Potty Training Help??

dayton&davan07 · 01-05-2008, 02:53 PM

So I have two boxers, Dayton is already house broke but he goes in the basement when he is locked up all day. I don't know what to do about it that. But then we have Davin, he is 12 or so weeks, did awesome last weekend didn't have one accident, but now his true colors are showing. I take him out every two hours, sometimes a little sooner cause he has that look in his eyes, but he is still having accidents. He doesn't try to go to the door or anything. Any suggestions. I have done this before with my step mom's sharpei, but man this should have caught on by now, I guess I was wrong. Help please.

briteday · 01-05-2008, 04:29 PM

If it were me I would get two crates and learn how to use them. There are plenty of threads around here every day on this subject. If your dogs are eliminating int he house you need to do something different...

dayton&davan07 · 01-05-2008, 05:06 PM

Dayton broke out of the crate, he is pretty much an issue of his own, you would have to read other posts about that one. Davin, he is crated all day, he hardly ever pee pee's in there during the day he never poops, but I don't think it is fair to Davin to be in a crate 24/7. I got Dayton to ask to go potty but Davin is just not catching on. I will read some other threads see if maybe I am just repeating a recent question. Thanks

RedyreRottweilers · 01-05-2008, 05:13 PM

First of all, your expectations may be a little on the unrealistic side.

12 week old puppies do not get housetrained in 14 days time.

The keys to housetraining ANY puppy/dog is to have the dog outside when it is time for them to eliminate, and to strongly reward all outdoor elimination. For most dogs this means food, something that is exquisitely delicious.

Dogs do what works for them, so make what you want them to do work REALLY WELL for them.

Expect accidents. Ignore accidents unless you catch the puppy directly in the act of eliminating. Even then, you should do nothing more than clap your hands, say AH AH, and try to interrupt the puppy. If are successful, take him outdoors to hopefully finish. If not, oh well. Clean up time again.

Accidents cannot be the fault of the puppy, as it is YOUR RESPONSIBLITY to have the puppy outdoors where he should be when it's time for him to go.

The other keys to housetraining a puppy or dog is management and confinement. MANAGE the puppy so he is where you want him to be when it's time for pottying. CONFINE the puppy so that he can NEVER be out of your site. Use your crate, use baby gates, leash the pup to your belt, whatever.

Puppies should not be crated all day, perhaps you meant something other than that?

dayton&davan07 · 01-05-2008, 07:49 PM

No, we were waiting until he could go in the basement, our older dog wasn't completely happy together and I feared the worst, when spring comes the fence is going up so they can play outside while we work. I know it isn't a good option, but you will be happy to know next week ol Davin will have the laminate basement to play in. Got it puppy proofed too. Actually this is helpful. I didn't have many other options with the boys not getting along and my vet said it wouldn't be horrible for him. But I know realistically he can't hold his functions all day so I expect accidents downstairs, but in the meantime, do I need to take him out more frequently then 2 hour time frames?

Anela · 01-06-2008, 06:18 PM

At the risk of offending (but that has never stopped me) you are askin way to much from your dogs, you need to educate yourself about dog needs, and you need to get help dealing with this. You are way off base and up to now refuse to see it that way.

If you don't severely alter they way you are dealing with this mess you are askin for BIG trouble, and you are gonna get it. AND it's not going to be the fault of the dogs, IT'S GONNA BE YOURS

Anela

dayton&davan07 · 01-07-2008, 01:21 PM

Suggestions, please? I don't refuse to see the bigger picture, but I don't have the funds for expensive training school and I am really into seeing the bigger picture and doing this all first hand. I didn't have a manual or training when I brought my little girl home at 19, I need suggestions. I have done potty training before, but I also was in school and was on spring break. That dog stayed in her crate all day afterwards, but she was taken out, just like Davin every two hours and my step mom and I both got up during the night, I am doing the same with Davin. What am I doing wrong. Davin is no longer crated during the day, but the basement is the only option for him at this point.

Anela · 01-07-2008, 07:46 PM

You want something that is just not gonna happen (sorry)

Anela

briteday · 01-07-2008, 09:30 PM

Your dogs would benefit by being on scheduled meal times (3x/day for pup, 2x/day for adult), at least 30 minutes of scheduled exercise outside the house and yard EVERY DAY, pick up the water bowl two hours before bedtime, and don't have unrealistic expectations.

Also, your dogs should be checked by a vet before deciding anything is behavioral vs physical. Pups can have parasites and all sorts of other things going on that could make potty training a nightmare. And adult dogs have issues of their own.

If you are leaving your adult dog uncrated in the basement all day then you are just asking for trouble. Find a crate that can contain him and use it. And while you're at it find a ccrate for the pup and use it. But don't expect the pup to hold it more than two hours. So a daily pup potty schedule would look like...wake up-go out, breakfast-go out, brisk 30 minute walk-go out, midmorning-go out, lunch meal-go out, mid afternoon-go out, dinner meal-go out, mid evening-go out, before bed-go out, every two hours during the night-set an alarm to go out.

And leaving dogs outside all day unsupervised is asking for equal, maybe more trouble. You could have angry neighbors due to barking dogs, kids taunting the dogs, dogs digging under or going over fences, dogs being poisoned by plants, insecticides, or neighbors... Unless you are going to build them a run with a shelter, dug into the ground at least 12", and an escape proof top I would think again about leaving them outside.

dayton&davan07 · 01-08-2008, 08:28 PM

see this I can work with. On a daily schedule, the boys are fed when I get up in the morning. Then they are fed around dinner time, on weeknights, the pup gets some food downstairs. See another person stated leaving the pup in the crate all day was some sort of in humane way to manage my dogs. Dayton, since putting both pups downstairs, haven't had but one accident and that was pee. I can clean this up. I have been doing exactly what Brite stated. Getting up every two hours. Every two hours when we are home (usually on weekends or days off). I took him to the vet on the 28th and he did have bacterial overgrowth and since the medicine is in his system, he seems to be getting better. I do lift the food around 8 which is really like 1 1/2 hours before bed, my fiance tends to go to bed later then me, so he takes them out before he goes to bed. I see an improvement, but like someone stated earlier, my expectations were just way to high. Davin is 14 weeks tomorrow, so hopefully this is the road to improvement. Dayton seems to be getting better as well. Not tearing up the door when we leave and playing quite nicely with the pup during the day. I appreciate all the advice. I will keep you updated.

oh, and I will take your advice about the outside. I thought maybe that would be a better option to play, get fresh air, but the neighbors could be a little annoyed with two pups outside causing havoc cause you know they will. That or them jumping over the fence and getting hurt. Good advice. I wanted to do dog runs, but to me that just doesn't seem fair, not to mention to do it the right way we would need to pour cement.

briteday · 01-08-2008, 10:59 PM

Putting dogs in crates is not inhumane. It is protecting them from normal household dangers like chewing on cords or eating a poisonous substance, even a plant.

Don't forget to give your dogs plenty of exercise, especially other than the hosue or your own yard. They need to go places, do things, smell, see, experience situations. Maybe start with 30 minutes per day for the adult dog. And the pup will need to be kept in your yard until his shots are completed. But then I would take him along on the 30 minute walk too. A tired dog is a good dog!

dayton&davan07 · 01-09-2008, 07:41 PM

Dayton and I try to walk after work, just gets so cold and dark before I get home and walking down country roads is creepy enough. Davin doesn't go yet he isn't so good on a leash yet
butmakes sense with the shots not being completed. Update on the potty training. We had one accident, my fault though, I wasn't feeling well so I went to bed and forgot to take the little one out before I crashed, he pooped but you know I don't blame him. I see the light but I know it is going to be a journey to get completely out of the tunnel. and thank you brite, I felt like I had just been crusified for the crate business, but the vet told me it was the best plan for him because of the stairs to the basement. He still isn't real coordinated but he can make it up and down them at his will. Dayton has even gotten better, he had a number 2 accident Monday, but none since. Maybe the pup is teaching him too (chuckles) I think Dayton really tries, but he has been so sick, I can't truly be mad at him either. Until the parasites are completely gone with both of them I am going to expect it. Thanks a bunch. I don't feel quite as horrible now.