[fach]

Ok, another question from a new malt mommie. I told you I would be back frequently with questions

Our little girl is now 15 weeks. Our housetraining progress is such; We use the very small crate for sleeping. First thing in am we go outside and always have success with pee and poo. We utilize a doggie playpen in the main living area during the day when I need absolute control. [It is about 3.5'x4']. I am doing my best to watch her and catch her before she needs to relieve herself. I even attempt to know before SHE knows. Like going outside after a play session, feeding, etc. She is so much happier free of her playpen that she is out running the house most of the day. Heres the deal- if she has the urge, she does it anywhere. She is aware of the connection between potty outside [in her spot] and a treat, but won't hesitate to go inside, anywhere. Should I not allow her so much freedom? She follows me all day and I am trying very, very hard to watch her, but they tinkle so fast. I feel bad about keeping her in her pen. By the way, she has no problem with peeing in her crate or her pen. Doesn't mind being dirty. So confining her doesn't really help. Should i use a the smaller crate and build up to the larger pen? Should i give up the outdoor training and try pads? She is not trained to the pad. I had one down in her pen for the first week and she never touched it. I didn't try to encourage as i prefer the outdoor method. I would love to hear suggestions. Sorry for the long text. Thanks

 

[saltymalty]

I am sure that you'll get lots of good advice from members...so don't ever hesitate to ask. First, your puppy is still very young at 15 weeks. If she is going potty where ever she pleases, then I think she might have a bit too much freedom at this point. I have had great success using a combination of the cabana (our term for the crate...much nicer sounding) and the gazeebo (our play yard). When she was a young pup, we put her on a schedule of times in and out of the cabana (still in the yard). At first, she was out only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. I found the book House Training for Dummies very helpful. You can pick it up at any bookstore. It gave a specific schedule for feeding, crating, and pottying (is that a word?) It has taken several months but we have worked our way up to almost total freedom. We leave one side of the play yard open and she goes in and out all day long when we are home. If I go out, she is confined to the cabana. She also sleeps inside the cabana at night. I know that several members here have also had a great deal of success using a leash tied to your belt while inside the house. I'm not really sure of how to do this so maybe someone else who has used this method can chime in. I would say that by the time Valletta was 5 months old, she pretty much had the potty thing down. That's not to say she was totally accident free...accidents did happen, but when they did they were our fault. Now, at 10 months, she waits for us to take her out in the morning. I can shower, get dressed and ready and then take her out. She will sleep until 7:30-8:00 am. She also still takes naps at 10:30 am and 2 pm. Good luck with training.

 

[jmm]

Put her on a schedule to go out at the same times every day. This will help her know when she is expected to go where.

The only time she should be running free in the house is right after she pottied and you are actively watching her. Otherwise she should be confined (Crate, pen, or leashed to you).

 

[fach]

Originally posted by Fach@Jul 13 2005, 07:25 AM
Ok, another question from a new malt mommie. I told you I would be back frequently with questions

Our little girl is now 15 weeks. Our housetraining progress is such; We use the very small crate for sleeping. First thing in am we go outside and always have success with pee and poo. We utilize a doggie playpen in the main living area during the day when I need absolute control. [It is about 3.5'x4'].  I am doing my best to watch her and catch her before she needs to relieve herself. I even attempt to know before SHE knows. Like going outside after a play session, feeding, etc.  She is so much happier free of her playpen that she is out running the house most of the day. Heres the deal- if she has the urge, she does it anywhere. She is aware of the connection between potty outside [in her spot] and a treat, but won't hesitate to go inside, anywhere. Should I not allow her so much freedom? She follows me all day and I am trying very, very hard to watch her, but they tinkle so fast. I feel bad about keeping her in her pen. By the way, she has no problem with peeing in her crate or her pen. Doesn't mind being dirty. So confining her doesn't really help. Should i use a the smaller crate and build up to the larger pen? Should i give up the outdoor training and try pads? She is not trained to the pad. I had one down in her pen for the first week and she never touched it. I didn't try to encourage as i prefer the outdoor method. I would love to hear suggestions. Sorry for the long text. Thanks
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[/QUOTE]Thanks for the advice. I was torn between letting her have her fun [freedom] and doing what I thought needed to be done [restriction]. I will try the schedule approach. I have been VERY dilligent about frequent trips outside, but allowing too much freedom, I suppose. I considered the leash attached to me approach, but she follows me everywhere anyway. Where ever I am, she is under my feet. She and her sheltie brother. I sometimes feel like a rock star with my groupies, only my groupies are quite hairy

We'll start today and see how it goes. I sure hope she doesn't just continue to pee in her pen. If so, then maybe I should try the crate [smaller area] during the day until she graduates up to the larger more open pen?????

 

[saltymalty]

We use the pen and cabana together. Initially, we would only let her come out for feedings and play times. The rest of the time, she was confined to the cabana...which meant she slept. We would wake her up and take her out to potty at 7:00 am. She would poop and pee. Then she would eat until 7:15. We would play with her for 15 minutes and at 7:30 take her back out for a pee. Then she would go into the cabana until 10:30. At 10:30 she would go back outside for a pee, then be offered water and food if she didn't finish breakfast. We would play until 12:00 and then back outside. After a pee and outside play time she would go back in, be offered water, and put into the cabana. Basically, the idea was that she was only allowed out of her cabana for short periods of time. After about a week she caught on that outside means potty time. At that point, we let her spend about 10 minutes running around the play yard with the cabana door open (cabana sits in the play yard). As she stayed dry, we expanded the time free in the play yard. If she regressed, we started over from square one. But honestly, these dogs are very bright and she picked up on what she was supposed to do right from the get go. Now, we have graduated to leaving an open access to the play yard. She goes in and out all day long. Her cabana still sits in the yard with the door open, except at night or when we are out. It has been months since we've had an accident. I never did try the leash because the cabana method worked so well.

As for your hairy groupies...You gave me a big chuckle with that one. I think it depends on what music you listen to....I seem to recall a few hairy Dead Heads!

 

[chloeandj]

Restriction is best in the beginning if you want to have a well trained dog for life. Around 6 months they start really showing a lot of control, until then she will probably go anywhere when she has the urge. By 8-10 months they should be trustworthy (if they have had proper training). Chloe is 1 1/2 and a few months ago I started letting her have full freedom in the house when I am not home, have not had any accidents.

 

[fach]

Originally posted by saltymalty@Jul 13 2005, 10:51 AM
We use the pen and cabana together.  Initially, we would only let her come out for feedings and play times.  The rest of the time, she was confined to the cabana...which meant she slept.  We would wake her up and take her out to potty at 7:00 am.  She would poop and pee.  Then she would eat until 7:15.  We would play with her for 15 minutes and at 7:30 take her back out for a pee.  Then she would go into the cabana until 10:30.  At 10:30 she would go back outside for a pee, then be offered water and food if she didn't finish breakfast.  We would play until 12:00 and then back outside.  After a pee and outside play time she would go back in, be offered water, and put into the cabana.  Basically, the idea was that she was only allowed out of her cabana for short periods of time.  After about a week she caught on that outside means potty time.  At that point, we let her spend about 10 minutes running around the play yard with the cabana door open (cabana sits in the play yard).  As she stayed dry, we expanded the time free in the play yard.  If she regressed, we started over from square one.  But honestly, these dogs are very bright and she picked up on what she was supposed to do right from the get go.  Now, we have graduated to leaving an open access to the play yard.  She goes in and out all day long.  Her cabana still sits in the yard with the door open, except at night or when we are out.  It has been months since we've had an accident.  I never did try the leash because the cabana method worked so well.

As for your hairy groupies...You gave me a big chuckle with that one.  I think it depends on what music you listen to....I seem to recall a few hairy Dead Heads!
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[/QUOTE]
Dead heads!!!!