Need more housetraining advice

[bulldoggin30]

I was really starting to be concerned about Dutchie's potty training. I didn't know Frenchies were so hard to train! I have picked up some great housetraining advice here already (crate training, bell, ect.). Here is my problem: My husband and I both work days and are gone ~8hrs a day. Then we also sleep 8 hrs each night. We tried letting Dutchie sleep with us, but he still urinates in his sleep! He is 5 months old:eek: So we have been keeping him in the small laundry room with a doggy bed (he pees in) and newpaper on the floor when we are away:confused: and at night. I want to get away from this and use the kennel, but that's way too long a time period. Should I use the room in the day & kennel at night? Or would that confuse him? Help!

[gmacleod]

I'd use the room during the day, and the kennel at night. At five months, there's no way he can hold his bladder all day long - so you've got no choice but to make some provision for him to potty inside. Newspapers on the floor are about the best option you've got.

But things are different at night. I'd suggest that he is in a kennel/crate and that you put that crate beside your bed. He may actually be able to hold his bladder that long if he is sleeping right through. Bodily functions such as urine production slow down during deep sleep time - so if he's sleeping right through, then he may not need to pee. And if he can't hold on all night, he is not likely to wish to pee in his bed, so he is far more likely to wake you up to take him out. And if he doesn't wake you up, but still can't hold it, then you can be proactive about it and set yourself an alarm to take him out half way through the night.

[bulldoggin30]

yes, that seems like a good plan. I was wondering about "doggy diapers" since he does tend to urinate while sleeping. Any advice on them?

[gmacleod]

Is he actually peeing while still sleeping? Or does he wake up, pee, then go back to sleep? If it's the former, I'd be a little inclined to discuss it with a vet. Most pups do have bladder control well before the 5 months age.

Regardless, I think I'd be more inclined to set an alarm and take him outside to pee in the middle of the night. Before he wets the bed. You know he's going to have to go, so you might as well just get up and take him and try to ingrain the habit rather than masking it with diapers. One of the big drawbacks to those (aside from teaching him nothing) is that, just like human kids, if the amount of urine is significant, then he's likely to end up with irritations. They're more suitable for dogs who leak...

[bulldoggin30]

I'm not 100% sure if he is asleep when he urinates. His doggy bed is always wet in the am and one time he was lying on my lap for an hour or so and when I got up, there was a pee spot. He did stir around during that hour, so I can't say that he was asleep when it happened. I looked up UTI on the internet, but he has no other signs of that, or worms.

[gmacleod]

No, I wouldn't be worried about a UTI. You'd be seeing the signs of that during the daytime too (peeing or trying to pee very frequently, etc).

I'd really go with waking him up to take him out. Even if he's actually peeing while sleeping, he'll stop that if you wake him first and have him pee outside. Then his bladder isn't going to be so full that he may pee unconsiously later in the night. If you don't already, you might also like to take his water up an hour or two before bedtime.

[bulldoggin30]

yes, we've been limiting the water 3 hours before bedtime. Speaking of water, how much should I give in the day? I've only been offering it 2 or 3 times a day.

[gmacleod]

IMO as much as the pup wants, unless she has a tendancy to drink too much at a sitting (in which case, just use a small water bowl and don't refill it for at least half an hour). Except for at bedtime, I wouldn't withhold water at all, especially if the pup is fed dry food.

[bulldoggin30]

ok, I have an update! 2 nights ago we put Dutchie in his crate, put it in my daughters room, and had him sleep there for the night, around 6 or 7 hrs. No accidents! He did whine and complain, as he did also last night, but I know this will get better. We have also been trying to arrange our schedules to keep him in the crate during the day so we can get totally away from newspaper, but I feel guilty crating him all the time. I'll have to put him in his room the next 2 days because my husband will be out of town, though.:( I don't know how working people own dogs!

[EllieMae]

I was dead set against using a kennel when we first got Ellie Mae and my husband was set on using it. She had to be shipped so she was already crate trained, lucky me!
She now has control of her bladder for 8 hrs as long as she pees before she goes in it and as soon as she gets out of it. It took ahwile of pushing it an hour ahead to take her out during the day for a pee and now she seems fine in her crate for 8hrs while we work. She is 5 months now. It just took alot of scheduling and sticking to a strict feeding and watering schedule and she just learned that I work and she sleeps and then we play like mad until 10pm, bed time. She also chases the cat in the morning to run off some morning steam before she gets put back in the cave.
Peeing in the house is a different story! What a nightmare, one thing at a time is my motto. Good luck and just be consistant, that is the key.

Keep your head up, he is still a baby.

[bulldoggin30]

yes, I was thinking of asking my neighbor to watch him, or maybe just let him out during the day. We live in the middle of nowhere, so it's not easy. I'm surprised some of you that use a room and puppy pads don't have pups that have accidents in the house. I was told that it teaches them to go in the house, that's why we are trying to get away from the room with newspaper. He will go into that room and poo if we turn our backs for a second. But I'd rather he go to the door:( We did attatch a bell to the door. He hasn't had any accidents in the house recently, we just keep putting him out and watching his every move!:p

[imogene]

Our second week with Belzie was miserable. She her elimination needs were completely unpredictable. I would take her out and then she would poop within 20 min of comming in - it was horrible, and Slakker was convinced that I was going to get rid of her. Instead I took the advice of using her crate as suggested by another member (search the threads for Slakker's Help. . . house training). We got a lot of great advice. Nothing I had read prepared me for how difficult FB's are to house train - we're just lucky that I work fom home and can be here to facillitate her training. She hasn't had an accident on my watch for the last 6 weeks.

At five months Belzie can hold it for 5 hours - but only as long as she is in her crate. We haven't got her to extend her balder control to the rest of the house - When she is out of her crate or not tethered we have to watch her contantly. She likes to sneak of and poo/pee at her want, but that is our mistake not hers, cause we weren't paying attention. She will not "go" in her crate -that is where she sleeps and she wont mess her bed- and that teaches her bladder control.

Please remember at 5 month Dutchie may not have devloped a tell or behavior to let you know when he has to go, so if the bell doesn't work don't worry. We make Belzie sit by the door evey time she comes in or out. This week I noticed that while she somtimes rings her bells -she will always sniffs then sits at the door when she needs to go out.

IMO I encourage you use your crate. It is the quickest way to teach bladder control and the quickest route to having a housetrained pup.

Considering that your puppy is too young to handle 8 hours you're in an awkward situation. You have to either paper train Dutchie or have someone come in at mid-day to let him out for you - or take it to a dog daycare.

[Mpup]

Hi - we are in the same boat as you. We both work full time and our 6.5 month old frenchie Molly gets 2-3 days home alone and the other days at doggy daycare. We have her in a small pantry with a baby gate - there is an alcove in the pantry that we separated with cardboard and made her a little door, she walks through and does her business on pee pads. At night, she is crated by our bed. At first, she woke up in the middle of the night whining and had to go. Then gradually, she started sleeping through the night.

This is the best system we have right now, but I think because she goes on pee pads in the house when we are at work, it makes training harder. I.E. we have had some accidents lately. She is 70% good - goes to door and waits to go out and the other 30% has accidents if left alone and we aren't looking. It is frustrating and very hard to manage if you work full time. I think persistance and consistency is key. We also recently switched her food to a NRG Salmon Canine Blend. It has natural ingredients and is specially de-hydrated. You re-hydrate with water before feeding and we have found that Molly drinks way less and also pees and poos less. Good luck - we share your frustration!


ok, I have an update! 2 nights ago we put Dutchie in his crate, put it in my daughters room, and had him sleep there for the night, around 6 or 7 hrs. No accidents! He did whine and complain, as he did also last night, but I know this will get better. We have also been trying to arrange our schedules to keep him in the crate during the day so we can get totally away from newspaper, but I feel guilty crating him all the time. I'll have to put him in his room the next 2 days because my husband will be out of town, though.:( I don't know how working people own dogs!

[bulldoggin30]

Today is the first day i about a week we had to put Dutchie back in his newspaper room. My daughter was ill yesterday and he stayed with her. I'm going to visit my neighbor this weekend to ask in person if they can watch him or let him out. Thanks for all the advice!

[bulldoggin30]

I did enroll Dutchie in doggy daycare so hopefully that will help with potty training. Thanks for all of the advice!