Nikon and house training.

Liesje

Do you think I am giving him too much freedom or is this normal? 

Let me start by saying I fully believe in tethering a dog to you. That does make the housetraining process quicker and easier.

That being said... I can't do it and haven't been able to since I had only Kali and a foster... When I was fostering puppies, they learned two things immediately. We would have a party for them responding to their name AND we'd have another grand party 'outside'. This way the second I saw signs of them needing to go out, I could say outside, in any tone of voice and they'd all run to go out.

Good luck!! And errr... where's the latest pictures?? You know they grow like weeds at that age

 Has he had his vet  check to rule out infection?

Sounds pretty normal though, he just needs to go out more often when playing.  There were times we had to take Dell out ever 15mins or so when she 1st came home at 9weeks.

A tether is a great idea

I second the tether to you. Kord wore a leash in the house until he was a little over 4 months old, and outside of his first day and an accident that was my fault, he has never gone in the house or his crate.

As soon as he showed signs of needing to go out, it was grab the leash and in the happy, we so gotta do this voice trot off "outside". When he was done and we went in it was "house". We did this with both back and front door, so now any door on a home is considered "house". After 4months he graduated to a bell on the door, he rang it when he needed to go out. After 6 months or so he was given freedom of the bedroom and kitchen, we blocked him off from the living room,  by 8 months he was considered safe enough to leave the crate door open all the time with not gates.

Memory lane.....

Red leash

Blue leash

Searched, but could not find a picture of the "door bells". Will look on my home comp.

 Oh the joy of having a male. Lol.

My girls never seemed to pee like Joker does. After a few pees you would think he'd be empty. Joker only has living room and kitchen privaleges. They are the only rooms with no carpet and it seems to be working with Joker.

LOL, I think the tethering is one of those "do as I say, not as I do."  It always sounds good but I'm not sure what we'd do with him tethered to me since I sit on the couch and work most of the evening, other than the times we are out with the dogs in which case he is fine being free b/c he can pee wherever.  He usually spends about 45 minutes, 2-3 times a day wrestling with Coke or playing tug with him, and another few half hour spurts running around squeaking his baby Cuz like mad (along with dunking it in the water first so it gurgles).  One of the more mellow pups from his litter is being returned this week because she is "just too intense" (and this is from people who have herding dogs).  I can restrict him or tether him but that will bring on many more fits of barking and frustration.  But if that is normal I can do it...

3girls

Good luck!! And errr... where's the latest pictures?? You know they grow like weeds at that age

OMG! That picture of all three running is just too wonderful.  No advice on the housetraining other than what you have already heard.  He'll get it, he just hasn't got the idea yet but it sounds like he is trying to do the right thing but just waits too late as pups often do.

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

He's such a handsome boy!!!

If you're not sure about tethering him to you then you need to work on a command that will make him stop what he's doing and run to the door to go out. That at least will stop him mid-pee, squat or lift...

Sounds normal to me, too. Ena still will occasionally potty in the middle of playing, because she "forgets" she has to go. She did it last night. I had a friend come over with her three dogs. They all played outside, then we brought them in and ate with the dogs right there. Too much stimulation. She couldn't think about having to potty. Whoops!  Of course, she is a toy breed, and she is in season, but those are excuses. She was overstimulated, and I should have been paying more attention.

When she went out it was on lead, and if she didn't go as soon as she got outside, it was back in and to the crate (where I knew she wouldn't go), then try again in 5 - 10 minutes depending on how soon I felt like she'd need to go. Every time she went outside we did the praise and treat thing and then played with her for a while.

That predictability, I think, helped her learn the ropes and what would happen if she did or did not go.

Hope that help! I can't get over how much he's grown already!

Pit_Pointer_Aussie

When Luna was tiny, she was either in her crate, in her x-pen or out and 100% attention focused on her, so we could scoop her up and get her outside. When she was in her x-pen I had to watch closely too because there was enough room to potty and play and sleep, and she did have a few accidents there because I wasn't watching as well as I should have been.

When she went out it was on lead, and if she didn't go as soon as she got outside, it was back in and to the crate (where I knew she wouldn't go), then try again in 5 - 10 minutes depending on how soon I felt like she'd need to go. Every time she went outside we did the praise and treat thing and then played with her for a while.

That predictability, I think, helped her learn the ropes and what would happen if she did or did not go.

Hope that help! I can't get over how much he's grown already!

What did she do in the crate?  Nikon throws and absolute FIT in the crate if he is awake and everyone else is moving around.  I use the expen when I need to do a chore or use the bathroom, but he will pee in there too if he really has to go or if he gets all worked up and upset. He does sleep very well in the crate over night and is crated while I'm at work (I come home for lunch and starting Monday have a girl coming to play with him for 1/2 hour at 3:30pm).  I guess I feel guilty having to use the crate when I know he's wide awake and wants to run and play.  When he is out he is never where I can't see him and I take him out every 1/2 hour at the longest (sometimes every 10 minutes if he's walking like he *might* pee), but yet there are still accidents.  Even when I'm *watching* him he will still instantly stop and pee where he's at, there is no warning that I'm missing.  Anytime he makes any sort of whimper or move towards the door we go out.  Sometimes he does pee, other times it was not a real warning and he chases leaves or eats a stick instead.  He's been very good about going when he has to go (ie, he is not so distracted by playing with the other dogs or toys that he forgets to go when he's outside.  Say we are out for 45 minutes, in that time he will likely stop and pee 2-3 times on his own).

I'm not too concerned about the accidents themselves (I have Nature's Miracle and a SpotBot, his pee is basically clear anyway), but I don't want him to develop bad habits.  At the same time I hate keeping him in his little crate all the time when he is awake and very hyper. 

 I would allow him some freedom indoors straight after he has eliminated outside.  Example, he goes outside, to pee, he gets, praise, reward, gets to be loose, play etc. then he comes back inside - quite quickly, so he can have some time loose indoors, having only JUST pee'd and relatively "safe".

Personally, I would insist that he eat/chew IN THE CRATE.  Anything NOT in the crate is not to be eaten/chewed.  It also means:

• He associates the crate with "good stuff"
• The other dogs get a break from him 
• He gets REST, which all pups need, despite that fact that they may appear to prefer to carry on playing.
  

Liesje

I guess I feel guilty having to use the crate when I know he's wide awake and wants to run and play. I hate keeping him in his little crate all the time when he is awake and very hyper. 

Ah, you are underestimating the power they have of reading us.  Even Nikon the baby can feel your guilt and angst of keeping him in the crate.

Gotta make it a no big deal kind of thing.  "This is where you need to be right now...and that's that."  Yes, now he will whine and have fits...but you've got to get past that by ignoring.  Give him something to do while he's in there, that may make you feel better about it.