Hello all,
I read Ed's article about crate training a puppy, and I am confused because on the one hand it says to leave your puppy in the crate for a few hours to teach him to hold it. The article says feed him breakfast, get him to do his business, and then let him play for 30 minutes. Then back to the crate until 11-11:30. Got it. In a later portion of the article it says to take the puppy out of the crate every hour to teach him that going out of the crate means a chance to pee. So he learns fast by repetition. So, I am a little confused as to what to do with my new 12 week old puppy.

Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Jon

Where does it say to leave him in the crate for a few hours to teach him to hold it?

I've read and quoted that article a dozen times, and I don't remember that. Which paragraph?

You want to take the puppy outside every chance you get, and there's no such thing as too often, when you're training. Every half-hour or every hour is good at first, to set the dog up for succcess and start a good habit. It's hard to make mistakes if the bladder is empty. :>

http://leerburg.com/housebrk.htm

Once the dog "gets it" that potty happens outdoors only, then you can start gradually extending the time he can be left.

QUOTE:
If you take him out every hour then he learns that he is going to have a chance to go outside to do his business. So when someone tells you to wait for 4 hours - I would ask WHY if you can take him out more often? Why wait that long if you are home. We want to establish a pattern and what better way than to take the dog out all the time. Also do not underestimate how important it is to ask your pup if he WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE just before going out and praising GOOD OUTSIDE WHEN HE DOES GO. I tell my adult dogs GOOD OUTSIDE. END QUOTE

I use a slightly different word, but I too tell even my senior dogs every now and then, "Good potty," and reward. Why not?

When I first get a pup, I take them out every hour. Even set an alarm clock to do this at night. This lasts a few days until I can see what the pup is like and what they need as far as potty breaks. Some continue to need every hour for a couple weeks and some can hold it for longer.

I withhold water after 8pm and feed at 6pm with puppies. My day starts at 4 am and pups are fed three times daily.

As you get to know your pup and his/her schedule, it will become apparent as to how often they need to have a potty break. I set my alarm for low volume and then I quietly walk out and check on the sleeping pup, if they are dead to the world, I turn on the computer and surf until they wake up, then it is outside for a break. I do not wake a pup up to come out of the crate.

My Mal pup came to me at 9 weeks and after 4 days she was sleeping through the night and has never had an accident in her crate (I learned this because I forgot to turn my alarm on). She is 2 years old now. I wish they could all be like that....

PS....I am with Connie, when they go potty outside it is a BIG PARTY no matter what time it is.....

This schedule helped me to setup mine for Starbuck

http://www.darnfar.com/Dog%20Training/housebreaking_a_puppy.htm

Here is what I read in the same article:

"Pups must go out first thing in the morning (and I mean first thing) take the dog outside. He's been clean all night - and holding it all night - he will do his duty in a hurry because HE HAS TO GO. Now bring him in and give him freedom, but in the kitchen only. A child's gate at the kitchen doorway is an excellent barrier to the other rooms in the house. Give him his freedom while breakfast is being prepared and while you are eating breakfast. After your breakfast, and when you have time to take him out, feed him his breakfast - and take him out immediately. Remember the rule - outside after each meal. Dogs relieve themselves after SLEEPING- EATING AND HAVING EXERCISE.

Now bring him in and put him in his crate and go about your normal routine of the morning. He should stay in the crate until about 11:00 to 11:30 A.M. Then out of the crate and outside. Bring him in, and while you are preparing and eating lunch let him have the freedom of the kitchen but only when you have "eyes on the dog"

I read most people feed their pups at 7-8 am, so that would imply about 3-4 hours in a crate.

Thank you all for your replies, I will start with every hour and go from there.

Ah, I see. :>

OK. I cannot speak for Ed, but I read that as kind of breaking down the crate vs. indoor (uncrated) time.

I mean, he is saying that while you are in your kitchen preparing and eating breakfast and the dog is RIGHT THERE, in your sight, he could be uncrated. Then he gets HIS breakfast and goes out to potty. Then crate (possibly until 11 or 11:30). Then potty before you prepare and eat your lunch and a little more kitchen freedom while you do that (kitchen only).

I feel pretty safe in saying that there wasn't meant to be a 4-hour crate stretch in there. :>


But I totally see the confusion.

Yes, you'll do well with the every-hour (or even more) routine at first.

I sometimes have to be gone for two hours and the puppy does great. She also sleeps at night from about 11 pm to 5-6 am. I am going to be very consistent with the every hour thing for the next couple days and see how it works.

In your experience how long before you get to two hours at a stretch?

 Quote: Jon Lee

I sometimes have to be gone for two hours and the puppy does great. She also sleeps at night from about 11 pm to 5-6 am. I am going to be very consistent with the every hour thing for the next couple days and see how it works.

In your experience how long before you get to two hours at a stretch?

My experience is much more with new training for untrained adult dogs, so it doesn't work so much for this particular question. My puppy experience is limited.

The size of the bladder counts with pups.

I think I have read that the number of possible dry hours roughly coincides with the number of months old ... ?

Puppy experts? Is that close?

I don't claim to be an expert, but I have read that as well and it pretty much follows along...although not exactly hour for month .