# Any ideas for puppy that still isn't housebroken?



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I would keep her more confined--she hasn't earned free roam of the house. Go back to basics and treat her like an 8 week old puppy. Take her outside more often and praise and treat her when she potties. If you catch her making a mistake in the house, make a noise like "uh uh!" and whisk her outside. Gradually expand her space in the house until she's reliably potty trained.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Back to house training 101. No freedom unless she's 100% supervised. Lots of treats and happy when she goes outside.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Some dogs aren't fully housebroken before 1 year old. For example, Yorkies are really hard to housebreak, anc Chihuahuas too (not talking about pipi pad, but going outside).

Also, not all dogs will go to the door to ask. Some dogs just seem to give no clue, but they all do. You just haven't got it yet. It's probably very subtle. Of all the dogs I had, I would say maybe half asked for the door. The other half asked in a different way, and they were all different.

My toy poodle had been taught to pee and poop inside the house for 16 months. It took only a few days for the poop but the pee was something else. We are getting there and it's been 14 months... He doesn't ask for the door. He shakes when he needs to poop, and he looks at me when he needs to go pee. A slightly different look. Very, very easy to miss ! My Chihuahua also gives me a certain look and paces.

So like others said, go back to basics. No roaming free in the house, on a leash, tied to your waist or someone else's all the time. Make a big fuss when she does it outside and make sure there is no pee residue inside the house. Make a vinegar / water solution and thoroughly clean every surface. Wash all bedding and carpets. Having urine smell in the house is like giving permission to pee where it is

Don't worry, all dogs eventually get there. It's our job to teach them and be patient about it, and most of all, persistent ! ;-)


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I agree - back to basics. And don't make the common mistake that she "knows it is wrong" - she knows that something makes humans cross when they find a mess on the floor, but has no way of associating it with anything she did unless you catch her in the act. I once found a bottle of shampoo had tipped over, making a big sticky patch on the bathroom floor. The dogs took one look at me on hands and knees, grumbling with cloth in hand, and quietly vanished to the bedroom with "guilty" (ie placating) expressions. 

I would take her out every hour for a few days, and praise and treat every time she does everything. Then gradually increase the time, but never let her wander off into an uninhabited room. Keep as many doors shut as possible - if she is mainly choosing less used rooms it may help to spend time there with her to build up the idea that these too are part of the house. And as others have said try to learn her signals and encourage her to amplify them - some dogs can be too subtle for their own good!


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I got Sage at 5 years old, and she was not totally house broke, started her on a potty patch. But when she poops she walks so now she has to go out side. i have had her since July and she does not have free access to the house yet, as she could still make a mistake. I take her out in the morning, then when I feed her, to the office which is in the house. Back out about 10 and again about 1 and 4 and 7 and before bed time. She potty's on command. Little Bella goes at 7 am and again at 6 or 7 PM, that is it. Cayenne has access to potty patch 24/7 but will go outside when the big sisters go a couple of times also


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

As others have said above you need to go back totally to the beginning. There should be no time at all where she is allowed to be on her own loose in the house.

Don't anthropomorphize with statements or beliefs like "she knows it is wrong." Dogs don't think that way. If she knew it was wrong she wouldn't be eliminating in the house, especially not bowel movements where as you've said she is sneaking.

Sneaking suggests that there have been reprimands that have made her believe if she sneaks she can "get away with it."


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## Axeldog (Aug 29, 2014)

Like what FJM and LilyCD have said, your pup isnt intentionally sneaking away to hide and poop. 

I remember reading something long ago that really stuck with me - if a dog is caught in the act of eliminating in the house, they should be whisked up and taken outside immediately-as Zooeysmom said. Never yell at them etc, because then the dog associates angry, yelling human with their act of pooping. The dog thinks to herself: "When I poop, my human goes crazy and yells, therefore I better avoid them and go hide when I poo" Is it possible Honey has made this association? 

As all of suggested, go back to basics, profusely praise and treat proper elimination outdoors - good luck, it will get better!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

On the few occasions when a baby dog got caught in the act of eliminating in the house I just said a cheerful oopsie as I scooped up the mistake maker when they got caught in the act. They will stop when you pick them up. As ZM and Axeldog said you can interrupt the mistake but should always do so without any trace of annoyance, anger or frustration.


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## Poodlemanic (Jun 27, 2016)

Oh gosh you have not tried to housebreak a puppy until you've tried to housebreak a French Bulldog. They are soooo much harder than poodles! I just keep saying, persistence is the key. After every nap, every meal and about every 1/2 hour no matter what, we take our Frenchie outside and have a big praise and treat party if she goes. She's finally at 6 months old understood the concept and even if she doesn't care about anything else, she does go pee when I take her out because she loves treats. That's about the whole concept right there!


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## blueroan (Dec 28, 2015)

Thanks guys! 

Funnily enough she goes in high traffic areas. She doesn't really sneak off into strange places to go but often goes when someone's in the room! 

But since you brought it up, I think she DOES tell us...it's just extremely subtle. Like today, I knew she had to poop at some point but she was busy chewing her chew. When she was done, she looked kinda restless, so I took her out. She pooped immediately. She didn't pee (for some reason she hardly pees and poops in the same trip), so I knew she would likely have to in the next hour or so. About 15-20 mins later I notice her looking at me intently, so I took her out. She peed immediately.

She might just be one of those that it's easy to miss a signal. As she hardly ever goes out of our sight. And of course being a puppy, the puppy brain sometimes doesn't fire. Like, she'll be in the middle of play, suddenly pees, and continues playing. We do make a big fuss when she goes outside. 

We'll keep plugging away at it!!  Thanks for the encouragement though.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

blueroan said:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> Funnily enough she goes in high traffic areas. She doesn't really sneak off into strange places to go but often goes when someone's in the room!
> 
> ...


You mentioned peeing when playing, that is not only with puppies. My Bella had not peed in the house for 10 years, when I got Cayenne they were wrestling and paying on a blanket and low and behold, she stopped and started peeing, it shocked me I said Bella, what are you doing and she realized and stopped. She was so excited about having someone to play with she actually forgot. That was a year and half ago and she has never done it since.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

blueroan said:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> *Funnily enough she goes in high traffic areas. She doesn't really sneak off into strange places to go but often goes when someone's in the room!
> *
> ...



I'm confused! In your first post you talked about her trying to sneak away to poo. Which is it? If she leaves to do a bowel movement you need to be much more in control of her whereabouts. If she goes in front of you you need to make sure you interrupt her and get her off the floor and out the door instantly, but make sure that she doesn't feel she is being scolded.


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