# Potty training and reinforcements



## Colbie (Feb 9, 2013)

Colbie has been doing very well and at 18 weeks rarely has an accident. When she does it is because we are in the process of expanding her domain from the kitchen to other rooms of the house. She is starting to use the potty bells to signal as well.

When we first started we reinforced her behavior with praise and treats. We have been weaning her from the treats, reinforcing every other successful outcome to the point where we aren't using treats but just praise.

She use to look up at us when she was going potty expecting the treat. Now she rarely does. 

So my question is... Is there a reason to throw in the occasional random treat to continue to reinforce her behavior or is praise sufficient reinforcement at this point?


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## tra_po (Aug 14, 2013)

If she's not looking for it, I would just give praise. Maybe save the treats now for a rainy day or when she's hesitant to go outside. 

And congrats to Colbie on the bells. I just could never get Ludo remotely interested in using them. He goes to the door and barks, which is actually louder than the bell, but there is a floor bell sitting right there as well as hanging bells from a hook by the door. Nope. Has to always be on his terms. LOL!


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## Colbie (Feb 9, 2013)

tra_po said:


> If she's not looking for it, I would just give praise. Maybe save the treats now for a rainy day or when she's hesitant to go outside.
> 
> And congrats to Colbie on the bells. I just could never get Ludo remotely interested in using them. He goes to the door and barks, which is actually louder than the bell, but there is a floor bell sitting right there as well as hanging bells from a hook by the door. Nope. Has to always be on his terms. LOL!


Thanks Traci. Sounds like Ludo is his own man and doing things on his own terms. Colbie barely nudges the bells and its easy to miss.

As far as the rain, that doesn't deter her. We keep a pad for her when we go out but she would rather "hold it" then use it.


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Honestly I don't think I've used many treats at all with Mae when she does her business. One reason for this is because she's outside, a lot, with Tim and she just goes, I tell her "Good girl!" and she's perfectly fine with that. I do give her treats more when she goes inside but she LOVES praise as well too. I'm sure others will chime in with the amounts of treats to give for a command but I always throw a treat in somewhere even with Tim, it keeps them on their toes. Mae has caught on with the bells too, very quickly, Tim never got it he's a door scratcher and barker. Mae has been doing great with potty training but I'm not sure I want to expand her territory yet. We're all flying to Florida after Christmas and she'll be spending a lot of time in her pen so I don't want to open a can of worms. We started some Shaping exercises with her Sherpa carrier so the flight won't be so stressful, but with Tim being a flying veteran I'm not too worried this second time around except she's way more active then he is.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

We don't use treats at all for potty training, other than praise.


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## Colbie (Feb 9, 2013)

jabojenny said:


> Honestly I don't think I've used many treats at all with Mae when she does her business. One reason for this is because she's outside, a lot, with Tim and she just goes, I tell her "Good girl!" and she's perfectly fine with that. I do give her treats more when she goes inside but she LOVES praise as well too. I'm sure others will chime in with the amounts of treats to give for a command but I always throw a treat in somewhere even with Tim, it keeps them on their toes. Mae has caught on with the bells too, very quickly, Tim never got it he's a door scratcher and barker. Mae has been doing great with potty training but I'm not sure I want to expand her territory yet. We're all flying to Florida after Christmas and she'll be spending a lot of time in her pen so I don't want to open a can of worms. We started some Shaping exercises with her Sherpa carrier so the flight won't be so stressful, but with Tim being a flying veteran I'm not too worried this second time around except she's way more active then he is.


We will be taking Colbie on vacation with us after Christmas as well. I'm a little concerned leaving her when we are out as she is use to having part of the laundry room with her unlocked crate in it but on vacation we will keep her in her closed crate. She is pretty good at being flexible since our schedule changes from day to day. She just seems to roll with it for the most part.


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