has always worked for us when they regressed. 
It is so hard to be mad at them cause they are just too cute!! Good luck with him!
Laurie


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## MaddiesMom (Apr 1, 2007)

I'm sure it depends on the dog. Maddie came to us at 8 months of age, and she only had one accident in the house. It was my fault, as I didn't know her signals. I immediately trained her to the bells, and she has been house trained 100% ever since. I did watch her like a hawk the first couple of weeks and restricted her space. She now has the full run of the house, even when we're not home. She only goes outside for business, no pee pads. I think it helps to teach your dog words for what they're supposed to do. I use "potty" and "business" (because its embarrassing when the neighbors overhear you talking about "pooping".:redface: I think potty training is much easier for those of us who don't work.


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## Lynn (Jan 2, 2007)

I don't know if they ever get potty trained all the way!!:biggrin1: Here is one for you....Casper turned 1 yr in Sept. and yesterday I went to hook him on his leash to go outside to potty and I hooked him and then before going out he justed pottied right there on the rug by the door:jaw: Other than that he has been doing pretty good going outside.


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

Lynn...Reece peed in the house a few times after I got Preston..and I was surprised...I thought maybe since he saw Preston doing it....he thought is was now okay for him to...


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## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

Well, I guess from all of your replies that 5 months is a little early to expect him to be trained. He was having accidents every few days, but the last week it was every day. I had written about the fact that the trainer originally said to restrict the water.  The problem i had with that is that he would gulp down a bowl and a half of water when he actually had access to it. Then, i would walk him and he would go, but after getting back into the house, he would have an accident. I think that he would consume so much water in one shot, that he could not hold it. So, I am trying to leave the dish out and let him take a little at a time. But, I think that I have to put a small amount at a time, though. If I fill the bowl, he can get a lot all at once. Also, I am going back to restricting him to his ex-pen or my kitchen. If I allow him to run around downstairs, I follow him. I guess I just have to be patient! Thanks!


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

I am glad you were able to get a little help from all our crazy responses and experiences. You are right that it is a little early to expect that much from him. We would always take water away at 7pm too, this way the pups would pee one more time at night & then sleep thru.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

I'm going to say with Henry it was 9 months.
I think it has more with the maturity of the bladder and surrounding muscles.


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## Lynn (Jan 2, 2007)

It is probably to soon to speck:biggrin1: I know how it goes....just when you say they are doing good it goes bad....but Missy is really doing good with pee pads in her ex-pen. 

I didn't use pee pads with Casper, I just tried to take him outside to go potty. It seems alot easier on me and the rugs to use pee pads. Maybe it is because she is a girl I don't know....but it is alot less stressful for me with the potty training this time....so far


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## havaluv (Oct 15, 2007)

I'm so glad you posted this thread, JC. It is hard to know what to expect with the first havanese. I've been feeling very discouraged with Ollie's progress (he's almost 4 months) He 'gets' everything else so fast, but I can tell, he just doesn't understand about potty training yet! I'm so ready to have him out of the ex pen and FREE. I'm trying to be patient, though. I'm only letting him run around when I can fully watch him. My next tactic is going to be to teach him to "go to your papers" on leash and with a treat. He just hasn't grasped going to the papers when he's busy with something else. He will use them reliably when he's in his ex pen or if I put him on them and tell him to go potty, but go on his own? Nope. Almost never. I'm hoping this will help.


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

Sissy caught on to the bells really quick. We got her at 10 weeks and my neighbor brought me down the bells the next week and she was hitting them on her own in just a day or two. Never had any problems since - not any regression or anything. She loved the idea of going outside when it was her idea.

The breeder had her potty trained to the pads when we go her and she rarely missed them.

I think consistency is the key.


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Here's a good one...Tessa decided the ex-pen was a giant potty!! She hated being confined in it but as a potty it looked great. We took it up today. Now she will be tethered or in her crate (when we get her accustomed to it). Even so a couple of times today she squatted right at my feet shortly after being outside! UGH! I too had a Sheltie who was housebroken quickly and was always reliable. But we will persevere...


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