Puppy potty training frustrations, please help.

He has too much freedom inside.  That little bladder doesn't give him a heck of a lot of warning and when he's gotta go, he's gotta go.  When you can't NOT glance away for 10 seconds he needs to be in his crate or leashed to you.  when I have pups they tend to come in litters since I foster and nope I don't leash 7 or 8 pups to me, but pretty typically the area closest to my feet is the prime real estate, and if anyone happens to get up, I do to and get them right outside.
 
NO doesn't tell him what you WANT him to do.....it just tells him that when he pees you holler at him.  Instead, try unh uh, or not there, scoop him up in a towel and run him outside and tell him "go potty" or whatever phrase you choose to use.  EVERY time to take him out preface it by asking "wanna go outside and go potty", when you get there tell him "go potty" and then have a party when he does.  You might wanna just LEAVE your shoes on...makes it faster and easier.
 
You shouldn't NEED to scrub with NM....be careful with that by the way because it has been known to cause color changes, Petastics is a better product.  Sop up the pee and then SATURATE the entire area, and I do mean SATURATE it with NM and let it air dry.  See, if you only use a little, you aren't getting all the way INTO the carpet and pad and pup can still smell it.  Pee smell means that this is an ok place to pee....so you've gotta get alll the smell out.  And you can only do that by saturating.  I suggest buying it by the GALLON and forgetting the littler bottles.
 
This is just a baby and he doesn't KNOW where he's supposed to pee until you teach him.  Takes time, patience and consistency...and that's why pups are so darned cute...so we won't be tempted to kill the little darlin's!

Copied from a former member

Housetraining 101
The best way to do house training is to use a crate that is just large enough for the pup to stand up, turn around, and lay down. The pup stays in the crate unless it can be very closely supervised -or- is being taken outside (or to potty pads) to potty/play.

Take the pup to potty as frequently as you can (once an hour if possible). Don't let the pup be on the floor in places that he shouldn't pee except right after he has already peed. The fewer mistakes the pup makes the faster he will be house trained.

The rule of thumb is that the pup can hold it (in hours) for its age in months, plus one. The pup should be taken out at least that often during the day and whenever the pup wakes up and whimpers at night. If the pup doesn't whimper and soils his crate at night, you may have to set an alarm. At night the pup should do his business and be put back in the crate - no playing.

Crating the pup for longer than it can hold it is cruel, so if the pup needs to be left for longer than that set up a restricted area (e.g. in a bathroom or in a x-pen in the kitchen). The area should have the crate, plus puppy pads (in a doggie litter box - helps with aim). Teach the pup to go in the litter box - as well as going outside (if feasible). [Larger breeds will outgrow the litter box, but small breeds can continue to use one as adults - if you wish them to do so.]

When the pup does potty where you want him to, "throw a party" - praise him, give him treats, and make a big deal about it. Convince your neighbors that you are completely crazy. Whenever possible, let the pup play for a few minutes afterwards so the pup will want to immediately do its business.

Never ever yell at or punish the pup for peeing. You will just teach the pup to hide to pee. Don't even let the pup see you clean up because some pups think it is a game to make their owners get down on the floor.

The first area of freedom for a pup should be a restricted area (like above). When the puppy is reliable there and you do allow the pup more freedom in the home, keep the area small and then slowly expand it. Watch closely, have a towel handy and scoop the pup up if it shows any sign of soiling. Feeding the pup in the new areas will help develop a prohibition against soiling there.

As the pup starts being more reliable, some people use a leash to attach the pup to their waist as they move around the house. That allows the owner to interrupt the pup before it soils and teaches the pup to stay with the owner in the home. Close proximity also helps with teaching the pup to chew only on appropriate items.

I would also set up a reasonably strict schedule for house training.  I would develop a schedule that fits into your schedule.  Having two different schedules will usually end in failure.
 
As mentioned above a crate is the best means to develop habits to prevent mistakes in the house.  If you puppy is taken out and wonders around and sniffs but does not eliminate, I would suggest either being patient and keep him out there until he does eliminate then praise him for doing so, or take him to the place he usually eliminates and have him sniff around the area he uses most frequently.
 
Above all a schedule and maintaining it will go a long way in house training a dog.
 
Patrick

Hey all

i've had Diego for 16 days now, and he is almost 11 weeks old.. I ve been reading A LOT hehe, and I stay with him most of the time and whenever he wakes up, drinks, after play etc I take him outside to do his stuff and praise him a lot when he does. Inside he stays mostly in the crate when he s asleep, and the rest of the time in my room playing. Howveer, whenever I leave him in the house (under observation)for a few minutes sometimes, he runs away and goes to do somewhere inside - he seems to be oblivious to the fact that i d like him to do outside.. He never gives the impression of even walking to the door to show me he needs.. even when we re playing in my room

I was expecting that after 2 weeks there would still be accidents, howveer that he might be getting the idea of where to go..

am i expecting too much?

cheers!
andrew

Not only are you expecting too much, but by giving him so much freedom you're setting this little guy up to fail.  Crated, in an ex pen or leashed to you ALLL the time.  Don't give him a chance to wander off.

i dont really, i m always looking after him, but he cant be crated or leashed all the time, he needs to play or wont sleep at night init

Remember, puppies can`t control their bladder physically until they`re about 6months old! They have to learn to train the muscles there. Some learn faster, some don`t...I remember a little pup that I had to take care of for 3months and he was just driving me insane...
But they are like little babies and no one would expect an human baby of 2years to be completely "dry".
 
I also don`t think that it`s good to leash a pup or crate him for every second in the house when I can`t watch him. It doesn`t  seem ractical to me, for they are learning, that you`re always around and all your attention is on them all the time.
 
@Xens
Try using simple vinegar to clean the carpet...most of the chemical cleaners intensify the scent of urine so your pup still smells where he peed.
Puppies need to go out after sleeping, playing, eating, plus whenever they seem to be "nervous", looking for something, turning around themselves.
I know, it`s a hard time, I think most of the people remember sleeping with all clothes on, always ready to jump out...[]
 
I assume you have determined times when you go for a walk with your pup?
Beside those times and he has to pee don`t go for a walk, STAND for a walk. Otherwise he`ll learn that he has to pretend that he has to pee and you go for a walk with him. This might take hours but it will be worth it.
And remember, everything`s so exciting outside for him, he just forgets to pee or he feels unsecure outside, which is normal at this age for some pups, and when he`s inside, he feels safe and then pees.
Choose a good place that is near to your home where he should learn to pee always. To make it easier for him you can take a hanky with his pee(when he did it again in the house) and place it there. The scent will hopefully animate him to choose this place too. And if he does it there for the first time, really throw a biiig party! [sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]