Potty training woes!!(kidna long sorry)

logiesmom · #1 10-27-2009, 06:42 AM

Hey guys...i am needing little help here. My boxer pup Logan is just over three months old. We brought him home at 9wks old. He is the sweetest pup ever!! We are having the usual puppy probs with nipping/biting/growling at the kids, but with some bite inhibition stuff suggested on this forum, he has really turned the corner on that stuff the last two weeks. He is now playing appropriatly with the kids and only giving a few gentle mouthing/nibbles. Our problem now is with potty training. Logan did great his first two weeks home, but now seems to be backsliding. We are crate training and put him in his crate whenever we can't keep a constant eye on him. I would like to be able to have him with my all the time during the day with supervision, but he just can't seem to control his bladder. He does great in the crate at night and will usually hold it for about 8hrs with maybe one if that accident during the week. I took him out this morning and he went pee twice and poop. I took him back inside and started getting the kids ready for school. I had the baby gate up in the kitchen and he was in there with me. I turned my head for a second and he peed on the floor!!! He has been doing this more frequently over the last two weeks. I take him out to do his business and he will end up peeing on the floor not even an hour after taking him out. I take him out at least every two hours and always say go potty and give him lots of praise. I have caught him in the act a few times and gave him a stern no and took him straight outside. I feel like i am doing the right thing...maybe just need a little reassurance or some other advice. When do they "get it". How old are they when they usually have decent bladder control during the day?? Thanks again
Holly
ps....no poop accidents in the house...just pee

RockyCody · #2 10-27-2009, 09:23 AM

Rocky is 12 weeks today and does the same thing. He's NEVER pooped in our house, but we took him to my cousins who has a big lab and boom - pooped.

The other thing is - sometimes we leave blankets on the floor for him so he can lay on them and be more comfortable - he seems to think he has to pee on every blanket we set down. I think it's more of a "marking your territory" thing. Any time he is introduced to a new blanket or a new room he tends to sprinkle a bit. It's not really peeing because he has to, it's peeing because he wants to "mark his spot". Rocky won't pee in his crate unless he's in there for too long (which is our fault) but has only happened once.

I think that may be why your dog is doing it too - are you introducing him to new rooms he's never been in? If he's really going a lot you may have to consider a possible UTI too - want to make sure it's not an infection.

I'm not sure as to how old it stops - but I wanted to let you know you aren't alone and I'm sure we are both dealing with a VERY common situation with puppies.

Hang in there - as long as you keep catching him in the act and taking him out I think you're doing it right

JWalkBoxers · #3 10-27-2009, 09:50 AM

It sounds as though he is peeing a lot. Have you had him checked for a UTI? Often these go undiagnosed, especially in males. If he does have one, then he will have a very difficult time controlling his bladder, and until it is treated, he won't be able to. I would recommend taking him to the vet and eliminating that possibility first. If it turns out that he doesn't have a UTI, then it's back to the basics as if you had just brought him home. It sounds like you are doing a good job of keeping him confined, but if he has to pee that often then you will need to take him out every 15-30 minutes. The good news is, if it is a UTI, potty training will get much easier after it's treated. Good Luck!

jbbtlr · #4 10-27-2009, 03:41 PM

Maybe take him out every hour or every hour and a half. 2 hours seems like a long time. Especially if he has access to water whenever he wants.

whiskers · #5 10-27-2009, 10:00 PM

At 3 months old the bladder control just isn't there yet. Keep doing what you're doing but I would start taking him out more frequently, maybe every hour instead of every 2 hours. My girl is 7 months old and housetrained, it's been at least a month since she's had any accidents, but I still don't think I'd be comfortable even letting her go 2 hours without a potty break (granted, I don't keep track of how frequently she goes out, so maybe she does hold it for 2+ hours!).

It all just sounds like normal housetraining hurdles to me but with consistency and as he gets older, it should get easier.

logiesmom · #6 10-30-2009, 12:11 PM

Well....things have not gotten any better....just worse. I made an appoiment for the vet... they can't see him until monday urghhh! He is still mr dribbles. I am honestly about to pull my hair out. I don't want him to be sick, but i am hoping that it is a uti. I don't want to think about how i am going to get this puppy to quit peeing on the floor. He is soaking his crate and peeing several times an hour. I am trying to be patient and am continuing on the potty training course. I am taking him out about every 45minutes. I am putting him in the crate when i can't watch him, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. He was standing by my feet today in the kitchen. We had just gotten back inside from going potty. He literaly looked up at me and when i looked down he was peeing!!! Ahhh!!! I love my boy but sometimes i get a little overwhelmed i guess. Anyways..will keep you posted and let you know what the vet says...in the meantime....back to potty training boot camp!!
Holly and Logan

HostelDog · #7 10-30-2009, 12:53 PM

Just wanted to let you know, you are not alone! Our Fiona is 4 and a half months. She's never been crated and has never had an accident at night. She is 'house trained' in the sense she wont go in our house (and if she needs to go she will whine), BUT we own a youth hostel and she is there with us most of the day, sometimes we sleep there too. We can have just come in after her just peeing and if she gets in one of the bedrooms, or if there is a new person she will pee. Sometimes its only a tiny little bit. I personally think it is a terratorial thing, it's as if she's saying 'this is MY place!'. It is definitely not submissive urination or over excitement and she does not have a UTI.

I'm hoping we'll get over this, but in the meantime I'm thankful for my tiled floors!

bawlinkids · #8 11-01-2009, 06:38 PM

Definately not alone! Bentley is now 12 weeks old and if we don't take him out all the typical times...when he wakes up, after playing, after eating ect. ect. ect. he still goes where ever he's standing at the time. He has not made one tiny little effort as of yet to let me know when he needs to go out. UGH!

bawlinkids · #9 11-01-2009, 06:39 PM

Forgot to add that he goes about 6 to 8 hours every night without going potty in his crate.