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  1. #1
    Puppy BaileysMom30's Avatar
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    Bailey's First Day home. Already a mess. :(

    Hello All,

    We went and got Bailey this afternoon, the car ride home was perfect. When we got home we took her straight to where we wanted her to potty outside, we did this several times today. We even left shortly after getting her home for 25 minutes give or take and as soon as we got home took her outside to her potty spot.. nothing. She just wouldn't go ( I knew she HAD to go... because we had been with her or mostly around her since 11am and by 3pm we still hadn't seen any accidents or witness her go) So we brought her in the house. put her in the crate while we ate, even gave her a little food. took her back outside.. played with her.. back outside. left for a little while, came home, no messes at all in the crate, took her outside and she still didn't go. .. we were letting her explore the area of the house she's allowed in during the day when she's not in her crate, with baby gates up.. when we left the room for a few minutes she finally went Pee'd under our table and messed infront of the door. lol quite a big mess. I cleaned it up, and mopped right away, as we have all hard wood floors and put her right into her crate so that I could clean the mess without her being in the way..

    My Question is, exactly what should have I done? I knoe people who'd have told me to rub her nose in it, tell her bad dog and take her outside.. but the thing is. I don't believe in rubbing her nose in it and telling her bad dog, after all, isn't it basically my own fault she went in the house? I didn't take her right outside to her potty spot because she JUST went. So wouldn't that be redundant? I am BRAND new at being a dog owner and the books don't tell you everything. Any suggestions ?

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Pee happens. she's stressed, it's a new place and all new to her. you shouldn't have done anything other than clean it up. don't over think it. don't reprimand her, just move foreword.

    I sometimes go outside anyway even if they just peed. But that's hit or miss, they often are done. Spend more time outside, as she decompresses she will pee more regularly. But definitely don't scold her for accidents as it will make her anxious to pee near you (even outside).

    First few days can be hard no matter the age. Anxiety will make many dogs not pee and sometimes - well that leads to accidents. I dog sat a dog that was anxious in new homes and would hold it in all day. WHich of course led to a big accidents in the middle of the night. But once she settled we were good to go.

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    So glad to hear you new little Bailey is home. Haven't had a puppy in years so am going by memory and what I've learned here.

    I would have taken her outside. No fussing at her, just outside. I would prefer this to crating. There was so much going on for her, just getting home, new situation, not sure where to go, I'm not surprised she held it for a while.

    Like you said, NEVER, EVER rub a nose in their mess, swat with a newspaper, etc. Puppy does not relate going with they being punished. You're right, she was not a bad dog, she just needs to learn and you are her teacher. From what you wrote, it was probably a relief that she went since you were concerned even if it was in the house.

    Be sure to clean up with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle. It's gets rid of the odor that we may not be able to detect but a dog can.

    Keep a close eye on her and learn her signals, circling, beginning to squat. Quickly and calmly scoop her up and take her out. When she goes, put on a super potty party, praise, treat.

    Very important, post pictures!

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  6. #4
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    No, don't rub her nose in it, that's just mean and they don't understand that.

    I would have kept crating her, until she went potty in the yard where you want her to go. It's good that she isn't messing her crate, so you just need to hold out on her until she has to pee so badly that she will go when you take her to her potty spot. Take her out, wait for her to go potty, if she doesn't go, then back into the crate for 15 minutes and try again. Rinse and repeat. Just don't let a puppy that needs to go potty loose in the house, they will pick a spot and let loose.

    You out can help her out by sopping up a pee and poop accident with a paper towel, and placing that in her potty spot, that will help her recognize that is where she should go, since they like to go where they can smell they have gone before.

    Good luck and be patient, this stage passes quickly, and congratulations on your new puppy. :-)

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  8. #5
    Best Friend Retriever Polly Pipkin's Avatar
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    I was just going to say the same thing - outside often, big praise for going outside; it takes a lot of patience and paper towels! Vinegar and water is good for cleaning too.

    Also, she's just a baby and doesn't have the muscle development yet to hold her pee. Even if she had an accident in the house, take her outside right away. Make sure you take her out every time she wakes up and after she eats.

    Like Fran and Shelley say, watch her for her signals and be quick because she can't wait! Plus a new home will be stressful until she learns the routine.
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  10. #6
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Just going to add, you might be a brand new puppy parent but you have good instincts. No nose rubbing and she's not a bad girl, as everyone above said.

    It's normal instinct to want a little privacy when you bathroom. It's a time that makes you vulnerable and you are new to Bailey. She might have been feeling a little apprehensive with an audience of strangers, some do.

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  12. #7
    Puppy DuryLane's Avatar
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    Never, ever, rub a dog's nose in their waste! It's totally filthy and disgusting and teaches a dog nothing but to have mental issues about going potty. It will create far more problems than it will ever solve.

    She's just a wee baby, so give her a break and be patient. Focus on her doing the right thing, not her accidents. If she has an accident, unless you actually catch her in the act, just clean it up and move on.... If you catch her in the act of going potty, a verbal, low tone of disapproval will suffice as you scoop her up and take her outside to where you want her to go. When she starts to sniff around or goes on and does potty outside, give her praise and tell her what a good girl she is. She will learn so much quicker when the attention is focused on her doing the right thing and not making a big deal out of any accidents. Also keep in mind that she is a baby and will have her accidents, she's not perfect and will improve with patience and positive praise. Be patient, clean accident areas thoroughly and concentrate on praise when she does the right thing and when accidents happen, bite your tongue, clean up the accidents and move on...

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  14. #8
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    Bruce has been here for a week and a half, so I know what you are going through. I agree with all the advice given. Here are a couple of things I do in addition to those mentioned above. The minute the pup wakes up, go outside. The minute the pup finishes eating, go outside. The minute the pup sniffs the ground, go outside. As soon as Baily squats to pee, tell her "Baily go pee", when she squats to go poo, tell her "Baily go poo" and praise her for doing it.

    I must have taken Bruce out every 15 minutes those first couple days. He's starting to get it now, we can go 1-2 hours free in the house with no accidents, and he's sleeping about 4-5 hours at night. It just takes time and consistency on your part, and Baily will get it.

    Just remember that she's just a baby, in a completely new environment, and not to expect to much to soon. I believe it takes at least a week or two for a pup to settle in to their new place and routine.

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  16. #9
    Real Retriever blacklabs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BaileysMom30 View Post
    .. we were letting her explore the area of the house she's allowed in during the day when she's not in her crate, with baby gates up.. when we left the room for a few minutes she finally went Pee'd under our table and messed infront of the door. lol quite a big mess. I cleaned it up, and mopped right away, as we have all hard wood floors and put her right into her crate so that I could clean the mess without her being in the way..

    My Question is, exactly what should have I done?
    You should NOT have left your puppy unsupervised in a room, even for a few minutes. This was her first day home, she should have been tethered to you or put in the crate if you couldn't be with her/supervise her. You made the mistake of leaving her unsupervised roaming in the room, which is a no no for a puppy and even more so on their first day home. It is a traumatic experience for the puppy leaving the breeders home and all that was familiar to them from birth and come to live with a "stranger". You need to be vigilant and exercise much more patience and not expect so much from your poor baby and even more so on her first day home

  17. #10
    Senior Dog 4Thelove's Avatar
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    nothing to add, good advice given already, hang in there, puppy-hood does not last forever

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