House training?

[Smudge]

Originally Posted by dawns2shelties

Everyone has given you excellent advice so I don't have much to add to that, except it is VERY IMPORTANT !! to REMOVE THE PUPPIES COLLAR BEFORE PUTTING HIM IN THE CRATE !! Hi could get it stuck in the crate and choke himself...When Gypsy was still owned by my neighbor I went to get her in the morning from my neighbor she was getting ready for work and Gypsy was in the crate when I went to get her, her tag was stuck in the crate and she was struggling good thing I got there when I did or it could've killed her.

Very good advice!

[take4roll10]

Originally Posted by dawns2shelties

Everyone has given you excellent advice so I don't have much to add to that, except it is VERY IMPORTANT !! to REMOVE THE PUPPIES COLLAR BEFORE PUTTING HIM IN THE CRATE !! Hi could get it stuck in the crate and choke himself...When Gypsy was still owned by my neighbor I went to get her in the morning from my neighbor she was getting ready for work and Gypsy was in the crate when I went to get her, her tag was stuck in the crate and she was struggling good thing I got there when I did or it could've killed her.

Excellent advice. This is why Bailey wears an embroidered collar so she still has identification if something happens. Its not a collar that can caught. Its the dog tags. Never EVER put a dog in a wired crate or a travel crate with a wired door if he is wearing a collar with dog tags. The tags can get caught in the wires and he can choke to death.

[Raya]

aye, zoey's tag got stuck between the bars once or twice. we didn't let her inside the crate with her collar until we increased the crate size when she grew up a bit.

[Starr]

It's been a while (summer trip!!!), but here's an update on Phoenix! He is ALOT better. He even runs to the door and then back to me, whenever he needs to go! He still has an oop's every once in a while, most of the time when I'm in the kitchen. Not sure why. It's like me going into the kitchen is his clue to pee on my floor.

[BarbV]

To summarize:

1) Crate training for sure
2) A regimented eating and potty schedule. Feed at the same time every day, wait 5-15 minutes (watching pup like a hawk), then outside. No playing until pup does business. (I used to stand with my back half turned, watching out of the corner of my eye). If successfull, praise and treat! If after 5 minutes. Back inside, watch like a hawk and try again about 10 minutes later. And so on. After naps and after play as well.
3) Praise and treats.
4) Always use the same door - this teaches the pup, later, how to ask to go out
5) When you bring pup outside, place him in a spot where he has peed or poo'd already. The smell might encourage him, plus it will help keep it contained to one part of the yard, so that you are not spending everyday scouring your entire property looking for poop!
6) As Janet said....if an accident happens, smack yourself with the rolled up newspaper (that was too funny, Janet, btw). You have to watch them like hawks. If you are too late, then quietly clean it up. If you catch them in the act or about to start (watch for tell-tale sniffing and circling), then pick them up and take outside....even if they dribble all the way. If they finish outside, praise and treat. If they don't just move on.
7) If pup has an accident inside, make sure you clean thoroughly to remove all trace of smell. I like Miracle-something (can't remember the name anymore as I don't have to use it), but other have their favourite deodorizers.

Finally, it comes down to setting your own expectations, patience and consistency in regime.

My pups are now almost 2.5 years, and you can set your watch on their poo schedule. No joke!

[karol]

We've got a 5 month old and she was trained in the first 10 days at home. No Kidding!

We used the crate, I'm lucky that I work out of an office at my house so it was easy to take her out on a regular schedule. First thing in the morning, after meals, and before bed plus again at 10 am, noon, 3 and 7pm. When she was out of her crate she was isolated to just one room. Those baby gates work great by the way.

The other thing is each time she completed her business outside it was "goooood girl" and lots of praise. The neighbors got a big kick out of it... Total I think she had less than 8 accidents in the house, we also got her when she was 9.5 wks old and the breeder had already set up a schedule of going out onto the grass every morning and after feeding so maybe that helped too.