Few questions

[karina]

Hi to all the English Bulldogs and the Master's they own!

Can anyone help me, I have a 15week old English Bulldog that doesn't exactly like going for a walk. I tried treats but he doesn't get the leash thing.

15 weeks and will do his business where I bring him but can't or won't hold his pee overnight. I took them out at 10pm last night and at 6:30am bed pretty wet.

(Doc says he only needs a certain amount of water ( I forget how much she said at this time). Pup's wt is 25.5lbs. I stop water by 6pm but he looks for it and then just stares at me in misbelief! What am I doing wrong? He thinks he needs so much water but Doc says he doesn't.)

Frustrated...

Karina

 

[LisaRN]

Chester - he's just over 5 months old.. STILL will not walk without alot.. alot of encouragement I've practically given up that he is not a "walker" .. though the little stinker will walk right beside you the whole way WITHOUT his leash Even through puppy training.. he puts the brakes on and won't budge. I've tried neck collar, harness.. doesn't matter.. my bully is bullheaded

As for holding his bladder.. Chester does good, and has for well over a month.. we don't limit him at all on water - but as soon as I open his crate door he bee-lines for the door to go outside

 

[Bulldogg]

Is he crate trained? This always helps us in training. They will hold it because they certainly don't want to soil their own beds.

Also, have them in a room where you are ---so if they do it you will be there to see. If they go unnoticed, then you cannot catch them in the act. Telling them "no" 10 minutes later still teaches them, but not nearly as well. Catching them in the act and reinforcing "no" each time, then taking them straight outside.... it is a lot of work, but they will definately get it. And quite fast! If you are not going to be in the room with them at the time, then you can put them in their "bed" aka crate....(I prefer to call it a bed ). Little puppies are like crawling children, you must keep one eye on them and one eye on your chores, every second. Once you get them house trained, it is so rewarding that you can relax knowing they won't soil on your beautiful carpet...

 

[Libra926]

We did the clicker training. First we were told that you take them out every hour or so. As they get older, you reduce it to 1)every time they wake up 2)every time they drink water 3)after eating and of course 4)before bed and whenever the need may arise. Clicker training worked so well with us. As soon as they are done peeing (you should wait until they are done, if you click during, they will stop peeing to get the reward) So, once they are done, click the clicker and say "yes" with a high pitched excited voice. Make sure to have the reward waiting. Vegas is almost 3 and after doing his outside business, he comes in and sits and waits for his booty wipe (if need be) and his treat. Without fail. Also, don't forget to ignore the bad and reward the good. If puppy knows punishment is coming for peeing or pooing in the house, it will only make them hide what they are doing. Hope some of this helps.

 

[bullmama]

Please tell me more about this clicker! I have never heard of it! Thanks Libra!

 

[Libra926]

They sell the clickers at Petco/Petsmart. It fits in the palm of your hand and your thumb pushing on a tab creates a "click". They use it to "mark" a good behavior. Using the clicker, I was able to train Vegas to put his nose in a corner within 5 minutes. It is such a good training tool, but using words like "yes" or "good" with increased tone works just as well. You have to be precise when you are marking the appropriate behavior. If the click comes too soon or too late, the pups have a difficult time understanding what behavior is being rewarded.

http://www.petco.com/Shop/SearchResults.aspx?Nav=1&N=0&Ntt=clicker

 

[karina]

He was crate trained but now he's peeing in the crate. It's a medium crate so he's just standing in his pee. I take him out in the night 10:30pm but at 7am he isn't holding his pee. I'm frustrated as I think this is him being lazy. I read up on the clicker and went to petsmart last year to check it out. Many clickers and each one clicked differently. What if the pup doesn't like the sound of the clicker? Then you go to the store and buy another one? It would be my luck to get a fuzzy pup that has a certain clicker disorder going on. For now I am dealing with him being a wateroholic. Not real worried about the leash deal. I use treats and practice with him 2-3 times per day. Thanks so much for all your thoughts!!

 

[LisaRN]

He was crate trained but now he's peeing in the crate. It's a medium crate so he's just standing in his pee. I take him out in the night 10:30pm but at 7am he isn't holding his pee. I'm frustrated as I think this is him being lazy. I read up on the clicker and went to petsmart last year to check it out. Many clickers and each one clicked differently. What if the pup doesn't like the sound of the clicker? Then you go to the store and buy another one? It would be my luck to get a fuzzy pup that has a certain clicker disorder going on. For now I am dealing with him being a wateroholic. Not real worried about the leash deal. I use treats and practice with him 2-3 times per day. Thanks so much for all your thoughts!!

I wonder if he has a bladder infection??

 

[karina]

I don't think that is the problem. There would be signs indicating. Frankly, I know what it is and it's the amount of water he thinks he needs each day. I've only had him now for 2 weeks so I'm trying to give him only what he and his weight is supposed to have. I think the vet said 3 1/2 cups is what he requires but he thinks he needs more she said. I brought him out at midnight last night and well I woke to a dry crate. Go figure. I think I am the problem and I have to learn how to dictate the amount of water and stop at a certain point in his day. Thank you for your thoughts!

 

[LisaRN]

hmmm.. I never heard you had to limit water.. food yes.. water no. I just leave a bowl out for Chester and he goes to it when he wants. He LOVES ice cubes.. I do the crushed ice thing from the freezer and he eats that..maybe that would be a better way to limit water but keep his mouth wet?? In any event.. hope he is dry again in the morning for you!

 

[karina]

Oh I like the crushed ice idea thanks! It's hot today here so no way am I limiting his water but I did take them out very late last night yet Dexter was wet this morning. I said 2 stern No's and only hope it sunk in what I meant.

 

[Bulldogg]

Karina do you put a blanket or bed in his crate?

2 out of 5 of my bullies will pee in their crate if the have a bedding, towel or something. They do not go pee in there if I leave it with no bedding. So I don't

Truthfully, they prefer sleeping on a hard surface because it stays cooler for them, especially in the summer.

 

[Libra926]

He was crate trained but now he's peeing in the crate. It's a medium crate so he's just standing in his pee. I take him out in the night 10:30pm but at 7am he isn't holding his pee. I'm frustrated as I think this is him being lazy. I read up on the clicker and went to petsmart last year to check it out. Many clickers and each one clicked differently. What if the pup doesn't like the sound of the clicker? Then you go to the store and buy another one? It would be my luck to get a fuzzy pup that has a certain clicker disorder going on. For now I am dealing with him being a wateroholic. Not real worried about the leash deal. I use treats and practice with him 2-3 times per day. Thanks so much for all your thoughts!!

That would be my luck also! Luckily my monsters are so food motivated that the clicker (any clicker) is equal to ringing a dinner bell. It doesn't matter what it sounds like, it's what follows that's the key!

 

[Knuckles73]

Heres what we did wit our Oscar...He's only a year old 5/31. We have changed his crate twice. I recommend the wire crates that allow you a divider that grows with your puppy. Once he outgrew that one we went to a bigger crate, but by then he was housebroken. The rule of thumb for crates, especially while HB, is just big enough for puppy to stand, turn around and lie down. any bigger they will use bathroom in their crate and just move to the dry/clean area.

Leashes and walking...Oscar didnt like his collar or harness at first either. Inside we would place each piece on one at a time and let him get used to it. ex Place his collar leave it on for say 5 -10 minutes then take it off. do this several times a day until finally you can add a short lead, don't hold it or try to make them walk just supervise and let them walk around the house or yard and drag it with them. This approach worked very well for Oscar. No when he sees his harness in hand he goes "crazy" with excitement, he knows its time for a walk or a ride. Now if I can just get him to ride on the Harley...lol.

For all the pullers...my wife is a petite woman 5'2" and 110lbs, Oscar can drag her around very easily. The "reverse harness" someone mentioned is great. It forces your dog to stay beside you because it attaches in the front to eliminate pulling.