I'm sorry I miss typed should I be letting him be inside tethered or should I continue to only let him be leashed outside with minimum (few minutes) inside uncrated time.

How long should the tether be?

long enough for him to comfortably lay down and move around, but not enough length to get any real distance from you.

You might also want to consider using some cheapo but soft rope, there is a good chance he will chew through it You can tie it to a carabiner or a clasp from the hardware store.

that way if he chews it you can just knot it back together or use a new length.

At this point I would keep him tethered to you unless you are directly engaged in play or training with him. I would also use doors or baby gates to keep him in your immediate area if he is loose.

Pups are fast and can wander to pee in a heartbeat!

Tethering is great because it helps the bonding process, but pups are also much less likely to pee if they are right with you.

It might take a few days for both of you to get used to it, but it is a really helpful tool!!

I actually hooked my usually very well behaved adult up to me today because he was driving me nuts getting into stuff.

Did you guys tether right away? I am confused because he is peeing ( yes he is supervised but quick) in the house because of his paper training at the breeder. I thought that if he was peeing in the house supervised that I shouldn't give him that opportunity to be peeing in the house so I have only allowed him a few minutes (2 or 3)in the house after each potty and play trip. Should I be allowing him more time in the house tethered? Or do I work up to more time?

 Quote: Staci Burger

Did you guys tether right away? I am confused because he is peeing ( yes he is supervised but quick) in the house because of his paper training at the breeder. I thought that if he was peeing in the house supervised that I shouldn't give him that opportunity to be peeing in the house so I have only allowed him a few minutes (2 or 3)in the house after each potty and play trip. Should I be allowing him more time in the house tethered? Or do I work up to more time?

If he is tethered to you in the house, he cannot pee without you seeing the instant he squats, and you swoop him outside so you can praise, reward, party down when he finishes outside. Tethering is supervision X 10.

Short tether.

And you understand that the baby gates, etc., are for AFTER you have the potty training under control, since he is managing to pee now under supervision. You need him attached to you.

And lots of trips outside are good! The more he goes outside, the more you reinforce that habit!

Ok I will try this. I have been taking outside about every 1 to 1.5 and he goes potty right away but still potty's when he comes in. He is being a stinker. I will have to buy a tether today at the store and we will try it and see what happens.

 Quote: Staci Burger

He is being a stinker.

Just remember he really isn't, he is just a baby dog who hasn't been taught what to do yet.

My Bichon Frise (a breed notoriously difficult to house train) at 8 months is still occasionally having a mistake with #1 & #2. Lately, it is because of a new puppy in the house who is not as strictly crate trained as she was. The puppy is my husband's dog and he feels "bad" crating him so much. Unfortunately, my puppy is adversely influenced by his misplaced emotions.

At this moment, my husband is waiting for me to bring Lulu downstairs so the pups can play (inevitably to pee and poop one after the other) while I babysit so he can go do his chores.

Now, when Lulu was small and I had to do my chores, she went in her crate. In fact, I cleaned 3 bathrooms this morning while she waited patiently in her crate. Jet, the new puppy, was in his crate too while my husband did his exercise routine. Jet was not so patient, but it was where he belonged. My husband now feels "bad" to put Jet back in his crate to do something else.

I will go downstairs in a minute, let the pups play until my husband gets in the garage, then I will put Jet in a crate and take Lulu outside to pee/poop. I will then put Lulu in the crate and take Jet outside to pee/poop. I will then put Jet in his ex-pen while Lulu roams free (usually close to the ex-pen or me) in the kitchen. The kitchen is gated from the rest of the house. She is not allowed to roam free, always on a leash when in the rest of the house except my bedroom.

Go to go...

Thanks. I know he isn't being stinker just frustration of potty training.

 Quote: Staci Burger

Thanks. I know he isn't being stinker just frustration of potty training.

Try as hard as you can not to let this show, because not only has he not been taught what to do yet -- he has been trained to go inside at the breeder's.

Imagine his confusion .....