[hargyle]

Our Puppy Loki is now 16 weeks - he goes out frequently and is crate trained. We have decided its almost time to start letting him out of his crate while we are gone for short periods (20 min - 30 min). So far no problems; we just keep all doors closed and everything out of reach - however recently he has been butting his way into my studio when we are not paying attention to pee instead of useing his bell.
How can we keep him from peeing in the house when we are not around or turn our back for 2.5 seconds (other then leaving a puppy pad ... for which he has terrible aim ... but the intent is there!).

I would say 99% of the time hes going outside with no problems at all and he tells us when he has to go - its just these few instances which I don't really understand fully to make it stop!

 

[hamandeggs]

If he's peeing in the house, he's just not housetrained. He doesn't understand that in-home peeing is not okay. I wouldn't leave him out of his crate until he's quite a bit older and 100% house-reliable.

I would not use a puppy pad. It will only confuse him as to whether or not peeing in the house is okay. Especially because he's a bigger guy, you really don't want to get into that. Train him so pottying is an outside-only activity.

I would keep a much closer eye on him, i.e. don't turn your back long enough for him to sneak away and pee, and don't leave him out when you're not there to watch him. At 16 weeks, he's really too young to be 100% housebroken. I would go back to crating him when you can't watch him closely and keeping him very close to you at other times. Sometime soon he will get the memo, don't worry! But stopping the housetraining process before he's really figured it out will only confuse him and make everything take longer.

 

[chocolabs]

16 weeks is way too young. my lab has just started getting some short freedom with me gone at 28 weeks with 100% potty training

 

[hargyle]

To young you say. That does explain the mild set back recently in his training - we are first time owners with a very smart boy, and thought it would be good to start early.
What would be a good age to start letting them out during the day when we are not around?

Also, we have to keep him out of the basement because he runs down and pees down there whenever he can- or we will be sitting eating down there and he will just pee where hes standing, NO indication he has do go ( you know sniffing, circles, crying ; all things he does normally) Is it a carpet thing ? Or just confused by the change of environment.... because he never does it anywhere else. Is there an explanation of just training MORE training required.

 

[Shell]

Are you cleaning anywhere that he has peed inside with an enzyme cleaner or white vinegar/water mix? If not, then he can still smell where he has peed and is returning to the same spots.

And yes, I agree that he is too young. There isn't any really set time of letting a dog out while you are gone, but there isn't any hurry on it either. Some dogs are ready at 6 months or so, other 1 year old and some dogs are still chewers or destructive at 3 years old. I'd say that he should be 100% on the housetraining INCLUDING the basement area before you consider giving him unsupervised freedom.

 

[hargyle]

I clean every single time after him with vinegar and water - we even had the carpets steamed. I will defiantly take your advice and wait until hes older - Thank you!

 

[chocolabs]

Yeah my girl has been taking commands since an early age but your dog just barely is now able to hold its bladder to go outside. Most dogs don't have the ability to hold it in til they are 4 months, and thats when you keep reinforcing good potty training. Most of my friends didnt let them fully have freedom in the house until well past 1 year old, once they've reached adulthood, and thats with no bad habits like chewing on things they're not supposed to when you're not looking, or having accidents in the house.