Help Needed! Potty time take 2

[ModernFemme]

Okay. First of all, thanks so much for all your patience with my Dog 101 questions. I'm sure you have all answered these questions a thousand times over - and I so very much appreciate you guys taking time away from your bully to help me with mine!

Secondly, for those who have been following my quest to win over my brand new bulldog Sir Remington, I was feeling completely overwhelmed. Update: This week, and specifically the last few days, have been pretty amazing. I've been able to (easily) focus on all the awesome things about my new puppy that makes him so great. When I can get him walking, there is no pulling. It's almost therapeutic. He is listening very well, even with distractions, and overall, I couldn't be happier with his progress.


(Strangely he loves to pee on this blanket, so we've decided maybe we can't give it to him anymore. But he will also pee on the carpet in the other room.)

I'm still having one problem. The reason I'm bringing this up again is because I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing wrong other than I don't have my eyes glued on him every millisecond. I work during the day, but I work from home, and crating him for 8 hours just seems totally unnecessary when he's contained in a room with me.

What I'm struggling at - and for those who don't feel like reading, here is my real question - I can't get him to stop going in the house.

Remi is amazing in the crate. We're up to 5 hours at night. He never has an accident in there since we added a divider and that has been bliss.

What we're doing for the out of the crate stuff:

1) We take him out when he wakes up
2) We take him out after he eats breakfast
3) We take him out 20-30 minutes later
4) We normally get nervous about 30 minutes after that, trying to interpret the smallest sniff, and take him out again. He gets pretty annoyed and refuses to go.
5) We will keep taking him out every 30 minutes until he goes.
6) Lunch time.
7) 20 minutes later, take him out
8) Take him out at the smallest sniff/scratching
9) Take him out 3 more times before dinner
10) dinner time
11) take him out 20 minutes after that
12) Take him out at the smallest sniff (x a million)
13) Take him out before bed.

**Note: I walk him twice a day on most days. I also take him out after about 20 minutes, or the smallest sniff and scratching, to see if he has to go. Or when he drinks a lot of water. Exercising isn't on a schedule; it's mostly if I feel he needs it if he will be crated for 4 hours during the day or something, or if it's the weekend and we want to spend more time with him.) And we praise and reward him like he's the God of the English bulldogs.

So we literally take this puppy out 12+ times a day. And he still, somehow, manages to pee or poop on the floor despite pretty solid supervision. Pooping is pretty rare now, because he makes such a ritual of it. However, no matter how observant we are, I can't pick up any warning signs until AFTER he's gone. Remi gives practically zero warning until AFTER he pees.

Every time he pees on the floor, I just feel like it puts us back a step. I realize accidents happen, but the habitualness of it is beginning to worry me. And it's not on a schedule. It could be 5 minutes after we come back inside from an outing.

Suggestions? Comments? Or will it take a few months before he "gets it?"

Thanks guys. Seriously!! I just feel like I could be doing better.

 

[RaRett]

We have a particular spot in the yard for Hershey, he is now 7 months old, and he knows, when he is in that spot, that its time to go potty. If he has to go alot or a little, he gives us what we want at that spot (Lots and LOTS of praise and treats)

When he would have an accident in the house. IMMEDIATELY (even in mid stream ! ) Pick him up and take him to the spot) clean up the spot, make sure you use an enzyme product and follow the directions - some you spray on, and leave it alone, others you spray, saturate, and then dab etc.

PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE he will learn We also have an X-Pen in the kitchen that he is in during the day - he can move around, but not have run of the house... granted this was started AFTER he was crate trained, and if you can not be watching him every second, he needs to be in the xpen or crate for his own protection. Just take LOTS of breaks while you work from home

 

[linwhite]

After he pees on the floor, what are you cleaning the floor up with? If you're not using a specialized product he may still be able to smell that he went there before and that's an approved area per his nose. Try this "Nature's Miracle No More Marking Stain & Odor Remover" I get it in the gallon size at amazon. I'm still on my first gallon after a couple of years. It works very well. Not only does it destroy the smell it puts a don't do it here scent down that the dog doesn't like. What I smell is maybe cinnamon or something like that.

 

[ModernFemme]

Thanks for all suggestions so far guys. Right now I'll use a product like Nature's Miracle or that other new one that bought the old Nature's Miracle Enzyme. Hilarious I use it all the time but can't remember the name. We have 2 cats, so I got the good stuff - I am using the product for cats on Remi's Urine, at first I thought maybe it wasn't working the way it was intended, but he always goes in a different spot. Like, very far away from the area I treated. So, I guess it's a good thing he goes in random places inside, but goes to his designated spot outside.

Side bar - when we brought Remi home, we could NOT get him to go outside the first 2 days. Luckily we have a fire hydrant right in our front yard... (and a mail box I have definitely seen other dogs piss on) I kept thinking to myself, if he doesn't want to pee on this thing, then we're doomed!!! But, interestingly enough, it rained for like an entire week, and he was not about to run that far out in the yard, so he picked a new spot, and has been using that spot pretty religiously for about a week. Much closer to the house.

 

[kazzy220]

It really does sound as if you are doing all the right things!!! Potty training is THE worst thing about a puppy. I've had some who "get it" VERY quickly and some who I believed I may need to diaper otherwise there would be a 5 year old dog still peeing in the house.

All I can say is ... keep doing what you're doing and eventually you'll get there. But as to how long it will take? That's like asking how long is a piece of string!!!

 

[ModernFemme]

UPDATE: Discovered that Remi is a little bit of a sissy about going potty outside when the ground is wet. I have to really drag/carry him out and be diligent as hell.