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LovingtheOEB
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07-10-2010, 02:12 AM

Crate Training/House Training, it just doesn't seem fair...

Hi! I've been working hard with Megan's house training. We got her a crate and her first night was great. We let her out twice to go potty and she was clean all night. During the day she had several accidents. I give my hubby credit for most of those, he doesn't watch her close enough while I'm at work. Men. Anyways, I read an article through Google that had some suggestions. It said that when it is time to go potty, take the pup outside and allow it 3 to 5 minutes to go. If it doesn't go within that time frame, take it back inside and straight into the crate for about 10 minutes, followed by another trip outside. Repeat the process until she potties outside. Then she can be allowed to play in the house knowing she is empty. This should be done once an hour.

What do you all think of that? To me, it makes perfect sense, but almost doesn't seem fair to the pup. She doesn't understand right now why we are locking her in the crate. All she knows is that we are not gone or sleeping, just going about like normal and she is locked away. I think my heart would break to have to do that. But it seems like a great way to help house train a pup. Opinions?

And some questions:

-Right now we are taking Megan outside every 15-20 minutes. She does not always potty outside. When she doesn't go within 10 minutes, we bring her back inside. She has several times gone potty only 30 seconds after being back inside. Guess we missed the signs, right?

-Sometimes Megan will potty every 15-20 minutes outside. Sometimes she will go an hour between potties. When does a person increase the time between potties? Is she trying to tell us already that she doesn't need to go out so often? As I said before, at night she was holding it for 3-4 hours.

Thanks for reading, I look foward to everyone's advice!
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josshun
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07-10-2010, 07:05 AM
hi there
megan wont understand about the crate but she will get the message she will start to realise going into the crate with toilet sometimes it's hard when you put them into the crate when there looking up at you with there lovely eyes hope it goes well with the toilet training best of luck
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krlyr
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07-10-2010, 07:52 AM
I thought the whole point of a crate/crate training is to give the dog a safe, secure area it wants to go in - so you should never use it for "punishment"
Puppies won't even realise when they need to go to the toilet, hence the accidents when they come back indoors, etc. - puppies will have accidents, it's part of having a pup, so clean them up and forget about them, it's not a backwards step to have one or two accidents.
Personally I would just continue as you are, and remember to make a big fuss when she does pee outside!
One thing that may help is perhaps making a note of when she does pee lots and when she doesn't, to see if there's a pattern? It might be that she's eating wet food, or eating dry then having a big drink, and x hours after breakfast she needs to pee all that water out - hence the numerous pee trips. Then she doesn't eat or drink for a while, explaining the longer gaps.
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rune
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07-10-2010, 08:05 AM
You need to stay with her and play or just wander round until she goes, WHILE she is going put a word to it. I use 'hurry up' but it can be anything you like. If she doesn't go DON'T bring her back in but DO praise lavishly when she does go. Then if she is an outdoor loving dog DON'T come in again straight away----that will make her hold it for longer.

Sorry about the upper case but I wanted to emphasise those bits!

Don't use the crate in the way you are doing, it should be nice safe area that she settles down in with a stuffed kong or similar.

Take her out when she wakes up, after she has eaten and after a bit of a play. You'll get to recognise the signs.

DON'T get cross with her, you don't want to end up with adog that won't go in front of ypu wherever you are.

rune
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Wysiwyg
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07-10-2010, 08:26 AM
I am afraid I disagree with the crate advice you read - it sounds extreme to me, and rather regimental

How old is she at the moment?

A lot of course depends on if you are home all day, but generally pups need to "go" after they wake up, after playing, eating. So take pup out after these anyway and wander around with her and praise. I used to give my Terv a piece of sausage as she was going, or literally straight after, and add the cue word.

It can take a while, and also pups can regress a little during adolescence

Just relax and in time she will cotton on to what you want.

Lotsa luck!

Wys
x
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Tassle
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07-10-2010, 08:40 AM
I have occasionally used crates in this way - if people are having a real problem with house training....but when you put the pup in the crate, you should always make it nice, give them a chew/stuffed kong.

I would only go for this technique if it was an older pup, and I would not be waking a pup up to go out - it would be every hour when they are awake.

This would only be for situations where you are at home and working etc.....it is a good way to remember that the pup needs to go out.

Its also important that during play you take your pup out after 5-10 mins....often when they get excited - they loose some of the bladder control.
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LovingtheOEB
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07-10-2010, 03:18 PM
Thanks everyone, I didn't really want to use that method. Like I said, it made sense but I doubted she would connect the two. Megan is only 12 weeks. Very young, I know. The only reason I am even bothering asking questions is because my husband doesn't understand how very young she is and that she will be potty training for weeks to come. I was not only searching for methods to help us, but to also show him that she is doing great. It also might help me to mention to him that when he is home with her she has more accidents, where as when she is home with me, she has much less. I think he just doesn't watch her as closely as he thinks he is.
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miz66
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07-10-2010, 04:25 PM
We bought our Chihuahua a crate not because of toilet training but because he used to open doors and we'd find him in the living room ect. when we'd left him or in the mornings my first thoughts were of wires and the dangers he could come across like puppies do, as soon as we bought his crate he made it his own now we don't lock the door as we did at first sometimes he comes out and has a wonder around the kitchen but 9 times out of 10 the door is where we left it. He treats it as his own space now, he's going to be 2 in a couple of weeks but the crate is staying.
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LovingtheOEB
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08-10-2010, 08:56 PM
I have just been reading lots of threads and I am just amazed. There are several people on here that have said their dogs have only ever had one or two accidents indoors their entire potty training process. Megan has had, since we got her a week ago, about 20!!! We are seriously taking her outside every 20 minutes and after every activity she does (eat, drink, etc). We are trying so hard with so many setbacks. I think our problem is mostly with our 2 year old son. When he needs something, he of course comes before the puppy. I think with his needs plus the pup's needs is making it near impossible to catch and spot every sign she needs to potty. What is a person to do when you are changing your toddler's clothes or getting him food and drink or giving him a bath? Surely I shouldn't lock Megan in her crate every time I need to tend to my son's needs, right? That seems to be when most of the accidents happen, when we aren't able to watch Megan and are tending to him. Any advice for full time job working, 2 year old raising parents?
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rune
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08-10-2010, 09:04 PM
How long do you leave her for while you work?

Can you do one job each---one with the pup and one with the child. It won't be forever and it is worth the effort now.

rune
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