# Potty training help....



## honeybee (Mar 31, 2009)

I need some help with my almost 5 month old Max. We have had him for about 6 weeks now and I feel like I have not made ANY progress on the potty training front...My children were easier to potty train them him!!! Give me a 2 year old in diapers anyday over this one! He came to us pee pad trained for the most part. I have kept a pee pad down upstairs as he will still use it to go but most of the time goes elsewhere. I feel like I am doing most things right but obviously not if we aren't getting anywhere. I take him out every 30 minutes to an hour- sometimes he will go and he gets a treat but other times he doesn't do anything.. Then we come in and first chance he gets away from my eyes he goes poop or pee. I watch him like a hawk but with a busy 2 year old on my hands, sometimes he gets away for a second and bam- he does his stuff. He is only allowed in 2 rooms downstairs and upstairs we try to keep him contained. He sleeps with us in bed and can go all night with out needing to go. So I know he can hold it...I take him out first thing in the morning and he does his stuff right away and that is the only time during the day he does that. He gets scared in the backyard sometimes when it is does dark and won't go at all... Last night I took him out every 20 minutes and stayed for good bits of time as I knew he had to poop but would not go.. After 3 epsisodes of doing this, he came inside and proceeded to go before I could scoop him up... So what do I need to do? Obviously I am not doing what I need to and need help!! Thanks so much for reading and any advice would be appreciated!!!

Oh and after reading several threads on here about bell training a few weeks back, I hung bells on the back door and ring them everytime we go out with saying "potty" and have gotten nowhere with that either....

Sorry for the book- I don't know how to sum anything up in a sentence or 2....


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## Petaluna (May 9, 2008)

Have you tried crate training? Like only out of the crate when you KNOW he doesn't have to go. I think most people will advise you go back to square one and treat him like a young puppy, and confined to an ex pen or crate when you can't watch him 100%. I think what happens is that every time they get away with a pee or poop in the house, it trains them to believe it is OK to go in the house, so in that case the key is accident prevention, and I can imagine with young kids to watch, as well, that is HARD! What about going back to an ex pen setup with a pee pad inside of that? Then gradually transitioning to outside again, maybe taking the pee pad outside with you and putting it down on the grass to help him make the connection? I am thinking that he shouldn't get free roam of even a full room when you can't watch his every move. And when you've been outside for a poop, you know he has to, but he didn't, into the crate, then try again in 10 min.? I think most dogs will not toilet in their crate. Are you using a good enzymatic cleaner to get every trace of the smell out? 

I am just throwing out ideas based on all I've been reading lately, both here and in books. I don't have my Hav just yet, so I may have to eat my words - lol~! Someone with more training experience I'm sure will have more and better advice. I'm sorry you're still having problems, it must be incredibly frustrating.


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## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

how often are you feeding your pup? does he poop right after? make notes for the next day or two. our dog always poops first thing in the morning and then eats, and then eats and poops 9 hours later like clockwork! getting him on a feeding schedule will help with the pooping. 

i have never trained on pee pee pads but i think he might be confused. is he suppose to pee on the pad or outside? i think he's getting mixed signals. i would stick to one method and train only on that method. try that for a bit and see how it goes, i bet you will see a huge change.


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## honeybee (Mar 31, 2009)

Thanks Petulana for your reply.. That is what I was kinda thinking - that I needed to start from square one again and crate train him- only let him out when he goes outside or when I know he doesn't have to go.. I wish I had the time to read as much as you have had and maybe I wouldn't be in this predicament! You will be well prepared when you get yours!! It is hard to watch him 100% with 2 busy children- and I really am trying so hard but I guess not in the right way!! Thanks again!


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Tucker didn't even have the light bulb go on in his little head about pottying outside until he was 5 months old! That was when the real training started. I think everything before then was just Russian Roulette for him. I kept him either in the crate or on the leash, with leash in hand and eyes ON him every instant. The moment his little paws touched carpet he'd potty, so I'd only let him on the carpet after he went potty outside, and then only on leash, with my eyes on him. It got real old, real fast, but I have no tolerance for pottying on the carpet! 

After about another two months, so, when he was 7-8 months old, he STARTED getting to be pretty good, as long as I took him out every hour or less. But, I still kept him on leash because I had to most of the time. Occasionally I'd let him off for ten minutes or so. Oh, and he was able to go through the night WAY before he was trained in the house during the day.

Once he was a year old, he was totally trustworthy. But, it sure took a LONG time to get there!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Hang in there HoneyBee!

Dexter is a little over 6 months and I THINK it FINALLY kicked into his head that he needs to pee outside all the time. I got Dexter at 10 weeks...I think. Potty training is an on-going process, Keep watching like a hawk. Your pup probably has a special place he like to poo or pee in the house. Watch your pup very carefully if he goes to these places, take the pup outside right away. 

Dexter was poo trained first, then the pee connection in his brain FINALLY connected. 

I never crate trained, so I cannot offer advice here. Your pup is still young and you have only had him for 6 weeks. So..........you are going to have to break some bad habits and create good habits.

Always praise, praise, praise.....if he makes a pee accident, which I caught every time while he was doing it, I would yell "No, outside!" And took my pup right outside and dh had to clean up the mess. Usually Dexter did not have to pee anymore once we were outside, but we stayed outside for awhile. 

I do not know if this is a fact or not, but our trainer said, "you have 3-5 second window" to teach your dog when they do something right or wrong. 

Be patient. When I first started out with Dexter, I took him out every 45 minutes and gave him plenty of time to pee or poo. Take the pup out after meals, play, naps, first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. Stop all food/fluids before 8pm if you want to go to bed by 10:30pm. Meal times are scheduled. Do not leave food out or you will have poos all the time.

As Dexter matured, his 45 minutes stretched into every 2 hours and we were stuck on every 2 hours....it was just habit for me, Dexter went outside.

Now, I keep track of the poos because he will have at least 4-5 each day....sometimes, I forget when was the last time I took out Dexter. 

We have a bell system, but Dexter prefers just to let me know either by standing by the door, looking at me, or pawing me, or really bugging me to death. 

Dexter has not had a poo accidents for months.....and a pee accident probably at least a few weeks ago. Now, when Dexter was younger, he had more pee accidents when it was raining outside. 

I know you are tired and frustrated, but hang in there and be patient. Havs are small and it takes awhile for the Havs to learn and to gain that bladder control.

My dh thought Dexter should of been potty trained by 3 months...I knew potty training may take a year. Be patient with your pup, he will learn.


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## honeybee (Mar 31, 2009)

Well, I feel a little better now that I know that it sometimes does take awhile with a Hav. The last 2 dogs I potty trained were our lab- 14 years ago and it took about 2 weeks and then our Golden Retriever 12 years ago and I swear that dog never once went in the house from the beginning.. So I was spoiled by that..I do feel like most of the problem is that the brief instance I take my eyes off of him is when he goes. So I feel like most of the problem is my fault. I put him in the crate tonight during bath and bedtime with the kids since I realized it was ridiculous that we were trying to do the kids and watching the dog at the same time. 

Linda- My dh also thinks that he should be potty trained already- he needs to realize that his bladder is smaller than our big dogs! And I make a moron of myself in the backyard praising him every time he does go! I know my neighbors must think I am crazy!! 

I do need to do something about his feeding schedule...When I tried doing a set time frame- he just wouldn't eat..So I have just had the food out- I know- a big no no....He still doesn't seem to eat that much.... Except when the cat food gets put down for the cat... Or the 12 yr old Golden Retriever's food! I will start tomorrow having a set time- when they are this age- do you do 2 times or 3 times a day???

Thanks again for all the advice...I feel like I have a full time job with this little guy! Thank goodness that my 2 yr old little girl just got a little easier recently!! But we love our little Max to death so I will take the good with the bad and keep the faith that it will all come together soon!!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

HoneyBee, 

I can relate on the not eating or just picking at the food....I would leave the food out for a couple of hours and if Dexter did not eat within that time, I took the food up. I too know, you are suppose to stay on schedule...but, Dexter was so picky with eating or eating very slow...a bite, walk away and eat, come back right away and take a another bite and walk away. 

My dh is getting better....I guess because Dexter has not had anymore accidents in the house. 

And, yes, this is a full-time job! It is like having a toddler at this age, take them to potty whether they want to or not and keep them outside and use the word "potty" "hurry up," "good boy."

There would be at times, we stayed outside long enough for Dexter to go potty, then I say "Let's go inside," ....Dexter knows what "inside" means, so when I am pulling on the leash to go inside, he is pulling the leash in the other direction smelling and he soon goes potty. These pups are smart!

Some days, Dexter hardly eats anything, then all of a sudden, the plate is clean!


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

My potty is probably considered very controversial. We have inside and outside potty. My dogs hate the heat and I hate the rain. I hate 11 p.m. potty as much as I hate 6 a.m. potty. For me, outside potty is not always a good option, i.e. rain, freezing weather, snow, late p.m., early a.m. or a newly applied lawn treatment (organic). I have an inside potty with washable potty pads. It works for us. We have the occasional "carpet" accidents with the 4-1/2 month old and I limit his carpet exposure. My 7-month-old with indoor/outdoor, I would classify her 99.9% potty trained. It is not ideal but it is effective. Different strokes for different folks/dogs.


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Gosh, Honeybee, Max is still a baby, at 4 months. My first Hav wasn't trustworthy totally in the entire house until 10 months. And I considered him easy. My 2nd is almost 9 mos and still has accidents and is still confined at times in an ex-pen or in the kitchen. He only gets free roam AS A REWARD after he has peed and/or pooed outside. This is how they learn.

There are just two key things to successful training: 1. you must confine him. In a crate or an ex-pen, with a pee pad, and when he does what he should, he gets a LITTLE more freedom (in the room where the ex-pen is). And gradually this is how he gets more and more freedom in your home. Clearly he has too much right now and cannot handle it.

The second thing is, like kids, he must get on a feeding and elimination schedule. Then he will start pottying at certain times of the day consistently. You absolutely must take his food away after 10 minutes and not feed him again until the next meal time. Your picky eater will soon eat enthusiastically every time.

Consistency is everything, and I realize you've got a 2 yr. old, but you can do this. Over time, it really happens, I promise. Keep us posted!


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

This is EXACTLY what I want to achieve. How did you do it?

Ellie, at 8 months, is completely pad (cloth) trained in the house. Weeks go by between times when she forgets or decides to "mark" a rug. 

But she doesn't seem to have any idea that when we are outside, she is supposed to go outside and not come home and go directly to her pee pad. Sometimes she does go outside and I give treats and good dog and the whole bit - but she doesn't seem to understand the inside/outside difference.

How did you get outside to be preferred when she's outside?

I'm particularly concerned with achieving this so that I can bring Ellie to other peoples' houses without asking them to tolerate a pee pad and without having to carry one around with me 

Thanks.

Louise


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

I agree with the suggestions of going back to the beginning and probably needing to use a crate.

One thing that worked very well for me, was the liberal use of the spray to do away with the scent and ALSO the liberal use of a spray she hates which really stopped her from returning to her "favorite" spots.

The spray she really hates is: Liquid Fence Dog and Cat Repellent.

Louise


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Patience.................that's all you can do until the pup matures. Just keep praising and taking him outside on a schedule.


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

One thing that helps is to train your pup to "go potty" on command. This requires taking him out on a leash so he can't run wild, and training him to know what the term means. Rewards, dances when he goes potty and just stand there with the leash for however long it takes. If you have an iPhone to play games to text your pals, it helps pass the time. No play or sniffing until he goes. It easiest in the morning when you know he has to go. With the grazing feeding, it will be tougher for you to know when he has to go. 

For the inside of things you need to get to puppy training using an ex-pen or a tether so you can keep an eye on him at all times, as others have reccommended. 

When I read that the breed was hard to train I didn't believe that MY precious Lola would be that way. HA! Was I wrong. She is 22 months and still only about 98% solid.


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