First, stop waiting for your 10 week old dog to "tell" you that it has to go out. That's like expecting a 1 year old child to let you know that they are about to let loose in their diaper so you can take them to the potty instead. The notice for either is pretty instantaneous and immediate need.
Q1 - Dogs do not have muscle control to hold it until about 6 months of age, generally speaking. Until then you are just timing the potty outings to accomodate the amount of time to fill the bladder. Rule of thumb...# hours puppy can wait = age in months...10 weeks- 2-1/2 months = 2-3 hours, AT MOST. So your daytime schedule is pushing it and you should be setting an alarm to take the puppy out during the night every 2-3 hours. (picking up the water bowl 2 hours before bedtime will help with the duration of sleep during the night) So, it is true that dogs prefer not to soil their dens. However, your situation involves unrealistinc physical expectations.
Q2 - Your dog chooses to soil in the basement for a number of reasons...away from where it eats and sleeps, a place that you don't monitor so therefore you won't be yelling at it as it eliminates, nice dark calm place to eliminate, not being supervised 100% of the time when out of the crate, gotta go now and just can't wait until you see my signal because the expectations are unrealistic and the puppy isn't old enough to give "the sign"... whatever that may be, GOTTA GO NOW!!!!!
The bottom line here in both cases is that you need to set up a schedule and buy an alarm clock. Set the clock for every two hours and take the dog out. If the dog does not perform, put the dog in the crate and try again in 20 minutes. The dog gains freedom when it is successful outside. And if you cannot supervise the dog every minute then the dog needs to be in the crate. Did you not notice that the dog was missing from your presence when it went to the basement? Think of the puppy as a toddler. Supervise accordingly.
Q1 - Dogs do not have muscle control to hold it until about 6 months of age, generally speaking. Until then you are just timing the potty outings to accomodate the amount of time to fill the bladder. Rule of thumb...# hours puppy can wait = age in months...10 weeks- 2-1/2 months = 2-3 hours, AT MOST. So your daytime schedule is pushing it and you should be setting an alarm to take the puppy out during the night every 2-3 hours. (picking up the water bowl 2 hours before bedtime will help with the duration of sleep during the night) So, it is true that dogs prefer not to soil their dens. However, your situation involves unrealistinc physical expectations.
Q2 - Your dog chooses to soil in the basement for a number of reasons...away from where it eats and sleeps, a place that you don't monitor so therefore you won't be yelling at it as it eliminates, nice dark calm place to eliminate, not being supervised 100% of the time when out of the crate, gotta go now and just can't wait until you see my signal because the expectations are unrealistic and the puppy isn't old enough to give "the sign"... whatever that may be, GOTTA GO NOW!!!!!
The bottom line here in both cases is that you need to set up a schedule and buy an alarm clock. Set the clock for every two hours and take the dog out. If the dog does not perform, put the dog in the crate and try again in 20 minutes. The dog gains freedom when it is successful outside. And if you cannot supervise the dog every minute then the dog needs to be in the crate. Did you not notice that the dog was missing from your presence when it went to the basement? Think of the puppy as a toddler. Supervise accordingly.
