Is there a light at the end of the tunnel???

[erniesmom]

I know you guys must hear this over and over and over again...but housebreaking frustration!!! First, if one more person comes up to me and tells me that their puppy only had one accident ever and was completely housebroken in one week I am going to. Ernie is 15 weeks. We got him at 12 weeks. He never had any exposure to housetraining with the breeder. I do everything by the book. He goes out every 45 minutes, after naps, after play, a bit after eating and if sniffing.He gets a treat and tons of praise when he goes outside. I am trying the bell as well. Ernie gives no signals, just goes in the house. Makes no attempt to go to the door. I just want to know that one day he is going to wake up and it is going to "click". He is in a crate when we are not home or when no one can watch him. I know I am following procedure...I just want to know it is going to happen.

He also shows no sign of happiness or excitement. He has no tail to wag and he does not wiggle. It is SO hard to read him. He looks like he is pissed off around the clock. So funny, we were at the petstore and a man asked me what he did to tick my dog off so bad with the look Ernie was giving him.
Sorry for the whine.
On a positive note....we have mastered sit, going up and down a ramp to get in and out of the car, getting down the driveway on a leash(he was terrified) and actually walking out the door by himself. Doing well with "leave it" when it is a treat....not so much when it is anything else and getting no where with down.

 

[nycbullymama]

Your post has me laughing. Totally get it. :D
In the last month, I've met people who seem to have the most brilliant pooches- while my little monkey won't even sit without a treat. So hats off to Ernie for that one.
All I can say is it really takes time.
I'm starting to think that whomever said "Patience is a Virture", must of owned an English Bulldog.

 

[christyjulene]

When we last got the carpet changed in our old house I wanted to run and hide with embarrassment when I saw the back of the carpet. I had potty trained my dog doing everything by the book and had the same problems you are. I was so embarrassed when I saw how many potty spots I had missed. Some dogs come to it naturally and some don't. It doesn't help the breeder didn't train him. It has only been three weeks and you know he can learn things you have mastered a lot of other things. Sounds like you are living on his schedule. I'm sure those that come along will have so great ideas. When we want to teach something new we feed ours a cube of raw meat, something they absolutely cannot resist. Maybe upping the treat value for peeing outside might help. Good Luck!

 

[cali baker]

It sounds like you are doing a great job w/Ernie. At 15 weeks, I'm thinking his bladder is still small which makes it difficult for him to hold in his pee for too long a time, so like others said, you gotta be patient with the housebreaking. You can also have him on a leash inside the house w/him tethered to you and at the first sign of him squatting, you need to say NO, pick him up and put him in the area where he's supposed to go. You're gonna get there in no time!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Well..15 weeks is still a young guy. But I will share with you what my sister, a dog trainer, swears by.

In the house, keep him on a leash tethered to you all the time. You will be amazed at the signs you are missing. Watch him like a hawk. If you need to be untethered..for yoursel.. take him out to pee..put him in his crate. Do all the normal housebreaking things..outside every 45 minutes..after meals and playing.

If, while on a tether, you catch him starting to pee..give a gentle jerk on his collar. Give him your sternest NO word. Take him outside. If he goes..give him praise. Repeat.
It will take a couple weeks..it's important you not let him wander. YOU need to be consistent and firm..

Good Luck!

 

[christyjulene]

[MENTION=8158]General Jackson[/MENTION] is going through the same thing you are. Maybe you can have online drinks together!

 

[erniesmom]

Thanks, that makes me feel better...I am going to try the tether. I feel like I watch him like a hawk but I can see where there are times he wanders off...
I have to think of a good line for the people with the incredo dogs that come from the womb housebroken!!!!

 

[Annie1991]

Punk was 2 before she quit peeing in the house . . . . .

 

[General Jackson]

@General Jackson is going through the same thing you are. Maybe you can have online drinks together!

Bahahaha, that made me lol LUV it! Yea 15 wks is really young. Jackson mainly goes in his kennel. He's pretty good about not going in the house but the kennel is another story. Good luck n like I need to tell myself be patient!

 

[bluesteelapd]

Hey - I'm not trying to nit pick your post by any means....but if I may ask, with *all due respect* what do you mean when you say he's learned to go out the door himself? On a leash?

I haven't had a puppy in years, but believe me I understand and totally "get" your frustration. You take them outside, they pee, then they come in the house and pee again. You're like ... HUH? I just took you outside to pee! Stick with it. We all feel your pain and know you need to vent. Glad you feel as if you can vent here and get the support you need. Stick with it, it will get better!

 

[erniesmom]

he would never even walk out the door to go outside. now he will walk out without me having to pick him up and carry him

 

[dolphin]

I think it just takes time with Bullies but there is light at the end of the tunnel. They are super stubborn but eventually he'll come around. Your line about not be able to read him because he looks pissed off all the time really reminds me of when we first got Buster. Every time I took him out back and tried to get him to do something like chase a ball and bring it back to me or to do his business he would give me that same face! haha! Kind of freaked me out. I really thought something was wrong with him until he got around other dogs and people and then the butt wiggles began and they haven't stopped.

 

[staciepap]

[MENTION=8590]erniesmom[/MENTION] I totally feel your pain. I have a pup and she is now 19 weeks and she still isn't fully potty trained. Ugh!!! Our cocker that we have had for years learned immediately so it is frustrating that it is taking her so long to say the least. She has been better the last week but still having accidents pretty much once a day. She literally has to be let outside every 45 min/ hour. And she sometimes pees 3 or 4 times outside each time. We even had our vet check her for a uti to make sure that wasn't what was making her have to pee every second. We are also trying to teach her to ring the bell when she has to go outside but she hasn't caught on to that yet. She would rather just pee in the house. lol Our issue is that she is mainly upstairs with our family all day so she doesn't care to run downstairs too much when she needs to go out. lazy girl I guess. But hoping that she will get much better in the next couple weeks. She definitely knows she has done something wrong cause she runs away and hides etc putting her head down and sulking. If we see if after the fact, we grab her and pick her up and take her to the pee spot and put her head close to the pee so she sees is and tell her no bad dog, etc, and then take her immediately outside and tell her outside. Hope it turns around for you and me soon!!! It will get better just hope its fast!!!!!