OMG Housebreaking..

[chipnjo]

Sorry to bring up and old problem, but I would like to know WHEN we get indicators from our puppies that they need to go outside......on a consistent basis.

Allie is now 13 weeks old. She has good times and bad. I swear 90% of any accidents are my fault. Tonight, for instance, I knew she needed to go outside soon, but wanted to see if she would give me ANY indication whatsoever. I am watching.....and waiting......watching....and waiting.....for about 10-15 minutes like a hawk. Of course, I take my eyes off her for about 15 seconds, literally, and bingo....right at my heels. All done, too, so no way to interrupt this one.

This is the most frustrated I have ever been with a dog....in this area. We have had multiple dogs in the past, and all have been housebroken (giving indications to go out) before now (4 weeks). It is growing very tiresome.

It isn't an intelligence problem because she picks other stuff up really fast. She's smarter than any of our previous dogs.....by miles.

I probably need to go into more detail here for anyone to identify where I am going wrong. Please comment, and ask questions, to help me nail down where to go from here. Thanks in advance.

 

[Sansal]

At 13 weeks I wouldn't wait for her to give you an indication that she has to go out. If you think she has to go, take her out! Some dogs will NEVER tell you when they have to go outside. My puggle will go and stand at the door but my boxer won't give any indication at all. However, they are both perfectly housetrained and don't have accidents. I know their schedule and they know that I will take them out on a regular basis and they hold it until I take them out. I actually like it that way.
You could try using a "Poochie Bell" (for example Welcome To Poochie Bells) and teach your dog to ring the bell when she has to go out. I never tried it but other people on BW have great success with it.
Good luck and be patient!

 

[chipnjo]

I appreciate it. And, yes, more patience is what we need. And, I can even deal with the "she can hold it...knowing I will let her out soon" part. She just seems to think it's "no big deal" to go in the house. That's the frustrating part.

If she puddled by the door, I could handle it very easily. If she whined a little, I could handle it easily, too. But, NO indication at all doesn't help us, either. As you all know, puddles can come completely randomly....even w/in 10 minutes of coming back inside AFTER they were successful outside.

Thanks for the words. I think I just needed to vent a little and make sure there wasn't some fundamental I was missing.

 

[TwoDogs]

Allie is now 13 weeks old. She has good times and bad. I swear 90% of any accidents are my fault.

At only 13 weeks, 100% of any accidents are your fault! Every dog is different in how they develop. It can be frustrating, especially if you've had other dogs that seemed to "get it" earlier and gave clear signals.

One thing that might actually be a good thing is that she did it right by you. It's possible that she relates going outside to eliminate with being with you and she thought that proximity to you would trigger a trip outside.

You could try training her to target a bell by the door as a signal. It works great for dogs that give such subtle signals that you miss them, are "non-vocal" and don't offer the whine or bark at the door, or for busier households where signals can get overlooked or missed.

Just hang in there. It will happen with time and patience.

 

[lmorey]

You could try using a "Poochie Bell" (for example Welcome To Poochie Bells) and teach your dog to ring the bell when she has to go out. I never tried it but other people on BW have great success with it.

Poochie Bells are awesome! I recently bought some after the homemade set I made out of a cat toy and a shoe string got wore out. Cash picked up on the bell training relatively fast when he was a puppy, but June is not picking up on it as well. I got so excited last night because she went to the door and sat, so I took this as a hint that she needed to go. I praised her and took her out only for her to walk around and not do anything, . I just have to keep telling myself to be patient!

 

[Althea]

I appreciate it. And, yes, more patience is what we need. And, I can even deal with the "she can hold it...knowing I will let her out soon" part. She just seems to think it's "no big deal" to go in the house. That's the frustrating part.

If she puddled by the door, I could handle it very easily. If she whined a little, I could handle it easily, too. But, NO indication at all doesn't help us, either. As you all know, puddles can come completely randomly....even w/in 10 minutes of coming back inside AFTER they were successful outside.

Thanks for the words. I think I just needed to vent a little and make sure there wasn't some fundamental I was missing.

I so feel you! Mine is only 12 weeks, and she's doing great when we get her outside in time...but when we don't, it's easy to want to rip your hair out. But they try so hard to do what we ask...sometimes I forget that she doesn't speak my language! I have to learn hers. Hang in there, and we'll celebrate the day it all clicks! appicon

 

[jbbtlr]

I think the key here is that she is ONLY 13 weeks old. Her attention span is very short. She might know when she has to potty, but something else can grab her attention and that goes to the back of her mind. They are just like those kids that wait too long, then come in doing the pee dance, legs crossed because everything else was so much fun.

My puppy is fully housebroke and a year old. It has just been in the last month or two that she will whine a little bit if we are not paying attention, or just go sit by the back door.

If you got her when she was 8 weeks old, that has really only been just over a month you have had her. The first week or two is adjusting to you and the new routine and everything.

She will get it just give her some time.

Good luck!

 

[Cami]

You can't expect her to know a signal and waiting to learn whatever hers may be might take a while.
Teach her to signal you in whatever fashion you want. Bells work good but so does taking their paw and touching the door with it every single time you open the door to head out. It is often a self taught thing they do when they want to come INSIDE. Just switch it up and do it while heading out.
Touching door (or bell) means that the door opens. I need to potty outside so I touch the door.
You just have to remember to stay in tune with the sound it makes and LISTEN and make sure you get there ASAP when you hear the noise.

 

[chipnjo]

Thanks again for all the patience talk. It's what I need to hear periodically to remain sane. The bells are something the wife wants to look into asap. I love the idea that she may associate being near me with going outside.....because that "could" be a sign.....and, I will have to pay attention to her getting up from a nap and coming over to me (sometimes she falls asleep on a kiddie couch in the kitchen after playing a little, and we will let her stay there if one of us is going to be in the kitchen where we can see her.).

I'll tell you what, though, the other aspects of this dog are really making me fall in love. She is really calm and doesnt get too wound up unless we do. She plays with all sorts of toys, and does so by herself as long as she gets ample attention throughout the day. She has learned some of the basic commands in no time at all. And, she seems so well socialized with other dogs and people that it's just a joy to walk her. And, although, that has taken some work, she walks beautifully right now and only pulls when we head back home. (I vary the route a lot, for own boredom, and she just knows when we are headed back home....I guess by smell.) When heading home, it only takes a couple "let her get ahead while not paying attention and STOP so she pulls the leash tight on herself then give her a little tug to let her know she wasnt watching" and she falls right back in line. (Please don't think I "tug" hard at all, I don't.)

The way she pounces on her toys. The way she jumps off the patio, like a cat. The way she plays.......and sleeps. All are just wonderful.

I have no doubt I will become closer/more attached to this dog than any I've ever had. Thank you, boxerworld, for helping us choose this breed. We are more satisfied than we imagined.

 

[RoxiesEcho]

I had good luck using a bell on the door knob. We can't see our back door from the rest of the house so it was invaluable for Bella to let us know she wanted out. But be prepared, it doesn't take them long to use that bell to manipulate you to letting them out just because they want to play!