How to Train Your Dog to Ask to Go Outside

Hello, I would hire a trainer to help guide you along this process. It will involve several different things. First, I suggest teaching her to ring a bell when she needs to go potty and rewarding her with treats when she potties outside, to help increase her motivation to go outside - this will be half the solution but probably won't be enough on its own. The Peanut butter (or liver paste or soft cheese instead) method: https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Second, she isn't likely to ask to go out right now because outside is scary for her. For her to be motivated to go potty outside she needs to get over her fear of being out there - the two are connected. I suggest spending a lot of time outside doing fun and relaxing, low pressure things with her. Simply sit outside with a book, sprinkle treats in the grass for her to find, practice easy tricks and commands with treats, play any games she likes, and simply spend time out there - whenever she looks at something that could be scary and stays calm or is still thinking about how to react - praise confidently and give a treat. Whenever she looks at something, then looks back at you - give a treat. Whenever she generally does something to relax more, investigate, be friendly, and show good courage - praise confidently and give a treat. Your attitude should be calm, happy, and confident - not soothing, worried, or frustrated (that can be one of the hardest parts to implement honestly as pet parents). For the toys, take things slow. Focus on getting her more familiar with her surroundings, teaching basic commands to build your relationship, and working on a schedule. As she starts to do better teach games and toys using methods like the one from the article below: https://blog.petflow.com/fetch/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, since Lilly is doing so well with the bell ringing, I would keep it simple and buy bells to leave at your mom's place. When at friend's places, you will either have to bring bells or be alert to her in case she gives you a look that indicates she needs to go out. Otherwise, you can work on the Leash Method (may not work if she is visiting and does not know where you put the leash) or the Speak Method, which could work just about anywhere: https://wagwalking.com/training/signal-for-potty. All the best!

Hello, It normally takes a few months of a dog being consistently potty trained before they will start to tell you when they need to go outside on their own. Before then you need to stick to a strict potty schedule and initiate taking them outside for them to prevent accidents - any accidents will make this process take longer. To help the process along you can teach her to ring a bell when she needs to go outside. This will teach her a way to alert you when she needs to go out, but her desire to keep your home clean through strict potty training that forms a long term habit of only peeing outside will still need to be firmly in place for her to be motivated when the urge hits her. The bell can speed up that process though. Follow the Peanut Butter method from the article linked below: https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Butch, First, know that it is early for pup to learn to alert you on her own. Most dogs won't begin to alert on their own until potty training is almost 100% - meaning that you are very strict with taking them on a schedule and limiting freedom until potty training is mostly accident free (less than 1 every two weeks). Focus the most on preventing accidents through giving less unsupervised freedom and taking her out on a consistent schedule - and not expecting her to alert you yet - and you will get there sooner because you will have fewer accidents. With the above said, you can still work toward her ringing the bell and I do recommend working toward that even while taking her out consistently and not waiting for her to alert. The main issue with how you are teaching it right now is that you are grabbing her paw and physically making her ring the bell so she is not having to make that choice on her own to begin associating the bell with going outside - I don't say that to condemn what you are doing because what you are doing is extremely common. A more effective way to teach her would be to put a little peanut butter on the bell and point to the bell while saying "Bell". As soon as the bell rings because she is licking it - give an additional treat. Practice this until you can point to the bell and say "Bell" and she will bump it with her nose without the peanut butter and then you give her a treat. When you can do this with your hand very close to the bell, then over several sessions, slowly point from a couple of inches away so that she has to move toward the bell when you point to it. Once you can stand in front of the door, point to the bell from where you are and she will go over to it and ring it, then begin giving the treat after she gets outside and not right then. Finally, point to the bell on your way out, open the door when she rings it, then give the treat only after she goes potty outside. This too will take time, so try not to get discouraged, but once she is fully potty trained, since she will know how to ring the bell to get the door open by that point, she will have the tools to alert you when she needs to go potty - she has to be potty trained well enough that she is motivated to hold it inside your home though first. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Thank you for the question and such a cute play on the dog names! Your pups are still young and the fact that their bladders are not yet mature may play a part. It's important to note that any mistakes inside on the floor must be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner because even despite your efforts, a regular cleaner will leave traces of odor behind that a dog's sensitive nose will smell. And then, they'll pee there again. Are you accompanying your little pups outside? If not, they may play in the yard and forget to pee when they are out there. This is a great article on training Pugs, but the same goes for Poodles: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-pug-to-pee-outside Your intelligent pups may pick up on this method quickly too, solving the house soiling issue: https://wagwalking.com/training/signal-for-potty It may be wise, if only one of the pups is peeing inside, to get a vet checkup just to make sure that there is no medical reason for the accidents. Good luck and have fun with your duo!

Hello Shannon, Check out the article linked below on potty training. The crate training method tends to work the best/quickest, but followed carefully, the other two methods can work well also - consistency and preventing accidents is key more than anything. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Know that, even when done correctly, it takes most puppies an average of three months to become potty trained. Potty trained is also defined normally as a dog holding their bladder between scheduled potty trips - where you are still the one initiating the trips outside, the dog is just accident free while inside so long as you maintain their schedule. It usually takes several more months for the dog to have developed a long-term habit of keeping your home clean, to be sufficiently motivated to actually tell you when they need to go potty without you initiating it. Most dogs naturally learn to tell you when they need to go on their own, when such a long-term consistent habit of keeping your home clean has developed - so that the dog actually doesn't want to have an accident either. The exception to this is that most puppies will let you know they have to go when in a crate when they wake up during the night - which can help them learn to alert you at other times if you respond to that alert by taking them outside to go when they wake up and cry. With all that said, expect pup to need you to keep track of their schedule and take them out regularly for quite some time, even after accidents are a rarity; you can help pup learn to alert you when they need to go out a bit sooner by teaching pup to ring a bell. It will still take pup a while to ring it of their own initiative but not quite as long as it would normally take a dog to figure out their own way of alerting - such as barking, going to the door, or nudging you. Bell methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Once pup knows how to ring the bell when you tell them to or point to it, give a treat each time they do so on command right before you go out the door. As they improve, command them to ring the ball on your way out, but wait until after they go potty also to give the reward so that they begin to associate ringing the bell with needing to go potty eventually. Pup will do better if you don't physically make them ring the bell (don't lift their paw and hit the bell but tell them to instead), but if they ring the bell physically on their own when you tell them to, so that they actually have to think about how to do it. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Karen, I do highly suggest teaching the Bell method still. You will need to continue with your scheduled potty trips most likely - so that he is not waiting until the last minute to go out with your long trek outside, but the bell method could fill in the gap for times when he needs to go sooner than the scheduled time but isn't alerting right now. When teaching the bell method, choose a method and teach him to ring the bell on cue at first - such as the Peanut Butter method. Bell article: https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Once he will ring it when you tell him to or point to it, then instead of forcing him to ring it by physically moving his paw or nose to it (a common approach), give the bell command or point to it, so that he rings it himself and has to actually think about it more, then reward him and take him outside. Eventually, once he is good at ringing it, have him ring it on cue, take him outside, and once he goes potty outside give the treat then - after pottying not after ringing the bell (so that the full "trick" is to ring the bell, go outside, and go potty to earn the reward), work up to this gradually though just like with any training, rewarding small efforts with the bell at first. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Rachel, At this age you will have to respond to some false potty asks, but pay attention to how often pup genuinely has to go. If pup is asking to go when it's been less than an hour, most of the time you can safely ignore them unless they were just running around excited or ate or drank a lot - which can make them need to go sooner. When in doubt, take pup outside. If it's been at least an hour since pup last went or you think they might truly have to go sooner, you will need to take them potty. When you take them though, keep things all business - no play or treats unless they pee first. Things should be quiet, calm and super boring until they empty themselves. Give 10 minutes to go potty, walking them around slowly and telling pup to "Go potty" to get things going, then if they don't go during that time - straight back inside and crate for 45 minutes (or sooner if it's been over an hour since they last went potty), then try taking them again. Going potty is their ticket to fun, just going outside is not. This won't be a perfect answer at this age - you will probably still get some false asks that you will have to respond to while pup is still learning, but doing the above should decrease the false asks, and when pup is fully potty trained and accidents are less of a risk, you can more safely call pup's bluff on this later. My own dog tried this when she was a puppy. It did get better once potty training was more underway and she discovered that potty trips weren't that exciting unless she went potty. When you take pup outside to play, also use a different sentence/command...such as "Do you need to go potty?" vs "Want to go outside?"...This may not be something formal you teach, but most people end up asking their dog a similar question when taking them out, so pay attention to how to word both and be sure to word them differently. If you have two exit doors, you can also take pup potty through one door and out to play through another door - pup will eventually probably begin going to the door associated with what they need, such as the play door if that's what they are wanting, which will help you tell - but that will take time. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Pam, As a puppy, when a puppy says they have to go, you have to take them immediately or an accident is soon to follow due to limited bladder capacity; however, if you take pup out every 1-2 hours (like a puppy needs anyway at this age), pup should have less need to ring the bell in the first place, and the bell is simply a backup for when pup needs to go and you aren't taking them often enough. As pup becomes an adult, the same thing applies - if you are taking pup outside every 3-4 hours on a schedule, they shouldn't need to ring the bell as often. You can prevent frequent bell rings that are associated with needing to truly potty outside, by taking pup on a schedule, then the bell rings are just backup for times when pup needs to go sooner than the schedule - so that pup rings the bell then instead of having an accident. You can't delay taking pup for too long once they ring the bell, since if trained right, they truly do need to go at that point and could have an accident if you wait, but a healthy, young, adult dog can generally wait 2-5 minutes if you indicate that you heard them by responding with something like "Do You need to go outside?". Asking to go out at false times is the number one issue with this approach. To prevent that, keep potty trips boring - take a young pup potty on the leash, to prevent distractions, give them 10-15 minutes to go, then back inside if they do not go. If crate training, you can put them into the crate for thirty minutes after the false ask, then take them potty again after thirty minutes - which is a good practice for potty training a young puppy anyway to prevent an accident when their bladder isn't empty and they are free. As soon as pup gets good at ringing the bell to go out, transition giving pup a treat after the bell ring to only giving pup a treat after they both ring the bell AND go potty - at the end of pottying. Discontinue treats altogether if false asks become a big issue even then. Don't let pup play outside after ringing the bell unless they go potty first. When you take pup outside to Play, use a different word or sentence to indicate you are playing outside than what you use for pottying, such as "Go Outside?" Vs. "Need to Potty?". Know that many dogs find ways to ask to go outside on their own, such as barking, running to the door, or pawing at you. The bell is simply a substitute that's a bit more polite instead of one of those things, so false asks are a common problem with all puppies at a certain point, even without teaching a bell Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden.

Hello Sarah, When you take pup potty, walk them around slowly on the leash the whole time you are outside, to help their body feel the urge to go. Encourage sniffing as you walk. Tell pup to "Go Potty" and keep a couple of treats hidden in your pocket. Purchase a potty encouraging spray such as "Go Here" or "Hurry!", and spray it on the area you want pup to go potty on before you take them outside each time. When pup does finally go potty outside, praise and reward with the treat. It's normal for pup to expect treats in general. Teaching pup the Go Potty command and practicing overtime should help pup learn that the treats are only for going potty as you insist that they must potty first. If treats continue to confuse pup, you can skip the treats and just work on the walking and adding scent. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Thank you for the question. This is tricky - Louis likes to be outside that is clear! I think the best way to tackle this is to take Louis out on the leash every time he rings the bell. Wait till he does potty and then bring him back in right away. Next time he rings the bell, same thing. Then, he'll learn that the bell means potty not playtime. Of course, it is important to take him for walks and outside for playtime often, just not when he rings the bell. Good luck!

Hello Layla, I suggest following the Exercise Pen method from the article linked below. Once pups have learned the training well, then you can resume using the exercise pen method just as needed and taking pup outside to potty at other times. The method mentions using a doggie litter box. The method can be used with a pee pad or a disposable grass pad also. Another thing that will likely make the transition much easier and help to avoid pup confusing the pee pad with carpet and rugs, if to use a disposable real grass pad inside instead of a pee pad. Exercise pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Disposable real grass pad brands- on amazon also: www.doggielawn.com www.porchpotty.com www.freshpatch.com Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! You can get a bell on a string and attach it to your doorknob. Hit the bell before you take her outside to go potty and then give her a treat for going potty. Doing this on repeat will teach her by association that the bell means it is time to go potty. It should only take a few weeks of practice.

Hello Olivia, I would start by crate training her and crating her when you are gone off, or her bladder isn't empty. Second, are you going with her outside still, or just letting her into a fenced in yard? If not, go outside with her when you take her to make sure she is actually going and not just getting distracted, playing, then coming back inside and having an accident because she never went while outside. When you take her outside, when she goes potty, I would give a treat again. It's too soon to expect her to not need the extra encouragement and supervision. As far as alerting you, I would teach her to ring a bell when she needs to go out, but also know that most dogs don't start alerting until they have been fully potty trained for at least 2-3 months. It sounds like she isn't quite fully potty trained, so alerting on her own probably won't happen until after 6 months of age - one of the biggest mistakes made in potty training in general is expecting a dog to alert on their own too early, rather than sticking to supervising, confining when away, and a potty schedule to maintain potty training during the intermediate period between when pup is "potty trained" - meaning they try to hold their bladder between scheduled potty trips, and the point where they will also alert on their own when they need to go out. Unfortunately, it's just not taught a lot that their is this intermediate period so most people don't know not to expect alerting too soon. There is often a 3 month middle period between when they are doing well with potty training and start to alert on their own. Teaching a bell can shorten that period somewhat, but not eliminate it completely, but it is mostly helpful for the occasional dog who simply never alerts or only alerts very subtly and quietly. Crate training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Bell: https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Penny, When at a friends house pup needs to either be crated or tethered to you with a hands free leash. While crated or tethered pup should be more motivated not to have an accident. When you notice pup getting antsy on leash with you - sniffing, circling, whining, trying to pull away, pawing at you, ect...cue that behavior with something like "Need to Potty?" or "Potty?", then take pup potty outside and give a treat and praise if they go. While pup is in the crate, take pup out regularly, and if pup starts to whine or bark, take pup out extra times - stick to a reasonable potty schedule while visiting friends also - don't go longer than 4 hours, unless pup is crated - then pup can likely hold it a bit longer if you are gone and they have to - 3-4 hours should be the longest in most cases, and limit pup's freedom with the hands free leash and crate unless it's been no more than 2 hours since pup last went potty outside. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! You can get a bell on a string and attach it to your doorknob. Hit the bell before you take her outside to go potty and then give her a treat for going potty. Doing this on repeat will teach her by association that the bell means it is time to go potty. It should only take a few weeks of practice.

Hi there. If he successfully went potty, it is likely a whine for attention.

Hello! There is nothing wrong with limiting her water intake at night until she is more consistent. But your best bet during the day is to use the kennel when you aren't able to keep an eye on her.

Hello! I am sending you quite a bit of information on potty and crate training just in case you want to use a crate to help with potty training Potty training: Know Your Pup. As you spend time with your puppy, learn your puppy’s love language. Just as some people prefer gifts, touch, or time spent together, puppies can be the same way. Some puppies love praise or pets, while others prefer treats. As you get to know your puppy, consider what reward your puppy loves the most. Create a Daily Schedule. It is best to have a routine for your puppy. A schedule helps them understand when to eat, play, and “go to the bathroom.” Your puppy should go out frequently and the routine should be the same every time. When? Start the day by taking your puppy outside, and repeating based on age and ability. They should also go out after napping, chewing, playing, and within 10 to 15 minutes of eating. Although some puppies can sleep for seven hours, it is important to set an alarm and take your pup out during the night. When you do, don’t make a fuss about it. Quietly take them outside with minimal stimulation and light. Praise them if they go to the bathroom and gently return them to their bed or crate. You don’t want them to get stimulated and ready to play in the middle of the night! As you get to know your puppy, you will become aware of their individual habits. Click here to learn more about house training schedules for puppies. Where? Take your puppy to a specific area to urinate or defecate. Be consistent. You can create an area by using urine-soaked paper or bowel movements to help create an aroma to stimulate your puppy. How? Take your puppy out on a leash so they can focus on the desired activity. This will help prevent them from wandering off to play. Once your puppy is in the selected area, use your verbal cue, such as “Hurry Up,” “Poopies,” “Go tinkle,” or any phrase your puppy responds to. What? Know the signs that your puppy has to go to the bathroom. Every animal may have a different “I gotta go” gesture, which often include restlessness, sniffing around, circling, scratching at the door, barking, and, eventually, squatting. At the first sign that your pup has to go, calmly and quickly take them outside to their bathroom spot. Deal with Accidents. Accidents are a normal part of house training a puppy. What to Do If you see your puppy in the process of urinating or defecating inappropriately, calmly and quickly interrupt them in the act. Tell them to stop (either by a jarring sound or command), and immediately take them to an appropriate location for elimination. After your puppy goes to the bathroom, lavishly praise them and offer a treat. Thoroughly clean up accidents, so your puppy is not attracted to this area again. Create a consistent feeding and watering schedule. Depending on the age of your puppy, they will eat three to four times a day. A consistent feeding routine can create a regular bathroom schedule. Take away water about 2 hours before bedtime. Learn more about ideal dog schedules here. What NOT to Do Don’t punish your puppy when they have an accident. At that point, it is too late. When a puppy has an accident in the house and they walk away, within seconds they have already forgotten about what they did. Taking them to the scene of the crime and yelling and/or rubbing their nose in it does not help and, in fact, can harm your puppy! Supervise. The best thing you can do is to prevent accidents and the best way to do this is to supervise your puppy at all times. You can tether your puppy to your waist with a five or six-foot leash and carefully observe them for signs that they need to go to the bathroom. If you can’t supervise, then crate or confine your puppy. The more accidents your puppy has in the house, the more confusing it will be for them and this can delay house training. Reward, Reward, Reward. It is important to give your puppy a reward for their good behavior. This can be for commands such as sitting and coming to you, or for appropriately eliminating outside. In a puppy, a reward can be a couple kibbles of puppy food or a treat, such as a small piece of meat. The treat should be exciting for them and only available as a result of good behavior. Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast. Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at their leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away. If yours isn't one of them: Bring them over to the crate and talk to them in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten them. Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If they refuse to go all the way in at first, that's OK; don't force them to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If they aren’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Step 2: Feed your dog meals in the crate After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding them their regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If they remain reluctant to enter, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed them, place the dish a little further back in the crate. Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat their meal, you can close the door while they’re eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as they finish their meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If they begin to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving them in the crate for a shorter time period. If they do whine or cry in the crate, don’t let them out until they stop. Otherwise, they'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so they'll keep doing it. Step 3: Practice with longer crating periods After your dog is eating their regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine them there for short time periods while you're home. Call them over to the crate and give them a treat. Give them a command to enter, such as "crate." Encourage them by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise them, give them the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time and then let them out. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks. Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving them crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put them in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate. Vary the moment during your "getting ready to leave" routine that you put your dog in the crate. Although they shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate them anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to them in an enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key to avoid increasing their anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so they don't associate crating with being left alone. Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Potential problems Whining: If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, use the phrase they associate with going outside to eliminate. If they respond and become excited, take them outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again. Separation anxiety: Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures.

Hello! I am sending you quite a bit of information on potty and crate training just in case you want to use a crate to help with potty training Potty training: Know Your Pup. As you spend time with your puppy, learn your puppy’s love language. Just as some people prefer gifts, touch, or time spent together, puppies can be the same way. Some puppies love praise or pets, while others prefer treats. As you get to know your puppy, consider what reward your puppy loves the most. Create a Daily Schedule. It is best to have a routine for your puppy. A schedule helps them understand when to eat, play, and “go to the bathroom.” Your puppy should go out frequently and the routine should be the same every time. When? Start the day by taking your puppy outside, and repeating based on age and ability. They should also go out after napping, chewing, playing, and within 10 to 15 minutes of eating. Although some puppies can sleep for seven hours, it is important to set an alarm and take your pup out during the night. When you do, don’t make a fuss about it. Quietly take them outside with minimal stimulation and light. Praise them if they go to the bathroom and gently return them to their bed or crate. You don’t want them to get stimulated and ready to play in the middle of the night! As you get to know your puppy, you will become aware of their individual habits. Click here to learn more about house training schedules for puppies. Where? Take your puppy to a specific area to urinate or defecate. Be consistent. You can create an area by using urine-soaked paper or bowel movements to help create an aroma to stimulate your puppy. How? Take your puppy out on a leash so they can focus on the desired activity. This will help prevent them from wandering off to play. Once your puppy is in the selected area, use your verbal cue, such as “Hurry Up,” “Poopies,” “Go tinkle,” or any phrase your puppy responds to. What? Know the signs that your puppy has to go to the bathroom. Every animal may have a different “I gotta go” gesture, which often include restlessness, sniffing around, circling, scratching at the door, barking, and, eventually, squatting. At the first sign that your pup has to go, calmly and quickly take them outside to their bathroom spot. Deal with Accidents. Accidents are a normal part of house training a puppy. What to Do If you see your puppy in the process of urinating or defecating inappropriately, calmly and quickly interrupt them in the act. Tell them to stop (either by a jarring sound or command), and immediately take them to an appropriate location for elimination. After your puppy goes to the bathroom, lavishly praise them and offer a treat. Thoroughly clean up accidents, so your puppy is not attracted to this area again. Create a consistent feeding and watering schedule. Depending on the age of your puppy, they will eat three to four times a day. A consistent feeding routine can create a regular bathroom schedule. Take away water about 2 hours before bedtime. Learn more about ideal dog schedules here. What NOT to Do Don’t punish your puppy when they have an accident. At that point, it is too late. When a puppy has an accident in the house and they walk away, within seconds they have already forgotten about what they did. Taking them to the scene of the crime and yelling and/or rubbing their nose in it does not help and, in fact, can harm your puppy! Supervise. The best thing you can do is to prevent accidents and the best way to do this is to supervise your puppy at all times. You can tether your puppy to your waist with a five or six-foot leash and carefully observe them for signs that they need to go to the bathroom. If you can’t supervise, then crate or confine your puppy. The more accidents your puppy has in the house, the more confusing it will be for them and this can delay house training. Reward, Reward, Reward. It is important to give your puppy a reward for their good behavior. This can be for commands such as sitting and coming to you, or for appropriately eliminating outside. In a puppy, a reward can be a couple kibbles of puppy food or a treat, such as a small piece of meat. The treat should be exciting for them and only available as a result of good behavior. Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast. Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at their leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away. If yours isn't one of them: Bring them over to the crate and talk to them in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten them. Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If they refuse to go all the way in at first, that's OK; don't force them to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If they aren’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Step 2: Feed your dog meals in the crate After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding them their regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If they remain reluctant to enter, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed them, place the dish a little further back in the crate. Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat their meal, you can close the door while they’re eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as they finish their meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If they begin to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving them in the crate for a shorter time period. If they do whine or cry in the crate, don’t let them out until they stop. Otherwise, they'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so they'll keep doing it. Step 3: Practice with longer crating periods After your dog is eating their regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine them there for short time periods while you're home. Call them over to the crate and give them a treat. Give them a command to enter, such as "crate." Encourage them by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise them, give them the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time and then let them out. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks. Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving them crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put them in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate. Vary the moment during your "getting ready to leave" routine that you put your dog in the crate. Although they shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate them anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to them in an enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key to avoid increasing their anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so they don't associate crating with being left alone. Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Potential problems Whining: If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, use the phrase they associate with going outside to eliminate. If they respond and become excited, take them outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again. Separation anxiety: Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures.

Hello! I am sending you quite a bit of information on potty and crate training just in case you want to use the crate to help with potty training. Potty training: Know Your Pup. As you spend time with your puppy, learn your puppy’s love language. Just as some people prefer gifts, touch, or time spent together, puppies can be the same way. Some puppies love praise or pets, while others prefer treats. As you get to know your puppy, consider what reward your puppy loves the most. Create a Daily Schedule. It is best to have a routine for your puppy. A schedule helps them understand when to eat, play, and “go to the bathroom.” Your puppy should go out frequently and the routine should be the same every time. When? Start the day by taking your puppy outside, and repeating based on age and ability. They should also go out after napping, chewing, playing, and within 10 to 15 minutes of eating. Although some puppies can sleep for seven hours, it is important to set an alarm and take your pup out during the night. When you do, don’t make a fuss about it. Quietly take them outside with minimal stimulation and light. Praise them if they go to the bathroom and gently return them to their bed or crate. You don’t want them to get stimulated and ready to play in the middle of the night! As you get to know your puppy, you will become aware of their individual habits. Click here to learn more about house training schedules for puppies. Where? Take your puppy to a specific area to urinate or defecate. Be consistent. You can create an area by using urine-soaked paper or bowel movements to help create an aroma to stimulate your puppy. How? Take your puppy out on a leash so they can focus on the desired activity. This will help prevent them from wandering off to play. Once your puppy is in the selected area, use your verbal cue, such as “Hurry Up,” “Poopies,” “Go tinkle,” or any phrase your puppy responds to. What? Know the signs that your puppy has to go to the bathroom. Every animal may have a different “I gotta go” gesture, which often include restlessness, sniffing around, circling, scratching at the door, barking, and, eventually, squatting. At the first sign that your pup has to go, calmly and quickly take them outside to their bathroom spot. Deal with Accidents. Accidents are a normal part of house training a puppy. What to Do If you see your puppy in the process of urinating or defecating inappropriately, calmly and quickly interrupt them in the act. Tell them to stop (either by a jarring sound or command), and immediately take them to an appropriate location for elimination. After your puppy goes to the bathroom, lavishly praise them and offer a treat. Thoroughly clean up accidents, so your puppy is not attracted to this area again. Create a consistent feeding and watering schedule. Depending on the age of your puppy, they will eat three to four times a day. A consistent feeding routine can create a regular bathroom schedule. Take away water about 2 hours before bedtime. Learn more about ideal dog schedules here. What NOT to Do Don’t punish your puppy when they have an accident. At that point, it is too late. When a puppy has an accident in the house and they walk away, within seconds they have already forgotten about what they did. Taking them to the scene of the crime and yelling and/or rubbing their nose in it does not help and, in fact, can harm your puppy! Supervise. The best thing you can do is to prevent accidents and the best way to do this is to supervise your puppy at all times. You can tether your puppy to your waist with a five or six-foot leash and carefully observe them for signs that they need to go to the bathroom. If you can’t supervise, then crate or confine your puppy. The more accidents your puppy has in the house, the more confusing it will be for them and this can delay house training. Reward, Reward, Reward. It is important to give your puppy a reward for their good behavior. This can be for commands such as sitting and coming to you, or for appropriately eliminating outside. In a puppy, a reward can be a couple kibbles of puppy food or a treat, such as a small piece of meat. The treat should be exciting for them and only available as a result of good behavior. Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast. Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at their leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away. If yours isn't one of them: Bring them over to the crate and talk to them in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten them. Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If they refuse to go all the way in at first, that's OK; don't force them to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If they aren’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Step 2: Feed your dog meals in the crate After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding them their regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If they remain reluctant to enter, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed them, place the dish a little further back in the crate. Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat their meal, you can close the door while they’re eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as they finish their meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If they begin to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving them in the crate for a shorter time period. If they do whine or cry in the crate, don’t let them out until they stop. Otherwise, they'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so they'll keep doing it. Step 3: Practice with longer crating periods After your dog is eating their regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine them there for short time periods while you're home. Call them over to the crate and give them a treat. Give them a command to enter, such as "crate." Encourage them by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise them, give them the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time and then let them out. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks. Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving them crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put them in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate. Vary the moment during your "getting ready to leave" routine that you put your dog in the crate. Although they shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate them anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to them in an enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key to avoid increasing their anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so they don't associate crating with being left alone. Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Potential problems Whining: If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, use the phrase they associate with going outside to eliminate. If they respond and become excited, take them outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again. Separation anxiety: Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures.

Hello Ashley, Check out the Crate Training and Tethering methods from the article I have linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Jacqueline, It sounds like she needs to practice being crated at times when you can work her up to it gradually - since most of the issues involve being confined somewhere like the car or vets. First, work on teaching the Quiet command during the day using the Quiet method from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Second, during the day practice the Surprise method from the article linked below. Whenever pup stays quiet in the crate for 5 minutes, sprinkle some treats into the crate without opening it, then leave the room again. As she improves, only give the treats every 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hour, 2, hour, 3 hour. Practice crating her during the day for 1-3 hours each day that you can. Whenever she cries in the crate, tell her "Quiet". If she gets quiet - Great! Sprinkle treats in after five minutes if she stays quiet. If she continues barking or stops and starts again, spray a quick puff of air from a pet convincer at her side through the crate while calmly saying "Ah Ah", then leave again. Only use unscented air canisters, DON'T use citronella! And avoid spraying in the face. surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Repeat the rewards when quiet and the corrections whenever she cries. I would also work on teaching a Place command, and acting out you coming and going and enforcing her staying on Place each time you come in, until she can consistently do it. Before you can practice that level of excitement though, you will need to work up to her staying there when you walk in and out of the room and for gradually longer periods of time, then go outside for just a second, and begin extending that time as she improves - pup will need to be herded back to place calmly each time she tries to get up, and rewarded with a treat placed between her paws on the Place bed when she stays put. Once she can stay while you are gone, then you can practice her going to place until calm when you come home to help her learn a habit of being calm when you come home. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s For the excitement while walking, I recommend practicing the Turns method form the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel I recommend desensitizing pup to the car and slowing the overall process down. Start by simply feeding beside the car while its off, then feeding treats along the runner with the door open, then inside the car with it still. For at least a couple of weeks practice the Down Stay command on the middle seats' floorboard or seats (if a row seat). Gradually move to practicing with the car in the driveway but still while on - don't turn on in the garage for gas breathing reasons. When pup is completely relaxed in the car and can do a solid down-stay, recruit a second person to drive or train, so the driver can only focus on driving. Have the person training enforce Down, while the driver simply pulls out of the driveway and back in When pup can stay relaxed during that (which will require a lot of repetition before pup relaxes then too - once pup sees that the driving is boring through repetition), then drive down the block and back. Gradually increase the distance and level of excitement as pup improves, only moving onto further distances or more exciting locations once pup can stay relaxed at the current level of training. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Kimberly, If it's an option, I would make sure he knows the friend and your parents and feel comfortable with them ahead of time. If not, he should adjust just fine but that will make his first week getting to know them easier. You can also work on building his independence skills through things like a structured heeling walk, working up to a 1 hour place command where you are in and out of the room and he stays on the Place bed, a distance down-stay using a long leash, and crate training - practicing crating him with a dog food stuffed chew toy and leaving the home without him to get him used to being without you. You can start with just a ten minute walk, then work up to three hours or more gradually. Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Heel- Turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Crate Training: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Our dogs often mirror our own emotions. If the people he will be staying with are already people he likes or are generally good with dogs. He will likely have an adjustment period for a week or two, then do great. Our dogs tend to mirror our own emotions, so he may actually be less anxious if the person he stays with is confident and kind toward him. It can be hard to leave our pets for longer periods. I had a few years where every summer I had to leave my own dog with my parents. It was hard to leave initially but he did adjust well, and then was super happy to see me when I returned. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Katie, Where is pup staying while you are away? Does pup have free reign of the house or is in an exercise pen while you are away? Since pup can only be actively trained while you are there, you will need to manage pup's environment to prevent accidents through management while away. For most puppies that has to look like a crate. A crate is properly sized and without anything absorbent in it, encourages most puppies natural desire to keep a confined space clean, motivating pup to keep your home clean while you are gone. With that desires encouraged and pup managed to prevent accidents when you are home, you are encouraging a long-term habit of cleanliness inside and pottying away from the home environment. Potty training is mostly about utilizing that natural desire a dog has, and helping them associate it with the entire house. That means that the most important thing you can do to potty train is to prevent accidents inside from happening through crating, tethering pup to yourself with a hands free leash, and supervising pup. The more accidents you can prevent, the sooner a dog will tend to learn. A dog also doesn't usually being telling you they have to go out until they are at least 3 months past the point where they will hold it consistently between their scheduled potty trips, so a consistent potty schedule will be very important skill, even when pup improves. Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. If pup is having accidents even after going outside, I would speak with your vet, and if it's not medically related, also use the Tethering method to keep pup close while free until a better habit is developed. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside At this age, the maximum number of hours pup will be able to hold it in the crate will be how old they are in months plus one during the day, so make sure pup isn't being crated without a potty trip in between for more than 4-5 hours, otherwise they will be forced to have an accident even in the crate. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden