How to Train Your Dog to Go Pee

Hello Stella, Fiji needs to be strictly crate trained to prevent opportunities to pee inside. She also needs to be taken out as often as every one and a half hours until she starts to understand that she is supposed to pee only outside. While she is crated she can be expected to hold it for four hours if you are gone, but while you are at home take her outside every one and a half hours. Check out the article that I have linked below and follow the "Crate Training" method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Ramiro, Take him to the bathroom using a long leash, such as 40 feet (use a training leash that drags on the ground, not a retractable leash for this). Take him to that general area of the yard where the designated spot is but don't expect him to go right on the spot at first, we will get there gradually. Tell him to "Go Potty" and let him wander away from you on the long leash, so that he feels he has some privacy. Pretend like you are not watching him from about 20-40 feet away. When you DO see him go potty (because you really were watching from the corner of your eye), praise him enthusiastically and toss several large treats toward him as a reward. As he gets more comfortable peeing near you - because of the praise and treats, then you can gradually coil up more of the long leash over th next few days and weeks, until you have eventually coiled up all but six feet of it and are taking him directly to his potty spot on a normal 6 foot leash. For this to work you have to be very calm when you take him potty and happy when he goes potty outside. He will be less likely to go if he senses you are angry or frustrated (we all feel that way sometimes but don't show him that). Inside, do not yell at him or act frustrated if you catch him having an accident or after he had an accident. Crate train him and keep a careful potty schedule to prevent accidents in the first place. If he starts to squat to go potty inside, say, 'Ah Ah, let's go!', in a calm tone of voice and hurry him outside, with as much cheerfulness and urgency as you can (remember he is learned and not doing it to be spiteful, so treat him like a little one who simply needs to be shown). Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Since he is older you can take him potty every 3-4 hours when home, and up to 7-8 hours if you have to be at work all day (if he demonstrates he can hold it that long in the crate). After he goes potty outside, give him 2 hours of supervised freedom outside the crate inside, before placing him back in the crate until time to go potty or taking him back outside if Tethering him to yourself. If you are gone during the day, use the crate training method then, and the Tethering method in the evening when you are home to prevent accidents. Potty training article: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside The better you are about preventing accidents the quicker potty training tends to go. Clean up any accidents with a cleaner that contains enzymes because the enzymes break down things at a molecular level. Other cleaners leave scent that can encourage peeing in those spots again. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Julie, Follow the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Following that method will ensure that her only option is to pee on the pad since anytime she doesn't pee on the pad you will return her to the crate, then try again in thirty to forty-five minutes (or sooner if it's been a long time since she has pottied. Also, switching from a pee pad to a disposable real grass pad is easier for most dogs since it feels and smells like grass outside - since it is real grass. You may want to consider using a real grass pad instead, especially if you plan to train pup to go potty outside primarily when she is older and can hold it for longer. Use the Crate Training method to pee pad train her. Once she is used to going on the pads, then you can switch to the exercise pen method for further training - without you having to be there all the time. Crate Training method and Exercise Pen method - the methods mention a litter box, but you can use real grass pads or pee pads in place of the litter box and follow the same methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands - also found on amazon: www.doggielawn.com www.freshpatch.com You can also make your own grass pad using a large, shallow plastic storage container and a piece of grass sod, cut to fit into the box. Periodically replace the grass as needed. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello David, Honestly, you are expecting far too much of him too soon. It is normal for you to need to go with pup at this age, until almost one year of age. He is actually already doing better than most puppies at this point. Taking him on a leash to keep him focused is even normal still. Some dogs don't need to be accompanied anymore as soon as 7 months but 9 months tends to be the average for when you can simply send pup into the yard on their own and expect them to go potty. Expect to need to go with pup for at least a couple more months. If you don't go with him, he might start having more accidents inside again and slow his progression with potty training. Potty training needs to become a firm, long-term habit first, and that takes time and practice for a dog in most cases. To speed up the process, so that it doesn't take you a year, when you do take puppy potty, tell him to "Go Potty". After he goes, give a treat. If he may need to poop, tell him to "Go Potty" again and give an additional treat after he poops also. After a couple more months of potty training, you can start transition him to not needing you there, taking pup outside without a leash (if you aren't already) if your yard is fenced in. At first, stand near pup and tell him to "Go Potty", then reward him when he goes and comes back over to you afterward. Gradually stop closer and closer to your house - away from where pup goes to pee, a couple of feet at a time. Tell him to "Go Potty", letting him wander out into your yard away from you to go, then come back to you afterward for his treat. As time goes on, you will gradually go less and less far out into the yard with him, so that you are standing closer to the door to your house and he goes out into the yard to go on his own, then comes back afterward. Finally, open the door to let him outside, tell him to "Go Potty" as he is going out the door, watch him from the window, then give him a treat when he returns if he went potty while out there. If he doesn't go potty and returns to the door without going, tell him to "Go Potty" again and walk out there with him a few feet to remind him. Practice this until he no longer needs the reminder but will simply go out, go potty, then return each time he needs to go. Eventually you can phase out the treats completely and the "Go Potty" command will just be something he is expected to do without reward. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Brenda, Check out the Crate Training method linked below. In that method you will find tips for teaching the Go Potty command, using rewards, movement, and the crate for encouraging a pup to potty outside. When pup doesn't go potty outside, you will go back home, crate pup for 45 minutes- 1 hour, then try taking pup again, repeating that process until pup finally goes potty outside, and is then rewarded with praise and treats for doing so to help pup learn to go faster in the future. The idea behind this method is to only give pup the option of pottying outside - pup is only given freedom in the house while their bladder is empty. At first, expect to take pup out very often until pup gets comfortable with pottying outside quickly, and is more motivated to go quick by having learned the Go Potty command and being given treats for doing so. If pup seems nervous while in the new potty area, also simply spend time hanging outside relaxing or playing fun games with pup on a 6 foot or long leash, to help pup relax while in that area so they are not hesitant to potty there. Crate Training method for potty training: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If pup isn't crate trained, check out the Surprise method from the article linked below also. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, congratulations on your new dog. Yes, this breed does like to bark - and as well, if you just got her, she will be nervous and tend to bark more. All of the methods here are good for teaching a pup not to bark.https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark, Try the Desensitize Method as a starting point. Lots of positive reinforcement and reward based training will encourage Korra to do her best. Make sure she has a crate or bed where she can go to rest and as well, give her lots of exercise in the form of a few walks per day. She'll focus her energy elsewhere and have less time to bark. Make sure she has mentally stimulating toys like an interactive feeder to keep her entertained sometimes, resulting in less barking, too. Good luck!

Hello, if Korra is used to getting food when she scratches, it will take patience and consistency to change the habit. You'll have to ignore the behavior and not give in. The other option is to provide her with an interactive feeder that can give her mental stimulation and allow her to have a snack at the same time. The feeder will have her working for the food, and she'll get a reward for a positive activity as opposed to scratching. When she scratches, is it near meal time? Or often at other times during the day? You could also spread her meals out into 3 small meals as opposed to two. If the consistent hunger is a new behavior, get a vet check up to rule out an illness (like diabetes.) All the best!