In despearate help - Potty Training

[daisybearden]

I have an almost 6month boxer male puppy. He does really well for me in the house except if I go upstairs and leave him with my other boxer mix (1 1/2yrs) downstairs even for 5 mins (and he has all ready gone potty outside) he will always pee downstairs. Also, every night and I mean almost every night he pees in his cage. He starts barking just minutes before I wake up and pees in the cage and then barks. His cage is small and we are using the divider. I stop his water around 7pm and he goes out as late as 10-11pm at night and sometimes later. he can hold it for up to 7 hours b/c I've been gone during the day and he hasn't soiled the blanket. I am at my whits end b/c i'm tired of cleaning up a peed in cage and its not good for him. Please help!!

 

[Althea]

Just out of curiosity -- have you checked with your vet just to make sure he doesn't have any prostrate issues?

 

[daisybearden]

Yes. He is completely healthy. No issues.

 

[LillyBear]

You said he has a blanket in his crate? Try taking that away. Don't put anything in there, no pillow and no blanket. We had this happen with Luke who is now eight months. He was peeing on whatever we put in there. We had a doggie pillow in his crate and got tired of dealing with trying to wash that, so we took it out and put a blanket in there and the peeing continued. We then stopped putting a blanket in there and after a few days, it stopped.

I think if there's a pillow/blanket in there it soaks up the urine, so it doesn't really bother them. If you take that away, then they're left with a giant puddle they have to avoid stepping in or laying in, and that gets their attention a little better.

Give it a try. I hope this helps.

 

[daisybearden]

The blanket was taken out once and he still peed. you stated that after a few days it stopped with Luke. Did Luke pee the first few times with no blanket still?

 

[LillyBear]

Yes. Luke still pee'd in the crate without a blanket for a few days, maybe a week. Then it stopped. And like your baby he was capable of holding it, he just wasn't making the connection. When he held it the first time, we immediately took him out and when he pee'd outside he got lots of praise and a treat.

 

[Sansal]

Is there any way you can take him out early in the morning BEFORE he pees in the crate? Does he usually wake up and bark around the same time? If yes you could just set your alarm and wake him up and then take him out so he wouldn't have the chance to pee in his crate.

 

[ehayes21]

I agree with the above. At six months your dogs brain is still getting the hang of house training, but you still need to stay one step ahead of him. Sometimes it takes certain dogs longer to master certain behaviors.
I definitely would go with setting the alarm before he has a chance to soil his crate. My next suggestion is to not allow him the freedom or the chance to soil in the house. So quit leaving him alone until he's trustworthy, tether him to you with a leash. The more times you allow this to happen the house the more of a habit it's going to become. Also, what is your potty routine with him? Do you go out with him? If not, you need to. Also, do you offer any reward everytime he's successful outside? I would find some super tasty treats he really flips for and reserve those for successful potty breaks outside. Make outside the BEST place to go. Good luck!