Folks:
I’m worried we might not be potty training the right way. I appreciate the wisdom of this group and would like some of your thoughts in this regard. Here is my background.
Our pup (Rusty), who is now 12 weeks old, came home to us at week 8. He learned to be in is crate the first day and sleeps in it each night. He goes 8 hours at night without an issue. He spends most of his day time either in his play pen/area or out in the backyard. His crate does NOT stay in his pen (as was in photos), as we now use it only at night for sleep, where it stays in our bedroom, or when going to the park (car), vet, etc.
See play pen photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trevorrobynphotosharing/11050069185/
So at week 12, this is where I am at with potty training.
- At 6:00 am, I get him up and take him potty to the same spot each morning. He pees every time (and we give him a treat at that location) and then walks the yard for 2 min and poops.
-We let him into the house (kitchen area only) to be part of the family, eat breakfast, etc. We then put him back out for potty (usually goes #1 again) and back into his pen are for a long morning nap that starts around 8:00 am.
- Mid morning I often take him on a 30 to 45 min walk in the hills, around 10:30 or 11:00
- When we come back, he naps till about 1:00.
- When he wakes, we let him out to potty again (and he goes) and then have the kids play with him in the yard, if they are home from school.
- He will then spend an hour or even longer (if not too cold) outside on his own. We have a fenced backyard, so he spends time digging, chasing birds, playing with balls, destroying what looks nice, etc. Just being a pup.
- After about an hour of play, I put him back into his pen, feed him his 2nd meal then and he will nap till 4 or 5 pm.
- When he wakes, we put him back outside to potty then come in when we are in the evening with family making dinner, doing homework, etc. He usually roams and plays with chew toys or whines for the food we are cooking.
- Around 6:00 or 7:00, after dinner, he will nap in his pen.
- When he wakes, I take him on an evening walk or to the hills to run around in the snow.
- I make sure he’s gone potty before bed time, which is between 10:00 and 11:00 pm.
- He sleeps till 6:00 am without an issue; however, at 6:00 am he’s often asleep and I have to carry him outside since he is half awake.
He has never soiled in his crate or play pen area. He has had 2 accidents on kitchen rugs when a child said he pooped (or they thought he had) and he came in and within a few min did his duty. This was between week 8 and 10. At week 11 he peed twice on the carpet in another room that he usually doesn’t spend time in, as we try to keep him in the kitchen. Our kitchen is hardwood flooring with rugs that can easily be washed.
So total # of accidents in 1 month (weeks 8 to 12) have been twice on the carpet (#1) and twice (#2) on a kitchen rug. He also went #1 on a doorway rug as well at week 11. So far for week 12 of his age he hasn’t had an accident.
My concern is “are we doing it wrong?” Meaning, should I be forcing him to spend more time in a crate and less playing freely outside where he can pee at will? For example, today he has spent at least 4 hours playing outside with others or by himself. It’s about 36 outside with the sun shining and he doesn’t really “want” to come in. I’m sure he’s gone the bathroom several times, just when the need arrived. So again, I am not forcing him to stay in a crate then go outside on our terms other than take him immediately outside when he wakes from naps or night sleep.
It is important to note, as I said before, he has NEVER soiled his play pen area nor crate. So I often feel his pen is an extension of a crate (den).
All that said, I don’t have confidence he is potty trained. He has cried lightly at the door a few times and we’ve let him out to see him pee immediately. So I think he might be catching on, but I’m not a fan of just letting him roam freely to see what happens.
Also, he is proving to be Shelty sharp. Has learned to sit on command (voice and/or action) and stay (voice and action). He will walk for 45 minutes on trails outside our house without a leash. When on those trails, he will stay by me or pause for the occasional Deer poop I’m training him to ignore. On rare occasion he will get distracted before he looks up to find me and run till he reaches my left side. He does come when called—if he’s not chasing a bird. So he possesses the brains to learn, no doubt.
Any thoughts from this well experienced group? Anything I should be doing differently to get him 100% potty trained? Am I expecting a bit too much at 12 weeks? This is our first Shelty, and puppy for that matter.
I’m worried we might not be potty training the right way. I appreciate the wisdom of this group and would like some of your thoughts in this regard. Here is my background.
Our pup (Rusty), who is now 12 weeks old, came home to us at week 8. He learned to be in is crate the first day and sleeps in it each night. He goes 8 hours at night without an issue. He spends most of his day time either in his play pen/area or out in the backyard. His crate does NOT stay in his pen (as was in photos), as we now use it only at night for sleep, where it stays in our bedroom, or when going to the park (car), vet, etc.
See play pen photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trevorrobynphotosharing/11050069185/
So at week 12, this is where I am at with potty training.
- At 6:00 am, I get him up and take him potty to the same spot each morning. He pees every time (and we give him a treat at that location) and then walks the yard for 2 min and poops.
-We let him into the house (kitchen area only) to be part of the family, eat breakfast, etc. We then put him back out for potty (usually goes #1 again) and back into his pen are for a long morning nap that starts around 8:00 am.
- Mid morning I often take him on a 30 to 45 min walk in the hills, around 10:30 or 11:00
- When we come back, he naps till about 1:00.
- When he wakes, we let him out to potty again (and he goes) and then have the kids play with him in the yard, if they are home from school.
- He will then spend an hour or even longer (if not too cold) outside on his own. We have a fenced backyard, so he spends time digging, chasing birds, playing with balls, destroying what looks nice, etc. Just being a pup.
- After about an hour of play, I put him back into his pen, feed him his 2nd meal then and he will nap till 4 or 5 pm.
- When he wakes, we put him back outside to potty then come in when we are in the evening with family making dinner, doing homework, etc. He usually roams and plays with chew toys or whines for the food we are cooking.
- Around 6:00 or 7:00, after dinner, he will nap in his pen.
- When he wakes, I take him on an evening walk or to the hills to run around in the snow.
- I make sure he’s gone potty before bed time, which is between 10:00 and 11:00 pm.
- He sleeps till 6:00 am without an issue; however, at 6:00 am he’s often asleep and I have to carry him outside since he is half awake.
He has never soiled in his crate or play pen area. He has had 2 accidents on kitchen rugs when a child said he pooped (or they thought he had) and he came in and within a few min did his duty. This was between week 8 and 10. At week 11 he peed twice on the carpet in another room that he usually doesn’t spend time in, as we try to keep him in the kitchen. Our kitchen is hardwood flooring with rugs that can easily be washed.
So total # of accidents in 1 month (weeks 8 to 12) have been twice on the carpet (#1) and twice (#2) on a kitchen rug. He also went #1 on a doorway rug as well at week 11. So far for week 12 of his age he hasn’t had an accident.
My concern is “are we doing it wrong?” Meaning, should I be forcing him to spend more time in a crate and less playing freely outside where he can pee at will? For example, today he has spent at least 4 hours playing outside with others or by himself. It’s about 36 outside with the sun shining and he doesn’t really “want” to come in. I’m sure he’s gone the bathroom several times, just when the need arrived. So again, I am not forcing him to stay in a crate then go outside on our terms other than take him immediately outside when he wakes from naps or night sleep.
It is important to note, as I said before, he has NEVER soiled his play pen area nor crate. So I often feel his pen is an extension of a crate (den).
All that said, I don’t have confidence he is potty trained. He has cried lightly at the door a few times and we’ve let him out to see him pee immediately. So I think he might be catching on, but I’m not a fan of just letting him roam freely to see what happens.
Also, he is proving to be Shelty sharp. Has learned to sit on command (voice and/or action) and stay (voice and action). He will walk for 45 minutes on trails outside our house without a leash. When on those trails, he will stay by me or pause for the occasional Deer poop I’m training him to ignore. On rare occasion he will get distracted before he looks up to find me and run till he reaches my left side. He does come when called—if he’s not chasing a bird. So he possesses the brains to learn, no doubt.
Any thoughts from this well experienced group? Anything I should be doing differently to get him 100% potty trained? Am I expecting a bit too much at 12 weeks? This is our first Shelty, and puppy for that matter.
