I have a 9 week old male Scottish Terrier; I live in an upstairs flat and am not finding a place or method for potty training that is working. I am having him go in either the bathroom or outside depending on the weather (it is cold and we have snow) and time of day and I am concerned that this is confusing him; he is having an equal number of accidents to successes in either place. I will catch him about to go on the carpet and I don't know if I scare him out of having to go - I try not show anger, I simply say "NO! Lets go out side" - I pick him up, take him to the bathroom or outside and he won't go. I will be outside half an hour or more waiting; or in the bathroom, he will just sit and stare at me. If I give up and go inside or leave the bathroom then not long after he will go on the carpet or in his crate. He seems to have no pattern of when he needs to go in regards to when he eats or drinks. When he wakes up from a long sleep seems to be his only consistent success. I am afraid my confusion and frustration is effecting his progress. I am so at a loss at this point. Is he too distracted by the "adventure" outside? Am I spending too long outside that he is missing the purpose of why he is out there? Is carrying him down the stairs hindering his progress? Also, in the bathroom, it seems as if he doesn't like going on the newspaper. I don't want to stop him from going because I have probably stopped him once already. It is all the same to me to clean up the floor or newspaper. I am just so frustrated, confused and at a loss... maybe more than I should be but this is this first dog I have had while living in an apartment and it is not falling into place like before. Can anyone help me? :confused:

Disturb a puppy, and it may take a while for it to go again. Be gentle and soft spoken so it doesn't see being moved as punishment for eliminating. Progress at 9 weeks may be slow with some puppies. A command may help too. Keep it moving too, activity stimulates elimination. Here is what I do:

Much of housebreaking is not training the puppy, but making it easier for your
Puppy, you, and your carpet while its body to catches up to its instincts. At
Around 8 weeks when the puppy goes to its new home, the time from when it
Realizes it has to go, and when it can't wait any longer is a matter of
Seconds. Only time will fix that. You can hardly be expected to be attentive
Enough to avoid all accidents There is no sense punishing the puppy for your
Inattention. It is not fair to punish you either, but you still have to clean
It up if you didn't have the puppy outside in time.

Housebreaking starts before you get home with the new puppy. If you don't have
A crate, buy one. I prefer the more enclosed, den like plastic ones. Skip the
Bedding. At first it gets wet, and later it can be chewed into choking
Hazards. A wire rack in the bottom will help keep the puppy up out of
Accidents at first. They are available with the crates, but a piece of closely
Spaced wire closet shelving from a home supply place is cheaper. If you
Already have a metal crate, covering it may help. Just make sure you use
Something the puppy can't pull in and chew. Dogs that start in crates as
Little puppies, accept them very well. Never leave an unattended puppy loose
In the house. If nobody can watch it, put it in the crate. I suggest letting
The dog have its crate all its life.

Choose a command and spot you want it to use. The less accessible to strays,
The less chance of serious disease. If it is a female, choosing a
Non grassy spot will avoid brown spots later. When you bring it home, take it
To the spot and give it the command in a firm, but friendly voice. Keep
Repeating the command and let the puppy sniff around. If it does anything,
Praise it. Really let it know what a good dog it is and how much you love it,
And maybe a treat. Note, being out there not only means you can praise it,
But it also keeps it from being snatched by a hawk. If it doesn't go, take it
Inside and give it a drink and any meals scheduled. A young puppy will need to
Go out immediately afterward. Go to the spot and follow the above routine.
Praising it if it goes is extremely important. If it doesn't go, take it back
Inside and put it in its crate and try again soon. Do not let it loose in the
House until it does go.

At first it is your responsibility to know and take the puppy out when it
Needs to go. It needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating,
Drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around
Sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. You will just
Have to be what I call puppy broke until it is a little older.

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if
They go to the door and stand, you will let them out. The praise slowly shifts
To going to the door. Some people hang a bell there for the dog to paw. If
Your dog doesn't figure this out, try praising it and putting it out if it
Even gets near the door. A stern "Bad dog!" is all the punishment that is
Effective, and only when you catch it in the act and are sure you didn't miss
It going to the door. Clean up accidents promptly. I mostly keep the little
Puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Still I need the can of carpet foam
Sometimes. First blot up all the urine you can with a dry towel. Keep moving
It and stepping on it until a fresh area stays dry. A couple big putty knives
Work well on bowel movements. Just slide one under it while holding it with
The other. This gets it up with a minimum of pushing it down into the carpet.
This works with even relatively soft ones, vomit, dirt from over turned house
Plants, or anything else from solids to thick liquids. Finish up with a good
Shot of carpet foam. Note, do not let the puppy lick up the carpet foam.
Once the dog is reliably housebroken, your carpet may need a good steam cleaning.

Many people strongly strongly push cleaning up all evidence of past accidents. I am slower to suggest that. Dogs will return to the same spot if they can find it. When you see one sniffing the spot, that is your clue to run it out.

Hi,
At 9 weeks old, you really have some "trying times" possibly ahead of you!
As another answer said, it sometimes takes 3 months before it will let you know it needs to go outside to potty!
I will only add that "consistency" is the key. Take him outside every so often, maybe every 4 hours, and let him have a chance to go.
Using the crate and other things already suggested will help, too.
He will get the idea where you want him to go, but it may take time.
Another good idea is to pour a little White distilled vinegar on the place where he went in the house, then wipe it up with a paper towel. The vinegar will get rid of the smell, and he won't keep trying to go back to the same place.
Happy New Year!

The trick is to learn to read your puppy. A 9 week old is never going to go 4 hours with urinating unless it is sleeping in a crate. You will end up with several puddles in that time and then a puppy outside that may not need to go. I have housebroken a little puppy every year since 1991 and know what works. Follow what I said in my original post.

Labman and fredg, I appreciate the help emmensly! I have been just a little neurotic about this whole potty training business! It has been a long time since I have had a puppy and I am feeling guilty and pressured because I work during the day and feel like I will never get this accomplished. I keep telling myself to relax, this will take time, be patient etc... I am reading everything I can get my hands on and it seems so straight forward but what dog is going to behave "text book"? One answer I can't get a consensus on is how long to wait outside for the puppy to go? Some say 'ten minutes', some say 'until they go'. What is your opinion on that? And is it imperitive to take him back in the house right after going? What if I want him to be out and play while? Also, I am curious, will a puppy eventually forget what his mother has taught him about soiling where he sleeps, if he has occasional accidents in his crate? My puppy, Angus, has been doing good at night in his crate, but during the day, if I leave him in for over an hour he will soil there.
I appreciate your help so much!:)

Hi,
It takes a puppy, normally, about 15 to 20 minutes sniffing around before they want to eliminate outside. This link below has some good tips on training. Also, it mentions not playing with him until he does go, while he is sniffing around.
http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com/housebreak2.htm

Since I have never "crated" a puppy, I really can't give any first-hand experience with it. There are sites which address crating; such as:

http://www.leerburg.com/housebrk.htm

I have always kept a puppy in the house, letting it have the run of the house; except when my wife and are were gone, leaving him in a room, no carpet, with newspaper "pads" for him to go on. Didn't take long for him to get the idea of going on the newspapers.
But, can take up to about 3 months before they will tell you they need to go outside! Just be patient, and when you least expect it, he will go to the door, or "talk to you", saying "Let me out".
Best of luck, and Happy New Year!

Part of your problem is that there is a lot of poor information out there. Many of the people giving advice haven't had a puppy for years. I have done a search on the net on housebreaking. Many of the sites are widely different from the successful experience I have. In addition to my own experience, I have training from people with experience training thousands of people to housebreak dogs.

If you have read your puppy right, usually they will go within a few minutes of being taken out. It should never take 20 minutes. If not, playing with them will keep them active until suddenly they have to go. If you see him start sniffing, let him sniff until he goes or focuses on you. If he hasn't gone in 10 minutes, take him back in. If you can't watch him closely, put him in his crate and take him back out in about 15 minutes, or if loose, when you see the circling, sniffing behavior.

Don't rush back in after he goes. Most puppies find being outside fun and exciting. More so if you are out there playing with them. Enjoy him as long as you want to. Some puppies discover they are taken back in as soon as they go. Then they put off as long as they can hold it. The trick is to stay out a few minutes more until relieving themselves slips out their short attention span.

Dogs mostly will try to keep their crate clean. Even crated he may be active enough that he can't hold it. I have never had to, but many people claim blocking off part of the crate helps, just leaving room for the dog to stretch out. Are you using the rack I suggest? Accidents will happen. My 3 month Nita has been very good, but a year ago, our Sheba was having many accidents. The rack kept her up out of them, and I could remove the rack and sponge out the bottom of the crate. The racks do not work as well with stools. I have never tried it, and nobody has reported back on it, but you could try wood chips like with gerbils. If you make a dog live in its filth, it may give up and accept it. It would also help if you could find some way to give him a mid day break, a neighbor, a professional dog walker, whatever.

What I am telling you works. I do it all the time. I was out most of the morning with my 3 month old. I spent a hour in the library reading a book on dog training, and then the rest of the morning doing some work at my church, with one more stop at the drug store. No accidents.

Relax. This isn't rocket science. Read what I have told you, and concentrate on following it. Post more questions where I have neglected details.

If I take my puppy outside to go then he doesn't and I bring him back in and put him in hi house, he will cry and whine. I guess just ignore this and take him back out a few minutes later?

There are times when you must do that. You can also try laying down by the crate like you ae going to sleep. If you have something to do, you may want to secure the puppy in the area, a chain attached to the computer desk, or even leash the puppy to you. Keep an eye on the puppy. That along with learning the signs, is the key to a puppy that relieves itself outside. You can also put some peanut butter in a Kong. Kongs are tough, hollow rubber toys commonly available. Let the puppy work on it in the crate fro a while, and then take it out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fair_Doughall

I have a 9 week old male Scottish Terrier; I live in an upstairs flat and am not finding a place or method for potty training that is working. I am having him go in either the bathroom or outside depending on the weather (it is cold and we have snow) and time of day and I am concerned that this is confusing him; he is having an equal number of accidents to sucesses in either place. I will catch him about to go on the carpet and I dont know if I scare him out of having to go - I try not show anger, I simply say "NO! Lets go out side" - I pick him up, take him to the bathroom or outside and he wont go. I will be outside half an hour or more waiting; or in the bathroom, he will just sit and stare at me. If I give up and go inside or leave the bathroom then not long after he will go on the carpet or in his crate. He seems to have no pattern of when he needs to go in regards to when he eats or drinks. When he wakes up from a long sleep seems to be his only consistant sucess. I am afraid my confusion and frustration is effecting his progress. I am so at a loss at this point. Is he too distracted by the "adventure" outside? Am I spending too long outside that he is missing the purpose of why he is out there? Is carrying him down the stairs hindering his progress? Also, in the bathroom, it seems as if he doesn't like going on the newspaper. I don't want to stop him from going because I have probably stopped him once already. It is all the same to me to clean up the floor or newspaper. I am just so frustrated, confused and at a loss... maybe more than I should be but this is this first dog I have had while living in an apartment and it is not falling into place like before. Can anyone help me?! :confused:

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I've had Scotties all my life. In my opinion you have to choose a method and stick with it. I live in the Midwest and we have brutal winters. We walk our Scotties outside every day on the leash several times a day. They never have accidents. Our "trick" is to take them out every couple of hours. Specifically, take them out 15 minutes after they ingest any water or food. When they eliminate outside, praise them and maybe give them a small treat. Our current Scottie gets a baby carrot after she poops outside. She VERY much looks forward to this and learned quickly. She does not have accidents outside or in her crate. I've heard that they never eliminate in their crate. Maybe he has a urinary tract infection or another medical problem?

Cassie, although your advice is most helpful, this post is very close to 1 1/2 years old. I hope to kiss a duck that they guy has the problem under control by now! :p

I always look at the age of the post prior to responding. Usually in the dog forum, I don't answer anything that is over one or two weeks old. Especially if there isn't a current response from the original poster. If you need any help or have any questions about the web site, please feel free to PM me. I am always willing to help.