# Housebreaking ideas?



## kimnaz (Feb 15, 2011)

Any housebreaking tips? I have the kennel and the pen. Any suggestions are appreciated. I've never mastered it with my other dogs so I've started Kaleb off with both pen and kennel.


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

I couldn't stand putting mine in a kennel (I have two about a month apart) so I put their crates in a gated off area in my kitchen and tried using the pee pads but they honestly just shredded them so eventually I gave up...I was very consistent with the feeding schedule (even on the weekends..which I really disliked lol) and took them out about every 1-2 hours and longer periods the older they got.......always w/in 15-30 minutes when they ate...immediately in the mornings and when they woke up from napping or when they were playing really hard and in the morning I carried them out......the good news is that I got both of them in April and they were both completely house trained by mid July (5 and 6 mo old)......my male took alot longer to stop having "pee" accidents in the house than my female did........good luck!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I always recommend this site. Others will chime in with some great ideas as well. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/errorless-housetraining


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## hmrgang (Sep 7, 2007)

davetgabby said:


> I always recommend this site. Others will chime in with some great ideas as well. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/errorless-housetraining


 Great site! I was looking for Ian Dunbar articles & sites to recommend. Thank you. 
Phyllis


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I think it is very hard to house brake a small dog if you can't be home. We take the girls out every hour and give lots of praise and treats. Zoey is 9mo and Zoey 6mo I do think the piddle pads get confusing to them. my girls will use it instead of holding it. We don't have any accidents when we are on a good schedule. It is only when I get lazy and am not watching.


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

I kenneled my pup whenever I couldn't watch him closely - this included when I was home but otherwise occupied (ie making dinner). My breeder was awesome and had him kenneled trained when I got him. I just always gave him a treat when he went in. I also was careful to distinguish going out for a walk or playtime vs potty time. I used a different leash, if I had the option I would have used a different door, and went to a specific location. We would go out to potty for 15 mins - if he didn't go, back in the kennel for 45 mins, then try again; if he did go, it was super fun play time, special treats etc. I think I only had to put him back in the kennel once or twice. He caught on quickly. The only accidents we had were 100% my fault. If you listen to Cesar Milan, done right you can have a completely accident free puppy.

I got him at 4 months, accident free by 5 months (again mostly my training), and by 7 months, I quit crating him altogether - he's got the run of the house whether I'm here or not (I did a lot of short trials to make sure i could trust him).


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks for the article, Dave! I'm reading everything I can get my hands on this week!


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

marlowe'sgirl said:


> I kenneled my pup whenever I couldn't watch him closely - this included when I was home but otherwise occupied (ie making dinner). My breeder was awesome and had him kenneled trained when I got him. I just always gave him a treat when he went in. I also was careful to distinguish going out for a walk or playtime vs potty time. I used a different leash, if I had the option I would have used a different door, and went to a specific location. We would go out to potty for 15 mins - if he didn't go, back in the kennel for 45 mins, then try again; if he did go, it was super fun play time, special treats etc. I think I only had to put him back in the kennel once or twice. He caught on quickly. The only accidents we had were 100% my fault. If you listen to Cesar Milan, done right you can have a completely accident free puppy.
> 
> I got him at 4 months, accident free by 5 months (again mostly my training), and by 7 months, I quit crating him altogether - he's got the run of the house whether I'm here or not (I did a lot of short trials to make sure i could trust him).


When I got Zoey 6 weeks ago, she was not potty trained at all even though she was almost a year old. I used the exact same method as Marlowe's Girl with a small ex-pen set up. It took 3 weeks to get her trained. Unless I am gone more than a couple of hours, she has free run of the house now. I don't give treat for "going" outside, but do have "potty parties" with lots of praise.


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## Dalmane (Oct 4, 2010)

I don't think Mia will EVER be housebroken(8months old) I am retired an home with her a lot but other than meals we really have no "schedule" where as a puppy that has a working owner would know"after I eat ,I go out to potty and in the crate for a few hours" Mia also despises rain and wet grass. Maybe a relocation to Arizonia is in the cards for us.


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## kimnaz (Feb 15, 2011)

marlowe'sgirl said:


> I kenneled my pup whenever I couldn't watch him closely - this included when I was home but otherwise occupied (ie making dinner). My breeder was awesome and had him kenneled trained when I got him. I just always gave him a treat when he went in. I also was careful to distinguish going out for a walk or playtime vs potty time. I used a different leash, if I had the option I would have used a different door, and went to a specific location. We would go out to potty for 15 mins - if he didn't go, back in the kennel for 45 mins, then try again; if he did go, it was super fun play time, special treats etc. I think I only had to put him back in the kennel once or twice. He caught on quickly. The only accidents we had were 100% my fault. If you listen to Cesar Milan, done right you can have a completely accident free puppy.
> 
> I got him at 4 months, accident free by 5 months (again mostly my training), and by 7 months, I quit crating him altogether - he's got the run of the house whether I'm here or not (I did a lot of short trials to make sure i could trust him).


OMG...he pee's every time he walks past his pad. I have his crate divided in half but as soon as he opens his eyes(during the day) he stands up and pee's. I took him to Petco with me which is 7 miles away. I let him potty before we left and half way there he went in his car seat. He did the same thing yesterday when we went to the post office. Makes me want to either leave him home or get a belly band for him. A couple times he has gone next to the paper. He did better when he first arrived. Now I don't know what is going on. At night he at least whines and lets me know he needs to go. HELP!!!!!:frusty:


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

never take your eyes off him. Have you thought about bell training?? It really helped us, it gives the puppy way to communicate that he needs to go. Just a thought...


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## kimnaz (Feb 15, 2011)

TilliesMom said:


> never take your eyes off him. Have you thought about bell training?? It really helped us, it gives the puppy way to communicate that he needs to go. Just a thought...


A friend of mine told me she taught her beagle with the bell when they lived in their apartment and when they bought their home they continued. He is 3 now and still uses it. I have him either in his crate or pen and his little self still will go on the edge of the pad holder( I bought one of the pad pan that hold the paper so they dont tear it to pieces). He will sometimes step half way in and potty. Smart little devil. Making mommy work this last couple of days. He was doing so well. First impression!!! Fooled me!


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## kimnaz (Feb 15, 2011)

Someone mentioned Cesar Milan. I will look at his site and see what he suggest. Love him!!


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

kimnaz said:


> OMG...he pee's every time he walks past his pad. I have his crate divided in half but as soon as he opens his eyes(during the day) he stands up and pee's. I took him to Petco with me which is 7 miles away. I let him potty before we left and half way there he went in his car seat. He did the same thing yesterday when we went to the post office. Makes me want to either leave him home or get a belly band for him. A couple times he has gone next to the paper. He did better when he first arrived. Now I don't know what is going on. At night he at least whines and lets me know he needs to go. HELP!!!!!:frusty:


Are you trying to pee pad train or outside only train or both? Both is definitely the hardest and others can chime in on that one. I did outside only training.

It sounds like your pup is peeing in his crate? That really shouldn't happen unless he's been left in there way too long or the crate is too big. Dogs will usually do their best not to pee where they sleep. I haven't looked at your past posts, but where did you get your Hav from?

As for multiple pees in short succession, I've got a boy dog and he marks a bit (not leg lifting but as in multiple pees along his walk). However, there's always one real, long pee where it's pretty clear he's emptying his bladder. These usually come first thing out the door if I've left him for a while, but sometimes it won't happen for a block or so. So, my thoughts are it could be that your little guy isn't emptying his bladder completely and you need to give him more time to sniff out a couple more spots to finish peeing or it could be car anxiety.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Patience..............Consistency............Lots of Love.........and About a Year!


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## Dalmane (Oct 4, 2010)

Mia has also peed in her crate but it rains all the time in Buffalo NY(if its not snowing) and Mia doesn't do rain. I also had a fleece pad in her crate but that wicks the pee away so I took it out. I am watching my mothers dog and there is a carpeted patio. Mia pees and poops on that which I have a feeing will be a setback with housebraking at home. She's going to think "at grammas house I can pee on the carpet why not at home"


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## kimnaz (Feb 15, 2011)

marlowe'sgirl said:


> Are you trying to pee pad train or outside only train or both? Both is definitely the hardest and others can chime in on that one. I did outside only training.
> 
> It sounds like your pup is peeing in his crate? That really shouldn't happen unless he's been left in there way too long or the crate is too big. Dogs will usually do their best not to pee where they sleep. I haven't looked at your past posts, but where did you get your Hav from?
> 
> As for multiple pees in short succession, I've got a boy dog and he marks a bit (not leg lifting but as in multiple pees along his walk). However, there's always one real, long pee where it's pretty clear he's emptying his bladder. These usually come first thing out the door if I've left him for a while, but sometimes it won't happen for a block or so. So, my thoughts are it could be that your little guy isn't emptying his bladder completely and you need to give him more time to sniff out a couple more spots to finish peeing or it could be car anxiety.


I have a pee pad upstairs in my bathroom whiich is a gated area and a pee pad in pen. He has never been left alone. I took my vacation these 2 weeks to get him use to my household. When he takes his nap in his crate upstairs, I am right next to him. He has opened his eyes and pee'd immediately when he naps. At night he whines and lets me know he needs to go. I think the one time he went in his crate,he woke up and didn't realize he had to go so bad. 
I take him outside because he came from Florida where there is grass. Az has desert landscaping so I took him out in my backyard so he could get use to feeling rocks on his paws at a young age. My daughters shih tzu doesn't like to walk on rocks when he comes to my house and he is 2 yrs old. I took him out to run and play and he did potty when he was out. 
He has done well in the car but he drinks a lot of water and being in Az I dont want him to get dehydrated. This is the desert and everyone has to adjust to the change in climate.
I'm sure he will do fine. He is 9 wks old and he has only been here 1 week. As stated,patience,consistency and lots of love will be the key!! I hope not a year though but if it takes a year, I will deal with it.


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

HavaneseSoon said:


> Patience..............Consistency............Lots of Love.........and About a Year!


Linda - really about a year? My pups are 8 months old. I was really hoping that it would be any day now!!!! They are doing better but I would say still not anywhere to being house trained. I still can't even trust them out of the crate or xpen. UGGGGH!


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

A year?.....Seriously? McGee is not quite 12 week - I don't think I can survive that long!!!


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

Kathie said:


> A year?.....Seriously? McGee is not quite 12 week - I don't think I can survive that long!!!


Kathie - I agree. Could others chime in regarding how long it took them to house train their pups? I think just knowing the ball park will help those of us who are in the thick of this house training to have realistic expectations.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kodi was pretty reliable as long as remade sure he go out on time by 6 months or so. By 9 months he seemed to be completely trained, but then had a couple of weeks of backslide at about 1 year. ( I'd been warned that that often happens)


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

I was very lucky and all of mine were very easy to house train. I would say they were completely reliable by 4 months. Now, I did keep them in the kitchen and den area for about a year except at bedtime when they slept in crates until about 8 months and then in bed with us. Too much freedom is a bad thing, and with both Brady and Dugan, I had to put the gates back up once or twice before they got run of the house. I did bell train them as well and they were great about using it. Dugan was too good and used it all the time to get my attention  Cassie came to me housebroken, so I was even luckier with her!


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

krandall said:


> Kodi was pretty reliable as long as remade sure he go out on time by 6 months or so. By 9 months he seemed to be completely trained, but then had a couple of weeks of backslide at about 1 year. ( I'd been warned that that often happens)


Thank you for the feedback. At this point I am wondering if it is the smells (I have two cats) in my carpet and I need to clean it. They don't go while in their crates if I am gone or can't watch them. They most of the time don't go in the xpen unless I have lost track of time and forgot to take them out. But they will go after they have been let out (pee and poop) and they come in for some reward play time and run around in our family room. The reward time has been cut off but I feel bad that they are cooped up a lot in the xpen. Maybe me feeling bad and they don't mind - I don't know. I think I need to get the carpets steam cleaned at a minimum.


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## Tony & Milo (Nov 25, 2010)

Brady's mom said:


> I was very lucky and all of mine were very easy to house train. I would say they were completely reliable by 4 months. Now, I did keep them in the kitchen and den area for about a year except at bedtime when they slept in crates until about 8 months and then in bed with us. Too much freedom is a bad thing, and with both Brady and Dugan, I had to put the gates back up once or twice before they got run of the house. I did bell train them as well and they were great about using it. Dugan was too good and used it all the time to get my attention  Cassie came to me housebroken, so I was even luckier with her!


Karen - I think you are lucky especially with your Cassie. I have tried the bell think but they did not take to it. I think I will attempt to give it a try again.


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## O'Bluff (Jan 29, 2011)

I had never had a small dog and had been warned (by this forum and others) that small dogs are hard to house train. We started out by blocking off a small portion of the great room and then slowly expanded it to the entire house. Picasso is almost 4 months and hasn't had an "accident" for weeks.

He has developed his own version of the bell. Gloria and I wear a baseball cap when we take him out. We leave it and his lead on an ottoman in the great room for quick, easy access. When he wants to go out he will go over by the ottoman. If we don't notice right away he will stand up against it. As a last resort he will whimper as he stands against it and sometimes even pull at the cap.

Apparently, they are all different and we all have different approaches. I guess you just have to find something that works for you and your pup.

Good luck.

J


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Molly was trained to the point we could leave her on her own uncrated for a couple of hours at four months. She really never had any accidents except for one at about six months when through our own fault we left her for six hours when she hadn't done her poo. From eight weeks we took her out every hour and the first month at home three times from 10 pm. to 6 am. (yawn). She was a quick learner but it definitely helps to have someone ie. my wife home all day. We never used a crate or xpen for housetraining. She slept with us from day one. She is a neat freak dog. LOL


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