# How Old Before Your Hav Potty Trained?



## SherryLee (Mar 20, 2014)

We are soooo enjoying our new puppy Hank who was 12 weeks old Monday. He is doing fairly well with potty training. We have been training on the Wee Wee pads first since I know that come bad weather days we will just not want to battle the elements or the dirty wet coat.

We have been rewarding Hank with Blue Buffalo Bits or his absolute FAVORITE, boiled chicken when he goes on the paper which is in the kitchen. When he is in the kitchen and I tell him to "go potty" he goes right to the paper (only if he has to go that is). However, he has gone in the middle of the tile floor a few times if I am busy in the kitchen and his pads have been soiled a few times. Seems he doesn't want to go on a dirty paper. Although I don't want him to get in the habit of this since when it comes the time where I leave him alone for a few hours I want him to obviously go on the paper whether it is soiled or not.

Hank also has had a couple of accidents in my daughter's room and once on my bed when I let him out of his crate and didn't immediately bring him to the paper (which was MY FAULT entirely).

He never goes in his crate since any time I take him out I bring him right to the kitchen. And, he has been able to go at least 5-6 hours throughout the night.

We have brought him outside behind my townhouse garage which has two patches of thick sod on either side not exposed to other dogs (only got second set of shots) and he looks like he's hiking through a jungle...haha but loves to lay on the cool grass. He also seems to enjoy pooping here which is good.

I am curious how old each of your cuties were before you felt they were fully housebroken and how often you find they have to go out.

Sherry


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## Stark1026 (Mar 19, 2014)

My pup is also 12 weeks and i'm also training him to go indoors. I actually have newspapers on top of the UgoDog because he was trained on newspapers and he seems to prefer it, but won't go on them if it is soiled. I hope we could eventually get rid of the newspapers so his urine goes under the grates and he feels like it's still a clean surface. You're a step ahead of me with him knowing "go potty" but I haven't really been saying anything when he goes. I'll try that! How's Hank do with number 2? Benny seems a little shy to go in front of us for that. We actually moved his UgoDog from the kitchen to right in front of our balcony door. I think he feels like if he looks out when he goes, he has more privacy??!

Benny sleeps through the night completely, no sounds either, which is super impressive. He actually does not go to the bathroom very often, which is surprising for such a young pup! He has had accidents around the house (look away for 10 seconds and he manages to go!), but I think we're both learning and it'll take time!


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

My two are trained to go outside. I tried to do both potty patch and outside, especially with Mae, but they really prefer to go out to do their business. It sounds like you are teaching him a potty command, which is very helpful even if they go outside. Since mine don't go on pads I can't help you with not wanting to go on soiled ones. Mae is 10 months old and is 100% trustworthy, she rings bells to go outside. I did find out however when she stayed with Linda that she is a marker, she never did or does that at home. If memory serves me correct she was pretty trustworthy at about 6 months old but I still confine her because she will find other stuff to get into trouble with. It seems the older they get the longer they can hold it. Tim has an iron bladder and I think sometimes he'll hold it all day if it's raining or cold outside. We have a fenced in yard at home and either scratch or ring bells to go out but I do have to take them out at our beach house so I go out every 3-4 hours. They have a very consistent #2 schedule first thing in the morning and again at about 5:00 so that's helpful. If you feed Hank at the same time everyday getting a poop schedule can't be that hard. Since Hank is so young I would take him to the pads after waking up, playing, eating and drinking, which meant for me I'd take them outside for these times. I would guess at this age you could be taking him out every hour to hour and half if they aren't sleeping. Hopefully Hank will learn to go to the pads himself if he has to go without you taking him, I'm not really sure how that would work though. Good luck, Hank is a handsome fellow.


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## Carmenchanwong (Apr 15, 2014)

Prince turned 12 weeks old yesterday  and he only goes outside for peeing and pooping. I did left him home for about 4 hours last week ( my daughters recital) and he managed well. We're using poochie bell and he rather sniffing around and sit next to the sliding door instead. 
I usually take him out after nap time, before and after I leave home to pick up or drop off my daughter, and 30 mins after meal. 
This little guy grows so big and he poops a lot, early 6:00am, 7:00am after breakfast, 4;00pm after playing at he yard and sometime before bedtime 8:00p.m.
He loves kibbles and I'm thinking about switching to raw diet. I probably will start after his next Vet check up. 
I started brushing his teeth this week and its not fun at all, he loves to chew on the toothbrush and lick the toothpaste.......
He slept thru the night since day 1, from 8:30pm - 6:00am. same as my daughter's schedule. ( weekend 10:00pm - 8:30a.m.)


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## SherryLee (Mar 20, 2014)

Stark,
What I have done is say "Go Potty" while shaking the bag of treats. Within 2 days of having him home he was able to associate the bag with going. However, he doesn't go EVERYTIME I command it...haha. In fact, when we have been visiting friends and I put the pad down and say "Go Potty" he doesn't always just go since there are too many distractions. But once he does I am sure to follow-up with a treat. 

I also am having Hank hit a "Bell Hop" bell before I bring him outside and say "Want to Go Out?". I hope it's not too confusing for him but I try not to do all these commands near each other. He does know what "go potty" means and will even go to the paper and pee the size of a quarter just to get a treat. No matter how little though I do make sure to give him a treat.

As for pooping, Hank isn't as shy. Maybe because he knows a #2 on the paper is followed by boiled chicken!!! LOL. In fact, it is amazing how quickly he has learned to Sit and Down with Chicken Treats...haha! 

I have seen of course when I had him confined in the kitchen about an hour on his own and he went poop, he ate it!!! Yuk! I know this is common with puppies so what I started to do was rather than pick it up right away, I leave it there and when he goes towards it I give him a quick firm "NO!". He gets anxious but he seems to know I don't want him near it.


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## SherryLee (Mar 20, 2014)

Tim,
Thanks for sharing. I too want Hank to learn to ring the bell. It will make life so much easier. 

We had a Shar Pei who just past a few months ago after 14 1/2 years and she too only had to go out twice a day. That is what I am hoping with Hank too. But I think you make an excellent suggestion to feed him at consistent times so I can predict his elimination schedule.
I will definitely start doing this.

Thanks!


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## SherryLee (Mar 20, 2014)

Wow Carmen, Sleeping through the night that many hours is fantastic!!!!! Lucky you...haha. Hank doesn't seem to follow the same patterns as most say. He doesn't poop soon after peeing and it takes about 1/2 hour before he poops after eating! He doesn't seem to go potty after playing either. Maybe I just am not keeping track as well as I should. But one thing is for sure, they all have their own personalities and way of doing things.


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## Carmenchanwong (Apr 15, 2014)

SherryLee said:


> Wow Carmen, Sleeping through the night that many hours is fantastic!!!!! Lucky you...haha. Hank doesn't seem to follow the same patterns as most say. He doesn't poop soon after peeing and it takes about 1/2 hour before he poops after eating! He doesn't seem to go potty after playing either. Maybe I just am not keeping track as well as I should. But one thing is for sure, they all have their own personalities and way of doing things.


the only problem is.... he loves human better than dog..... he ran back every single time when dogs came close to him.
I'm trying to take him to puppy class, but unforturnatlly the schedule didn't work for us.....still searching for other one.


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## SherryLee (Mar 20, 2014)

Well, there is still a small window to socialize him more with dogs. If he has most of his shots, you should visit your local petco or petsmart more or bring him to friends' homes with dogs. I am bringing him to my family and friends that own pets to introduce him to as many as I can. He would be cautious at first but then he starts to be very playful. You may want to try what I did which was put his crate down with the door open so he could come out when he was ready but feel safe in his own space. The dogs will go up to the crate right away to check your puppy out but can't really go in. What I wouldn't do is coddle your puppy when he runs to you for protection unless the other dog is being too aggressive.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

SherryLee, you've gotten some good advice from others already. As far as not being happy about using a dirty potty... Kodi is 5 and still the same. He WILL not step on the dirty part of his litter box. Our soultion is to have a litter box (that's our indoor solution rather than pee pads) that is large enough that he can carefully step around any wet spot and use a dry area. I also do try to clean it up as soon as i know he's used the box at all.

Jen, I found it interesting (and embarrasing at the time!!!  ) that the ONLY time Kodi has marked inside a house was the first time we went back to visit the Kings, when he was about 2 1/2. I was horrified, they, of course, took it in stride. They said that many dogs, when first put back in an environment with intact dogs give marking a try. Fortunately, he only did it the one time. On our last trip, even though there were two girls in heat, he didn't even try to mark.


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## Carmenchanwong (Apr 15, 2014)

SherryLee said:


> Well, there is still a small window to socialize him more with dogs. If he has most of his shots, yopposited visit your local petco or petsmart more or bring him to friends' homes with dogs. I am bringing him to my family and friends that own pets to introduce him to as many as I can. He would be cautious at first but then he starts to be very playful. You may want to try what I did which was put his crate down with the door open so he could come out when he was ready but feel safe in his own space. The dogs will go up to the crate right away to check your puppy out but can't really go in. What I wouldn't do is coddle your puppy when he runs to you for protection unless the other dog is being too aggressive.


I took him to PETCO and petsmart couple of times, he preferred play with the staffs , the pet owners, but not the dogs, he will run to the opposite way or hide in between my legs
Unfortunately, most of my friends have big dog, talking about 75+lbs. I don't think "I" can handle it.

We live in VA, and the winter here is really not fun, still thinking about what can I/Prince do for the potty issues during the snowy day.


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## Colbie (Feb 9, 2013)

Colbie was reliable at about 5-6 months. She started out on washable pee pads and once she got the hang of going outside she won't use the pads. 

Each dog is different.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Typically, 6 to 8 weeks here, but results vary when their Brothers and Sisters leave for their permanent homes. Amount of freedom, varying attention spans of owners, and expectations not meeting reality, all factor in. 

Karen can tell you that I know they need to go before they do, without really having to pay absolute full attention. The first thing I teach one, when it is finally the last one left here, is to go on command. It's hard to do when the numbers are greater than one.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> Typically, 6 to 8 weeks here, but results vary when their Brothers and Sisters leave for their permanent homes. Amount of freedom, varying attention spans of owners, and expectations not meeting reality, all factor in.
> 
> Karen can tell you that I know they need to go before they do, without really having to pay absolute full attention. The first thing I teach one, when it is finally the last one left here, is to go on command. It's hard to do when the numbers are greater than one.


Yup. It is amazing wathcing Tom, in the middle of a conversation, scoop up a puppy and deposit it in the litter box. It took me just a LITTLE longer to recognize the "signs".


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## Marbel (May 20, 2014)

Chloe is potty training for outside since day 1. She goes each time we go out - I use the word Potty. Although there have been plenty of accidents and more so now since she's had a UTI. Never pooped the house. After each meal - she's goes out to poop. She was doing really with going to the door when she had to go - but she's been slacking here lately. I try not to scold her too bad. When she does go in the house - I still take her out but after that she's put in her crate for timeout. It takes a lot of time and patience.

As for sleeping - she too has slept through the night since day 1 (which was May 27). She goes to bed around 8:00 or 8:30 - I take her out again at 10:30 - then she goes back to sleep until 5:30 when I get up. On the weekend she'll sleep in until around 7:00.


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

I'm starting to be able to relax with Archer now that he is 7 months. He doesn't even go every time I offer him an opportunity. Divided attention is now not a problem! But he has been pretty good (as good as I am) since about 4.5 mos.


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## Marbel (May 20, 2014)

Naturelover said:


> I'm starting to be able to relax with Archer now that he is 7 months. He doesn't even go every time I offer him an opportunity. Divided attention is now not a problem! But he has been pretty good (as good as I am) since about 4.5 mos.


That's encouraging - Chloe is approaching the 4 month mark. I can't wait.


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## azcolaw (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi, 
My two were pretty hard to housebreak, Ginny in particular. Not to be negative, because it sounds like you are right on track and LOTS of people have great experiences with housebreaking. 
They were my first dogs in a long time, so I probably didn't train properly (but, gosh, did I try!).
Ginny took a good 1.5 years and continues to have the occasional poop accident even now at 2.5. 
Griffin is 15 months and hasn't had an accident in several months. I'd say it took him right at one year to be reliable. 
They still don't really give me cues....I take them outside to potty every 3 hours or so. (Much sooner if after a meal) 
Hope I am not being too negative. We have a friend who has 2 Havanese (one year apart, like ours) and it also took theirs 1-2 years to be 100%. 
Is this unusual, experts?


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## SherryLee (Mar 20, 2014)

Well Hank is now 4 1/2 months and he will go into the kitchen to pee on the paper and even went to the paper at my sister's house on his own. We really made a huge deal over it. And I thought, wow he is really getting this. BUT, don't be fooled. He continues to have accidents when not by the kitchen.

In addition, he has designated my daughter's bedroom upstairs as his bathroom if he is playing up there and several times went from the 1st floor to the second floor to poop in there. Of course this was my daughter's fault once and mine the other for taking our eyes off of him for a few minutes while talking on the phone. Yesterday morning, after he had already peed, ate, and pooped on the paper, was playing in my bed with me and PEED right in my bed!!! I don't get it. He had just gone an hour before!

I am pretty consistant with making sure he is brought to the paper in the kitchen and he goes "potty" pretty much on command. Of course the "boiled chicken" pieces are a BIG incentive as treats.

We also have taught him to sit, down, up, and he has caught on to "stay". Again, boiled chicken is a great motivational treat. I boil several cutlets and cut into thumbnail size pieces than freeze them and take out 1/2 a palm full in refrigerator to always have available as rewards.

Sherry


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