HELP! Water and potty training

[ccurran]

Hi all ... we are in the process of trying to potty train Seamus and I need some advice. Should I limit water or leave a bowl out at all times? Whenever he has water it seems like pretty quickly 20-30 mins later he will pee. If I don't have him outside then obviously he pees in the apartment. I would love it if he could hold his bladder at least 3 hours (he is 12 weeks old) bu t can't figure out how to do it with the whole unlimited water situation. During the night he can hold it around 3 hours.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Hi! At 12 weeks the max time he can hold it is 4 hours..so you've figured that out! Allow an hour for each month plus an hour. is he in a crate all day? Or long periods of time? I didn't put water in Jakes crate..but he was only in for short periods of time. I always have water available when he was/is loose in house. I know others have water available even in crates..but for me he would spill it more than drink it..and I never figured out how to give him free access to water in his rate..and not have him pee it out in his crate. I figured..as long as he had the ability to access water every hour or so..he would be ok and easier to housebreak. Jake never had an accident in his crate and was totally housebroken at 3 months old! But..I spent two weeks with him when he first came home and totally focused on the housebreaking thing! After eating or sinking..they should go out within a few minutes..

 

[LaurenA]

Hey there!
My only experience has been with Rook, so some of the veterans may be able to give better advice.
We left the water out all day, and only took it away a night to limit accidents in the middle of the night. I remember our first couple of months were crazy, and it took awhile for rook to get a routine and his bladder to get large enough to hold it for an extended amount of time. If he drank a lot of water we'd head out within 5 minutes to avoid accidents. Even though Rook was "supposed" to be able to hold it for x number of hours he didn't seem to know that. It took a lot of patience, and eventually he got there.

 

[ccurran]

Hi! Well I work from home except for the odd days I need to go into the office. I try and crate Seamus for a few hours in the morning and a few in the afternoon (usually during his nap) so I can get some things done and so he can get used to his crate. He doesn't have any water in his crate. I have been feeding him (and obviously giving water) in his crate in the morning and evenings. We try an pick up water after dinner, so around 7:30ish and then he usually is in the crate for bed around 9:30.

I had read that you can give water at specific times during the day (not allow 24/7 water) and then you know exactly when you need to go out to the bathroom (about 20-30 mins after drinking). However if I give him water 24/7 then won't he just drink and drink and then I will be going outside every 30 minutes? Also, how does this build up their tolerance to holding their pee?

Thanks!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

That's what I struggled with also. What goes in must come out..so I just limited what was going in while in his crate. He slept almost the whole time in his crate..then I'd take him out..he would pee..come in ànd drink..pee again..play..pee again...sleep a bit..pee some more..and over snd over!

 

[ccurran]

Oh and just to mention, I live on the 7th floor of an apartment building so I am trying to limit the number of trips we have to take to go up and down the elevators. I want him to be hydrated and get enough water but I just want to make sure we are also teaching him to hold his bladder and get house trained.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Oh and just to mention, I live on the 7th floor of an apartment building so I am trying to limit the number of trips we have to take to go up and down the elevators. I want him to be hydrated and get enough water but I just want to make sure we are also teaching him to hold his bladder and get house trained.

Well that sucks ....for housebreaking! But on the bright side...it's not snowing! :D...I hate to tell you this..at the beginning..it's totally hit and miss,,in and out..he will grasp the idea..but the capacity to hold it longer comes with age. I worked on just taking him out as much as possible and trying to get him to put two and two together...outside..pee..inside...no pee! Figured the more I put him out the more I could reinforce this. It worked for Jake..

 

[ccurran]

Well at least its a good work out for mommy! I think I have already lost 5 lbs this week lol. I talked with my breeder and she agrees I should leave water out 24/7 for him to have as he pleases. She said that if you limit the water then dogs will tend to "fill up" when it is being put down since they are afraid it will go away, which will lead to more peeing problems. Thanks again for your help!

 

[RaRett]

I have Hershey on a Schedule - and I learned not to leave him have access to water 24/7 or there will be puddles everywhere - Overnight in his crate he is fine (no accidents) but if in his X-pen area or free to roam the house, he'll puddle whereever he feels the urge.

So... this is what we do (and some agree and some disagree)

1st thing in the Morning - let him out -

I then put water down 1st (he usually will drink a full bowl if left to it) and then I put down his food

15 minutes after food and water - out to potty.

I then have him in his xpen for 2 hours

water and then Potty

Play time followed by water

Potty

xpen followed by water

Potty

Water - food

Potty

I think you get the idea -

Xpen is usually up to 2 hours, playtime is 30-45 minutes active play...and he naps on couch if I'm watching TV, if I can't be within reach, he's in his Xpen.

That's how I'm doing Hershey

Potty

 

[BIJAH]

My Ari is now 12 weeks and he is crate trained so he knows to go to the backdoor when he has to urinate. Ever since I had him, I have left water out 24/7 and let him out to the backdoor about every 2-3 hours during the day. And 4am in the morning when he's sleeping. His accidents have decreased and he has never soiled his crate ever.

 

[Davidh]

we never restrict water from our pups or adult dogs, they have access to water 24/7. The pups will learn as they get older. You might as well get used to going outside a lot right now or teach him to use puppy pads one or the other. Once he gets older he will learn to hold it longer. We use the bowls that bell out at the bottom so they can not turn them over.

 

[Twice]

You're all probably going to think I'm insane but having a kidney dog has made me extremely paranoid. When potty training I used to only give water with meals and a couple of random times a day. Roxy has always had a water bowl on the floor. The plan was always the anytime she wants it rule.

Since Abby has come into our lives things are different. I know that she has to drink at least 600ml a day. Whatever she doesn't drink I have to account for in her subQ fluids at night and if she drinks too much I know it could signify a problem.

I never realized that there was a minimum amount of fluid a day for healthy organ function. Now that I know, I make sure I measure every spoonful both Abby AND Roxy get. They get water first thing when we wake up with breakfast, then we go outside. They get water when mom comes to walk them around 11, then they go outside. More water when Joe get's home from school at 3, at dinnertime around 6:30 and right before the last walk of the night. Half a cup each time. If they want more they get another 1/2. Whatever they don't drink gets measured and dumped.

I know, I'm crazy. But fear of dehydration with kidney disease honestly keeps me up at night.

 

[RiiSi]

We lived in the nineth floor when we had Usko and it was christmas. we slept with him in the living room floor next to his grate for the first week and took him out about every two hours, also at night, for about one month and then slowly increasing the time. Or my hubby did, cause it's easier for him to get to sleep again. Usko had a crate and a pen around it and also pads in the pen for when we had leave him for longer time, never only in his crate. He also had water available 24/7. He looked like he was trained at 4 months, but had a set back and we had to take him out again at night every 3 hours for awhile. For sure there was no accidents when he was 6 months. I' m sure that some have had their dogs house trained faster, but in any case it takes time and patience. The more you see trouble the faster he gets it and the more you don't....the longer it takes.