Help Needed! Help!! We are getting very frustrated!

[Mountainlover]

We've never had this much trouble potty training a puppy before! We take him out, he does both and then a few minutes later he pees on the floor. This happens several times a day! He also loves to attack my feet. If I have them on the floor, he is trying to bite them. Sometimes he even growls at them. When we shake a can at him, he goes after the can. We need help!

 

[Alice Kable]

It sounds like it would help if you added a few minutes to your outside/potty time and waited for "seconds". All puppies are attracted to feet. Not only do they smell really good, but they move! Winston will outgrow his foot fetish!

 

[GatorRay]

The playing is sooooo normal! You just need to keep telling him NO and then ignore him for a minute to let him calm down. They do get it but it takes time. They are used to playing rough with their litter mates and don't understand that their little teeth hurt you!

How long have you been working with this puppy on potty training? I would first work with the crate training and then second, wait to go in after he potties to see if he will go again. The crate (if used properly) will help a lot in teaching him to hold it. I know it is frustrating!!!! Just search on this website for posts about crate training and rough play and I am sure you will come up with lots of information and suggestions.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Yes..puppy hood! I would put him on a leash..keep him close to you and tethered to you all the time he isn't crated. Still follow the same schedule..just no free roaming. If he starts to pee while on a leash, jerk leash and say your stop word! Pick him up and take him outside.! Not hard enough to hurt him..just enough to get his attention. . Repeat as necessary. It does get frustrating..but he will catch on.

The biting is honestly something they outgrow. You can stop his behavior as he does it. Try to redirect him until he finds something else to chew on. don't be afraid to use your no word..loudly and consistently!

 

[Mountainlover]

We are probably giving him a little too much freedom. He is good about holding it in the crate. He is going a whole 5 hours at night, but not even an hour when he's not crated. Sometimes it's literally only 20 minutes. I will tell hubby (this is his puppy and he's the one doing most of the work, I just like to cuddle and play with him. ) to wait him out outside to see if he needs to go again. He is confined to two rooms, but we let him roam around those two rooms, when we can see him, after he goes outside. I guess we need to take this freedom away. I will continue to sit on my feet or put them up to protect them. lol His little teeth do hurt! Sounds like we also need to pick up a harness to keep tabs on him. We don't plan to take him anywhere until he has all his shots so we don't have one yet.

Oh and GatorRay, this Friday will be two weeks since we got him. I know that isn't very long, but we've never had a puppy that would pee in the house right after doing it outside. He knows he's doing something wrong too, because when we yell No! and come after him he runs and hides under the kitchen table.

Thanks for your quick responses!

 

[Mountainlover]

Glad to hear he will outgrow the biting. We were getting worried that he's going to be an aggressive dog.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

We are probably giving him a little too much freedom. He is good about holding it in the crate. He is going a whole 5 hours at night, but not even an hour when he's not crated. Sometimes it's literally only 20 minutes. I will tell hubby (this is his puppy and he's the one doing most of the work, I just like to cuddle and play with him. ) to wait him out outside to see if he needs to go again. He is confined to two rooms, but we let him roam around those two rooms, when we can see him, after he goes outside. I guess we need to take this freedom away. I will continue to sit on my feet or put them up to protect them. lol His little teeth do hurt! Sounds like we also need to pick up a harness to keep tabs on him. We don't plan to take him anywhere until he has all his shots so we don't have one yet.

Oh and GatorRay, this Friday will be two weeks since we got him. I know that isn't very long, but we've never had a puppy that would pee in the house right after doing it outside. He knows he's doing something wrong too, because when we yell No! and come after him he runs and hides under the kitchen table.

Thanks for your quick responses!

My sister is a Dog Trainer. My daughter had a devilish time housebreaking her Golden Retriever. The tethering worked soooo well..it's amazing how much your focus changes when they are your shadow! Don't worry...you can and will figure this out.

You can use a collar on him for this. He will probably be more responsive to a tug on a collar than a harness...plus he will get used to the feel of a collar if you ever need it.

 

[Mountainlover]

You can use a collar on him for this. He will probably be more responsive to a tug on a collar than a harness...plus he will get used to the feel of a collar if you ever need it.

Good to know! We bought him a collar we have never used. We didn't want to invest in a harness until it's safe for him to go out and about.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Good to know! We bought him a collar we have never used. We didn't want to invest in a harness until it's safe for him to go out and about.

Yes..and they grow so much...we've been through 3 harnesses!

 

[Gizmom]

Sounds like pretty typical puppy behavior to me!

I got home from work earlier this week and everyone here was sitting on the couch, with their feet under them, because that was the only way to keep them away from Emily. We've started using a "three strikes and you are out" rule. First time she nips, we try to redirect her to a chew toy. Second time, we walk away. If she still insists on nipping, we put her in her crate for a 5 minute time out. That usually gives her enough time to calm down enough to play nice.

The potty training has been a challenge for us too. She seemed to pee every 10 minutes. After waking up from a nap, we had to carry her outside because she couldn't make it to the door in time. I had visions of having to carry a 50 pound dog outside! Just over the last couple of days, we have seen progress. Yesterday was the first day that she didn't have an accident in the house. I thought I should make up a sign like they have in factories. "This facility has gone 24 hours without an accident!". It will take time and persistence on your part, plus lots of monitoring, but I'm sure Winston will get there!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Sounds like pretty typical puppy behavior to me!

I got home from work earlier this week and everyone here was sitting on the couch, with their feet under them, because that was the only way to keep them away from Emily. We've started using a "three strikes and you are out" rule. First time she nips, we try to redirect her to a chew toy. Second time, we walk away. If she still insists on nipping, we put her in her crate for a 5 minute time out. That usually gives her enough time to calm down enough to play nice.

The potty training has been a challenge for us too. She seemed to pee every 10 minutes. After waking up from a nap, we had to carry her outside because she couldn't make it to the door in time. I had visions of having to carry a 50 pound dog outside! Just over the last couple of days, we have seen progress. Yesterday was the first day that she didn't have an accident in the house. I thought I should make up a sign like they have in factories. "This facility has gone 24 hours without an accident!". It will take time and persistence on your part, plus lots of monitoring, but I'm sure Winston will get there!

I have a distinct picture in my head of your entire family being held hostage by Emily. Congrats on progress...its wonderful when it happens!

 

[Davidh]

Patience, patience, patience, he's just a baby, so you need to give him time to learn and yelling too loud can just scare him and will not be productive. It can take months to potty train one 100%, they will have their little accidents from time to time. Even my 5 year old will slip every once in awhile, but I don't get mad because I know I wasn't paying enough attention to her or their schedule was off for whatever reason. Stay out side a little longer and make sure he is finished. The biting of the feet he will out grow, just be patient, and remember, he's just a baby and will learn as he grows up. You have some good advise above, just give it time.

 

[GatorRay]

[MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] is right. I used the tethering with my Basset when she was a puppy and it worked really well. I actually tied the leash to my belt loops and whenever she would sniff around, I would take her out and use TONS of praise.

[MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] is right as well, yelling too loud will just scare your pup. I actually use a gravelly sound with my voice that gets their attention. Even my husband thinks he did something wrong when I make that sound!

Just be consistent and this will all pass! Puppies...so frustrating...that is why they are so CUTE! It keeps them alive haha. (j/k of course)

My bullies were litter trained when I brought them home (in the middle of winter!) so if I didn't take them out on time, they went in the litter box.

 

[Cyndi]

My problem is that I live in Florida and right now we have daily horrible thunderstorms with terrential rain. Of course I take out my puppy very often but he still needs to go when the thunderstorm hits. Today he actually went under the dining room table and peed!!! I was shocked because if he did have an accident, he wouldn't hide. I have never scolded him BTW. I actually put a pee pee pad by the front door just for these rainy occasions. So my question is, if he is so smart to be able to tell me he has to go out (which he does by going to the front door), why did he potty under the table???? Help!

 

[GatorRay]

sound like he is afraid of the storm. I would get a thunder shirt or a childs t-shirt that is snug but not too tight and see how he does.