I have 7 month old a mini Dachshund that I've had for almost 6 weeks. He understands the outside command but is not 100% reliable in the house yet (has peed on the carpet 3 times - one of the times I caught him and screeched at him then brought him outside). I installed a doggie door and while I'm gone, he is left in a small (maybe 2X4), blocked area of the dining room with his crate inside (door left open) and he ALWAYS uses the doggie door and does his business outside (I only started this recently, at first it was always the closed crate and only started the doggie door when I felt he understood what outside is for). My question is, does anyone feel that allowing the dog access to the outside while I'm gone will slow down his understanding of inside vs outside? (For example, I'm obviously not there to praise him when he goes outside while I'm gone and also, if we're playing in the living room he's on a leash and will tend to look for a place to go because he doesn't know how to ask to go outside.) When I'm at home, I simply use the leashed to my ankle method if we're playing and in the closed crate if we're not, while personally taking him out every hour with lots of praise for doing his business where he should.
Any thoughts on the doggie door? This will be his permanent method of access to the outside but I'm just worried I may be giving him a freedom right now that he hasn't earned and slowing down his learning process. All advice is welcomed and appreciated.

You jumped the gun and caused a priblem. Back up you training, use a dog crate. Read the Q&A on my web site about housetraining. These doors dont work with pups and you have a pup.

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