How do I get him to ask to go out?

[Kirbys mama]

unexpected Pavlovian response

lisabethshaw We have the same thing with Kirby. He hears the bell and he pees. I'm hoping in time his bladder control will enable him to make it out the door. We are going to switch to the counter top type bell and try having him ring it with his foot, that way the door opening and closing for people won't trigger the response.

 

[lambeau'smom]

I would like to know this answer too! I was all for trying the bell until I read that some dogs will pee whenever they hear a bell! Crazy! Lambeau will go to the door like clockwork, he has that down, but if we happen to not be watching for a moment (imagine that!) then he will pee right there. And I know he can 'hold it' because he stays in the crate with no accidents, so I don't get that. He is getting better though. It's so tough!!

 

[isiNYC]

Lambeau's mom, I've read alot on crate training and know what the experts and trainers say but would u be able to tell me what you've done with it. It seems as if everytime i close the door to Troy's crate he seems to hold a grudge. I've only had him for 4 days but he seems to remember routines well even in such a short time. I dont like closing the door to his crate but i know its to his and our benefit. I don't plan to leave him there long I just want to give my mom about an hour or so a day to spend planting her flowers in her yard while I'm at work. How can I achieve this and not make him upset?

 

[LeahR]

We are having a simliar problem. Aspen is about 12 wks now and we spend most of our time in the lower level family room. She seems to understand that she should go outside. When she has to go she bolts up the stairs like a bat out of hell.... the only problem is that if we don't bolt right along with her she'll either pee on the kitchen floor in front of the patio door or come back downstairs and pee on the carpeting. I have not been repremanding her for the kitchen floor cause I figure she got that far and is trying but coming back downstairs and peeing is aggravating. I would like to teach her to bark ( she barks at anything and everything else he he he) cause the bell won't work for us cause of our older boxer but I am not sure how. It doesn't happen very often cause I can usually run right up after her the times it normally happens is when I am in the laundry room or in the bathroom myself...... sorry so long just venting....

 

[megan313]

It took me awhile to figure this out, but I think we've got it. I finally housebroke my 6mo old with a SUPER consistant routine.

I was starting to feel like a meanie, because she didn't get any free to roam time...but here's what i did...

Take her outside first thing in the morning. If she didn't poo, id bring her in the house and put her directly in the crate. 15 minutes later, take her back outside, if no poo, back in the crate. and repeat the 15 minute/crate thing until she went. THE MAIN REASON THIS WORKED: i would take a treat outside with me to give to her right when she finished!

So then after she went, i would put her on a leash by me incase she had to pee or something... Then i'd let her eat at the scheduled time off leash, when she was done, start the whole crate/15 minute/leash thing over again. We got it down after a week and havent had an accident for 3 weeks. Now i'm working on my 8 week old!

Megan

 

[megan313]

I forgot to add the reason i posted:: Roxie does not let me know she needs to go out! but she knows how to hold it now, and she will wait about 4-5 hours.

Megan

 

[lambeau'smom]

To isiNYC: (sorry it is long!)
Well, we got him when he was 6 weeks old and we immediately started with the crate. I read that it was good to have it next to your bed and put your fingers in there at first to let the dog know you are there and he is not abandoned, and we did try that the first night. Luckily, it was our spring break (we both teach) and it was okay that we got zero sleep b/c we slept a total of about 30 mins. Seriously. He cried all night long. I just knew he would eventually wear himself out and sleep, but never. We decided that wouldn't work. So, we moved him out of our bedroom (so we couldn't hear the crying) and set an alarm for every couple of hours to take him out. That way we knew the crying was just to get out and not b/c he had to potty. Then we started waiting until he became very asleep and groggy at night before we would carry him off to the crate. That way he would go in willingly b/c he was so tired he would just fall back asleep. We still do that for the most part. We play play play until he just wears out and then we head to bed. When we are letting him out for a quick potty break, we draw him into the crate with a treat. He will walk right in and not even cry then or at night now. He does not love his crate, I must say that, but he is definitely doing great at it, he doesn't hate it at all. He has not ever had an accident in it either. He seems to know that is his den and he won't mess it up. We still set the alarm and get up at 2 to let him out every night. We also made sure we NEVER got him out when he was crying. B/C then he thinks crying will get him out. My best advice is, this is a tough love thing. Just let him cry some, it will not hurt him. Start small. Give tons of praise. He will eventually learn that this is a safe, comfy place for him. I'm sure you do, but we have soft blankets, and safe toys in there for him. Place the crate somewhere where you can't hear the crying at first until he adjusts just so you can handle it. Then eventually you can move it back to your bedroom if that is where you want it. Anyway, sorry so long, hope it helps! He will still love you even if he has to stay in there and be unhappy for a while....he will learn and adjust and be happy!! GOOD LUCK!

 

[Krynn]

lisabethshaw We have the same thing with Kirby. He hears the bell and he pees. I'm hoping in time his bladder control will enable him to make it out the door. We are going to switch to the counter top type bell and try having him ring it with his foot, that way the door opening and closing for people won't trigger the response.

I just started bell training (took me a while to find a bell that would make enough noise) and I hung mine next to the door instead of on it in an attempt to avoid that type of thing. That might be easier than training him to use a new type of bell. Just a suggestion.

 

[pipersmom]

taught piper to speak

My husband had this idea. Piper picks up on tricks really well. She 9 months and can sit, lay down, speak, roll over, play dead, and sometimes stay and come (we're working on those still as she is stubborn with those). Every time we take her out the door, she has to sit and speak and she has to do the same before she can come in. She picked this rule up right away and now sits and speaks at the door to let us know when she wants in or out. She hasn't pottied in the house since!

 

[dgreen76108]

This bell training thing sound really neat. I will definetly have to try it out for my little one. She's only 6 weeks old, but it would be great to get her started. We got the barking at night out the way, now just this potty training part. My 11 month old boxer is house trained. But she doesn't tell me when she has to go to the bathroom. She goes when I take her. The only time she lets me know it's time to go is in the morning. When I'm sleep she will lay her head on the bed and just stare at me. She's such a cuttie