[robinthesearchmasterh]

We picked up an 8 week old pit pup one week ago today. He's adjusted to our household quite nicely. I've been working on his housetraining and he had been doing great. I followed the steps I saw in some article that suggested taking him out once every hour(and after meals, when he wakes from napping, etc..) and using a keyword each time to get him to go. So for 2 days in a row he was doing exceptionally well. I'd take him out and say "go pee pee", and he'd pretty much go right after I said it. And then if he had to do #2 he'd walk around a little and do that too. But yesterday evening we got a little snow(less than an inch) and since then he hasn't done anything outside. I take him out there, walk him around, and all he does is try to run back to the door to go in the house. I tried putting him in the backyard with my 9-year old female, Diva, who is well trained and he still just sits at the door waiting to come back in. He pissed and sh!tted in his crate instead. So after I cleaned the crate out I tried again, and again, and again..all night long, but he wouldn't piss or take a dump. Granted it's very cold out and he's just a little guy, but sheesh!!! This morning it was the same story. He won't go outside. But as soon as he comes back in, in a matter of 2 minutes he pissed on the floor. I caught him in the act, said "NO", and took him outside where he did nothing. So that's the part that is driving me crazy. For 2 days when I said "go pee pee" he would squat and piss or he would take a dump. But now nothing. It's so frustrating. I hope it's just the cold weather and snow on the ground that's caused this setback. Any ideas?? Suggestions????

[jaydicassdhy]

When you take him out, do you just let him out or do you take him on a leash? If you don't leash him I suggest doing that and then just keep walking around in the same area as you usually have him go until he does his business. It might take awhile but he WILL do it with some exercise. Just realize it can take a bit longer than usual.

[AndyColemants]

Plus, he is only 8 weeks old...don't expect too much. With my pup, it seemed the light got much brighter at about 10 weeks old.

[hopertveyk]

maybe clear a spot (shovel some snow) before you take him out and let him "do his business" there...maybe even get a bag of sand and cover an area with a few scoops or so at an "outing"

[robinthesearchmasterh]

Thanks for the suggestions and feedback folks. To shed more light, I usually let my dogs do their business in my back yard, then I clean it up. I was kinda hoping the puppy would follow the lead of my adult dog. I usually let them out and I go out with them. I actually carry the puppy over to the middle of the yard and put him down, so that he has some grass to walk across and smell, and he usually goes in that process. So since he's been immediately running back to the patio door, I tried the leash as well. When i did that he wouldn't walk with me and he tried his best to get back to the patio. I don't want to make it an unpleasant experience for him, so for now, no leash. Instead, when he runs to the patio, I pick him up and take him back to the middle of the yard, like 5 or 10 times.. But still no luck. And keep in mind, we got less than an inch of snow. Really just a dusting to make the yard look white(and frozen). It's been quite cold here the last 2 days.

[isopsmypovA]

its 8 weeks old. expect this to happen. hell some dogs dont get the idea till months later.

[hopertveyk]

maybe you could make it more like playtime...take some toys and treats outside and take his mind off the "act" and get him used to the weather a bit

[Tauntenue]

Puppies are supposed to drive you crazy

I'd still keep him on a leash. He will learn that the faster he goes, the faster he can go inside and be warm. Give him 10min. on a 6' leash; be a "fence post", aka, just stand there and let him walk around you. If he doesn't go, straight back inside into his crate for 5-10min., repeat til he does go.

Are you giving him good treats (like hot dogs, chicken) when he does go outside? And having a 3 second party like it's the best thing in the world? If not, make sure you start doing that.

I feel your pain on the pottying in the crate thing, if you go back to one of my recent threads (the one titled Maybe Sako should be crated in the bathtub), you can read all about it.. it'll probably make you love your puppy LOL. Although I will say that Sako hasn't had an accident in going on 5 days. But shh.. he didn't hear me say that!

[Stasher11]

its 8 weeks old. expect this to happen. hell some dogs dont get the idea till months later.

Yep. Some catch on very quickly and others take 5, 6, 7 months to really catch onto the idea. We've had pups that are perfect and pups that have taken 7 or 8 months to keep their crate clean.

But your pup is only 8 weeks old. We have a 10 week old and we have had lots of ice and snow and very cold temps (for Texas). It was 12 degrees outside this morning and she came out and peed and pooped like a good girl. She seems to "get it" already. But some dogs just don't until later on. Our 5 1/2 month old had poop in her crate this morning. The 10 week old did not. Go figure.

[VIDEOHITE]

You think you're going crazy now? JUST WAIT. LOL!

[hopertveyk]

You think you're going crazy now? JUST WAIT. LOL!

Yep...I still have 3.5 year old 75# pup

[robinthesearchmasterh]

Ha! Thanks again to everyone for all the great suggestions. Time for full disclosure, so you all can tell me if I'm wrong... He's not sleeping in his crate over night. He's sleeping in the bedroom, along with my wife and I, and our 9-year old female(as well as our 5 and 2 year old daughter's who creep into our bed some nights). He sleeps on a little dog bed. He does make a mistake in the middle of the night(which I expect) and I just clean it up with nature's miracle. His crate is downstairs and the rest of the family sleeps upstairs at night, so I feel guilty leaving him down there in his crate all night. Plus we get up around 5:30am and leave the house for work around 7am, so if he slept in the crate over night, he'd only get out for an hour and a half, then be going right back in his crate. And he doesn't get out of there again until around 4pm(9 hours later) when I get back home. So I can't bare to have him spend any more time in his crate.. I know, I know... I'm hindering the whole crate training process, right???

---------- Post added at 12:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 PM ----------

Yep...I still have 3.5 year old 75# pup

haha, oh trust me. I know exactly what you mean. My 10-year old, who recently passed, was a puppy for about 9 of those years... Just a big kid!!! R.I.P. Bishop

[shinesw]

I would get a second crate - it won't be forever - just until he's potty trained. I just think you're telling him its ok to go in the house :-/

[Stasher11]

You cannot expect an 8 week old puppy to sleep on a bed and have a "mistake" each night and actually understand housetraining. Bring his crate into your bedroom if that's where you want him to sleep and make him sleep in it. If he cannot hold it all night, get up and take him out in the middle of the night. YOU got the puppy, now YOU have to train him. You're going to have a dog that eternally uses your house as a toilet if you do not put a stop to this now.

[Narcodran]

I agree with everyone that a crate in your bedroom would be better.

Also, since he is alone for nearly 9 hours, he won't be able to hold it that long, because he is too young. Is there anyone (trusted relative, responsible neighbor, professional petsitter), who could give him 2-3 potty breaks a day, while the family is gone?

[Tauntenue]

Ha! Thanks again to everyone for all the great suggestions. Time for full disclosure, so you all can tell me if I'm wrong... He's not sleeping in his crate over night. He's sleeping in the bedroom, along with my wife and I, and our 9-year old female(as well as our 5 and 2 year old daughter's who creep into our bed some nights). He sleeps on a little dog bed. He does make a mistake in the middle of the night(which I expect) and I just clean it up with nature's miracle. His crate is downstairs and the rest of the family sleeps upstairs at night, so I feel guilty leaving him down there in his crate all night. Plus we get up around 5:30am and leave the house for work around 7am, so if he slept in the crate over night, he'd only get out for an hour and a half, then be going right back in his crate. And he doesn't get out of there again until around 4pm(9 hours later) when I get back home. So I can't bare to have him spend any more time in his crate.. I know, I know... I'm hindering the whole crate training process, right???

You have to remember that every time he has an accident in the house, that's a mental setback for him in his potty training.

I would never expect an 8wk. old pup to hold it all night long. You're not getting up with him at all during the night?? Sako is 14wks. and I am still getting up once every night to let him potty (now, he is my first one I've ever had to do it this long for, but every dog is different, all of my other pups have slept through the night starting at 12wks.).

My dogs sleep in their crates from 10pm-6am every night (except Sako gets a potty break, as I said). So, nothing wrong with that IMO. I don't want my dogs in my bed at all, or even in my bedroom. They have their own room that they are all in, including the puppy.

You're leaving him 9hrs. in a crate during the day without a potty break? Am I understanding that right? That is WAY too long for such a young pup.. you definitely need to have him let out at least once during that time span. If that means hiring a dog walker, then so be it. I never leave my dogs for more than 4-5hrs. in their crates during the day (and it's rare that I even do that, but I'm lucky and don't work a whole lot).

Are you limiting water? I take away puppies water at 7pm every night, and I also limit it during the day, since most puppies have an extreme fascination with water.. I know if I left it down with Sako especially, he'd have to pee every 10min.

[robinthesearchmasterh]

I would get a second crate - it won't be forever - just until he's potty trained. I just think you're telling him its ok to go in the house :-/

I agree, it won't be forever. I just feel a lil guilty about it. But I do have access to a 2nd crate, so I think I will put it in the bedroom and give that process a try.

You're going to have a dog that eternally uses your house as a toilet if you do not put a stop to this now.

I hear what you are saying, but this is not true at all. I have a 9-year old dog that I've had since she was 8 weeks old and I also had a 10-year old dog that I had since he was 10 weeks old. And I raised both of them the same way, and both of them were totally housetrained. They learned to bark to wake me up if they had to go in the middle of the night. So what you are saying is definitely not true, atleast not for me and my experience. Also, I actually have my alarm clock set for 2am to let him out in the middle of the night, but he still wouldn't do anything last night/this morning. I do appreciate the suggestions though.

[q9h9pPne]

When I was teaching my puppy to go outside, I actually went out in the yard with her.
I, at first, did what you did and picked her up to put her in the middle of the yard.
She would just sit there and stare at me like "Hi. you put me here, now what?!"
I don't know if her following me around "worked" it out of her, but with the coaxing, "go pee pee," and following me around, she very quickly learned.
Most importantly, I agree with kady in that you HAVE to have a super, amazing, wonderful, best party ever after each time that they go outside.
Every time my puppy would come back in after doing her business, she would run into the kitchen and sit down because she KNEW she did good and got a treat. Nothing big, just a piece of a treat.
As far as night time, we had trouble with her peeing in her crate when it was in the other room. I put towels down in our powder room connected to our bedroom, and she 1.) slept longer and 2.) would whine when she wanted out.
I was lucky with her because she seemd to catch on a lot quicker than most puppies. Fortunately, my boyfriend works from home usually and was able to let her out, and I only work 5 minutes from, so lunch breaks were now potty breaks.

[robinthesearchmasterh]

You have to remember that every time he has an accident in the house, that's a mental setback for him in his potty training.

I would never expect an 8wk. old pup to hold it all night long. You're not getting up with him at all during the night?? Sako is 14wks. and I am still getting up once every night to let him potty (now, he is my first one I've ever had to do it this long for, but every dog is different, all of my other pups have slept through the night starting at 12wks.).

My dogs sleep in their crates from 10pm-6am every night (except Sako gets a potty break, as I said). So, nothing wrong with that IMO. I don't want my dogs in my bed at all, or even in my bedroom. They have their own room that they are all in, including the puppy.

You're leaving him 9hrs. in a crate during the day without a potty break? Am I understanding that right? That is WAY too long for such a young pup.. you definitely need to have him let out at least once during that time span. If that means hiring a dog walker, then so be it. I never leave my dogs for more than 4-5hrs. in their crates during the day (and it's rare that I even do that, but I'm lucky and don't work a whole lot).

Are you limiting water? I take away puppies water at 7pm every night, and I also limit it during the day, since most puppies have an extreme fascination with water.. I know if I left it down with Sako especially, he'd have to pee every 10min.

Thanks for the good points you made. I do get up in the middle of the night with him, 2am. Sometimes he's already had an accident, other times he has his accident after we come back in, sometime between 2am and 5:30am.

And yes, Solo(that's his name) is in his crate for 9 hours, from 7am to around 4pm.. And of course I dont expect him to be able to hold it for that period of time, not at 9 weeks old anyway. In a few more weeks, when he's 12 or 13 weeks I think he'll do alot better. But tell me something. In all honesty, what's the big difference between my Solo being in his crate for 9 hours and your Sako being in his for 8 hours? I get that yours is over night and mine is during the day, but when I get home from work Solo is usually in his crate knocked out. I mean he's out like a light. He wakes up yawning and stretching when I open the crate door. And overnight, instead of being crated for 8 hours, he's confined to our bedroom.

As for hiring a dog walker, or someone to go into my home to let him out.. It would be very nice if I could arrange that, but it's just not realistic for me and my family. I'm not complaining about him soiling part of his crate during the day. I purposely have an over-sized crate so that he can still have a clean area in there to lay down, play etc... I know from experience that as the weeks go on he will be able to hold it longer and will more than likely no longer be going in his crate. My complaint was about him no longer going when I take him outside, since the weather changed. He just refuses.

Oh, and yeah, I definitely limit his water in the evenings. I take it up at 8pm though. Maybe I'll try 7pm.

Anyway, I hope you don't take my response as defensive or anything(I know how sometimes on these message boards words can be interpreted in a total different way than what was meant) . I'm all for constructive criticism. That's why I asked for suggestions and ideas. I'm merely pointing out how I do things and why.

---------- Post added at 02:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:17 PM ----------

Most importantly, I agree with kady in that you HAVE to have a super, amazing, wonderful, best party ever after each time that they go outside.

Puppies are supposed to drive you crazy
Are you giving him good treats (like hot dogs, chicken) when he does go outside? And having a 3 second party like it's the best thing in the world? If not, make sure you start doing that.

I forgot to answer this part, but yes. I give him a crazy amount of praise via hugs and pets and "good boys", and I also give him his favorite treat, these training treats I got from Petsmart that are small,soft, and chewy, and full of flavor. He and my older dog love those things. He actually was doing quite well when the weather was a little warmer. It seemed as though he knew what I wanted him to do and he would do it. But with this cold spell, it seems like all that has gone out of the window. The weather is supposed to warm up a bit in the next few days, so I'm hopeful.

[q9h9pPne]

I forgot to answer this part, but yes. I give him a crazy amount of praise via hugs and pets and "good boys", and I also give him his favorite treat, these training treats I got from Petsmart that are small,soft, and chewy, and full of flavor. He and my older dog love those things. He actually was doing quite well when the weather was a little warmer. It seemed as though he knew what I wanted him to do and he would do it. But with this cold spell, it seems like all that has gone out of the window. The weather is supposed to warm up a bit in the next few days, so I'm hopeful.

I think someone mentioned it already, but definately try shoveling a little pathway in the snow (if there is snow, of course). To this day, my older pit-mix will look out the door, see snow, and look at me like "you want ME to go out THERE?!" a swift kick in the butt, and she runs out, does her business and runs back asap
Good luck!!