Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 22:19     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What breed is your dog? I think some dog breeds are supposed to be harder to potty train than others. As others have said you need to keep the dog with you. You could put the dog on a leash and be attached to you. The dog should be taken out shortly after they drink water, Within 20 minutes of eating food, and as soon as they wake up from a nap. what I did with my dog is whenever we go outsid, as soon as the dog would do his business, I would give a major major praise right there outside while they were doing it. I would bring treats outside with me so that the dog got immediately positively reinforced.


He is a chihuahua mix.


Yeah, super tiny so will probably have to go a lot.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 22:18     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
It is tough. 4 months is still so young too. I would keep in the kennel more.

We got our first puppy a few years ago and I swear it was our older dog who really housetrained her because she set the example/led the pack. I can't imagine having to do it with just me/our family.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 22:15     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
Anonymous wrote:What breed is your dog? I think some dog breeds are supposed to be harder to potty train than others. As others have said you need to keep the dog with you. You could put the dog on a leash and be attached to you. The dog should be taken out shortly after they drink water, Within 20 minutes of eating food, and as soon as they wake up from a nap. what I did with my dog is whenever we go outsid, as soon as the dog would do his business, I would give a major major praise right there outside while they were doing it. I would bring treats outside with me so that the dog got immediately positively reinforced.


He is a chihuahua mix.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 22:15     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
Anonymous wrote:What breed is your dog? I think some dog breeds are supposed to be harder to potty train than others. As others have said you need to keep the dog with you. You could put the dog on a leash and be attached to you. The dog should be taken out shortly after they drink water, Within 20 minutes of eating food, and as soon as they wake up from a nap. what I did with my dog is whenever we go outsid, as soon as the dog would do his business, I would give a major major praise right there outside while they were doing it. I would bring treats outside with me so that the dog got immediately positively reinforced.


I feel like I’ve been doing that for the most part; the accidents happen when I step away for literally a second to put laundry in, etc. which is ridiculous…I feel like I keep repeating the praise, treats etc. but he does not get it and it is so frustrating.

Everyone online claims to have trained their dog in two weeks and I feel like a POS.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 22:12     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
What breed is your dog? I think some dog breeds are supposed to be harder to potty train than others. As others have said you need to keep the dog with you. You could put the dog on a leash and be attached to you. The dog should be taken out shortly after they drink water, Within 20 minutes of eating food, and as soon as they wake up from a nap. what I did with my dog is whenever we go outsid, as soon as the dog would do his business, I would give a major major praise right there outside while they were doing it. I would bring treats outside with me so that the dog got immediately positively reinforced.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 22:04     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
Anonymous wrote:It's a puppy.

At any rate, he does not understand what you want from him. You have to have your eyes on him at all times. The minute he circles around or begins to lift his leg or squat you clap loudly to distract him from what he is doing, pick him up, rush him outside and put him down and stay there until he finishes what he started inside. Then you lavish praise and treats.

This is on you. If he is going to the bathroom that much in your house, you are not watching him closely enough. When my dog was a puppy I tethered her to me for a couple of months. But she was house trained within two or three weeks of coming home with us, and she was only 10 weeks old when we got her and had never been inside.

You have to be vigilant and consistent.


I know, but it’s impossible because I work from home…he is ok in the crate for maybe an hour at a time, but I feel bad making him spend the majority of the day there. And I obviously can’t spend the day monitoring a puppy. I need to work! Maybe I’ll try daycare.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:58     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
It's a puppy.

At any rate, he does not understand what you want from him. You have to have your eyes on him at all times. The minute he circles around or begins to lift his leg or squat you clap loudly to distract him from what he is doing, pick him up, rush him outside and put him down and stay there until he finishes what he started inside. Then you lavish praise and treats.

This is on you. If he is going to the bathroom that much in your house, you are not watching him closely enough. When my dog was a puppy I tethered her to me for a couple of months. But she was house trained within two or three weeks of coming home with us, and she was only 10 weeks old when we got her and had never been inside.

You have to be vigilant and consistent.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:57     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
Anonymous wrote:How long ago did you adopt them?


About six weeks
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:49     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
How long ago did you adopt them?
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:45     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
Maybe you're giving it too many treats, lol. Gotta go again.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:43     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:43     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
Obviously you need to clean any messes thoroughly, with an enzymatic cleaner (nature's miracle), so there's no "marking" going on. But the real key here is a crate that is too small for the puppy to have a toilet corner, and an active practice of keeping the puppy in it when you can't immediately correct/contain any potential "oopsies", which shouldn't happen as often because you're creating better scenarios for success.

Give a command outside, treat if/when puppy does business correctly.

This passes. They have bad days and then they learn, kinda like kids and their "wonder weeks".
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:41     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
Why is your dog crapping so much?
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:40     Subject: Re:Puppy refuses to house train
Never take your eye off the puppy. If you aren't actively engaging it, and paying close attention, it should be in the crate.

From crate to outside (immediately; carry if needed), then playtime/training/food/water, outside, crate. Repeat.
Anonymous
Post 03/28/2025 21:05     Subject: Puppy refuses to house train
I have an almost four month old puppy who I take out every 45 minutes to an hour (if I am home) we do the bell training and I give plenty of treats/praise when going outside. When we are out and at night, he’s in his crate. He had five accidents inside today alone. If I take my eyes off him for a second he takes a crap on the floor. WTF am I doing wrong here? I am so tired of my house smelling like piss.