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Comment by Beth on January 21, 2014 at 10:17am

If he doesn't potty when you take him out, you need to either confine him near his dishes or attach him to you with a leash when he comes in. No play, no cuddles, no fun til he potties. If it's cold and you bring him in, wait 15 minutes with him being bored and confined and try again. It's tough when you are sick, even with a housetrained dog, so don't panic if the first week hasn't gone as well as you hoped.

Comment by Beth on January 21, 2014 at 10:16am

The biggest thing to remember is that the puppy is NOT born with an instinct to go potty outside. He IS born with an instinct to not potty where he eats, but inside or outside is all the same to him. You are creating a very strong habit in him about where to potty. If you train him to use pads, you are creating a strong habit for that and basically need to re-train him for outside. So what you want to do is associate, right from the beginning, the feeling of your preferred surface beneath his feet with going potty. Good luck!

Comment by Bev Levy on January 21, 2014 at 9:08am

There are many ways to train but mainly you must remember that your puppy just doesn't have the ability to do this consistently at first. You will see more results after about two months but not really reliable until at the earliest one year. It's better than a human child that takes 2 to 3 years! I always take this opportunity to teach a "go potty" command. It is easy because you need to watch them at this age anyway. Just say the command you choose as soon as your puppy squats everytime. It is great later when you are in a hurry after he matures enough to potty outside regularly. At this age any accidents in the house are your fault for not recognizing he needs to potty. Plan on taking him either to the potty pad or out after he wakes up, eats, drinks, or plays. This takes patience but suddenly he will understand and all will work out. He is a cutie!

Comment by Chris Payerl on January 20, 2014 at 5:59pm

I would suggest not using pads and not giving him water in his crate. A pup can go for a while without water while you do some work, as long as the crate is not out in the hot sun. If you are letting him out at least once an hour, he'll be fine. Give free access to water when he's out of the crate and you are watching him. Keep an eye on him and let him be for a few minutes when you let him out of the crate; he may not realize he has to go right away. As soon as you see the signs (circling, sniffing, etc.) take him outside. Take him out the same door all the time. Take him on leash to one specific spot and stand in one spot so he has limited area to explore and sniff (his "potty zone"). When he does start to urinate or defecate, give a potty command (Do it, Hurry up, etc.) and praise and reward the second he's done (take a pocket full of yummies with you so you can reward him immediately). If he doesn't go, bring him inside but don't let him roam free; keep him on a leash and keep an eye on him. When you see the signs again, take him out right away. He'll get the hang of it. It's a pain for you to have to suit up for cold weather all the time, but that won't last forever. He's a baby and you're both learning. Rub his belly and give him a kiss (but not right after an inside potty accident!) and enjoy him.

Comment by Anna Morelli on January 20, 2014 at 5:34pm

Remember he is an infant and learning your ways is hard.  The bladder has  involuntary muscles and it takes awhile (maturing)  for those muscles to come under voluntary control.  He also needs to bond with you, learn to love and trust you, and all that takes a bit of time.  I know it's especially hard when one is sick,  do more observing and less forcing of things and it will come together.  Try to enjoy him, become curious of his ways and antics and get well soon.

Comment by Denis J. on January 20, 2014 at 2:46pm

I trainned Wally in the dead cold of Maritime Winters December 2012 to March 2013.    Some nights at -25c. we didn't go but even in -15 to -20c. we didn't have a choice and I was playing close attention to him.   I was there with him all the times and when he was cold he would come close and look at me.

I would provide him a cleared out space in the snow that would have a few of his pee stops and I would leave one poop for him to smell.    Sure he would have his accidents in the home when it was really cold but I would still have to bring him outside about every 30-45 min.    This was extended to every hour to two hours, and so on.

It was though at first but I didn't mind and he loves the outside.   I would never agree to leave him on a leash and expect him to scratch at the door when he's ready to come back.    I see a few neighbors doing this and I just grind my teeth.   

Wally is crated trained and continues to use it today when we're at work.

Is does prevent damages to the home, he's more at ease and gets a good rest while we're working.   I'm just starting to let me loose early mornings if he whines at 5:30am.   He goes take a look at what's going on outside and then returns to his bed in the living room.   He's usually good for 1hour or so before he starts asking for me.   He turned 15 months today.

Comment by Priss, Charlie & Kaylee (PK) on January 20, 2014 at 1:58pm

I agree with the previous commenters. As for crate training, do you play with him in the crate? Does he sleep in the crate? Can he see you when he's in the crate or is it in another room? Think of crate activities you can do with him to make him happy to be there. Anything to give him a positive association. Also, if a peanut butter kong as a crate-time treat doesn't work, you can also try cream cheese or regular cheese. You are correct not to leave much that he can chew on in his crate at his age; it will get better.

As for outside training, I would suggest picking one spot outside that you like. I suggest something with a good wind-break. When you take him out, bring him straight there. No play or fuss. Wait there until he goes (do not move), praise him when he goes and play with him for a minute or two, and then go inside. If he doesn't go, take him inside to his crate, wait 10 minutes and try again. It may take a few tries before he gets it. This teaches him that (1) potty business comes first after you go outside/have play time and (2) pottying doesn't mean he will be taken inside again immediately. 

Comment by Alanah on January 20, 2014 at 1:22pm

I have baby gates on gates way now! They can't get here soon enough! Haha. I'll try the crate for a few minutes if he doesn't so his business outside. Thank you for all the help, everyone!!

Comment by Alanah on January 20, 2014 at 1:21pm

I'm thinking I need to ditch the pads. I watch him 100% of the time. I don't work as of right now due to a few medical issues. It's a little hard since I have the flu right now, too. When I can't watch him, he's in the crate. He has a kong but doesn't care for it very much.

Comment by Jane on January 20, 2014 at 12:46pm

I would ditch the pads. They can be very confusing for a puppy and usually slow the whole process down. He needs to learn that pottying is ONLY done outside.

At this age he needs to be watched 100% of the time. Use babygates to keep him confined to the room you're in, or even tie him to your belt with a leash so he can't wander off. If you see him start to go, screech to interrupt him and immediately run him outside. Praise like heck if he finishes his business. If he doesn't go (and you know he needs to), I'd put him in his crate for 15 minutes and then take him out again.

Do you have a kong? I'd smear some peanut butter in the kong and give that to him in the crate when you leave.

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