How did you raise your Sheltie in an apartment? Regret starting to sink in.

[KarenCurtis]

Will definitely try the cover. It’s usually half covered. I’m not sure if he can hold it overnight yet. He held it for 7 hours but then a few nights later couldn’t hold it for 6. I give him about the same amount of water daily. It’s really impressive that your pup could hold it that long!

My puppy at ten weeks old could also hold it overnight for this long. For a few days she started whining a bit at 4:30 a.m., we would get her out of the crate immediately and take her out to pee. We didn't want that to become a habit so we tried ignoring her when she did this and she stopped; after that the average time she started whining to go out was 6:30 a.m.

 

[Ann]

Will definitely try the cover. It’s usually half covered. I’m not sure if he can hold it overnight yet. He held it for 7 hours but then a few nights later couldn’t hold it for 6. I give him about the same amount of water daily. It’s really impressive that your pup could hold it that long!

Actually, all puppies can hold it this long at that age, not just mine. It's a matter of getting them used to it, as others have said. You have to run them outside the very second they wake up but as long as you know that, even a 9-week old puppy can go overnight. You may have an accident for a night or two but if your pup can't hold it, I'd have the vet check him to make sure there isn't a medical reason like a UTI.

You might also try withholding water after 8 or 9 p.m. unless he's exercising and thirsty. I'd only do that until he learns to go through the night though.

 

[angelnov90gmail.com]

Actually, all puppies can hold it this long at that age, not just mine. It's a matter of getting them used to it, as others have said. You have to run them outside the very second they wake up but as long as you know that, even a 9-week old puppy can go overnight. You may have an accident for a night or two but if your pup can't hold it, I'd have the vet check him to make sure there isn't a medical reason like a UTI.

You might also try withholding water after 8 or 9 p.m. unless he's exercising and thirsty. I'd only do that until he learns to go through the night though.

Aww. I come home at 5:30 ish. Walk him, let him go potty, play with him. Then give him water at 8pm right before his bed time to hydrate him after his workout and because of the warm weather here. Then I wake up around 1 or 2 am to let him pee. 6am for peeing and pooping. Is that excessive for a five and a half month old?

 

[Wendy C]

Aww. I come home at 5:30 ish. Walk him, let him go potty, play with him. Then give him water at 8pm right before his bed time to hydrate him after his workout and because of the warm weather here. Then I wake up around 1 or 2 am to let him pee. 6am for peeing and pooping. Is that excessive for a five and a half month old?

Are you waking puppy or is puppy waking you? Cooper is just over 5 months and has never had to be taken out in the middle of the night...we got him just past 8 weeks. The breeder had suggested if there was a problem sometimes it’s better to put the pup in a different room making it easier to ignore little wimpers. I have learned puppies train you before you train them. lol Good luck it will work out in the end.

 

[ghggp]

I guess I must have been really lucky that Liam was 10 weeks old and held it all night! He did not wake me up until 5am-6am.

I would not let the puppy train you.

 

[angelnov90gmail.com]

Are you waking puppy or is puppy waking you? Cooper is just over 5 months and has never had to be taken out in the middle of the night...we got him just past 8 weeks. The breeder had suggested if there was a problem sometimes it’s better to put the pup in a different room making it easier to ignore little wimpers. I have learned puppies train you before you train them. lol Good luck it will work out in the end.

I'm waking him up to let him go pee since he drank water right before bed. He actually doesn't want to go. I kept reading about that 1month- 1hour rule. Since he's 5 1/2, I take him out to go pee 5-6 hours after he last drank. He did hold it in the entire night once, but a couple of days later he peed in his crate within 5 or 6 hours ( I woke up to the pee smell, not his barking/whining) so I kept this potty break routine going.

He doesn't whine or bark unless he sees me because he hates his crate door being closed. I moved him to be the living room and we both have been sleeping better since. I still have to creep around. I started shooshing him as advised by Sheltie Planet and so far it sedates his barking.

 

[Ann]

Aww. I come home at 5:30 ish. Walk him, let him go potty, play with him. Then give him water at 8pm right before his bed time to hydrate him after his workout and because of the warm weather here. Then I wake up around 1 or 2 am to let him pee. 6am for peeing and pooping. Is that excessive for a five and a half month old?

I’d try taking him out later, before you go to bed. Then I bet he could make the 6 am time easily. 8 seems a bit early for him to get through the night.

 

[Cindy]

All this work will be worth it when your pup is all grown up!
I had an apartment puppy, and Gavin had probably 2 1 hour walks a day.
He always had extra energy for playing with other dogs, btw.
Once he was a year, we went running in the mornings. We also went hiking on weekends.
After teething, thing went rather smoothly. The first 6 months were very intensive,and then things leveled out. I did NOT come home at lunch, or do puppy daycare, or hire a dogwalker. Don't feel guilty about what you can't do. Our dogs live better than most people in this world.

 

[Hanne]

Now I never use cages inside for my puppies
-but I could never let my puppies cry in a cage

I have always had my puppies (4 through time) in my bed
- when they started wandering around
- I went out with them regardless how the weather was

Everyone has become house clean very quickly and learned to walk to the door
because they were used to being heard - when they needed to get out for their business

None of them had relapses

 

[angelnov90gmail.com]

Oh man. He just peed in the apartment right after he peed outside. I trusted him too early after a week of no incidents and decided to let him out on the floor while I was eating dinner.

I give him water and take him outside like clockwork.

I use a potty phrase, and reward him when he relieves outside(although not lately because he strangely doesn’t eat treats outside anymore).

Lesson learned. I’ll keep crating him while I’m cooking/eating/doing chores. But is there anything I need to do differently?