pottie training going down the drain???

[dmoore2145]

Our 11 week old Lab was doing great eliminating outside and was even whining to go, but the last couple of days she has urinated twice in her crate and twice on a throw rug as we were walking out with her. What are we doing wrong!!!!

[GretaJack]

She is young! Expect accidents. She can only control her bladder for so long. We tend to forget that after having a couple of accident-free days. We push them longer than we should, hence the pottying on the rug on the way out. Just can't hold it anymore. As for pottying in the crate, don't expect to crate an 11 week old puppy to hold it during the day for more than about 3, maybe 4, hours at the most. They don't want to have to mess in their crate, but when you gotta go you gotta go. Just keep being consistent. She will figure it out. Potty training is the worst part of puppyhood. in my opinion

[dmoore2145]

I didn't make myself clear regarding the crate. She will go in her crate at 10:00PM and hold it until 5:00AM.
It's during the day. What we read is to keep the door open to her crate as her crate is her refuge and she may want to rest or take a nap in it.
All she wants to do with her crate during the day is go in an pee in it.

[carriecrowe]

My dog is like that,she is 10 wks now. I will put her in the crate before we go to bed and leave her there till i get up or my husband gets up then she goes straight outside. She dont potty in her crate during the night, but during the day (with the doors open and free access to outside) she will be outside and come inside and pee on the floor and go back outside and play. I too wonder what i am doing wrong. She has started doing this because i am crate training her, i have to continue to crate train her because of some problems she has been causing.

[erdog3]

You poor things, I hate potty training, sometimes I think, Why oh Why did I keep this pup and decide to go through all this again.
Confusion, that is you problem, and as stated, they can only hold on for short periods of time, the bladder doesn't get full control till they are at least 4 months old.
The answer, keep going, they do get the hang of it in the end, sometimes it just happens, you think you are one step forward, then all of a sudden you take two steps backwards.
Thouroughly clean the crates (eliminate odours)they will always go back and pee where they peed before cause of the smell. if they are not crated in the day, close the door. put a cardboard box with blankets etc. they will just a easily go there for refuge as a crate, and they do not like to pee in their bedding if they don't have to.
If they have to be crated, you will need to take them out more often, after sleep, before sleep, after drink, after food, even an excited pup will need to do a pee. Don't expect full control till at least 4 months.

[carriecrowe]

the problem with my pup is i SWEAR she does it deliberately. Kinda like a sneaky child, they know they arent suppose to but they "have to". My husband wants to throw her outside, but then she whines ALL NIGHT LONG (litterally from the time she goes out on the chain till we get up and let her in which can be 5 hrs later)... she will NOT shut up. She is around 2 other dogs and that STILL dont help out. I have started crate training her because i would like to have atleast 1 inside dog and she does good until she gets mad and throws a "tantrum" (peeing on the floor when the door is open....)

I mean seriously she can be outside playing and she will come inside (on her own) and pee on my carpet and go back outside (on her own) knowing that i cant catch her outside (she likes going and hiding on me)

[erdog3]

Carrie I feel for you so much, I am getting about 4-5 hours sleep a night myself, almost since the pups were born, I know how you feel. Your pup is being a little ratbag isn't she!!
Set her up to catch her at it, give her a feed and water, then watch her, hide even if you have to, the minute she starts to circle and look for a spot, pounce, pick her up, even if its still running out of her, and litterally dump her outside and yell no, no, be very stern, you will probably frighten the living daylights out of her, but at least she will know exactly what for. When she has finished letting the rest out, give heaps of praise and attention. Do it a few times if you have to, but you must only do it if you catch her in the act, it's to late even a minute after she has finished, she won't associate the reprimand with the bad deed. see how you go over a couple of days, let me know.

[carriecrowe]

I've tried that the entire time i have had her, and it still dont work. I'm telling you she is doing this on purpose. she will come from OUTSIDE to pee on my carpet, and yes i do throw her litterally out the door, but as soon as she is back outside she dont finish pottying and i can catch her AS SOON AS she squats to pee. My husband is about ready to get rid of her, and i'm on the brink of i dont know what to do with her anymore. I love her to death, and she gets lots of run/play time, but i cant figure out what is going on in her mixed up head...

the only thing i can think of is my carpet is green.. i know they say dogs are color blind so i didnt think that would matter. I dont know, all i know is i'm about ready to replace this carpet with new carpet and i dont want her peeing on my new carpet. any advise would be greatly helpful on a stubborn doggie..

[GretaJack]

Carrie- if I remember correctly you got Precious at a very young age. Most people don't get their pups until 8 weeks old, so think of it this way, you are only two weeks into potty training. The first couple were just for practice. She is not, for some unknown reason, is not understanding where she is allowed to go potty. And like elliereat said, they can smell where they have gone before so they go there again. If she is doing it in the same area everything, feed and play with her there. She does not want to play and eat where she pees. Tell your husband to relax and be patient. Dogs potty train easier than childern. I am sure you can believe me on that since I think you said you have a couple of young ones. Good Luck and really hope she gets the hang of it soon.