Is it hopeless to potty train a 5-6 month old dog?

[Rock'n Robin]

I am really getting frustrated with our puppy. I thought she was 4 months old when we got her a week ago, but found out at the vet she is closer to 5 or 6 months. I thought I was smart not getting a brand new pup, since she'd be trained or trainable, but she doesn't seem to get it. She was just out with me for 10 minutes and 5 minutes later DS said she had peed on the kitchen floor. She did the same thing last night--was out several times, disappeared for 5 minutes and there was a pile in the basement.
Maybe she's been untrained so long it's too late? If so,....well, I don't know what. She's awfully cute, and we praise her to the skies when she does go outside, but it will be getting colder soon and I don't want to be standing on the porch in December! I also don't want to have to keep her outside for hours at a time, or caged every minute we aren't right next to her. Any hints on this? I've only trained pups before.
Robin M.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I firmly believe that you CAN teach old dogs new tricks. And 4-6 months is not old.

Praise her like crazy when she does right. Make a huge fuss over her. When she goes in the wrong place, yell NO and ignore her for a bit.

Watch for her signs that she is about to go...does she circle around, make a certain stance. When you see this, bring her to the proper place, whether that is a puppy pad inside or outside and if she makes it to the proper place, again make a huge fuss over what a good girl she is.

Maybe start with indoor puppy pads and move them slowly to the outside? Puppy pads with scents to attract dogs to go on them can be a big help with dogs who have a hard time learning. Just remember, you don't want to teach her that it is okay to go in the house so as soon as she "gets" the concept of going in a certain place, move them closer each day to the outside door.

Regulate her intake of food and water and limit her run of the house while she is still learning.

She should be able to learn, but you never know what it was like for her in her previous house. It may take some time, but I think she can do it.

Good luck!

 

[Disney Freak Numero Uno]

Speaking from my limited experience, I think that it will take more than a week to housebreak any dog, even a younger puppy. My two chihuahuas were not completely housebroken until they were a year old and were still occasionally having accidents until that time. I don't think that the dog is physically mature enough to avoid all accidents. You probably should keep doing what you're doing, rewarding the puppy when he or she goes outside and ignoring the accidents. I think you just need to have a lot of patience especially with an older puppy. Good luck.

 

[pumba]

when I want Megara to go potty I put her on her leash, and say quick quick.......she knows this means go. Then when she wants to go out to play and run the leash is off after she goes potty. Also the crate was the best investment ever. She slept thru the night and also had less accidents. Now she has freedom except when she wants to go in her crate or at night time when we go to bed.

 

[zurgswife]

I had a beagle pup..(still is a pup) was having major problems in the 4-6m range about getting her to go outside...I ignored the advise for a few weeks then couldn't take it any more...

I decided to crate her except the times that I ( and I me I not the kids or DH) could watch her. We progressed to longer times outside the crate and I made sure I took her out at distinct intervals and watcher her actually go....then gave her a treat and praised her ..... I just stopped crating her at night ( the other beagle has free roam of the house.....well we had 2 good weeks and the other night I woke up to a poo in my dd's bedroom....last night I did not let either dog spend the night upstairs and there wasn't a problem.....

Anyhow the crate was the key and number two was prasiing and watching the puppy....

 

[ilovepcot]

No.... no, it's HOPELESS, I know it is!!!!! My TWO new pups are proving this to me! I've had two Toy Poodles about 10 days now and it's been an eye opener. Like you, I'd only dealt with puppies about 6 weeks old and never had much problem. These dogs are 4 months and 8 months old and are at different "skill" levels with everything. What a challenge! The younger pup has used the wee wee pads right from the start with no problem. But he cries ALL NIGHT LONG! The older dog was used to.....well, I honestly don't know. She refuses to use the pads and it's sooo hard to get her to use the grass outside. She causes us to stand outside at night with mosquitoes swarming and does nothing. Once inside, she rushes to a corner to pee! The poor little thing has had her entire life turned upside down and is having to relearn everything. Sad! I don't work and am willing to work round the clock for these two little puppies.....and it's becoming a requirement. All I can say is, let's hang in there and see what happens. Will check back in with you in a week to see how your little one is doing.

 

[Pugdog007]

We train adult dogs all the time that come into rescue untrained.

A week is not nearly long enough to train your puppy. All of the advice that's been given here is very good.

Patience.

 

[Shugardrawers]

It is NOT hopeless. ANY dog can be house trained. I've been doing it for years for people. I highly recommend a book called How to House Train Your Dog in 7 Days. I promise you it will take longer than 7 days. Probably several weeks but the method works. You can get the book at Amazon.com or if you PM me with your email address I have a brief but very helpful condensed version I'll be happy to email you. My method works, it works extremely well and it works every time. It takes work, lots of it, and commitment and patience. Before you even PM me though, GO BUY A CRATE. That's the foundation of the method I use and it's NOT negotiable. It won't work without one. Contrary to popular belief, a crate is not cruel. Dogs are den animals and you'll be using their den instinct to your advantage. Get a crate just big enough for your dog to sit, stand, lie down and turn around comfortably but no bigger. Preferably a metal cage type that you can get from a pet store so they don't feel isolated but the plastic airline type will work if that's all you can afford. They tend to be cheaper but your dog won't like it as well and may be upset at having to spend much time in it. Go get one and then PM me.

 

[mistaroo]

There is no such thing as too old or too late. I did rescue for years and could train any age dog, although puppies do take longer than adults.

If you can't watch her, crate her. Do not give her a chance to go to the bathroom in the house without your catching her. Watch for signs that she needs to go such as circling in place, sniffing the floor, etc. If she goes in the house, you will be watching her and can catch her doing it. While she is going, give her one firm "no" (no hitting, no rubbing her nose in it), scoop her up, take her outside and praise her like crazy, giving what she just did a name- i.e. good girl, good potty. Naming the behavior will eventually enable you to make her go on command.

When you take her out for her potty breaks, do not go for a walk until she pees. Let the walk or playtime be the reward for going. Take her on leash to one spot and no playing until she goes. When she goes, praise lavishly. If she doesn't go, take her back inside and crate her or watch her like a hawk. Take her back out in another half hour- repeat until she goes in the right place.

The key is to catch her going to the bathroom - every single time- so you can correct her and praise her when she goes in the right place. Finding her mess afterward doesn't count and she won't have any clue why you are correcting her at that point.

Good luck. I truly believe that with the proper training, any dog can be housebroken and relatively quickly at that.

 

[kellib36]

Crates are my dogs best friends. The doors are very rarely closed now that they are getting older and better with their potty training. They are served their food in the crates and they all (3) know which crates are theirs for food. They share their crates for sleeping during the day.

One thing I do, after the initial training is pretty successful, is when an accident occurs spray the area with 2 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. This helps get the ammonia smell out, and then place one of their blankets in that spot. I think this gives them the message that "this is also your bed" and dogs naturally want to keep that area clean.

Dogs of all ages can learn, but they are just like people, if its an old habit, it takes a LOT to get over.

Good luck! Kelli

 

[ilovepcot]

Shugardrawers......I was trying (and failing!) to make my remarks in humor. Like you, I believe a dog of any age CAN be housetrained and I'm getting ready to prove that very thing!

 

[kellib36]

Originally posted by mistaroo
When you take her out for her potty breaks, do not go for a walk until she pees. Let the walk or playtime be the reward for going.

I just read something similar to this in a book I read last month. Luckily, we live in an area that we walk our dogs for exercise, not for a potty break like you must in a city environment. I never thought about how a dog thinks about its walks. The book said not to end the walk right after the dog does its business, or it will get the impression that once its done its business the fun is over, and the dog will actually hold back as long as possible so the fun will continue. The book also said have the dog go FIRST, then go for the walk.

As I said, it never occured to me that a dog would hold back just to keep walking.

Kelli

 

[Jennifer S]

A puppy is like a child. It takes time to potty train a child and it takes time to potty train a dog. One thing I found to work is every time our puppy peed in the right place we gave her a very small treat (use training treats) and she learned in no time!

Good luck!!

 

[aprilgail2]

My dog wasn't house broken unti lhe was a year and a half...and since then he has been perfect...so you can still do it!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Thanks again guys. I am keeping her crated more unless I am with her or outside. I can't depend on the kids or DH to watch her as closely as she needs to be watched. I do let her sleep in my bed, but as soon as she gets up I go let her out and then crate her--don't let her wander around the house in the middle of the night. DH said that last night DS fell asleep on the floor watching a video, and she fell asleep next to him.
I do agree with crate training; she never messes in her crate. The kids put her in as they leave for school and I let her out when I get home from my own school. Then I let her out to go #1--she goes #2 about 10 minutes later, often when I am walking her to the bus stop . So she does have some little routines, but the surprises are what is getting me. Last night she cornered one of my cats in the bathroom and peed in there--I think she was just excited that time!
Robin M.

 

[froglady]

Wow! The disboard comes through again! My next door neighbors just got a puppy yesterday.

I'm printing this out and bringing it over to them right now. (We share yards, and they have no children, so the puppy will be "shared" with us, and my 10 yo DS.) They already have the crate; they used it with their (and our by "sharing") previous dog, who died recently.

Both of our yards are fenced, BTW, with a gate which is kept open between us. Future owners can just close and lock it, if they wish.

 

[chyam]

I don't think that it is to old to train her..........heck it took my Saluki almost a year to get it! They aren't the brightest dogs in the world. I just think you are a little upset that she was older than what you were told, you have only had her a week, the dog has gone through alot of changes in that week, probably was in a cage at the shelter for awhile and used to "going" in the cage, be patient and give her some time, you didn't potty train your kids in a week.............I would say a good 4-6 weeks she maybe better, Dogs need alot of praise but as I have said she has had some drastic changes in her life already.....BE PATIENT

 

[KristiKelly]

SOme people may not promote this, but it worked for my kids & my dog - BRIBERY . For our puppy, we would keep a bowl of treats by the back door, (don't remember the name of them but they were small, about the size of a pinky fingernail, got them @ pet store.) We would say "Annabelle, go Peepee & get a treat", put her on her leash, grab a few treats & put them in our pocket. The whole time we had her outside we'd keep saying that "go peepee, get a treat" - we used the "peepee" term for both peepee & poop - it was esay for my kids to say too. Over a period of a few weeks, she finally got it. She would peepee, turn around & look at us & we'd give her a treat. She'd do the same when she pooped. Over time we started just giving her a treat when she came in to wean her off the treats. If you do this, remember to use small treats, if given too much, can cause too much weight gain. Sorry for the run-on paragraph

I got a dog once that was 18 monthes old when we got him, he had been neglected & was an outdoor dog. It took persistence but was eventually trained.

Good Luck

 

[mistaroo]

One thing I neglected to mention is if you aren't doing so already, feed her individual meals, don't free feed her. Eating stimulates the digestive tract (the gastrocolic reflex) resulting in a bowel movement. By controlling when she eats, you can control when she poops This is very helpful as you will basically know when your dog will have to go. I have three dogs and they all go at the same time every day after each meal. I would go insane if all three of my dogs needed to be walked at different times depending on when they happened to eat something.

 

[KristiKelly]

I agree with Misteroo, the vet told us the same thing & to limit her water in the evening - she was peeing in her crate.