Help Needed! Looking for advice on potty training our 9 week old pup in our scenario - want to run some ideas I had by you guys as well?

Mahonroy

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Nov 15, 2017
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Wally
Hey guys,
We have a 9 week old English Bulldog puppy, and I was looking for some advice on potty training him.

First I will describe what we currently have been doing:
I am home Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday all day. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday my wife and I are staggering our work hours to leave him alone the least amount of time as possible. I leave at 9:30 a.m., and she gets home at 4:00 p.m. I know this part is not ideal.

We are in a newly built neighborhood, so there is no landscaping yet, but will be done next year. So there is just rocks and dirt outside, no grass yet.

We set up a pen in the master bathroom (tiled floor) that contains his crate with blankets, some toys, and 2x potty pads in the corner of the pen. He always pees only on the pads, and never poops anywhere in the pen. We take him outside around 8 times a day where he does his business.

We currently play with him in the morning, around noon, and in the evenings; this seems to tire him out and he sleeps good through the night. On days when we are not around during noon, I give him his lunch as I am leaving at 9:30 a.m.

The problem comes when he is outside his pen... outside the pen and he has not gone on a potty pad a single time in a week. I don't know if he can't distinguish the difference between a pad and the carpet, but he also ignores the potty pad on the hardwood floor as well. Its as if he considers anywhere outside his pen as being outside or something? I generally follow him around, and I can tell when he is about to pee. Every time he squats down to pee, I pick him up and put him on the pad. He always stops mid stream, and never finishes on the pad.

I would love to be able to have him in my office while I work during the day, but if he is free roaming he will do his business pretty much anywhere. And if I set up a pen in my office, he would bark to be let out, so that won't work either.

We are also afraid that the potty pads are teaching him poor habits anyways, so we were considering switching to those things that are basically litter boxes, but have fake grass instead. We were thinking of putting this in his pen instead of the pads, then putting one on the back patio for him to use as well (until landscaping is done). But this still doesn't solve the problem of how to teach him when he is out of his pen and we are playing with him.

What do you guys recommend? Thanks and any help/advice is greatly appreciated!
 

Manydogs

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When mine were pups, I took them out about every 15 minutes. After playing-out in a hurry. As soon as taken out of the pen-out. I also took :poo: outside to a spot,so they would get the scent/maybe the idea. I also had several puppy pads around the house,as when they are really little, they just don't understand going back to the "assigned" place. If you do want to train yours to use the grass litter box, bring him to it frequently. Not all dogs have grass, and you can still teach him to "go" outside, you just have to keep a rigid schedule, when you are home. Pen and pads, when you are not. Persistance and patience are the key words. Do not give up. Chose where you want him to go, and keep at it. Best of luck-it will be worth it,and just when you think he'll never get it, he will(though it may be a while!)
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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:welcome3: Lynn is right... consistency and schedule are key and he will eventually get it.

keep in mind at 9 weeks old... 3 hours is his limit on holding it. As Lynn said, take him out immediately upon finishing a play session, within 15-20 minutes from finishing eating and what I have always done... whether they need to go or not, take them out every 2-3 hours.

good luck
 

Manydogs

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Well, at 9 weeks, mine never lasted 3 hours, but maybe because they always had someone to play with. Playing=peeing with a pup!!!:D
 

Cbrugs

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:welcome3: Lynn is right... consistency and schedule are key and he will eventually get it.

keep in mind at 9 weeks old... 3 hours is his limit on holding it. As Lynn said, take him out immediately upon finishing a play session, within 15-20 minutes from finishing eating and what I have always done... whether they need to go or not, take them out every 2-3 hours.

good luck

And after they wake up! With my guys at that age, I didn't even wait 2-3 hours. I was taking them out every hour. And if you see them sniffing around, grab and take out. And yes, immediately after a play session.
 

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