April 21, 2011
Can you tell me a time frame on how long it takes a puppy to be house trained? In your experience, what was the longest it has taken any of your home pets to become house trained?
Full Question:
Hi Cindy, can you tell me a time frame on how long it takes a puppy to be house trained? I have followed the recommendations of crate training. Our GSD puppy is 19 weeks old. He is not free fed. He is crate trained and is not allowed out of the crate without our watchful eye. I take him, via leash, to a designated area to potty and use the word 'go potty.' He will potty and then we are done. He is not allowed in the house until he has 'emptied' himself. Unfortunately, while he is in the house, should he need to pee, he does not give us any signs. He is so quick, when it comes to urinating, that he just does it right there. I am quick to bring him to the designated area. At that time he does not continue. When he has to poop, it is obvious, and we take him to the designated area. Now I know Ed is not fond of 'bells' to alert us if the dog has to potty. We have a bell on the screen door and every time I take the pup out I have him touch the bell with his nose and I say 'go potty'. I am trying to teach him to ring the bell when he needs to go out. However, he has not caught on.How long will it take for him to alert us if he wants to go out. In your experience, what was the longest it has taken any of your home pets to become house trained?
Thanks,
Jennifer
Cindy's Answer:
Is he off leash in the house? At 19 weeks, I don’t let any of my dogs loose in the house yet. They are either tethered to me or to my desk. This means they can’t be more than 6 feet away at any given time. If I go to the bathroom, they go with me. If I go to the kitchen, they go with me. If I go somewhere that I can’t watch them, they go in their crate. If your pup is having accidents then you are making some mistakes and rushing the training process.
I try to prevent accidents as much as possible while the puppy is young, and praise like crazy when they get it right.
There is no magic age when puppies learn this, they are all different. I have had pups that take to being clean in the house right away and others that I have struggled with for a year. I think you need to back up your training and keep him attached to you or in a crate. If he is having even the occasional accident then you have given him too much freedom.
You are right about the bells, we are not fans of those. My thinking is that if the dog is housetrained he will wait till I let him out to go. I am very good about trying to keep my dogs on a predictable schedule so they learn to wait till I ask them if they need to go out. I don’t want my dog dictating to me (by ringing a bell) when he gets let out. I am the one who determines this, not the dog. It’s part of the whole leadership issue.
Cindy
I try to prevent accidents as much as possible while the puppy is young, and praise like crazy when they get it right.
There is no magic age when puppies learn this, they are all different. I have had pups that take to being clean in the house right away and others that I have struggled with for a year. I think you need to back up your training and keep him attached to you or in a crate. If he is having even the occasional accident then you have given him too much freedom.
You are right about the bells, we are not fans of those. My thinking is that if the dog is housetrained he will wait till I let him out to go. I am very good about trying to keep my dogs on a predictable schedule so they learn to wait till I ask them if they need to go out. I don’t want my dog dictating to me (by ringing a bell) when he gets let out. I am the one who determines this, not the dog. It’s part of the whole leadership issue.
Cindy
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