Did I make a mistake with my puppy?

[Paikea]

Hi All!

I've let our puppy play downstairs, supervised, with us since we got her. We don't leave her alone, we just play in the dining room, kitchen and living room cuz there's no carpet there. We play catch, etc.

Was this a mistake? I thought she needed exercise, so we spend several hours a day playing with various toys.

Now I realize maybe this has interfered with housebreaking, cuz she is still not fully housebroken.

When she wakes up, we put her on her papers and she goes. No problem. Whenever she goes on the paper she gets praise/treats.

But while she's playing she doesn't always go on the paper. We do scold her and tell her "NO" in the same manner and tone as when I'm using treats to have her "sit" on command. But she still has about 50/50 record of going on the paper while playing.

She is 11 weeks old and we've had her since she was only four weeks (emergency rescue).

The vet has given us the OK to take her outside. Is this an opportunity to re-train her? Any advice on outside training?

Thank you!!
Michelle

 

[FoxyWench]

id give up on scoliding all together, most pups dont put the accident and the no together...

instead lots of praise when she gets it right, like crazy amounts.

my biggest suggestion to you would be to take her out when she wakes up (even after a nap) after a good play session, after food, anytime you see her sniffing and otherwise every 2 hours. schedual is everything, set an alarm and use the same words every time, "potty" in a happy tone or "wanna go out?" keep everything upbeat.

if she has an accident scold yourself, you wernt watching close enough simply scoop he up mid pee or poop, take her out and wait till she finnisheds and praise like mad. clean up with a good enzamatic cleaner (i like natures miracle) and next time watch her closer.

if you find she shaving accidents taking her out every 2 hours, try taking her out every hour...once shes having no accidents you can slowly increase the time between potty breaks.
you can also add a cue behaviour, hang some bells by the door and every time you take her out touch them so they ring, eventually have her touch them, and shell quickly learn to ing the bell every time she wants to go potty.

 

[Paikea]

Great advice! Will post to my fridge!

What are your thoughts on the play area we've been using? Should we be limiting her to a smaller area to play?

Thanks again!
Michelle

 

[Amanda885]

^^^ well said above.
just takes time and patience, your dog will learn

 

[FoxyWench]

as long as your able to completly watch her in the "play area" and keep ontop of getting her out frequently i dont personally see an issue giving them plenty of space to play, but the more space you give them the more diligent you have to be about watching her

 

[smkie]

Here's the deal. When you get a puppy moving about like us, it starts wave like movements of the bowels, bouncing around on a full bladder isn't any fun and it's darn hard to stop playing when your so happy. Take your puppy outside and do that running and zooming about. While your housebreaking keep the inside stuff quiet and calm, keep the puppy where you can see her/him and set a timer. The quality time you are spending is critical in the kind of relationship you will develop, but you have to remember your playing with a baby and have baby type expectations. You want to set yourself up for a win win. Take puppy outside as soon as they wake up, after drinking a lot of water, no less than 20 minutes after they eat, some have to go right away, and BEFORE you do a lot of playing around. Play around outside until the deed is done. Then go in and have some close relax time or play more inside. As soon as the dog is hot, they will drink and with puppies that means with their tiny bladders they will go soon. So back outside after lots of drinking. Praise the heavens and reward with love. I have leashed some difficult leg hiking adults to me for days on end but that is a different story. That is with an un housebroken adult.

 

[milos_mommy]

She is still VERY young. It's not a mistake to let her play supervised free in the house at all.

I'd try to time her playtime after she goes to the bathroom and you don't think she'll need to. If she does, it's not a huge deal, just try to put her outside if you see sniffing around or acting like she needs to go.

Foxy had some good advice, it sounds like you're doing a lot right.

Since she was separated from littermates and mom at a young age, make sure to socialize her even more than you usually would (look in to doing it safely before her vaccines are done) especially with other dogs so she can learn her manners around other dogs.

 

[Paikea]

thanks everyone for your advice and help! She is now 11 weeks old and is doing much better!

 

[puppydog]

Expect mistakes for a while still. Riley has been with me for 3 weeks now and I think we may have had a breakthrough last night only. It takes time, repetition and LOADS of patience. I have Riley on a every 30 minute schedule. Lord that girl can pee.
Keep it up.