tito_huskyx

I recently adopted an 8 week old husky x on Wednesday (Feb 3). When we got him, the previous owner said they started potty training him on paper and shredded paper (he's an indoor dog). When we brought him home he was doing great and using the pee pad (we put the pee pad in a corner by our front door), but for two days now, he's been avoiding the pee pad and eliminating wherever. Three times I've caught him in the act of peeing on the floor and I immediately took him to the pee pad...when we let him come out of his corner he again finds a place to pee on the floor...??? I don't know what to do??? or what to think of this??? HELP!!

Vambo

Welcome.

Take him outside.

Toddlers go potty. Dogs defecate outside. You have to teach him that there will be regular times during the day that you take him outside to exercise and go to the toilet. In turn you have to watch him for the way it acts when he has to go.

Don't make him feel bad, as learning is not easy at first. But if you calmly show him what it is you want, in a way that he can understand, and give him time, this will no longer be a problem. Try to be regular with the time you take him outside. Often, after a meal and some water he will need to go out so it is a good time to take a walk and practice walking on the leash.

His his name Tito? Any pictures of him?

luvmypup

Welcome! If you haven't already, be sure to search through all the previous threads about how to housebreak a puppy. I've had mine for a month now and he was the same age as yours is when I brought him home. I used a crate to start out with and when he's out of the crate with me I have him close at hand so I can see when he needs to go. I also take him out or at least offer to at least every 30 minutes or so just to be on the safe side. He's to the point now that if I head to the door and say "potty outside?" he'll follow if he needs to go and not if he doesn't. If he hasn't gone for quite a while and I know he just drank a lot of water, I'll take him out anyways. Be sure to be standing close by so when he does go you are ready with a treat and lots of praise and that you use a key word like "go potty" when he's doing it so that he'll know that is what you're wanting when you go outside or to the pads.

Please let us know if you have any more questions. I'm no expert and am new at this too but the others on here are very wise in these things and willing to help out. Again, welcome to the forum!

Draco

Pee pads are among the most useless devices for housebreaking a dog as they teach a dog to eliminate inside the house, the exact opposite of what you would like. The biggest step here is getting rid of them.

After this your best bet is frequent trips outside with big praise when he does his duty! When he's inside he should only be allowed to roam about when you are able to keep a close eye on him and interact at this point. When he looks like he's about to squat--get him outside swiftly. Don't make a big deal of accidents, as that is precisely what it is at this point. He's still learning where is correct to go. The key part is vigilance and consistency.

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tito_huskyx

Yes, that's his name. I originally named him Jacob, but we noticed that one of his ears folds and the other stands more upright. My family used to have a dog named "Tito" and his ears were like that. He was such a good dog/friend, so I decided to name our pup in memory I'll try and post pics soon *am sooo busy*

And thanks peeps

I've come to realize that he doesnt like using the pee pads because we place the pee pads in the same location (front door) in which we sometimes confine him in (during supper, or when we're stepping out) and he hates that (he whines and whines). So, I think thats why he avoids that area...and yes, we have two toddlers and a 6 year old and urine/feces in the house is a bit gross lol
I've read a little about crate training and it looks like the best bet...??
My common-law and I are both full-time post secondary students, so we are not home all day, and we also have 3 children...is crate training a good idea? Would we leave him in a crate all day, when we are not home??? I'm so confused. I have 4 midterms this week and my husband has been managing the majority of house/child duties, but I know we are going to have to develop a routine/schedule to meet little Tito's needs as well We don't have a fenced yard...YET
Also, what is an appropriate feeding/watering schedule?? Like I said, we are not home the majority of the day during the week...

n0mad

Because he is a new baby he will need to eat and be let out several times a day. If you can't be there you will need to find him a babysitter who knows how to take care of and housetrain a puppy. If left in his crate without any way to get outside he could learn to be a dirty puppy in his crate which is a nightmare to undo, and/or he could end up with an infection from trying to hold it too long.

When you catch a puppy going on the floor there is an appropriate way of letting them know it was wrong, you simply show them the spot DO NOT PUT HIS FACE IN IT!!!! and say "uh uh" then say, "go outside" or whatever words you want to use and take him there. Don't use the word "outside" for him to go pee though or he could very well learn to piddle the second you ask ifhe has to go outside. Did this once by accident with one of my very first puppies.

Vambo

A full plate to say the least. As Nomad said so well, the pup is going to need someone to be with him during the day. Are there any places where you live that operate a day care fo dogs? That would probably be your best choice in this situation. Crate training is a bad idea for you at this point. You could allow him to have a open crate in your bedroom at night that serves as his bed. This will allow you to keep him close to you while teaching that he has his own place that is safe and clean to be in. Cleaning a dog pillow after an accident is much easier than carpet.

Dogs do better when there is always someone around. Would the person minding the toddlers take the pup on too during the day?

n0mad

I don't understand your reasoning for not crate training at this time. I have always crate trained and housetrained my puppies at the same time and have had many puppies grow up without ever having an accident on the floor EVER! I have also found that by four months my puppies have been reliable enough for asking to go outside that I hardly have to watch them contrary to what so many books now-a-days tell people that their puppies won't be reliable until they are at least nine months to a year old. This kind of thinking is bizzarre to me.

Using a crate during housetraining teaches the puppy how to ask to go outside. I have never had to hang a bell by the door and train a dog to use it because they learn to come and make noise or push on me to let them out long before I trust them to be loose in the house without supervision.

luvmypup

I believe Vambo was referring to the fact that the puppy shouldn't be kept in a crate all day while they're gone. Hence, the doggy daycare idea.

Vambo

Luvmypup has got it. Can't ask if no one is there and you're locked in a crate all day.