House Breaking a new pup?

[HuntnCoug]

I just got a new bird dog, he is a yellow lab and is about 8 weeks old. We have had him for a week now and has been doing pretty good at whining at the door when he needs to go. Today however it was raining hard all day and he decided it was easier to go inside. I feel like the old rubbing their nose in it is a little outdated. Does anyone have any advice on a more effective way of potty training a dog?

[Hawk]

I wouldn't do the "rub their nose in it" or "spank them with the paper" methods. We were told that they have the attention span of a knat, and they have no idea what they are being spanked for, or why they have to sniff the floor where it's wet.

We did our Katie by taking her out to potty, first thing out of the crate. We'd stand on the deck and just watch her and when she started to go potty, we'd say "Potty-Potty-Potty" and praise her until she was done. We wanted to associate the word with that particular action. Then, she'd be safe for about 45 minutes or so of family/play time. We'd then put her back in the crate (on the theory that they won't soil their den) and that worked pretty good. She might be in the crate for 10-20 minutes (or longer) then it was back outside first thing then more family/play time. We just kept that basic pattern and she rarely (like may be two or three times) pottied in the house.

They learn pretty quick that potty is an outside activity. If it's raining, have a couple of towels to dry them off with when they come in.

[Capin' Dan]

Hawk hit it on the nose. Positive reinforcment you should never rub their noses in it unless you wan ta dog to eat their on feces. Take them out when they go outside make a big deal about it and use th ego potty word once your dog understands you want him to go potty right now will result in you being dryer in years to come.

[huntercgr]

Also remember to take them right outside to potty directly after playing, drinkin water, and waking up. Those activities seem to always make them "forget" they need to go out and will go wherever they are.

Good luck with the pup!!

[Beamerfish]

Hawk said it. It's all about putting them in a position to succeed and providing positive reinforcement. All that punishment stuff is ancient history and doesn't really work very well anyway. Yeah, I know there are 8 jillion guys out there that potty trained their dogs that way but I suspect there are also alot of dogs that learned to be fearful and aggressive the same way. If you do have an accident, a good way to look at it is that you weren't being careful and attentive enough - not that your dog was bad. They want more than anything else to please you. You just have to show them the right way.

[Lucky one]

I just went through this with my golden retreiver. She was great but every now and then she'd let go in the house. If we caught her we'd grab her while scolding (no physical punishment) and take her outside. She got it after a few incidents. After a while the only acccidents we got were when company came over and she got a little overstimulated.

Also, when we took her out to pee we'd bring her in right away so playtime and pee time didn't overlap and she didn't whine at the door every ten minutes to go play.

[fishlipper]

All good advice. One thing to mention. Think about the words you teach your dog to go P on command. I hear a lot of people say go potty, do your business, or something like that. I taught my lab to go on this command, "Hurry up". Just me, but it sounds a little better than some I have heard. My buddys dog goes on the command, "go potty". He gets a lot of ribbing for that command. Just a thought. Also, take your dog out even if it is not whinning. Like someone said before, set them up for success. I know it is a pain in the butt, but so is cleaning up P of the floor.

[rimrock]

If you catch her in the act, you can and should say NO! If you only discover the mess after the fact it's too late to correct, that's life with a puppy

Only 8wks? You got a longtime to go before you can think about serious house breaking. In the mean time give her on a routine which will help her being consistent on "bathroom" duties.

[jnicholson]

You've got to anticipate the act and scoop them up and put them outside. The greatest way to correct behavior is to correct it while they are in the act.

If you find a pile or puddle on the floor later, harsh dissapointing words and a rush outside is my recommendation.

If they are peeing or pooping scoop them up and give them positive words as your putting them outside as quick as you can.

BTW, we have 4 household labs. You're in for a year and a half of puppy fun Don't worry though, housetraining will only take a few weeks and then you'll just have the occassional accident.

John

[Bloom]

I'm going through training with our new Cavalier pup. Crate training is the only way to go. Timing is essential if you expect to get any results. You should expect to take the pup out 8-10 times a day as their bladder is about the size of a large grape. If your pup goes potty or whatever command you give, offer praise immediately and allow the pup to play inside or out for awhile before returning him to the crate.

If he fails to urinate, take him back to the crate immediately for about an hour and try again. Unless you catch them in the act of using your house for a restroom, chewing on the moulding, your wife's favorite slippers or whatever, you're wasting your energy and confusing the pup.

Get a routine going and stay with it. I use a crate for times when he fails to urinate, but a large, portable pen for him to nap and play when I can't attend to him. When he's running loose in the house, my eyes are on him 100% in order to catch him in the act.

I'm with others on the old school methods, they're old school and have no place in building trust and a healthy relationship with your animal. Lucky for me I'm retired and have the time to do this, but man, it wears me out sometimes. It's like having a new kid who just found his legs.

[shinook65]

Originally Posted by huntercgr

Also remember to take them right outside to potty directly after playing, drinkin water, and waking up. Those activities seem to always make them "forget" they need to go out and will go wherever they are.

Good luck with the pup!!

Exactly... The only thing I will add is right after they eat. Eating stimulates the digestive system (bowel) and will cause them to have a movement.. As soon as they are finished (eating/drinking/waking up), go outside and give them the "potty" command.. (Whatever word you want to use).. Even at 8 weeks..Then as soon as they go, get down to their level and give them pets and praise..LOTs and LOTs of praise.. They dig it, they'll learn fast!!

[225nontypical]

kennel training works very well and very fast. i have done this on my last 4 dogs and all of them had it down within a couple of weeks

[scottishsetter]

Dogs love routines! We use "poop and pee".
We also have two other dogs to show the new one the routine.

[dpdub]

I got my lab when she was 6 weeks old and she learned real quick. I took her out as often as I could and when she went I would praise her and giver a little piece of a treat. It worked really well, so well that after about two weeks she would just squat and stare at me waiting for a treat, even though she wasn't going. My vet told me that a pup should be let out every time they wake up, 20-30 minutes after they eat, and just for good measure about once an hour to two hours when they are real young.

The guy that I got her from said he had a buddy who would take his dog out side and wipe it with a warm, wet, washcloth. Apparently that's what mommy dog does when they are being raised to get them to go. I didn't try that because I didn't want to be washing wash rags all the time and she learned so fast.

Getting mad or disciplining a pup is pretty much worthless, it would be like yelling or spanking your infant child for going in their diaper or misbehaving. It is hard not to because you think they are so smart because of their personalities, but they really don't know much of anything when they are that young.

[WapitiBob]

Crate train, like Bloom said.
The only way to go.

[Antlershed]

When I got my GSP at 10 weeks, I just took him outside pretty fequently and when he would be peeing I would praise him. He learned pretty quick, but he wouldn't always whine, so sometimes I just had to watch for him going towards the door, and then I would go let him out. Also, right after eating, he goes outside to do his business. He only had maybe 2 accidents using that routine. Also, I never yelled at him unless I caught him in the act. Like somebody else mentioned, at that age they have no idea what you are yelling at them for if you catch it later.

[RidgeRunner]

Originally Posted by fishlipper

All good advice. One thing to mention. Think about the words you teach your dog to go P on command. I hear a lot of people say go potty, do your business, or something like that. I taught my lab to go on this command, "Hurry up". Just me, but it sounds a little better than some I have heard. My buddys dog goes on the command, "go potty". He gets a lot of ribbing for that command. Just a thought. Also, take your dog out even if it is not whinning. Like someone said before, set them up for success. I know it is a pain in the butt, but so is cleaning up P of the floor.

fishlipper, we use the same command, "Hurry up", I think we got this from
the trainer we saw for a few sessions.

[HuntnCoug]

Thanks for the advice everbody, I am not familiar with the crate training method. Right now Im not working so I have a lot of time to spend following the puppy around waiting for him to show signs of needing to go to the bathroom. Having this extra time to watch the dog would it still be preferential to use the crate training method?

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by shinook65

Exactly... The only thing I will add is right after they eat. Eating stimulates the digestive system (bowel) and will cause them to have a movement..

I haven't seen that with Katie. It may be an hour or two before she poops after eating. The one thing that consistently causes her to have a bowel movement is exercise. Go toss her some dummies and she's poopin' in about 5 minutes. The joke out hunting with her is that the hunt doesn't start until Katie does her poop-pee-poop-poop routine, then she's ready to "git' it on" with them birds!

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by HuntnCoug

Thanks for the advice everbody, I am not familiar with the crate training method. Right now Im not working so I have a lot of time to spend following the puppy around waiting for him to show signs of needing to go to the bathroom. Having this extra time to watch the dog would it still be preferential to use the crate training method?

I'd vote for crate training. I'm not a big fan of the 'follow-them-around-until-they-make-a-mistake' method. I'd rather give him every opportunity to be successful and praise the heck out of him when she is successful. When he knows you're happy with what he did, he's going to want to do it again and again to make you happy with him.

[blackdog]

I am not familiar with the crate training method

Not a problem. Do a simple google search on 'crate training' and you will get more information than you really need. Very simple and the best way to get a dog house broken in a hurry.

Enjoy the pup! And take pictures and share them with us. We all love puppy pictures!

[sunshinefisherman]

Originally Posted by Hawk

I'd vote for crate training. I'm not a big fan of the 'follow-them-around-until-they-make-a-mistake' method. I'd rather give him every opportunity to be successful and praise the heck out of him when she is successful. When he knows you're happy with what he did, he's going to want to do it again and again to make you happy with him.

[Chrome Bumper]

A crate is a great training tool. And when they learn to like it its great. About all our dog needs it for now is to stay in when he comes in with wet paws until his paws dry.

When he barks at visitors its off to the crate for a time out too.