He won't tell me when he need to go..

[robynkendall]

Samson is a little over 3 months now, and he still won't let me know when he needs to go outside. I have just recently bought a bell to try the bell training. He acts like he can't see it. :rolleyes: Anyway, I'm wondering if part of the problem stems from the fact that I used to carry him outside all the time. (remember he had a broken leg, in a splint, and couldn't do stairs. He still won't go DOWN stairs, but he can go up them, if he really wants to). Whenever I say, Samson..let's go outside, go potty!,he just sits there. I go over to the door...and he still just sits there. So, most of the time I have to go pick him up, and take him out. I can't do this for much longer..he's getting bigger every day!! And, it's been cold outside so I can't just stand there with the door wide open. Any suggestions??

 

[sashamom]

Poor you!! He sounds so adorable....but i also used to carry Sasha when she was a baby down the stairs and she got so used to it...we started training her by teaching her to go UP the stairs and within 2 weeks she was going down on her own too!
I wished i had done the bell...what a great idea..but they say it does not work for every dog!!
Good Luck
Sasha, Telmar and Lisa

 

[harley'smama]

Keep at the bell. Do a search on it for more tips. Both of mine are bell trained & it's a blessing. Better than them whining or barking to go out IMO.
Maybe he just feels out of sorts without that cast on? and is afraid to use the stairs yet. I would try to lure him down & up them when he goes out with a treat or something. That way he knows that he has to use them and not break mommy's back carrying him

 

[VTbxrFan]

My dog is 4 years old and he doesn't tell me he needs to go out. I adopted him when he was 2, so I don't know if anyone tried to teach him or not. It's ok with me, though. I just pay attention to a schedule - he goes out before and after we leave the house (and of course when he wakes up in the morning and before bed). Other than that, I just try to pay attention to how long it has been - if it's been a while, I'll take him out. That works for us. I do like the bell idea and will probably try that if I ever get a another dog, but for now it works with us to just make sure he goes out every few hours.

I'm not at all trying to discourage you or tell you to give up on the bell if that's what you'd like him to learn. I just wanted to let you know that it can still be ok if a dog doesn't signal that he needs to go out. In some ways it's actually kind of nice because he never interupts me to request a potty break when I'm busy!

 

[Scorpio]

Keep using the bell, maybe a little peanut butter on it. You may have to start over with him afterall he did have a broken leg, he needs to get his confidence back. Dress up warm and try getting him used to the stairs again with treats. Maybe once he is no longer afraid of the stairs he will want to go out again.

 

[Rocky Pup]

When you tell him it's time to go outside and go potty, put him on his leash and make him walk out himself.

Also, our dog is 8 1/2 months old and doesn't give us a signal when he wants to go. I talked to our trainer about this and he said that it's fine. He said if a dog barks or whines and knows the reward is to go outside, they will most likely start doing that even when they don't have to go to the bathroom. We automatically take our dog outside first thing in the morning, about an hour to hour and a half after he eats and then every 3 hours throughout the day when we are home or in the evening. He knows this schedule goes immediately when we go outside.

 

[robynkendall]

I'm getting very frustrated now...He still has no interest in the bell unless there's peanut butter on it. He will eat it off and then run. I take him out about every 30 min, but he is still going in the house. And he dosen't go in the same place all the time so we have to watch very carefull where we step. He hates it being so cold outside, I think that is part of the problem. I just don't know what to do!

 

[Karenk]

I am having the same problem with my 10 week old pup. Zoe dosen't like the cold so she has no interest in going outside. I had great success with bell training my Samantha but I got her in July. Maybe an early spring will accelerate housebreaking.

Karen, Samantha, and Zoe

 

[robynkendall]

I sure hope so Karen! It has been especially cold here lately, and rainy and icy and Sam just hates it! Big baby. Guess I need to get him a coat after all..

 

[darepairman]

Robyn, dont feel alone, we have a almost 5 month old Boxer (Curly) that we are having a heck of a time trying to house break.
Its cold here in Wisconsin too. He didnt have a broken leg but had a severe cold that turned to brancituis (sp) when we first got him. but our problem is he seems to do fine one day and the next day he will go all over the house and even in his kennel at night, we take him out in the morning at 5:00 am everyday and once or twice before work then we try to do it regularly when we are home. he just seems so darn stubbern about it, I am starting to think we have a retarted boxer :mad: but I know thats not the case I think it will just take more work than I am used to in breaking a dog :confused: oh well good luck. ED