house/crate training trouble in older puppy

[juliefurry]

I have a 7 month old pitbull american bulldog puppy who is being very difficult to housebreak and crate train. He doesn't seem to want to alert us to when he needs to go out he would rather just go where he is at (be it in his crate or in the kitchen). He doesn't seem to be able to hold it long either he can only hold it for an hour or so before he has to go. The breeders we got him from did not work on housebreaking and I don't think that they worked on crate training him either. I asked the vet if it could be medical and he didn't think that it was. He said that we just need to get him to expand his bladder. Has anyone else had the problem or a dog that won't alert you to when he has to go out?

 

[Barb04]

Since he hadn't been trained by the breeder, maybe try doing what some have done with younger pups. Take the pup out every hour (day and night - you won't get much sleep) whether he has to go or not. When he relieves himself outside, say good boy. You can gradually extend the time. If this isn't possible, make sure to take him out after eating, drinking, sleeping, and whenever you see him sniffing around which may mean he's looking for a place to go. It's going to take time, but have patience.

 

[juliefurry]

I usually do end up taking him out every hour. He's very wierd though because there are times he can go three four hours without having to go and then most the time he can only go an hour. He can go all night without having to go though so that's good for us. I'll try what you are suggesting though. Thank you for the idea.

 

[Saje]

Yeah. Keep to a schedule to. And look for little signs. It may not be obvious that he is going to go. Also, keep him at your side as much as possible. Tie a leash around your waist if you'd like. That way you'll learn more about his cues and he can't sneak off and potty somewhere else.

Glad he makes it through the night!

Also, you may want to reconsider that breeder in the future.

 

[juliefurry]

Yeah, I will consider a different breeder in the future. I have never dealt with a breeder before I have only had dogs from shelter and knock on wood they had all been housebroken so this is the first time that I had to deal with housebreaking a puppy. The breeders seemed like very nice people though, they did have good intentions. He's such a sweet boy though so it makes up for it. I wish I could keep him with me all the time but I have a little ten month old baby and sometimes he doesn't realize his own strength. He's very good "potty-wise" when he is with me he usually just wants to cuddle up on the couch with me and go to sleep. it seems like when he is alone in the kitchen and we are not paying attention to him is when he goes, so I feel that he does do most of this for attention. When he does go though I usually try to ignore him while I'm cleaning it up. If he gets up in my face to lick it I will move away I never make contact with him until it and me have been cleaned up. I don't know if that is the right thing to do all I know is that I don't want to give him any positive attention but then agian I don't want to give him any negative attention either. I know it's not his fault it's the breeders for not teaching him any of this stuff.

 

[Saje]

Wow juggling a person baby and a puppy baby.

He's still young. It will come with time.

Maybe he doesn't potty infront of you because he taught it was bad. If people use the rub your nose in it technique or teach the dog that it is wrong (newspaper swat...) the dog learns that it's wrong to go in general.

Maybe the way to handle it is by praising him tons when he goes outside (I mean overboard) and continue to ignore him when he does it indoors. I think taking him out immediately after is a good idea too. And if you catch him doing it you should distract him by making a noise, banging wall, throwing keys (on floor not at him) or something. He should be curious enough to stop and you can take him outside and let him finish there.

 

[danitashop]

Positive reinforcement is the best way to potty train. Scolding your dog after the fact he went inside is no good, since their memory can only link events taht happened 4 or 5 seconds, so he won't understand a NO! if he's not caught in the act.

Taking him potty every hour or two is a good method, have a yummy treat handy in case he goes, praise and use a word like "Go Potty" every time he goes. Eventually he will associate going potty with good stuff and will do it on command to please you.

If you catch him going inside, say NO!, pick him outside and stay there until he goes again... As soon as he goes, super praise and give him a treat. It's annoying, it takes time but it's worked for me with my own and foster doggies I've had.

Consistency and patience are the keys here... Good Luck!

 

[Silver_wlf]

One thing we tried, and I know it works for some people, is a bell. Tie a bell around the doornob. When you're going out for potty, ring the bell then go out. Some dogs will pick up that if they ring the bell - they go outside.

Just a thought.

 

[Renee750il]

Don't worry too much about whether or not he's been crate trained. A crate's not a necessity, especially if you can put him in a puppy-proofed room when you're gone. An athletic breed like this really develops much better physically if not confined in a small area like a crate for extended periods of time.

 

[juliefurry]

Yeah I feel bad for putting him in the cage all the time. He looks SO sad. I have him gated off in the kitchen and when my daughter is asleep he hangs out with me on the couch or sitting in my lap (he thinks he's a lap dog and doesn't realize how big and heavy he is yet). I will try the bell hopefully it will get him to alert us when he needs to go out, I think I actually have a set of sleigh bells in the basement. Thanks for the good advice, although every little piece helps.

 

[Renee750il]

Crates can be a useful tool - if you need them. Most dogs, if properly introduced to the crate, will use it as a private den when they want to get away and be quiet for awhile, but truthfully, I've never even owned one for any of my dogs. I tend to think of them as a last resort for dogs that just won't stay out of trouble, and even then on a very limited basis, such as when they are alone in the house. Keep in mind, crates are a relatively new wrinkle in dog training. I think someone in the crate manufacturing business got smart and realized it would be a good way to sell more of the product. Most people only used crates for travelling until the crate training technique got popular.

 

[juliefurry]

Well I am pleased to say that Mack is doing a little better (he is renewing my faith in him). He still doesn't really alert us but I take him out every hour just about and he has only had one accident in the house the past two days. He's only in his crate at night, although my stepsons were here last night so he slept almost all night on the bed with me and my husband and didn't have one accident. He's fine as long as he's with me so he's been allowed to stay leashed up to me during the day and at night as well. I hope this will helping in the housebreaking process seeing as he doesn't like to have accidents when I am around.

 

[Renee750il]

It sounds like you've figured out Mack's "key." He wants to please you. That's a very valuable tool for teaching a dog - or a cat - or a kid - or a man, lol! (The dogs are easiest, and I can't actually say I've ever managed to 'teach' a man anything)

 

[juliefurry]

yeah, I'm still working on teaching my husband too. Mack had one more accident today while we went to Chuck E Cheese with the kids (we left him crated for 3 hours though). Yeah he definetely does better with the bathroom thing when I am around he doesn't like me to see him have an accident so as long as he can be with me he won't go unless it is ABSOLUTELY neccesary.

 

[1sweetnopichick]

I agree with what everyone else is saying about positive reinforcement. That's always important. One more suggestion...how big is the crate? I've always had good luck with crate training and with our 2 boxers it's a must cause they can't be trusted alone in the house at all - not for potty training reasons but for CHEWING...chewing EVERYTHING...chewing & EATING everything. Anyway, if he's going in the crate it might be too big. It's supposed to just be big enough for him to go in and turn around comfortably, stand up and lay down and sit in comfortably but that's it. Some people think that's harsh but most dogs don't mind. I know a lot of people who have a small to med size dog and get it the largest crate availabe and wonder why it's not working to potty train them. If they've got room to go they will. We keep ours set up in the living room all the time with their beds in them (usually not a good idea to always move it - dogs like familiarity, they also like for them to be where the family is that way they don't feel "outcast & unwanted"). It's just big enough but not too big. Even when we're there sometimes they will go in and lay down. They're their own little private getaway rooms. When it's time to leave we just say go to bed and they will go in and wait for us to close the doors. Your dog's still a puppy so he will need to be set up on a schedule for bathroom time. What's worked with us it to let them out as soon as we get up and just before they go in their crates, when we get home of the afternoons (and sometimes if I get to sneek home for lunch). When we're home we let them out every 1-2 hours up till bed time. It took about 2 weeks for them to pick up on the schedule but since then we've not had any accidents unless we stray from the schedule. May not work for you but it's worth a try. Good luck!!

 

[juliefurry]

Yeah we usually take him out about every hour when we are home which he has no problem with holding it. We are just trying to get it so we can go out for two or three hours and he won't have any "surprises" waiting for us when we get home. As for the crate it is only big enough for him to lay down in and sit, so if he goes he has to lay and sit in it he has no choice. He is really good about going in the crate if I tell him to get in he will, most the time I throw in a treat and let him chase that in there it makes it fun for him.