how long to potty train?

[Itstangy]

Hi all!

Spot is now 12 wks old and he still has potty/pee mistakes. Is this normal? I know they can't hold it for long and when I am home I always go out to the yard with him. For the most part, once we go out and I say "go potty", he starts to sniff around and goes to his favorite place and does his business. But today I missed the signal (he whimpers) because I was in the bathroom and missed it so he went in the house. Can they normally hold it and whimper until I let him out or do they really have to go right away? I'm wondering because I want to know if I'm doing the right thing and his potty training is going to be a success and this is a one time accident or if I'm doing something wrong all together =(
We usually have a schedule, our am looks like this:

wake up 5:30 am - feed him
5:45-6am - go potty in the backyard
6:15-7:30 - training/play time

Also, there are times when I know he needs to go and I let him out and go with him, but he doesn't go until we come back in and I put him in his xpen/crate combo, he would go right away on the weepad. There are also times where he would go when we are outside. What makes him hold it until we go inside sometimes and sometimes go in the yard?

The weepad is there for when we won't be home for a while so that he can go when he needs to.
Is the weepad the issue? I normally take it away when we are home.

Sorry if this post is a bit confusing..I might be confused myself.

[zd262]

I think that trying to train both indoors and outdoors housetraining is possible, but can be very confusing for a dog and normally causes delays. That being said that at 12 weeks if your dog needs to pee they won't be able to hold it for very long so I don't think that what your describing sounds bad/wrong/unusual. He's still just a puppy who basically needs to be taken out all the time.

[JenC]

sometimes it takes a while. I have had both of my pups for a month now and they are getting better but they are not house-trained yet. I don't remember where I read this, but I read it about 10 years ago...pups really have no connection between their brain and their bladder until about 16 weeks. If they get it and get outside in time, great, but it's not guaranteed they'll be perfect. Some just aren't smart enough to get it right away.

[Annette47]

I agree that the wee-pad is probably slowing down the process. All of my previous dogs were pretty reliable with in a week or two of bringing them home at 8 weeks. I mean, there would be the occasional accident if they’d been playing hard and didn’t make it to the door on time, but they clearly understood what they were supposed to be doing.

The two puppies we have now took a lot longer, and I think it was because they born here and were first trained to a litter box when they were about 4 weeks, which is standard practice with most breeders, but then you take them to a new environment and the litter box isn’t an option any more, where for these two, it was. They are now 16 weeks and have been pretty good since about 12-13 weeks or so, but I did feel like it took them a lot longer than it did the puppies who weren’t born here. Like you, we had left the litter box up for times when we wouldn’t be here to let them out for a while.

Do you have close the crate in addition to combining it with an ex-pen? If you’ve had him out and he hasn’t done his business, you can confine him to his crate for a bit then take him back outside. He only gets freedom once he has relieved himself outdoors. You can still keep the ex-pen and wee-pad for if you are out for long times, but also using a crate will help him get the idea quicker when you are home.

[Labradorks]

They cannot hold it for long, especially when they are moving around. So, you missed his signal. It happens. Basically, if it gets to the point where the puppy is crying or somehow asking to go out, it's PROBABLY too late. Not that you should not make an attempt, but don't be surprised if he doesn't make it. Imagine a three year old child who just started to wear training pants. When they tell you they have to go, typically that means you better be within several feet of a toilet. It comes on quickly for them and they just don't have the muscle control to hold it for long. In many cases, you then have a toddler running for the toilet, holding themselves and quite possibly peeing the entire way.

When you take him out to potty, have him on a six foot leash, stand still give him whatever command you give to go potty. Make sure your mannerisms communicate that you're there for business not play. If he does not go within, say five minutes (it's up to you how long you want to wait), pack him up and take him back inside, put him in his crate for about ten minutes, and try again. I would not give him space to go potty (x-pen or wee pads) because the goal is to hold it for a little bit then try again. When you are not home, that is a different story. Use the wee pads and x-pen if that is what works or you. But when you are home, I'd not give him the opportunity to potty inside. Once he does go potty outside, you can change your mannerism from business to play. Have a party, play, give him treats, etc.

I personally have never used the wee pad or x-pen combo. I get the puppy at 8 weeks and take two weeks off of work. I don't leave the puppy unless I need to run to the store or something like that. In that case, I crate the puppy. When I go back to work when the puppy is 10 weeks, I have a dog walker. I leave the puppy in no more than four hour increments. During this time, I work from home as much as possible and my weekends are all about the puppy. All of the puppy's needs are taken care of before I leave (potty, play, food). I know that not everyone can have this type of schedule, but my point is that if you're gone for less than four hours and the puppy's needs are met, the x-pen/wee pad combo is probably not required.

[Itstangy]

Thanks for all the replies/input! Greatly appreciated!
I haven't taken him outside for walks yet since he hasn't gotten all his shots, I'm hoping once we go on walks it will get better as well.

When I am home, I close the crate door. I only leave the crate open and put him in with the xpen when we aren't home or are unable to monitor him.
He is 12 wks now, so hoping by 16 wks he will have better brain/bladder/butt coordination!

Potty training and bite inhibition are very overwhelming! I'm exhaused!

[Snowshoe]

Hi all!

Spot is now 12 wks old and he still has potty/pee mistakes. Is this normal? I know they can't hold it for long and when I am home I always go out to the yard with him. For the most part, once we go out and I say "go potty", he starts to sniff around and goes to his favorite place and does his business. But today I missed the signal (he whimpers) because I was in the bathroom and missed it so he went in the house. Can they normally hold it and whimper until I let him out or do they really have to go right away? I'm wondering because I want to know if I'm doing the right thing and his potty training is going to be a success and this is a one time accident or if I'm doing something wrong all together =(
We usually have a schedule, our am looks like this:

wake up 5:30 am - feed him
5:45-6am - go potty in the backyard
6:15-7:30 - training/play time

Also, there are times when I know he needs to go and I let him out and go with him, but he doesn't go until we come back in and I put him in his xpen/crate combo, he would go right away on the weepad. There are also times where he would go when we are outside. What makes him hold it until we go inside sometimes and sometimes go in the yard?

The weepad is there for when we won't be home for a while so that he can go when he needs to.
Is the weepad the issue? I normally take it away when we are home.

Sorry if this post is a bit confusing..I might be confused myself.

I think maybe your timing is off here. You need to wait till he does pee and THEN give it a word. He needs to learn to associate GO POTTY with the action. At this point neither you nor he have control of the matter, or the liquid, so telling him when he doesn't understand yet is not accomplishing anything. Now you've had him, what, 4 weeks? If you didn't associate the terminology then, or he doesn't seem to know it yet, then I think back up a couple of steps to only saying it while he performs. You can use two works you know, I did, pee is HURRY UP and poop is FINISH.

He doesn't need out first thing when you get up? Mine did. I still insist on it. Out to HURRY UP, then in to eat. Then out again.

AS to your title, Oban was clean overnight at 4.5 months. Jet slept through the night from the get go, they are all different Both had little minor, excitement accidents from 6 months to a year old but were pretty good by 4 or 5 months.

[Labradorks]

He doesn't need out first thing when you get up? Mine did. I still insist on it. Out to HURRY UP, then in to eat. Then out again.

I had mine out first thing too. Now that they are adults, they just stand together on the stoop and stare at me like, "why are you kicking us out of the house when we are starving to death?"

[zd262]

Until Bubba was 5 months old, if I woke up and didn't take him out immediately (having to hold my own bladder while I did so), it would result in an accident. I learned this very quickly haha.

[PinkDragon14]

We picked up Murphy at the very end of 7 weeks, so I had a long potty training schedule ahead of me (and I'm still working on it at almost 20 weeks!)

I had never house trained a puppy before. Our other lab was already around for a couple of years when I was little, so obviously I missed the training. I consulted every book, website, article, this forum, etc. to prepare myself on how to handle this task. I knew it was going to be challenging and long. The one thing that stuck with me is, say your command WHILE they are going. If your pup is mid-pee, say, "Go potty" or whatever you use (I use go potty, hurry!). Once your pup goes (either one/both), give them praise. Praise praise praise! Make a huge deal out of it. "Did you make/do (insert here) outside? Did you? Yes! Yes! Good boy! Yes! Potty outside! Yes!" in a high pitched and excited voice. Treats are a must as well. Either have them on hand or be ready to grab them once you come in. I use(d) bologna (Murphy's favorite), but cheese, chicken, or any other "meat" product would work just fine. I usually made Murphy operate on a half hour - 40min schedule. If I let him out last at 10a, he'd need to be out in the yard by 10:30a. Even if he didn't have to go or just went a little, it made the connection that you potty outside. Also, when we walked out of the door, I would always say, "Come on, let's potty outside!" and put a huge emphasis on potty outside. I still say this to him now even at 19 1/2 weeks. Eventually, you'll get to the point where you can start bumping the time up (45mins, 1hr, etc.), but just know that it will take time. This isn't an overnight process.

Speaking of overnight, Murphy was really good about whining/letting us know during the night. He only had to go out once for maybe the first 2 weeks and then he started sleeping through the night. One great tip that I read somewhere was to take away the water bowl approx. 2hrs before the scheduled bed time (ex. if he goes in his crate for bed at 10, have the water bowl taken away by 8-8:15). If I don't remember to do this, I'll be up at 2am with a dog that needs to go out. If he seems thirsty, you can give him a small sip or an ice cube, but don't let him chug the water dish. Always go out right before bed. Let him know that this is his last opportunity until morning! Murphy knows now that it's his last chance (it's hilarious - we go out, he does his thing, and sprints to the door so he can go in his bed for his nighttime snack). Eventually, your pup will get into your morning/nighttime routine Another tip is to put a divider in the crate if the crate is too big. Dogs won't soil their "living area" unless they absolutely have to. If your pup has too much room in his crate, he can easily get up, go, and then sit in a clean part of his bed.

After a while, you'll learn how to spot (no pun intended) your pup's need to go out. Murphy now goes and sits by the door when it's a moderate need, but he'll start barking/whining when he waited too long and he needs to go out asap. He also answers with a bark or a jump when we ask, "Do you need to go potty? Do you have to go (insert here)?" He still does have accidents every once in a while, but nowhere near the amount he used to (he has one maybe every month and a half knock on wood).

About going out after eating: I usually take him out first thing after waking, come back in, feed him, and then he usually needs to "take a load off" about 15-30mins after eating. This goes for his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These are the only times he goes #2 unless he isn't feeling well or didn't go after the meal. So I'd get him in the routine of going out after eating. If you're struggling to get him to go #2, I'd run him around the yard for a few minutes. Usually that'll get things working! As for trying to get him to pee, you're doing the right thing by putting him in his bed for a few minutes if he doesn't go. Like I said, you'll get to the point where you can extend the time (and you'll have to in order for him to learn).

Remember - this is a process and it isn't overnight. My pup is still learning even at almost 20 weeks. Every dog is different!

(As for the pads, I don't recommend them. It just delays things and confuses your pup even more)

I apologize for the really long post