What am I doing wrong?

[Tagg]

I'm home all day now so it is pretty easy for me to get the dog out about every hour so that I can praise the heck out of it and avoid mishaps. I don't even wait for the signals because the more I can get them out and praise them, the better they start to understand. Of course we need the occasional accident to tell them that no, this isn't the place and then immediately outside again to show them were the right place is. As long as it is a "crate clean" dog then I would put it in the crate if I had to leave it out of my sight until the penny drops and the dog is pretty reliable. I don't, however, leave puppies in crates for extended periods of time - like going to work. If I had to then I would hire a pet sitter to take it out and walk it for at least half an hour halfway through the morning and then again in the afternoon if I was to be out for the day. Don't forget to clean by sponging up the urine, washing the area with a soapy water solution and then spray with a vinegar water solution and mop up. Puppies can smell a drop of urine in something like 10,000 litres of water and will return to the place they voided previously.

 

[marymrumfelt]

I really think housetraning of a puppy is not matter of puppy but of human. IRRITATION IS MOTIVATION. IF you irritated as heck about housebreaking issues you will find a way to work it fast and easy and everywhere. Soiling in the house irritates daylights out of me, thus I took a week or two of vacation when new puppy arrived and sure enough, had both of my pups housetrained under 10 days.
One might have more challenges if it is adult dog with history or puppy mill with habit of soiling crate but with new puppy it is only matter how much importance you put into it.

I tend to agree with this. I am fostering two five or six week old puppies and let me tell you, I'm finding the time to take them out constantly. Luckily, it's spring break so I don't have to work too much! I probably take them out twice an hour sometimes just to avoid an accident. Anytime they go in or out of crate, their room, or change any activity: potty first! These little guys are still small enough that as soon as they hit the grass pretty much they go. I don't know if they understand praise yet, but they're getting it when they go LOL. Persistence is the key and constantly going outside and no playing til potty. I have been lucky in this is my fourth puppy I'm training and they've all caught on within a week. These will take longer I imagine since they're younger than average... maybe not though b/c we're starting so soon!

 

[Megansmom]

He is catching on with relieving himself a little quicker, if he has to go! I think when we get home we won't put the enclosure back up, just use the leash so he won't play "catch me if you can" at 5:00 in the morning