Puppy Potty Training/ Ruby Growling

[Busderpuddle]

We brought our new puppy home a couple days ago and I think I need better training in this potty world. I have never had a puppy, so not sure how to accomplish this. I have read about 4 books, and endlessly watch You Tube videos, but they conflict with each other. I tried keeping her on a leash close to me now for a day, and she spends all her time biting the leash and collar. That doesn't seem like a good way to go.

When we go outside, she knows I have chicken, so she will pee, but not poop. Found 1 pee and a poop in the house last night, when we turned our backs to clean up our dinner.

Is there a tried and true method, and is it possible to get her to go on demand at some point ? We live in rainy, cold Oregon, and the thought of standing out in that yuck all winter sounds like something I don't want to do.

We are crate training her, and she goes all night long without a mess in the crate. Do I use it during the day ? She has an Xpen that we use when we can't watch her.

 

Ruby really dislikes her too, so we try to keep her out of Ruby's space...........but, we also want Ruby to learn to tolerate her. She is wearing her muzzle when the pup is roaming. A couple growls so far, and she turns away from the pup constantly. We are not letting the pup crawl on her.

How do we know when she is safe, and will not snap at the puppy ? Is this a months and months long project, or ? Ruby has been getting extra attention and praise.

 

I know it has only been 2 days, just need some guidance on the best plan. Thanks

 

 

 

 

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[krissy]

Puppy potty training is a very long, kind of tedius process, but it can also be simple fortunately.

 

The puppy needs to be confined at any time that you are not directly supervising her. If you're not sure if you're "supervising" in a given situation then think about it this way... if there's a chance you could end up finding an accident (as opposed to seeing it as it is happening) then you aren't supervising. So the easiest way to potty train is thus:

 

1. Puppy is crated overnight. First thing in the morning you let puppy out, scoop her up in your arms (so she can't have an accident on the way to the door) and take her outside. She should be pretty desperate to pee, so she should go fairly quickly. When you put her on the ground and you see her start to squat, give her your potty word (Mine is "hurry up"). Then reward lavishly when she's done. She will likely need to poop at this time as well, so walk her around a little bit in the area you want her to go. If she goes then reward her and play with her (either inside or outside). If she doesn't poop then take her inside and put her in her crate for 5-10 minutes and try again. Repeat until she poops. During this time you don't take her out to play with her. You can play with her when she's empty!

2) After you're done playing with her or training her, or cuddling her and you want to go about doing your own stuff, put her back in her crate, perhaps with a Kong to work on. Take her out at an appropriate interval (depends on age and size of puppy, but in general for a brand new pup probably about 1 hour). Again, carry her to the door when you let her out of the crate. If she doesn't go when you take her outside, bring her back in and put her back in her crate for 5-10 minutes, then try again. Once she goes you can play/cuddle/train for a bit, then put her back in the crate.

3) If you need to leave for a longer period of time than she is able to hold for (say you need to go out for 3-4 hours and right now she can only go about an hour) then put her in the exercise pen. Give her a bed on one side, and a potty pad at the other. As soon as you come home, regardless of what you find in the pen, take her outside. If she doesn't go, put her in her crate and take her out every 5-10 minutes until she goes.

ETA: 4) If at any point while you are playing with/training puppy she squats and starts to have an accident, quickly scoop her up (this will generally stop the urine or poop) and rush her outside. Let her finish outside and reward her.

 

If you crate whenever you are not supervising, and take her out regularly then you should have no problem getting her housetrained.

Edited August 14, 2017 by krissy

[cleptogrey]

Krissy hit the nail on the head. this is an excellent resource, costly but really good- video as well as book as well as easy flip charts...https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Puppy-Toolkit-Step-Step/dp/0973159103/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502739139&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=puppy+training+books+cd+premier

 

felix who came to me at 7 weeks, was my 7th dog. i received this as a present and really liked it. i never stop looking for new and easier ways of doing things.

[MaryJane]

With a puppy, you have to take them out right after --

1. they wake up

2. they have been playing,

3. they eat or drink

4. every hour

 

pick a keyword and use it often along with praise - I would not use treats.

[ambpersand]

Agreed with everything Krissy said! I spent the last ten years or so raising and rescuing chihuahuas before getting my grey, and we had a range of puppies to seniors. Talk about stubborn trainees! One important thing is to remain consistent and establish a "go outside" schedule while you're home, until the puppy gets used to it and begins to learn when it's time to go out or how to tell you they need to go out. We would do every 30 minutes-1 hour, depending on the dog and their bladder ability. Lots of praise and word/command training were important for them to learn to the differences in what you wanted them to do (go potty and good potty! + praise once done). As for introductions with Ruby, I would give her as long as she needs. I've had dogs hold out for months before warming up to a new addition, but eventually they come around.

[Busderpuddle]

OK, Great advice Krissy (and everyone who agreed with her). is it best to keep her in the crate when I am watching TV or sewing ? Those would be times that I can sort of watch her.

Right now she is asleep on her bed right next to me.

She goes 9 hours at night with no accidents, 3 days in a row now. That is nice !

 

If Ruby is growling, do you think this will escalate into anything dangerous ? I would hate for her to snap puppies head off, and I really don't know what she will do. She has never shown any aggression before, but she has had a fairly quiet, dog free home for 7 years. She has never chased anything, but has also not been given the chance.

 

Love you all here.........better advice than what the vet gives. I think I need a new one, as he acted like he just didn't have time for us today.

[greysmom]

Some adult dogs will put up with puppy antics and attention and some will not. My spook wouldn't even look at Lilly when she was a puppy, and would actively run away and hide when there was play going on - even when it was appropriate puppy play and nothing involving her. She only showed interest and tolerance once Lilly was not a puppy anymore - about 2 years old. Ruby may become adjusted to having another dog around, but it may not be for a very long time.

 

In the meantime, always give Ruby a place she can be that is a total no-puppy zone. For a while, that was our upstairs bedroom, then it was a section of room partitioned off with a xpen. We had safe-zones for Cash throughout the house and made sure Lilly never went into them. In time, Cash started spending more time in the same room as Lilly, and ultimately we could take the safe-zones down. We also never *NEVER* let the puppy bug or crawl around on any of the adult dogs (we had four adults and a puppy at the time) who expressed anxiety about it. Whiskey was fine being Lilly's nanny, and he also disciplined her when it was necessary when she got too rough.

 

Lilly also didn't sleep through the night until she was about 7 months old, so that's a plus for you. And we got her in December! We didn't actually plan that very well!

[krissy]

is it best to keep her in the crate when I am watching TV or sewing ? Those would be times that I can sort of watch her.

 

To me the key words here are "sort of". There is no such thing as "sort of" supervising a puppy. If you take your eyes off the puppy, they can (and therefore, at some point, will) have an accident that you won't catch until after it has happened. My puppies are in crates unless I am directly 1. training 2. playing with 3. cuddling. If I am not touching, holding, or have eyes on the puppy at all times then they are contained in some way (usually a crate, or when a bit older and have SOME concept of housetraining then in an ex-pen).

[Busderpuddle]

 

To me the key words here are "sort of". There is no such thing as "sort of" supervising a puppy. If you take your eyes off the puppy, they can (and therefore, at some point, will) have an accident that you won't catch until after it has happened. My puppies are in crates unless I am directly 1. training 2. playing with 3. cuddling. If I am not touching, holding, or have eyes on the puppy at all times then they are contained in some way (usually a crate, or when a bit older and have SOME concept of housetraining then in an ex-pen).

Thanks....that is what I figured. She has a small xpen and she seems to like it. No accidents in there at all yet.

So I am curious, about how many hours a day, not counting the breaks, do you think a puppy is in the crate ? I feel like it would be a lot, since her play sessions are pretty short before she flops over and falls asleep. When do I stop using the crate ? Is there an age, or how will I know she is safe to be roaming the house ?

[krissy]

My puppies probably spent about 15 hours in a crate per day on work days. They'd be in their crates for the majority of the day, being let out every hour or so to potty and get a quick training session (so 3-10 minutes out depending on how busy I am at work). At lunch we would go out for 30-60 minutes to walk, play, and train at the park down the street from the clinic. In the evening we would do longer play/training sessions (more like 20-30 minutes) after potty and maybe take a walk around the block.

 

Non-work days they would be out a bit more since they'd get longer play sessions in between crate times.

 

I look at it this way - spending more time in the crate early increases the chances of a well trained dog that doesn't need to be crated later on. Now, this does still depend on personality too as neither of my girls are trustworthy to be left loose in the house because they'd get into trouble... but they are totally trustworthy in the housetraining department so there's that.

[Busderpuddle]

My puppies probably spent about 15 hours in a crate per day on work days. They'd be in their crates for the majority of the day, being let out every hour or so to potty and get a quick training session (so 3-10 minutes out depending on how busy I am at work). At lunch we would go out for 30-60 minutes to walk, play, and train at the park down the street from the clinic. In the evening we would do longer play/training sessions (more like 20-30 minutes) after potty and maybe take a walk around the block.

 

Non-work days they would be out a bit more since they'd get longer play sessions in between crate times.

 

I look at it this way - spending more time in the crate early increases the chances of a well trained dog that doesn't need to be crated later on. Now, this does still depend on personality too as neither of my girls are trustworthy to be left loose in the house because they'd get into trouble... but they are totally trustworthy in the housetraining department so there's that.

THANKS !!!! So how long do you think it takes before they are safe to leave out of their crate when I am cleaning or sewing ? Is it a couple months ? 6 months ? Should I use the crate over her Xpen ? She hasn't pottied in the Xpen at all, so I have been using that when cooking or showering. Should she be in the crate instead ? She has been crated at night, and has not gone potty in there. She now knows when we go out and I show her the cheese, she gets it if she potties. Seems to be a quick learner. She learned sit in about 5 minutes, comes to her name, and understands NO when I tell her to not bug Ruby. So far so good.

[krissy]

It depends on the dog. Kenna is 17 months old and she is still crated or in an ex-pen when she's not directly supervised. She is reliably housetrained, but she will get into anything that she can find. Kili can be left out when not directly supervised, but she can't be left loose when no one is home because she will also sometimes still look for trouble to get into. I know puppies that were out of their crates at 6 months old... house trained and reliable to not make a mess or ingest anything they shouldn't. It all depends on the individual. I would say that I wouldn't trust any dog to be totally housebroken before 6 months old though.

[Busderpuddle]

Thank you so much Krissy. I really appreciate your help. So far there have been no more accidents, and when she sniffs at Ruby, I tell her NO, and she walks away. She is eating everything she can find in the yard, like rocks, twigs, etc.....Assuming she will just poop them out.

She understands why we are outside, and I have been trying to play with her in a different part of the yard. She is only 9 weeks, so we have a long road ahead. I sure hope she is not one that will get into everything, but she is extremely curious about everything. 6 months is not too far down the road really.

Did you spay Kili ? At what age ? I always thought it was at 6 months, but the vet said at 4 months, or as soon as she finishes her shots. Seems young.

[krissy]

Most vets generally recommend around 6 months, prior to the first heat cycle. I don't spay my dogs until after their growth plates close because of agility. Spaying before the growth plates have closed results in them staying open longer, which tends to result in slightly taller, lankier dogs and can change the angle of their joints. This is more pronounced in large breed dogs that grow a lot longer after 6 months. It also delays when I could start jumping full height and teaching weave poles potentially. Kili was spayed at 2.5, just before her second heat cycle. Kenna will stay intact at least as long, potentially longer as I may consider breeding her if I can drag my butt through enough shows to get her championship.

[Trudy]

is it best to keep her in the crate when I am watching TV or sewing ? Those would be times that I can sort of watch her.

Right now she is asleep on her bed right next to me.

 

 

When we brought Kiska home, if he was awake, one of us was with him playing with him. Once he'd been playing a while, we'd carry him outside to potty. Then back inside and he would play a bit more until he crashed mid whatever he was doing. When he would wake up, back out he'd go. He was never left to his own devices until he understood outside to potty. And when we were with him, he had our full attention. If you are sewing or watching TV, she will not have your full attention.

Work on crate training during the day as well.

 

Kiska slept in his crate no problem. During the day, he HATED IT. So make sure you are using some of your day time awake hours to train her to be ok in the kennel as well.

[Busderpuddle]

Great advice from all of you. Thank you. It sounds like I need to be putting her in her crate and not her Xpen a bit more throughout the day, so will start that today. She does fine in the Xpen, and the crate at night, but I have not been using the crate during the day.

 

Have any of you used bell training to teach them to go outside ? I have been watching You Tube videos, looks interesting.