Tilly house training help!

[okiwa]

Ok so Tilly did really well with house training at first, she had barely any "mistakes" in the house and was doing it in the garden. But slowly she's getting worse so I must be doing something wrong!

At the moment she has newspaper down in the house by the door...sometime she goes to it sometimes she doesn't. We let her out often and watch her while she is out. When she does her business in the garden we praise her loads and give her a treat.

I am thinking that maybe some how I am confusing her?

P.S At night we have a pen for her which has her bed in and newspaper down, in case she needs to go while I am asleep.

[citronella]

I'm only speaking from my experience, but I took Laci outside at night if she whined. The first couple of weeks are sleepless nights but she is now able to sleep through until we get up to go to work. We never had to use newspaper because I took her out every hour or so (after playing or sleeping) and she had maybe 2 mistakes in the house because I was distracted and didn't see the "I have to go pee" signal.

[tammyhuffman]

If you are taking her out as soon as she wakes up in the morning and from naps, after playing and pretty much every hour or so you really shouldn't need to use newspaper. I think this just confuses the puppy. In my experience it really does not take long before they "get this" and I have never used newspaper. Maxx is 16 weeks old and has had maybe 2-3 accidents since we brought him home at 8 1/2 weeks and they were all our fault for not paying attention. He does not whine, he simply stops what ever he is doing and will walk to the gate at the kitchen and sit so you really have to pay attention.

[okiwa]

So maybe the newspaper is confusing her? Should I stop using it and start getting up more often at night? At the moment I have been taking her out before bed and then taking her out once before morning because she whines a little at about 2am (she usually has done something on the newspaper by this time) and then I take her out when we get up at 7.30. I would say I let her out every half an hour during the day.

She seems to understand she cant poop in the house but she doesn't understand she cant wee. She seems to be thinking she is supposed to because I let her out and she sniffs around, goes back in and wees on the floor.

[Tanya]

personally, I woudl completely remove all the newspapers and make sure to clean ANY adn EVERY spot she had an accident with an odor neutralizing product (regular cleaners generally doN't do this) there are products like nature's miracle made for this or you can just use vinegar.

take her out often adn SUPERVISE when she is in the house. yes you will have to take her outside often. If you cannot supervise her (by supervise I mean eyes on her) then crate her. The crate (or pen) should be just big enough for her to stand and turn around, if it is too big she can pee in one spot and lay in the other.

If she has had an accident by 2:00am then set you alarm to be up at 1:230am to take her out.

every time she pees on teh newspapers she is learning it is ok to pee in the house. that isn't her fault.

[Tanya]

also remember that at 10 weeks (I think that is how old she is) she has very very little control on her bladder, by the time she realizes she has to go there may be no time for her to react (she will just go).

[okiwa]

Ok I will try it thanks!

I currently have a pen that has her bed in and I used a tray with newspaper in on the other side as it is quite big. Should I make it smaller? I can remove parts to make it smaller.

[tammyhuffman]

Definitely remove the newspaper and use the dividers in your crate to make the area smaller. Make sure it is big enough for her to stand up, turn around and lay down. A dog usually will not soil the area they sleep in. If you know that she needs to go in the middle of the night and it always seems to be around 2 AM, try setting an alarm for 1:45 AM and take her out then. Make sure you are taking her out right before you go to bed also.

[okiwa]

Thank you so much for the help! I thought making the area bigger would help her settle but now I know its not helping at all!

[steveandginger]

okiwa --

I have to agree with Tanya and Tammy completely -- NO newspaper, SMALLER crate, and commit to GETTING UP AT NIGHT. I know you didn't know this, but in my opinion, you NEVER want to allow a dog to go potty in their crate/kennel, if possible, and you certainly don't want to ENCOURAGE it, by placing newspaper in there. The crate is your friend, in terms of slowly, over time, teaching them to "hold it." The idea that they do NOT like to "go" in a small kennel that they are sleeping in, is what allows you to begin to teach them to "hold it" by placing them in the kennel for longer and longer periods. If they get to a point, though, when they are WILLING to just go in their kennel, then you have made things much more difficult.

And don't worry -- the "waking up at night to take them out to potty" thing is TEMPORARY. We have had Gracie for 2 weeks, she's now 10 1/2 weeks old, and in this two-week period of time, she has moved from 2-3 "wake-ups" per night to get out of the crate and go potty, to now sleeping all night, most nights. For example, last night, she stayed in the crate, quiet, from 10 PM until 7 AM. She peed and pooped just before going into the crate last night, and immediately upon leaving it, this morning. So, you can be encouraged...it likely won't take you all that long of dealing with night-time potty trips, before Tilly can make it all night without "going."

Hope this helps!

Steve