[Seth13]

I have a pit bull/husky mix (about 40 lbs) who is about to turn 1 this month. She's a very sweet, loving, loyal dog, but still isn't completely potty trained. Any advice or tips anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to be thorough in explaining the issue.

She will go when taken outside. That part isn't a problem. I feel like the main problem is that she just doesn't hold it. She is crate trained to a degree, but if she's in there for an extended period, there is a risk that she may pee (never poops in the crate though). Overnight, she will whine to go out if she needs to go, but that can be a couple times a night. For example, I can take her out at say 11pm, she'll go, then I crate her for bed, then she whine to go out at 2 am and again at 5 am. She always goes when I take her out, and goes right back in the crate and goes back to sleep, but getting her to last 7-8 hours doesn't always happen. She does
hold it that long sometimes but not always. If she's crated while I'm at work, same thing, she may hold it, may not (still no poop, just maybe pee). She used to not seem to care about pottying in the crats, so we moved her to a smaller crate which helped a lot, but didn't entirely stop the problem.
Then the other issue, is during the time she is out, even if I take her out regularly (every 2-3 hours, and she potties when I do), she still may have the occasional accident in the house. If she comes to me acting like she needs something or goes toward the door we use to go out, then I take her out, but if she doesn't show a sign or it's missed, she'll pee in the house. Even if she was just out an hour ago. And it's not dependent on water. It happens even when she hasn't had anything to drink. She will literally pee an amount the size of a half dollar (because she was just out recently and there's barely anything to pee). It's frustrating because I can literally take her out every 2 hours on a Saturday, but still be at risk of an accident. At a year old, I know she should be able to hold her bladder for much longer periods of time, and the fact that some nights she does hold it for 8+ hours overnight makes me know that she can, just doesn't. And I don't know what to do. She's been checked for UTIs several times as I know that can lead to dogs feeling like that have to pee more often, but has never had one. Also when she was spay, they checked internally for anything that may have been pressing on her bladder causing her to feel like she has to pee more often or any bladded related issues, but everything checked out fine. I feel like I have to board off every room of my house or tether her to my side 24/7 just to try to keep her from peeing, but even then I feel like as soon as I give her some freedom, she'll just pee again. I have steamed and treated my carpets to try to remove any lingering urine smell, but I don't doubt that she can still it some and I know that can be an issue, but the thing is she doesn't just go back to the same couple spots. She'll pee in new areas that I know don't have a pee smell. She doesn't seem to have a favorite spot (if she poops in the house, she totally does it in the same spot though). Honestly it seems like, if she feels the slightest urge to pee, then I need to get her outside, because if I don't notice that she needs to go out or she doesn't show me, she'll go in the house, even if she just peed an hour ago and it's just a tiny bit coming out.
Sorry for the long post, but any help to get her 100% potty trained and not needing to pee more often than a tiny dog with a small bladder would be fantastic. Thanks

 

[NadiaK]

Have you taken her to the vet to rule out a UTI? I think a good size dog like this should be able to hold it through the night. My bichon was almost 9 months old before she was fully potty trained. That being said, probably within a month or so after coming home at the age of 11 weeks, she was sleeping through the night. My hubby is a night owl so he would bring her up to the bedroom and put her in the crate at around 11:30. She always slept until at least 6:30 never asking to go out. I hope others will have some suggestions for you.

 

[LeoRose]

You said she was spayed? It's possible she has what is called spay incontinence. There are medications that can help with that.

Also, does the vet think her vulva looks normal? Bitches with an atypical vulva can sometimes have trouble with peeing, as well. A lot of times, being allowed to have a season or two can correct it, to a certain degree, but some bitches might require surgery if it's bad enough.

She could also just have a weak bladder sphincter. If that's the case, then the same medications used to treat spay incontinence would probably help that as well.

Once all physical possibilities have been ruled out, I'd go back to housebreaking 101, and take her out ever 30 minutes or so, and crate her when you can't be right there to supervise.

That said, my GSD was about 18 months old before she quit needing an early morning potty run. If I ignored (or didn't hear) her fussing, I would have to clean a crate and dog.

 

[FoxManor]

When you take her out does she only pee in one spot/one time? My one girl is the worst marker I've ever seen. We go on walks and its every couple feet in a new area worse then my boy for sure, lol. Even in our yard she's bad about it and always pees more than once. The first time is the "I gotta pee" amount then she usually pees just a little bit one or two other places to "mark" If she doesn't get to mark she still wants to pee and bothers me to let her out again. There's nothing wrong with her its just in her head. Also dogs have to learn to hold it and if you don't make them why would they. She may have learned you'll give her attention and take her out if she cries so its a win win no holding it plus attention. My one dog tried that as a puppy, I'd make him wait at least 15 min and until he stopped crying if possible then let him out, if there was no pee I knew he could wait, then I slowly increased the time. Eventually, he learned that crying when he didn't have to pee got him squat, he learned to hold it slowly, and crying when he actually had to pee meant he got to go pee, lol. Try giving her a few minutes after she cries, 10-15 min and checking/taking her out, if there's no pee you know she can hold it and you might have a manipulative pup on your hands. If she hasn't peed try adding a little time each night gradually.

 

[FoxManor]

If she's peed within that 10 min wait I'd have the vet rule out a UTI ect just to be safe.

 

[3GSD4IPO]

I have heard this story quite frequently with bully breeds and bully breed mixes. Some simply do not care. If she is going inside the house and inside her crate and has no physical problem she simply does not care. If she is going inside as much as this she is also NOT house trained. Period.

In my world a dog that is extremely difficult to house train and gives every indication of not taking to house training that is physically fine.. that is a deal breaker. I have successfully house trained many dogs using vigilance (getting them out at the right time) and food rewards for going outside along with a crate. If I ever get one as you describe I will put in the effort but if I make no progress at a year old the dog needs a new zip code. Not a dog I would have. I know that sounds harsh but there it is.