The Sewing Mom

Puppy training frustrations

9th August 2007

Puppy training frustrations

posted in Puppy News |

Okay, I’m really starting to feel like I’m not doing something right in this whole house breaking thing.  Plinko is now 9 weeks old and we’ve had her at home with us for 2 1/2 weeks.  It seems I’m cleaning up more potty messes now than I was 2 weeks ago, very frustrating. 

This morning is a perfect example.  I let Plinko out of her crate this morning where she’d made it through the night with no accidents (thus, I know she’s capable of holding it).  I took her straight outside where she peed and then had 2 poops.  This is her usual morning ritual, the one time when we are successful.   We came back inside where I gave her her breakfast and I put on a pot of coffee.   I then sat down on the family room floor with her to play, she’s only eaten a few bites of her breakfast.   After a total elapsed time of 10 minutes, I got up to get a cup of coffee in the kitchen and found, to my dismay, 2 piles by the kitchen table.   Mind you, the table is next to the back door, so I am assuming she at least went to the door.  She doesn’t bark or whine or anything, so if I don’t actually see her go to the door than I guess I’m doomed. 

 I cleaned up the messes and then, she was acting like she needed to go, so I put her on her leash (which she thinks is something to hold in her mouth) and took her out.  We spent about 10 minutes outside and nothing.  So here we sit, on the family room floor, I’m typing out my frustrations and she’s laying at my feet chewing on her leash. 

My goal today is to go buy a couple of gates, one to block of the hallway to the front door/dining room and the other to block off the stairs.  It seems that the more area she gains in her explorations, the worse the training goes so I am going to minimize where she can get to.   My family room & kitchen are basically one big open area so that’s where we spend our days hanging out. 

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!  I’ve heard of putting a bell on the doorknob and training the dog to tap the bell when she needs to go out.  Has anyone done this and did it work?

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There are currently 3 responses to “Puppy training frustrations”

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  1. 1 On August 9th, 2007, Karen said:

    I confined the dogs to the family room and kitchen. It did seem like they weren’t getting it and then all of a sudden they did. I think it took about 3 months. I remember talking our vets wife and she laughed when I said I thought they would never get it. Do you say “bad dog” when you find it? I try to make them feel guilty. Brodie still gets lazy and poops by the back door. The doggie door is open! He doesn’t like to get his little feet wet when the dew is still on the grass. “rolling my eyes” LOL

    posted on August 9th, 2007 at 9:48 am

  2. 2 On August 9th, 2007, lynne said:

    When we catch her in the act which we usually do since we watch her like a hawk, we holler NO! and I clap my hands really loud. She used to stop and we could get her outside to finish. Now she just keeps going. It’s driving me absolutely insane! It’s over 100 degrees outside, so it’s not pleasant for any of us to go out, but we do. Either my daughter or I have been outside with her 4 times in the last hour. Each time she did go, but then she also pooped inside once and peed once. I know she can hold it because she doesn’t go when she’s in her crate. I don’t want to leave her inher crate all the time, but I guess I have to do something.

    posted on August 9th, 2007 at 3:07 pm

  3. 3 On August 9th, 2007, Jane said:

    I have always found that rubbing their nose in it works.

    posted on August 9th, 2007 at 8:22 pm