Potty training a youg pup advise

[Beeber]

Our family just purchased an 8 week old yellow lab female. Now I grew up with dogs but we never kept them in the house so I have never actually taken part in potty training a dog. Does anyone have a tried and true method for accomplishing this in a relatively short time? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[gundoglily]

What has worked best for us, is to purchase a portable kennel and keep the new addition in it unless the pup is under your direct supervision. This will accomplish 2 things:

1. It will teach the pup the kennel is a safe place, not a place of punishment and will willing go in it on your travels and be content

2. A dog will not potty in the place it lives unless it has been in it too long. If you buy a bigger kennel, you might need to modify it so the pup just has a comfortable place to lay and turn around, but not so big so it can find a corner in which to relieve itself.

Take the pup outside very often and praise it when it does its business. At 8 weeks they don't have much bladder control. When an accident happens, don't rub its face in it, as all this does is to tell the pup not to go in that exact spot! Be consistent!

Have fun with your new addition!

[Pimp'nEyes]

When we potty trained our dog, we had pretty good luck. We knew he understood that going outside was the right place to go, but not going inside didn't seem to click completely.

What clinced the deal for us was buying a special bag of treats and we kept them in the entry-way closest. When he went outside and did the deal and came back shortly there after without dinking around in the yard, he was rewarded. This only took a few weeks and we haven't had an occurance since (over a year now). The ticket to this though is that this really great treat (I think we used Beggin' Strips) is only to be used for this not for anything else.

We also took it to the next level and taught him how to ring a bell to go outside and how to speak when he wanted to come back in. So we stopped giving him treats for just going outside, but he had to tell use first by ringing his bell (just push his nose into it before you let him out)

The bell to go outside is really awesome since we live in a split level, he could be down at the door waiting and you wouldn't even realize it.

I said we were lucky, we the reasons was he never never went #2 in the house, for some reason he never thought twice about that one.

Good luck, persistents is key.

[tex22]

Beeber

This might sound a little crazy, but when my blood hound was a pup he would do whatever i did ( go upstairs, go down stairs,sit on the couch ,whatever) so what I started doing is going outside to pee myself. After a couple times he caught right on. My girlfriend thought I was crazy at first but after she saw the results she was all for it. I know this method might not be the best for some people, but it worked great for my hound.

[metrojoe]

After they eat, sleep, and play. Don't wait for any kind of sign from the pup just get'em out. Most puppies won't have full control until 15 to 17 weeks. So be patient and be consistent. My pup is about 15 weeks now and it's been awhile since we've had any accidents, but most of them were right at the back door while she was waiting for the door to open.

Good luck and have fun.

[Beeber]

Thanks for all the advise. I think we have started to turn the corner on this deal . But it is still early. My wife watches her like a hawk and is eager for the day when she can relax when "Harley" is in the house.

Thanks again for the help

[Eric Wettschreck]

Geez, that's why it leaks all over the place. It's named Harley. Sorry, had to say it.

[LMITOUT]

It feels sometimes like the dog will never get the idea, but then it's like a light goes off in it's little head. I also used the rewards (treats) and bell trick. I hung the bell on the doorknob and flicked it everytime I said outside as we went out so that she'd equate the bell with potty-time.

Always use the same door to let them out as well. Less confusion on their part.

I say "outside" when leading the dog to the door, and then while at the spot I say "potty". She pretty much goes on command now. Especially useful when you need the dog to go while at a reststop or before leaving for someplace with the dog.

Good Luck!

[Beeber]

Thanks LMITOUT,

Harley seems to be getting the idea. We have not had an accident in the house for quite a while now. We did not do the bell trick but rather are trying to teach her to bark or "Speak" when she needs to go.

Thanks again