glenmar
Posted : 10/26/2006 8:01:57 AM
Hmmmm, well Anne, as usual beat me to this one. Not much that I can really add other than DITTO.
Pet store pups are harder to train because they have no option but to potty in their den and once that inhibition is broken its a lot harder to unlearn. But it can be done.
When I have a single pup (I foster so that isn't often that there is JUST one) the bedtime crate goes right beside my bed, propped up on a chair or something so pup can SEE me in the nite. First whimper I'll reach out, fingers through the door and shhhhhh a bit with whatever mumbled comfort comes out. If pup settles, he was just a little scared and needed reassuring that I was still there. If not, up and out to potty. As few lights as I can get away with without falling and killing myself....pup is CARRIED to the potty place and the ONLY words I saw are "lets go OUTSIDE and go POTTY"....that's my phrase. When I get there it's "go POTTY" and when he complies "Gooooood potty" and then I pick him up and carry him right back to his crate. I don't talk other than the few words I use to convey my potty messages, I keep things dark and when I put pup back in the crate I say the same thing I say when I first put him to bed....nite nite time.
Anne has given you excellent advice and I hope with time and patience this will work for you.