How to Train Your Dog to Not Pee in the House

Hello Ashley, Thunderstorm phobia is unfortunately a common problem for many dogs. To help him remember to not pee in the house I would begin by making him a safe enclosed area in the house, where he can feel secure and have a potty area on the pee pad close by. Many dogs feel safe in closets or bathrooms or inside of their crates during storms. Pay attention to where he tends to go when scared and if possible set up an area for him there that includes a pee pad, a bed, and something he can hide under, such as a crate with a blanket over it, a cardboard box, or a piece of furniture. Keep this area separated from the rest of the house so that he is less likely to eliminate in other places that are further from the pee pad when you cannot pay attention to him. When you are with him you can distract him from his fears by playing with him or having him perform his tricks for food, if he is food motivated. It is important to act confident, calm, and happy around him when it is storming, pitying him or acting angry can encourage him to be more afraid. Once he is acting happier and more relaxed, take him to his pee pad and encourage him to go, if he does give him another treat or play a game. Pay attention to how long it has been since he has eliminated last and if enough time has passed then take him to his pee pad area again and encourage him to go and reward him. You may need to help him relax right before with training rewards and play. If you work on telling him "Go potty" every time you take him to the bathroom when it is not storming, and reward him for going then, then you can use that phrase when he is on the pee pad during a storm to remind him what to do then. Some people also find success using the Thundershirts for dogs, or talking to their veterinarian about medication that can be used during a storm for severe anxiety, or by getting a dog use to the sounds of thunder gradually ahead of time by playing a recording of a storm very quietly and rewarding with play or treats and very gradually increasing the volume over time if the dog is relaxed. I hope Bentley feels better during storms! Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Nic, Atticus might be peeing on the carpet because the fabric type material reminds him of the pee pads. Some dogs will make this mistake, so it is best to remove the pee pads like you are planning on doing before that becomes a strong habit. There are a few things that you can do to remedy the situation. The first is to clean all carpets that he has eliminated on with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes. The enzymes are very important because without enzymes to break up the protein in urine and feces, your dog will still be able to smell it even though you will not. The remaining smell will encourage your dog to eliminate in the same spot over and over again. Also avoid cleaners containing Ammonia because Ammonia smells like urine to a dog. Once you have cleaned the areas then there are a few other things to do. For next week while you are away, you can create a potty area that resembles your yard better and eventually move that potty area outside. To do this I recommend getting a cat litter box tray or something harder that your dog will not chew up, if he will chew that. Fill the tray with a piece of sod grass, or if your dog will eliminate on it, cat litter. The idea is for the "Pee Pad" toilet area to no longer look like fabric but like something that your dog will only find outside. The grass will also smell like outside which will help later. Place the toilet area inside of the Pen area with your crate. Your dog can stay in his pen while you are gone from eight to four. Be sure to also give your dog interesting toys to keep him entertained. I highly recommend stuffed Kong toys, or something similar, because it keeps your dog entertained for longer and discourages barking while you are away. Your dog cannot chew and bark at the same time. When you are ready to begin Potty Training outside then I would use the Crate Training Method and The Leash Method to teach your puppy to eliminate outdoors. To do this, place your puppy inside the crate whenever you cannot directly supervise him. Be aware that at three months of age he will not be able to physically hold his bladder for any longer than four hours during the day, even in the crate. If you force him to hold it longer than he is able to inside the crate, and he eliminates in the crate too often, then he will eventually loose his desire to keep his crate clean and you will no longer be able to house break him with the crate. With your puppy staying inside the crate, take him outside to go to the bathroom, on the leash, every one and a half hours whenever you are at home for a month. As he learns to go potty outside and is no longer eliminating inside at all, then you can gradually increase that time. When you take him outside, tell him "Go Potty" and let him sniff, and when he eliminates outside, then praise him and offer him several tiny treats, one at a time. If he does not eliminate, then bring him back inside after seven minutes and put him in the crate for thirty minutes. When the thirty minutes are up, take him back outside on leash to try again. Repeat this until he goes potty outside. After he goes potty, then you have two options. You can give him freedom in the house while watching him closely for forty-five minutes. After the forty-five minutes, put him back in the crate until it is time to take him again, so that he is not loose with a full bladder. Your other option is to attach him to yourself with a six or eight foot leash, so that he is always supervised and cannot sneak away to eliminate on the carpet. I suggest this method in your case, so that you will be very attentive to his signals that he needs to go outside, so that he cannot sneak away to eliminate on the carpet, and so that he will be with you at all times to help him learn how to alert you when he needs to go outside. Watch for any signs that he needs to go, such as trying to sneak away, circling, sniffing the ground, whining, pawing at you, or barking to get your attention. In general the more accidents that you can prevent inside and the more successes that you have outside, the quicker house breaking will go. It takes several successes outside to undo one mistake inside. The hard work will pay off with a well trained dog down the road, and you are obviously looking ahead to plan for success which is great. Best of luck with training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Gabe, Check out the Tethering and Crate Training methods from the article linked below. I suggest having a potty training crash course where you follow a combination of those two methods, to limit pup's freedom, so that they are only free in your home while supervised while their bladder is empty. Since pup is older, take them potty every 3-4 hours, and give 2 hours of freedom out of the crate before either taking them potty again, tethering them to yourself, or crating them until time to take them potty again at 3-4 hours. For potty training, take pup that often while you are home, to help them learn faster. Tethering and Crate Training methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If you are gone for longer at work during the day, crate pup while you are away, and pup can be crated for up to 7 hours (starting with less time ideally, and working up to that amount of time over the weekend ideally), when truly needed. Take more often (3-4 hours) for the sake of training when you can, and be sure that the crate is set up correctly to encourage pup to hold their bladder in the confined space - don't put anything absorbent into the crate (check out www.primopads.com for a non-absorbent bed option if one is needed), and sizing the crate correctly. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Miodrag, He might have originally chosen to pee in there because of all the interesting smells in the workshop, and because of bad weather or wet ground outside that he wanted to avoid. Now that he has done it several times, his own urine smell is attracting him to the area again and again, and he has developed a habit of going in there, making it harder to break. You will need to remove all of the previous urine scent from the workshop by using a pet safe cleaner which contains Enzymes, in order to break up the urine, at a protein level, well enough for him to not be able to smell it still. Also, if you have any products in the workshop that contain Ammonia, such as cleaning solutions, then they are probably encouraging him to eliminate there also, since Ammonia in cleaners smells like urine to a dog. If the workshop is made out of unfinished wood or other absorbent material that is hard to clean, then removing the smell well enough is probably not possible, and it will need to air out over several months. If there are every any animals in or around the workshop, such as cats, rats, or raccoons, then their own urine and feces will encourage him to eliminate there. In order to teach Vuki not to eliminate in there, you would also need to supervise him very carefully every time that he goes inside the work shop, to prevent him from having anymore accidents, to take him outside frequently, on a leash to ensure he goes potty, and to praise and reward him with treats for eliminating outside, so that he will want to eliminate outside in the future. Since eliminating the smell and supervising him as closely as you would for potty training in a house might not be an option, the next best thing is to teach him to avoid the workshop altogether, to break his bad habit of going potty in there and to give him more opportunities to eliminate outside. Work on boundary training with him, to teach him to avoid the workshop perimeter. If you cannot supervise him while he is outside and teach boundaries using your body language, supervision, and rewards, then you will probably need to purchase invisible fencing, and create a "fence" around the workshop, and go through the process of training him how to avoid the area using the electric collar that corresponds to the fence. It would be the same idea as an invisible fence for your yard, except instead of keeping your dog in somewhere, it would keep him out of somewhere, in this case the workshop. You can also purchase a device called a "Pet Barrier Transmitter" that will emit a signal that corresponds with a collar, to teach him to avoid the area. I have not personally used those though, so I cannot speak toward their safety. Another option is to purchase a high quality manual electric collar or remote vibrating collar. Good brands are: Dogtra, Sportdog, Garmin, or E-Collar Technologies. If you choose to go this route, then you will need to hire a local dog trainer with experience using electric collars, to help you use the electric collar properly for electric collar boundary training. A good trainer will only use the collar on the lowest settings that your dog responds to well, that correspond to what he finds your dog responds to best when he carefully tests the levels on your dog. He or she will only use a high quality brand, not something inexpensive and dangerous from a website being shipped from China, and he will have lots of experience using electric collars. The training should also always be paired with great communication, so that your dog understands what he is supposed to be doing and avoiding, and lots of rewards for getting it right. I recommend only ever use an electric collar under the supervision of a qualified trainer, because when used wrong they can be dangerous, but they are extremely effective when used correctly and paired with great communication. Last, you could simply place a physical, wooden or metal fence around the workshop, or block off entrances into the workshop, so that your dog does not have access to the building. This last option is probably the simplest solution. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Autumn, There are a few things you can look into to see what the problem is. The first is to check what type of cleaner you are using to clean up any accidents. It should contain Enzymes, only enzymes will break down the protein in the poop and pee enough to eliminate the smell enough to not encourage your puppy to eliminate there again. Also avoid cleaners with Ammonia, Ammonia smells like pee to a dog. Second, look at your schedule, until a puppy is fully potty trained with no accidents for at least a month, she needs to be taken out very frequently. Every two hours for two weeks would be ideal, but definitely no more than four, unless she is crated. If she is crated then at seven months she should be able to hold it for six, possibly seven hours, but four hours would be much better. Crating encourages a dog to naturally hold their bladders for longer, because dogs do not want to soil the area where they sleep or eat normally. If she has had enough accidents in the crate, she will loose that instinct though. The crate needs to be large enough for her to stand up, turn around, and lay down, but not bigger than that. Extra room can encourage her to eliminate in the crate while still learning. Whenever she is free she still needs to be supervised. Only give her freedom in your home when she has eliminated outside during the two to three previous hours. All other times she should be confined to a crate when you cannot supervise her. Do this until she has gone one month without accidents, and is alerting you every time that she needs to go potty. Only increase the freedom gradually, and only continue to increase the freedom if she is remaining accident free. To ensure she stays with you you can tether her to yourself with a leash if she will not pull you over. Third, if she seems to be peeing very frequently, get her checked out with your vet for a urinary tract infection. That can cause urinary incontinence and frequent accidents and your pup will not be able to help it. Also, if she is on any medications like steroids, certain medications will cause urinary incontinence, so ask your vet about that. Last, if she is not eliminating in front of you easily when you take her outside, then the punishment for eliminating inside could be to blame. Some dogs will respond to certain forms of punishment by avoiding going potty in front of you anywhere, and by sneaking off to find somewhere to potty when you are not around. If you are not taking her out on a leash, but simply letting loose into your backyard, then she might be getting distracted and not eliminating while outside. The solution then would be to take her out on a leash or follow her, so that you can see when she goes. When she goes tell her "Go Potty" so that she will learn to go in the future on command when you tell her "Go Potty". If she struggles to alert you when she needs to go outside, then teach her how to ring a bell when she needs to go outside, and reward her for going potty when she does so. Check out these Wag! articles on how to teach that. https://wagwalking.com/training/got-potty-with-a-bell https://wagwalking.com/training/with-a-bell Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Antonea, For the potty training, probably the most effective thing to do is to crate train him and to use the crate for potty training. Here is an article on how to teach that: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Use "The Crate Training Method" in the article linked above, and follow the instructions as if Rahlo is a puppy just learning. Because he is older you can experiment with only taking him outside every two hours when you are home instead of every one, but it is important to do it frequently still. If he is doing really well then you can increase it to every three. The key is for him to not have free access to your home unless he has peed outside in the last two hours, to ensure that he does not have an accident. It will probably take longer, so I recommend crate training first, but "The Exercise Pen Method" should also work quite well. That method can be found in the same article that I linked above. Again, it will limit his freedom in your home while he learning, encourage him to eliminate outside by rewarding him with treats, and provide him with a schedule. Be sure to clean up an accidents with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes. Only enzymes will actually break down pee and poop enough to remove the smell, so that you dog cannot still smell it and be encouraged to eliminate in that same spot again. Pay special attention to any rugs or mats that might have urine soaked through them and still smell like urine to him. Also avoid using cleaners with Ammonia in them on your floor because Ammonia smells like urine to a dog. For the disobedience and the aggression I would suggest implementing all of the methods from this article with him: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you I would recommend focusing most on "The Working Method" though, to adjust his attitude and build respect for you. I would also encourage you to purchase a basket muzzle for him and get him comfortable with wearing that. A basket muzzle will still allow him to open his mouth inside the muzzle, and you can still reward him while he is wearing it by dipping a straw in soft cheese, peanut butter, or something similar that is dog safe. You can poke that dipped straw through the muzzle holes to let him lick it as a reward. To get him used to wearing the muzzle show him the muzzle and give him a treat, let him touch the muzzle and give him a treat, place it on his face and take it off and then give him a treat, put it on and buckle it and then give him a treat, and have him wear it and poke the food covered straw through it to reward him. Practice all of this over the next couple of weeks until he is comfortable wearing it. Work on one step at a time with him until he seems more relaxed, before moving onto the next step. For example, focus on just touching him with the muzzle and giving him a treat over and over again, until he is comfortable with that, before moving onto placing it all the way onto his face. When he is comfortable wearing the muzzle then leave the muzzle on him when you are at home so that you can enforce your house rules, be firm, and consistent with him, and him not be able to bite you when you do so. Many dogs form a habit of biting because they learn that when they bite they do not have to obey and people leave them alone. Essentially biting works so they continue doing it. He needs to learn that he no longer controls things with his mouth, and that you are going to require that he follows through with whatever you have told him to do, and he cannot use his mouth on you. When he is behaving respectfully and obediently then you can reward him for his obedience, but he also needs to obey you simply because you told him to even when there is no reward involved, and he needs to have fair consequences for his disobedience, such as having to leave the room if he is being pushy, not being allowed on furniture at all if he is being possessive of it, or having to obey a command five times in a row if he chose to ignore you the first time. Give him structure and make sure that he follows through when he is told something, and have him wear the muzzle so that he cannot bite you when you go to him. If he dislikes being touched then also work on desensitizing him to that by touching him in an area and then rewarding him with a treat. Do that with every part of his body, such as his ears, paws, tail, belly, and back. Every time that you touch him then give him a treat or let him lick the straw through the muzzle. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Daelee, It could be due to the new location. Either way you will need to treat him like he is not potty trained. If he actually was potty trained, the training should go very quickly though once he starts to understand the new rules and location. Check out the article that I have linked below. Following the "Tethering" method or the "Crate Training" method should teach him the fastest. Because he is older, you can take him outside every three hours instead of one hour (sooner is fine too though). When you are gone off, in the crate he should be able hold his bladder for six hours, and eight hours once he is trained. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Krista, Once Arizona is off of the antibiotic give her access to water every time you feed her, which is probably three times a day. If she is eating only two times a day now, then give her just water a third time also. Also give her water after any exercise, including playtime, training sessions, outings to places, and walks. Also give her water whenever she is spending time outside in the heat. You can give her water very frequently, but let her take a drink and then put the water up again. To sum things up, give her access to water no less than three times per day when she is not active and not in the heat. If she is active or in the heat, then give her access to water even more. Some puppies do fine with continual access to water and will only drink when thirsty, which makes it fine to leave water down. Others on the other hand, find drinking water fun, and will drink all day long just for the fun of it, so need designated times for drinking. I do not know what Arizona is sick with, but if it is a urinary tract infection, then that condition will cause her pee very frequently. If that is the case, then the antibiotics should resolve it, but if it does not improve after she finishes the course of antibiotics and she is still peeing frequently, then return to the vet and make sure that the antibiotic actually cleared the infection. If the sickness is something else, then disregard that last statement. Also she is beautiful. I hope she feels better soon. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Vela, At eight weeks of age puppies can only hold their bladders for two to three hours. Before they understand the concept of holding their bladders until they get outside, I recommend taking them outside every hour at this age unless they are in the crate, in which case they should not be left without a potty break for more than two and a half to three hours. Puppies can generally hold their bladder for the number of hours they are in months plus one. Meaning when Felipe is three months of age he will be able to hold it for four hours during the day. At night time puppies bladders also go to sleep and they can hold it for longer. The more accidents that you can prevent and the more successes outside that you can facilitate, the quicker he will learn, but all is certainly not lost! He is young and no matter how vigilant you are, there will be mishaps from time to time. Simple learn from his mistakes, and make adjustments to your routine and training as you learn what he needs. When he starts to have an accident, whisk him outside right away and encourage him to finish peeing there, even if his bladder is empty by then. Do not punish him if you catch him in the act, but you can surprise him and hurry him outside. Clean up the accident with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes, which will remove the smell completely. When you take him to go potty, when he goes then give him five small treats, one at a time. Do this to encourage him to hold his bladder until he gets outside, so that he can exchange his pee for treats out there. If he tends to wander off and pee, then clip his leash to yourself so that he has to stay with you while you walk around or sit down in your home. If he is simply walking too slow in order to get outside in time, then clip a leash to him and quickly walk him outside without stopping, so that he cannot stop and squat to pee. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Brandy, Because Baby has had so many accidents in the house she needs to be very strictly crate trained for potty training. Only give her freedom in the house when she has peed outside during the previous two hours. After those two hours are up, put her back into the crate until it is time to take her potty again. At her age, I would suggest taking her outside to go potty every four hours when you are home. She should be able to go seven to eight hours without peeing when you are not home if she is in the crate, but taking her every four hours when you are home will give her more opportunities to learn to go potty outside and will give her more opportunities to earn freedom outside of the crate. The carpet will need to go and the area surrounding it be cleaned thoroughly with a cleaner that contains enzymes. The enzymes will break down the pee to the point where she will not still smell it and be re-attracted to that area. Have a dog walker, like a Wag! Walker come to your home midday to take her outside to go potty. Ten hours will be too long for her to hold her bladder every day. The walker can also get some of her energy out for you. While she is learning all of this, spend sometime in the evening putting some of her dog food into a bowl, covering it with water, letting it sit out until the food turns into puffy mush, and then mixing a bit of peanut butter, liver paste, or cheese into the food mush. Next, stuff the mush into several large hollow Kong toys and put those toys into a bag and freeze them overnight. When you put her into the crate and when the dog walker puts her back into her crate after taking her outside, then grab one of the pre-made Kongs from the freezer and give it to her in the crate. The Kong will melt slowly and give her something pleasant to do in the crate. She will spend most of her time sleeping while you are gone though. In the crate she should be able to hold her bladder for the entire day with a midday walker if you take her outside right before you leave and make sure she goes potty, then have a walker come by to take her potty then put her back into the crate, and then take her back outside yourself as soon as you get home. The objective is to limit her freedom whenever her bladder is not empty so that she can no longer have accidents in your home. Once she has developed a habit of peeing only outside, then you can gradually increase the amount of freedom you give her being outside of the crate between potty trips, as long as she remains accident free. When you take her outside to go potty, tell her to "Go Potty" and bring several treats with you and give her those treats, one at a time, after she goes. This is to motivate her to want to pee only outside because she only gets treats there. This should also help her to learn to go quickly when you take her and tell her to "Go Potty", and to learn to let you know when she needs to go out. Here is an article with more details on how to train her. Follow the "Crate Training" method from that article. Because she is older you can take her outside every four hours when you are home and give her two hours of freedom inside after she goes potty outside, opposed to the shorter times the article describes for a puppy. While you are gone she should be able to hold her bladder in the crate for up to seven hours, but only if she is in the crate because the crate will help her to want to hold it. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Lauren, I would absolutely teach Admiral yo ring a bell. Here I'd a link to an article on how to do that: https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Teach him how to ring a bell and after he knows how to do that, whenever he rings the bell and then goes potty outside, even if you instructed him to ring the bell before you took him out, give him three of his favorite treats, one at a time, for going potty. Also, attach one end of a six or eight-foot leash to him and attach the other end to yourself between potty breaks when he is not crated. This will prevent him from sneaking off to go potty inside until he learns to use the bell. When you feel like he understands the bell and wants to ring it to go outside, then let him off of the leash to test whether or not he will ring the bell on his own. If he rings it to go out, then great! If not, keep him on the leash for longer and test him again in a few days. Make sure that you are cleaning up any accidents with a cleaner that contains enzymes. Anything else will not remove the smell enough for him to not be attracted to pee or poop in that same area again. That goes for high-end cleaners too. Also avoid using Ammonia containing products in those areas because Ammonia smells like urine to a dog and will encourage him to pee or poop there. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Lucy, If she will tolerate an Exercise Pen, then I would suggest using an exercise and litter box training her using the "Exercise Pen" method from the article that I have linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy To encourage her to be quiet in the Exercise Pen leave a food stuffed Kong in the Exercise Pen, on the opposite side of the pen from her litter box. To stuff a Kong, place her dog food into a bowl and cover it with water and let it sit out until the food turns into mush. When it turns into mush, mix a little bit of peanut butter with it, and then loosely stuff a medium or large sized Kong or other hollow chew toy with it. Place the stuffed toy into the freezer and let it freeze. When you leave her in the pen, give her one of these stuffed chew toys to focus on so that she will be less likely to bark. You can also purchase a device called AutoTrainer or PetTutor, that will automatically reward her with pieces of dog food when she remains quiet for a certain amount of time. When you purchase peanut butter make sure that it does not contain Xylitol. It is extremely toxic to dogs and a common sugar substitute. If the Exercise Pen is not an option, then you will need to deal with the barking so that you can crate her. To do that you will need the help of a professional dog trainer who has experience with electric remote training collars. She will need to be taught the "Quiet" command, introduced to the crate with the door open and treats randomly left inside for her to find to get her used to going in there, and then crated with a Kong. While she is crated with a food stuffed chew toy, then with the help of the trainer, you will need to set up a camera, go outside, and correct her with the collar for barking. This needs to be done very carefully so get help with this. The collar needs to be fitted correctly, be the right type of collar, and be set to the level that is appropriate for her, and that level is different for every dog. When she becomes quiet, then you can go back inside, calmly reward her, and after ignoring her for a while, let her out while she is calm. If she tries to rush out, then quickly close the door. Practice opening and closing the door until she will wait inside the crate patiently. When she is waiting patiently, then tell her "Okay" and encourage her to come out. Coming out of the crate calmly sets a precedence for being calm in the crate and respectful of you out of the crate. Let the trainer help you pick out a remote training collar. Many of the cheaper ones are dangerous. Sportdog, Dogtra, Garmin, and E-collar technologies make good quality collars. You will need one that is rated for small dog also. E-Collar Technologies mini educator collar is rated for dogs 5lbs and up. Your final option is to take her to doggie daycare during the day if you can find one in your area that will work on potty training with her. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Alanna, If you did not use a cleaner that contained enzymes, then the smell of Milo's urine left behind was probably the main reason that Jasper started going potty inside. The first step is to purchase a set safe cleaner that contains enzymes and clean up both dog's current and prior accidents with that as best as possible. Your home needs to no longer smell like urine or poop to the dogs. Only enzymes break down urine and poop at a protein level, fully removing the smell for dogs' sensitive noses. Unfortunately, not all pet cleaning products contain them. If there is a particular rug or item that the dogs pee or poop on often, then remove that item for now also. Once you have eliminated the urine scent, then go back to the basics with both dogs. Ideally, crate train both and treat both like they are puppies on a strict potty training schedule. Do not give them any free time outside of the crate unless they have gone potty outside during the hour prior. When they are out of the crate, either supervise them closely, or if they tend to sneak off, attach them to yourself with a six or eight foot leash while you are home. If you do not want to supervise them or attach them to yourself at some point, then put them in a crate. If both dogs will hold their bladders while in an Exercise Pen between potty trips, then you can also use that instead or in addition to a crate, but only if they do not have accidents in it. When you take them potty outside, take them on a leash, tell them to "Go Potty" and then give them each five treats, one treat at a time, after they go. Your goal is to completely break the bad habit that has developed by removing any lingering pee scent that is encouraging them to go potty inside, by limiting their access to the house so that they cannot have an accident, and by rewarding them for peeing outside and showing them where to go. The more strict you are with all of this, the quicker the results should be. It will be inconvenient but it should be worth the effort and less work in the long run to be strict for a little while. Follow the crate training method or Exercise Pen method from the article that I have linked below. Since your dog's are adults, they should be taken outside every two to two-and-a-half hours while you are at home, but they can probably go up to eight hours in a crate while you are gone if needed during the day. The more frequent potty breaks while you are at home are to ensure that their bladders are never full while they are loose in the house and to give you more opportunities to reward them for peeing and pooping outside. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Steviea, Does she ever pee a tiny bit in her crate after it has been a long period of time? The first thing to do is to determine why she is peeing just a little bit sometimes. If she is peeing in similar locations then those locations' smell might be the issue. Purchase a cleaner that contains enzymes. Only enzymes remove the smell or previous urine and poop completely for dog's sensitive noses. Clean the area thoroughly with that spray. If the item can be washed, you can also purchase detergents with enzymes and wash a small rug in that. If the area cannot be cleaned but can be moved, then move it for now. This will mostly apply to larger rugs. If you have cleaned up current and previous accidents well with an enzymatic spray and her accidents are still occurring, then pay attention to when they are happening. Are they happening when she is excited? Right after you just got home? Or when she gets in trouble? If so it might be excited or submissive peeing, which should only be an issue while you are home and not gone, and will not effect her ability to be free while alone. When you return home ignore her for a few minutes, and especially do not touch her, until she has calmed down enough for you to leash her up and take her to go potty outside. Once she has peed outside, then you can greet her while she is outside. The key is to keep things calm during times when she is likely to pee out of excitement or submissiveness because that type of peeing is mostly habitual by three years of age and you want to break the habit by preventing accidents from happening and calming her down. Is there another dog in the home that she competes with? If so she might be marking. If that is the case, then work on her respect for you so that she is not trying to be so dominant at home. You want her to view you as in charge so that she is not trying to be. You will also need to keep her crated until you deal with that underlying issue or she will continue doing it. If the issue seems to be competition and respect related, then check out the article on listening that I have linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Finally, the issue could be anatomical. She may have an anatomical condition that causes her to leak a little bit of urine out. Unless your vet recommends surgery, there is little you can do about it other than manage it. To manage it get her used to wearing a reusable fabric diaper. If she is only loosing a tiny bit of urine, then a fabric diaper with a pad on it for absorption should be able to catch any dripping and keep your home clean. You will need to get her used to wearing it while you are at home and teach her to leave it alone by interrupting her whenever she tries to bite at it and praising her and giving her treats whenever you put it on her. When she first wears it around, distract her with fun and games so that she will get used to how it feels without thinking about it. If he can learn not to take the diaper off, then you can leave it on her while you are gone, but you will have to be careful to make sure she is not likely to eat it while alone. Once you tackle why she is having accidents, then try setting up a camera and leaving the house for ten to thirty minutes while spying on her from the camera outside where she cannot see you. You can use two tablets or smartphones with Skype or Facetime on mute as a camera. Other good option are video baby monitors, video security cameras with phone apps, and GoPro cameras with the Live app. Any video monitor on mute will work. You may need to confine her to one main room, like your den, to make sure you can see her with the camera at all times. Spy on her a couple of times over the weekend and if she does well start to give her ten minutes of unsupervised free time after you get home in the evening. Go for a short walk or somewhere close by. When you return, inspect everything and see if she did alright. If she does well for a week, then increase the time to thirty minutes. After a week of that, then leave her for one to two hours. After a week of being alone for two hours without issue leave her alone for four hours. If she has an accident or destroys something at any point, then she is not ready for freedom, go back to using the crate for three more months and then try again then. Nine hours is a long time to go without peeing, especially if she has an anatomical bladder issue. Not all dogs will be able to go past seven or eight hours without peeing. Being in the crate asleep or calm makes it easier for her to hold her bladder so she is less likely to have an accident in there. I would recommend hiring a dog walking to come once a day, four to five hours into the day to make her more successful with potty training and freedom in the house. Once you have ensured that she can be trusted alone in you home by gradually testing leaving her alone for longer and longer, then you can leave her for the full nine hours with a walking coming by to let her out midday. When the walker comes, instruct him or her to ignore Molly until she calms down a bit to prevent potential submissive or excited peeing. Once she is calm, then the walker can leash her up and take her outside to walk and play. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Christian, There could be a number of reasons she is doing it. I would suggest crate training her and crating her whenever you are in the bedroom without her. If you can also try blocking off her access to that area near the door, then you might be able to leave her out of the crate, but only if she will not pee anywhere else when you do that. Three basic things need to happen. The peeing habit needs to be broken by preventing her from doing it again, she needs to be rewarded when she pees outside to motivate her to hold it until she goes out, and the area needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a cleaner that contains enzymes. Only enzymes will break down the urine at a molecular level and remove the smell so that she cannot smell it, with her sensitive dog nose. If she can smell where she peed before, then every time she is there and smells it she will be encouraged to pee there again. Not all products that advertise that they are for pets contain enzymes, it should say that it contains them in the ingredients or on the bottle somewhere. To break the peeing habit, keep her from accessing that area by blocking off the area or crating her when you are in that room. Do this for at least one to two months. After one or two months you can give her access to the door again when you are in the bedroom and set up a camera to spy on her to see if she tries to pee there again. If you see her start to pee, then quickly leave the bedroom and interrupt her peeing and immediately take her outside. After you do that, block the area off again for a month, and then try again in another month. You can use a baby video monitor, security camera, GoPro with the liveApp, or two smart phone or tablet devices with Skype of Factime on mute, to spy on her with a camera. Any camera that will let you view her live, silently from the bedroom will work. When you take her outside to pee, go with her to make sure that she is peeing, tell her to "Go Potty", and then reward her with three treats, one at a time, right after she goes. Do this to motivate her to ask when she needs to go outside. You want her to "Save" her pee for going outside so that she can receive treats. If she is saving her pee, then she will want to pee outside more than inside. If all of this fails, then you might be dealing with Separation Anxiety. If the issue is Separation Anxiety, then she will probably pee in her crate too after being in there for a short amount of time when you crate train her and try putting her in there. To treat Separation Anxiety I recommend hiring a professional trainer to help you. Several things have to be addressed with Separation Anxiety. Including her response while confined or excluded, her general confidence level and respect for you, and her ability to be independent. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Octavia, After Orea has just peed outside, give him forty-five minutes to one hour of free time outside of the crate, but attach him to yourself on a six to eight foot leash. After the hour is up, put him back in the crate until it is time to go potty outside again so that he will not be free while his bladder is full. Also keep him in the crate when you cannot supervise him and have him attached to yourself. While he is with you give him his own toys to chew and work on teaching him the rules of your home. When he starts to let you know when he needs to go potty outside, then you can increase that hour to four hours very gradually over the coming months. Only increase it if he remains accident free though. If he has an accident take away time until he is not having accidents anymore. Being with you when you can supervise him and his bladder is empty should give him opportunities to learn house manners and how to hold it inside without letting him learn bad behaviors from a lack of supervision. When he can be well behaved on the leash attached to you and is not having accidents in your home, then you can take him off of the leash but keep him in the room with you by blocking off exits. As he improves, gradually increase how much of your home he can get to. Don't rush this process. It is very important to prevent bad behaviors from becoming lifelong bad habits in the first year or two of your dog's life. Limiting his freedom, being able to show him what to do and not do, and preventing him from getting into things can make the rest of your dog's life easier. If you prevent most bad habits from forming and work on instilling good ones during the first year to two years of his life, then he will outgrow a lot of his destructive tendencies and be more trustworthy and be able to be given more freedom as an adult because he has not turned those puppy behaviors into lifelong habits. If he tends to chew on leashes, then look up VirChewLy leashes. They are chew proof. Also, here is a link to an article with are additional tips on potty training with tethering. A combination of tethering and crate training is most effective. Check out the "Tethering" method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Rubina, Check out the article that I have linked below. The "Tethering" method and "Crate Training" method tend to be the most effective for older dogs who have had more accidents in the past. Dogs who have already had more accidents tend to need the closer supervision and confinement of a crate or leash attached to you to help them learn to hold their bladders inside. Make sure your crate does not have anything soft or absorbent in it (Primopads.com can be used instead of a soft bed). Also, make sure that the crate is just big enough for Pooka to stand up, turn around, and lay down, and not big enough that she can go potty in one end and stand in the other end away from it - too big of a crate won't encourage her to hold her bladder. You can make a wire crate smaller by using a metal divider to block off part of the crate if yours is too large. Since Pooka is older, when crate training, you can take her potty every three hours when home, instead of every hour like you would for a small puppy. Once she goes potty outside, you can give her 1.5 hours of supervised freedom outside of the crate before putting her back into the crate until the next potty trip outside. When you are gone, she should be able to hold her bladder in the crate for about five hours, and longer after she is potty trained when needed. The strict schedule can be work, but the more accidents you can prevent and the more times you can reward her for going potty outside, the quicker she will learn and the less work it will be in the long run generally. Potty Training article: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Meghan, Try the following routine with her instead. Wake up: take her outside to go potty on a leash. Tell her "Go Potty". When she goes, give her four treats, one at a time. Bring her inside after she goes, feed her breakfast, then take her back outside thirty-minutes after breakfast to poop. If she poops, give her two hours of supervised freedom, out of the crate, if you are at home. If she does not go potty, then put her into the crate, but give her a food stuffed chew toy to make the crate pleasant. In an hour, try taking her potty again. Repeat the trips outside every hour until she goes, putting her back into the crate in between if she does not go. Once she goes potty, then you can give her her two hours of supervised, non-crated freedom. After the two hours of freedom, put her back into the crate for another two hours, making it a total of four hours since she last went potty outside. When you take her outside after four hours, then clip her leash onto her and hurrying her outside so that she does not have an accident on the way. Tell her to "Go Potty" once outside. Slowly walk her around to get things moving, and encourage her to sniff. Keep her on task. If she goes, then give several treats, one at a time and praise her for going, then give her two more hours of freedom. If she does not go potty, then back into the crate for an hour, and try again after the hour. Repeat this every hour until she goes potty outside. Do all of those things the whole day, all day long. The goal is for her to only be free when her bladder is completely empty so that she cannot have an accident. After four hours, she should need to go potty again, increasing your chances that she will go potty outside when you take her. Don't punish her when she has an accident, especially if you do not catch her mid-pee stream. If you catch her mid-pee, then clap your hands loudly to surprise her and run her outside to go potty there. If she has an accident and you do not see her, then make a mental note not to give her so much unsupervised, un-crated freedom next time when he bladder is that full. On days when you cannot be home, she can be crated for up to six hours as long as her crate is the correct size and she has not learned to pee in it from too many accidents in there before. The crate should be big enough for her to lay down, stand, and turn around. It should NOT be big enough for her to pee in one end and then stand in the other end, away from her pee. She will not be motivated to hold her bladder in there if it is too big. If your crate is larger, then you can block the back off with a metal divider for wire crates, or put something chew-proof in the back of the crate to block part of it off. Whenever you are home, practice the schedule I mentioned above, taking her potty every four hours though, to give her more opportunities to learn and succeed outside. She should not be outside of the crate for longer than two hours after peeing though, or you run the risk of her having an accident. The more accidents she has, the harder the training will be and the longer it will take, so putting in the extra effort and sticking to the schedule religiously now will save you a lot of work and frustration later. Don't skip the treats and the "Go Potty" command, those will help her learn to go potty faster when you go take her in the future. Put the treats somewhere out of her reach right by the door that you take her through, so that you will remember to grab them on your way out. Also, resist the temptation to just let her out into the fence to do her business, if you have a fenced yard. She will likely get distracted and never go potty, then when she comes back inside she will have an accident. Plus you will not be there to teach her "Go Potty" and reward her. You also need to be there and she needs to be on a leash to keep her from playing until after she goes. After she goes, then you can take the leash off if your yard is fenced, and let her play as a reward. Eventually, if you do this, then you can transition to simply letting her into the yard to do her business by herself, if your yard is fenced. She will know the "Go Potty" command by then, so you can simply tell her to "Go Potty" on her way out the door and she will understand. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Annie, You definitely need to crate train him and use the crate to potty train him starting immediately. Check out the article that I have linked below and follow the "Crate Training" method. Since he is older you can take him outside every three to four hours. Sooner is fine too. After he goes potty, give him one hour of free time outside of the crate, then put him back into the crate until it is time to take him back outside. If he does not go potty when you take him, then take him back inside within ten minutes, put him back into the crate, and try taking him back outside in an hour. Repeat this every hour until he goes potty. The key is to prevent as many accidents as possible by using the crate until he gets used to holding his baldder while inside, and starts to prefer to go potty outside because of the treats you will be giving him for peeing and pooping outside. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside It sounds like he is peeing a lot. How much water is he drinking? Some puppies will drink water just for fun. If he is constantly drinking, then you might need to control his water better and only put it down for him at four designed times per day and after exercise. If his drinking seems normal, then get him checked out for a urinary tract infection. The discomfort of an infection would make him want to pee very often during the day. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Judy, She is likely peeing on her bed and towel because they are absorbent, like grass and other soft material. Remove the towels and bed from her crate and resting areas. Check out Primopads.com and put one of those or something similar into her crate. They do not look luxurious but they provide firm padding to protect joints, and they are durable enough to withstand puppy chewing, are not absorbent so won't encourage peeing, and are easy to clean. These are what I use myself for puppies. When she is fully potty trained and past the puppy chewing stage -- typically after a year, then you can transition her to a softer bed if you wish. Soft beds in puppies crates can actually be dangerous because when her jaws start to develop around five-months of age, she will be able to chew through the bedding, and some puppies will ingest the material - which can be bad in larger qualities. Chewing her bedding when you are not there to stop her also teaches her to chew things like blankets and clothing - which you don't want. After you remove the soft material, clean her crate well with a cleaner that contains enzymes. Look on the bottle and it should say enzymes or enzymatic somewhere. Many pet cleaners contain enzymes - but not all of them! Only enzymes will fully remove the smell for her so that she is not encouraged to pee there again due to the lingering potty scent. The peeing on laps is probably excited or submissive peeing. This is a puppy trait and many will outgrow it if you can keep it from happening enough to avoid it becoming a long-term habit. The unfortunate answer is not to hold her in your lap for right now. When you are playing with her, stand on your knees while you are low so that she cannot climb onto your lap. Also, when you do need to hold her, put a leash on her and try to avoid speaking to her excitedly or sweetly or touching her very much. Talking to her and touching often cause a dog to pee. As she gets better control of her bladder, gets more used to you, and breaks the current habit of peeing in your laps by avoiding it for a bit, then she should start to do it less often. Also, get her used to being handled to build her confidence. Practice this as many times per week as you can, once or twice a day would be idea but do it when you can. Because of her tendency to pee, you may need to practice this outside at first. Gently touch her everywhere on her body, one area at a time, and while you are touching her, give her a treat. Gently touch her ear - give a treat. Touch her paw - give a treat. Touch her tail - give a treat. Touch her belly - give a treat. Open her mouth - give a treat. Repeat with all parts of her body gently. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Sam, It sounds like your issue might be related to age and a bit of mental decline. You could have your vet evaluate her if you are concerned. I suggest setting up an exercise pen, purchasing a disposable real grass pad (you can also make your own with a piece of sod cut up and placed into a shallow plastic bin), and putting her into the exercise pen whenever you leave. https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Patch-Disposable-Potty-Grass/dp/B005G7S6UI/ref=asc_df_B005G7S6UI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309763115430&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13574458329797813412&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1015431&hvtargid=pla-568582223506&psc=1 Check out the article below for teaching her to use the grass pad. You can also simply put her in the exercise pen with a food stuffed chew toy without encouraging her to pee on it, then she will be more likely to hold her pee while in there but can use the grass pad if she needs to or forgets where she is or gets anxious (and won't have access to the other room where she has been peeing). The article is written for litter box training but the steps are the same for teaching a grass pee pad, simply substitute the litter box for a grass pad: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy You can also crate train her and crate her when you are gone but if there is some mental decline or she starts to have bladder control issues as she ages, then she might have accidents in the crate also. Also, purchase a cleaner that contains enzymes (it should say enzymes or enzymatic on the bottle - something like nature's miracle should contain it). Clean the area where there have been previous accidents with an enzymatic cleaner (look for one that's safe for carpeting and do a test spot first to make sure it's alright for the color of your rug). Part of the reason she is probably going back to that spot is because of the remaining pee smell from old accidents. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello JoeAnn, Check out the article that I have linked below. Because of the new location he probably needs a potty training refresher in the new house. He needs to develop a habit (that's rewarded with treats) of peeing on the new pee pads (choose where you want them to be and use the same spots consistently - this is more about location that just the pads), and he needs to be reminded not to pee anywhere else, which crate training, setting up an exercise pen or only giving him freedom when you are physically able to watch him should help...essentially the accidents need to be prevented before they occur. Clean any new or old accidents up with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes also. Only enzymes will fully remove the smell for his sensitive dog nose, and any remaining pee or poop smell will encourage him to go potty in the same spot again. The article linked below talks about litter box training but you can use the same methods for pee pad training also. https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Ellie, I suggest crating her when you leave. 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 Because she is not having accidents when you are home and is older, you can follow the method more loosely and let her go longer between potty trips; however, introducing the crate carefully like the method describes, giving her a fun chew toy while in the crate, teaching her the "Go Potty" command, and rewarding her when she goes potty with treats are all great things to do. The method will touch on each of those areas. Introduced carefully, the crate can be great for separation anxiety too because it helps a dog learn to handle boredom and being alone. A separation anxiety protocol is much more involved though. Crate Training is great for potty training because it naturally encourages a dog to hold her bladder when you use a crate that is just big enough for her to turn around, stand up, and lay down, but not so big she can pee on one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid the pee. The crate will help her get into the habit of holding her bladder while you are gone if potty training is the issue. I suggest trying through crate and the crate training method from the article I linked above, first. If she has accidents in the crate after introducing it gradually even when you are gone for shorter amounts of time, then that is a sign she may have separation anxiety, which is easiest to address with a crate but more involved than just crating her. If you find that to be the case feel free to respond here again. It is most likely a potty training/supervision issue that needs to be tackled though. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Wendy, First, they may have picked up a bacterial infection or worms from being at the Daycare (this is unfortunately not that uncommon with some Daycares with the number of dogs present). They could have picked it up very recently, even though they were previously healthy before going there. They also may have been fed something that upset their stomachs like treats. Finally, they may have eaten other dogs poop at the daycare and that caused the diarrhea. A medical reason associated with their stay at the daycare is probably the most likely cause. During the day they might be alerting you when they need to go potty so avoiding accidents during the day. Second, if they were not taken outside for potty breaks and forced to go potty in their kennels at the daycare, that is likely confusing them with the crates. I would investigate into that. Generally even un-potty trained dogs do not have to poop during the night though. Third, the stress of being in the kennel with all the new sounds, sights, and other dogs present may have created anxiety associated with confined spaces. If they stop going to the daycare and you work on making the crates a positive place that should improve. The fact that they had two accidents the first night and the accidents have been diarrhea each time suggests a medical problem in my opinion. The issue could be anxiety, but I suggest a visit to your vet's to check for something like Coccidia or worms. I am not a Vet. Generally a bland diet of white rice and plain chicken with a small amount of unsweetened canned pumpkin is recommended for a few days to give their digestive system a rest, but you will also need to get to the root issue of what started the diarrhea and treat it with the proper medication if needed. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Tiffany, First, make sure the crate setup is encouraging him to hold it and he isn't being left in there too long, leading to accidents. At this age pup can't hold his bladder for more than 2-3 hours during the day, even in a crate. While out of the crate, he needs to be taken potty every hour. The crate should only be big enough for him to turn around, stand up, and lie down. If the crate is big enough for pup to go potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it, it won't be effective. You can usually purchase a divider for a wire crate, to make it smaller if needed, and adjust the size of the crate as pup grows. Don't put anything absorbent into the crate with pup, including a towel, pee pad, or soft bed. If you need a bed for pup, check out www.primopads.com . Absorbent material in the crate can encourage pottying in there. Crate Training method for potty training: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If you are already doing all of those things with the crate and pup is still having accidents in the crate, pup may have lost his natural desire to hold it in a confined space. If that's the case you will need to potty train a different way. Exercise Pen method - Use a real grass pad in the pen and set up the pen in an area of your home that you can close off - so that pup won't go in there to potty when you don't want him to be in there. You won't phase the exercise pen out like the method mentions in your case, but just use it for him to sleep in at night and stay in when he can't be tethered to you - like when you are away. Eventually you will get rid of the exercise pen and grass pad completely when he is fully potty trained and can hold it even when you are not home, closing off the room the grass pad was in so that he won't go in there and go potty - but will hold it until you take him outside. Exercise Pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands - use real grass pads not astroturf: www.doggielawn.com www.freshpatch.com www.porchpotty.com Whenever someone is home, I suggest using the Tethering method for potty training him. Put him in the exercise pen with the real grass pad when someone can't have him tethered to them, but tether him to someone and take him potty outside when you are home and not sleeping. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Because you are struggling with potty training a lot I suggest following the methods very carefully so that he is always either crated (if crate training is an option with the above adjustments - that would be the best route to go), or in the exercise pen with the grass pad, or tethered to yourself. Once he is doing really well with potty training you can start to give more freedom in the house, for up to 1 hour at a time right after pottying outside - after which point he should either be taken potty, put back in the crate until time to go potty again, or put back into the exercise pen until he goes potty on the grass pad in there - thereby eliminating freedom during times when his bladder will be fuller to help potty training be effective. Finally, don't use pee pads for this since your goal is outside potty training. They can lead to confusion with carpet and rugs later when you remove them. Use a real grass pad if crate training still isn't an option after trying the suggestions I mentioned. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Aubreyanna, Check out the article linked below. For the quickest results and least amount of accidents I suggest following the "Crate Training" method or a combination of the "Crate Training" method and the "Tethering" method. It takes the average puppy about three months of very consistent potty training to learn to hold their bladders inside and ask to go potty, so be sure to be consistent with the schedule and follow the steps to help things along. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Zak, At four months Parker is struggling because he is only able to physically hold his bladder for about five hours during the day, and that is assuming that he completely understands that he is supposed to hold it while inside, which he may not. A general rule of thumb is that puppies can hold their bladder for as many hours as they are months in age plus one. So being four months old, Parker can hold it four hours plus one, equaling five hours. Because of this, the only way for him to learn at this age is for him to be taken out before he reaches five hours. Dogs naturally will try to keep their crates clean if the crate is small enough that they cannot eliminate in one end and then hang out in the other end without touching the poop or pee. After dogs have been forced to eliminate in their crates too many times many dogs will loose that instinct to hold their bladders while in their crates. If that has already happened then potty training will take longer, if it has not happen yet it is essential that you hire someone like a dog walker to let him out to go potty midday to prevent that from happening. If he is crated with an interesting chew toy such as a kibble and peanut butter stuffed Kong that has been frozen overnight, then he can self entertain and sleep in his crate throughout the day, and will likely attempt to hold his bladder until the dog walker takes him to go potty. This will encourage him to only go outside. He needs to build a habit of peeing outdoors. The more successes he has outside and the less accidents he has inside, the quicker potty training will go. Crate training and finding someone to let him out will be the quickest way to train him, the other option is to teach him to potty in a designated area inside and then transfer that area outside later, when he can hold his bladder for longer. Since I am guessing he is a small dog, you can use an exercise pen, also called an X-pen, set up in a circle somewhere without carpet, such as a kitchen or large bathroom. Connect his crate to the X-pen wall securely so that he can go in and out of his crate from inside of the X-pen, or place his entire crate inside the X-pen if it will not connect securely. Now create an elimination area inside of the X-pen, away from the crate. For a dog this size I actually recommend using an open cat litter box with a layer of grass sod or kitty litter or other natural, but non toxic, material that can mimic the outdoors but be scooped or changed as needed. You can also place a puppy pee pad in there. Pee pads work well for attracting a dog to that area to eliminate but do be aware that because of the material that pee pads are made of some dogs will also learn to eliminate on other fabric type material such as door mats or even carpet. This is not all dogs but there is the risk. When you are home, work on walking Oliver on leash over to his X-pen toilet area at a time when he is likely to go. Puppies typically need to go if it has been a couple of hours since they last eliminated, if they have just woken up, if they have been playing or getting excited, have just finished eating or dranking water, or just finished exercising. After he has just woken up from a long nap in the crate that would be a likely time. When you have directed him to the area on leash gently, then tell him "go potty" while he is standing there, and give him time to sniff around. If he goes then praise him and offer him three tiny but tasty treats, one at a time. If he does not go, place him back in the crate and try again in thirty minutes. Repeat this process until he goes there. You can also further encourage him to go by spraying a special spray that smells like urine onto the bottom of the toilet area right before taking him over or placing one of his own small feces from outside, to make the area smell like a toilet to him. It sounds gross but it can really help until he learns. Most large pet stores will carry the spray, you can ask the store clerk where to find it. Once he is regularly eliminating there, then when he is older gradually move his toileting area closer and closer to where you want him to be eliminating outside, until you can remove it entirely. After he learns to go in his potty area, then any time when you are home do still take him outside on leash to eliminate so that he will be learning that as well to help the transition later on be easier. When you take him outside, repeat the same things you did to teach him to eliminate in his potty area. Lead him to where you would like him to go on leash, to prevent him from becoming distracted, tell him "go potty" to teach him to go on cue, and when he goes praise him and deliver three small treats, one at a time. It will help to keep a container of small treats by your exit door, so that you can grab some every time you take him outside while teaching him. For the peeing while excited or scared. That is what is called excited or submissive peeing. Many young dogs go through a period where they will do that. The best thing to do is to come in the house very calmly and ignore him until he has calmed down. Take him potty without speaking to him or getting excited and then once he has gone potty and calmed down then you can love on him and say hello. Many dogs will grow out of this behavior if you can prevent it from turning into a habit. To prevent that, you simply help him remain calm during times when you know it will be hard for him to hold his bladder, such as after you have been gone all day and he is excited to see you and his bladder is full. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Maxwell, First, that area needs to be cleaned with a cleaner that contains enzymes - which is the only thing that will move the odor enough that a dog cannot still smell it, and any remaining smell will encourage her to go potty there again. Second, block off her access to that area. She needs to avoid that area long enough for her to break her habit of going potty there. Third, work on crate training her and crate her when you cannot supervise her or need to be gone (the cycle of accidents needs to be broken for her to earn freedom again and stop the accidents long term). Check out the "Surprise" method on crate training from the article linked below: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Fourth, when you take her potty, tell her "Go Potty" and when she goes potty in the correct location give her 4-5 small treats, one at a time, as a reward to motivate her to want to potty outside more. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Zaira, I suggest strictly following the "Crate Training" method from the article linked below. That method will limit his freedom so that he is only loose when his bladder is empty which will encourage him to go potty outside. If he has accidents on the way outside or to the crate, carry him right now or run him there. Be sure to take him on leash to keep him from getting as distracted. "Crate Training" method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Alexis, I do not think one accident undid all of your progress, but 30 days is generally not long enough to fully potty train a dog either. I suggest doing another 30 days simply because most dogs take around 3 months to potty train fully (when potty training is done vigilantly - if neglectful it can take even longer). Many older dogs without a history of having accidents in the house can learn a bit sooner though, so I would be very vigilant for another 30 days, making it a full 2 months of potty training. The less vigilant you are and the more accidents he has during the process the harder and longer potty training gets. Its far easier to be very strict for 2-3 months, then have a fully potty trained dog, then to be too relaxed about it too soon and continue having occasional accidents for years. He may have been an indoor dog because but he also might have been pee pad trained or allowed to have frequent accidents. Either way it is safer to assume he was not potty trained and just treat him like he needs to learn to be sure. If he does not learn on his own how to alert you when he needs to go potty in the next month, then I also suggest teaching him to ring a bell when he needs to go outside. Check out the article linked below and "The Peanut Butter" or "The Nose the Bell" methods. You can also use squeeze cheese in place of Peanut Butter is there is an allergy. https://wagwalking.com/training/ring-a-bell-to-go-out Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Heidi, I suggest crate training him to help him learn to hold his bladder better and to stop the accidents from happening - the more accidents that he has the more successes he has to have outside to undo those accidents, so less accidents in the process equals learning faster. Check out the crate training method from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Also, it takes most puppies around 3 months to really understand potty training when the training is practiced consistently - if inconsistent and lots of accidents it can take even longer, so part of it is simply continuing for longer, not expecting him to make the choice on his own yet, but still need to be taken potty and his freedom limited so that he doesn't potty in the house while he is still developing a habit of only pottying outside. I would keep at it and crate train to stop accidents and teach him how to hold his bladder, but it sounds like you are generally doing a great job. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Rebecca, There are a couple of things you can experiment with: 1. Try having her wear a doggie diaper while inside. Continue to take her outside to go potty every 1-2 hours and take the diaper off while she is outside. Some dogs will naturally hold their bladders at first while wearing the diaper because of the way it feels. If left on and forced to pee in it she will adjust to the sensation and get used to peeing in it, but if you take her outside frequently she may learn to go potty outside instead since that is preferable to peeing in the diaper. This will be an experiment though since different dogs react to diapers differently. When you take her outside to go potty be sure to tell her to "Go Potty" and give her five small treats, one treat at a time, while praising her, if she goes potty while out there. Remember to take the diaper OFF whenever you take her outside to go potty. You can get reusable fabric diapers and use pad inserts to save on costs since you will be taking them off and putting them back on a lot. 2. Crate train and use the "Crate Training" method from the article linked below. When you take her potty, tell her to "Go Potty" and walk her around slowly let her sniff to find a spot while she is on a leash. After she goes potty once, always walk her around again even if she doesn't act like she needs to go, and remind her to "Go Potty" again in case she needs to pee or poop again. Many dogs will do the minimum that they need to do to feel less full, but will be too distracted to finish going potty all the way and need to be reminded to go again. When you crate train, since she is older, crate her for 3-4 hours so that she will have to go potty when you take her to go. If she doesn't go potty when you take her, walk her around on a leash, and say "Go Potty", then bring her back inside and put her back into the crate for an hour, then after an hour take her outside on a leash again. Repeat this every hour after the initial 3-4 hours until she goes potty when you take her finally. When she finally goes potty, if you think she is empty (meaning if she peed, and pooped or already pooped as many times as she normally does during that part of the day, usually once in the morning and once at night for many dogs), then give her 1-2 hours of supervised freedom, then put her back into the crate until time for the next potty trip, so that she is not free while needing to potty. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside 3. Attach her to yourself with a leash at all times, taking her potty every 1-2 hours still. Watch for additional signs that she needs to go potty, like sniffing the ground, circling, trying to escape, squatting, whining, or generally acting restless. At night and when you need to leave the house, crate her in a crate that is just big enough for her to turn around, lay down, and stand up but not so big that she could pee in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Do not put anything absorbent in the crate. If you want to add comfort use something like www.primopads.com that won't absorb the pee. Tethering method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside 4. Teach her to use an indoor grass potty using the Exercise Pen method from the article linked below. Keep her in the exercise pen at all times right now unless you know that she has both peed and pooped recently and you are directly supervising her, tethering her to yourself, or going outside with her to play, take her potty, or train. The article linked below mentions litter box training, but you can use real grass pads in place of a litter box for this. I do not suggest using pee pads because with her history she is likely to confuse the pee pads with other types of fabric in your home, such as rugs and shirts. Exercise Pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Disposable Real Grass Pads: https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Patch-Disposable-Potty-Grass/dp/B005G7S6UI Another long-term buying option once pottying grass pads is established: https://www.porchpotty.com/ Each grass pad is advertised to last around two weeks if poop is scooped. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Tali, She needs to be crate training very strictly to stop all of the accidents, rewarded for treats when she does go potty outside, tethered to someone whenever she is free in your house to keep her from wandering off and having an accident, and the accidents she has had that you can remember need to be thoroughly cleaned again with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes - because only enzymes will remove the smell enough so that even a dog cannot smell it (bleach isn't good enough). Any remaining smell from old accidents encourage dogs to go potty on the same spots again inside. Check out the article linked below and follow the "Crate Training" method most of the time. Follow the "Tethering" method anytime she is not in the crate. She needs a few months of doing all of this very strictly to help her form a long term habit of going potty outside and to break her habit of going inside - which is already a long term habit so will take work to undo. Because she is older you can take her potty every 3-4 hours when she is in the crate (she can go longer in the crate - but only in the crate not while free - if no one is home, but don't exceed 6-8 hours). After she goes potty outside, bring her in and give her 2 hours of supervised freedom where she is clipped to you with a leash. After 2 hours, put her back into the crate until time to take her outside again - 3-4 hours since she last went potty, or take her outside again if she may need to go. If she doesn't go potty when you take her, then put her right back in the crate for 1-2 hours, then try taking her back outside again to see if she will go now (no freedom unless her bladder is empty - we need to stop as many accidents as we can for this to work). Repeat the potty trips every 1-2 hours until she goes potty, then take her every 3-4 again. Crate Training method and Tethering method (leash): https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Type of Enzyme spray example: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Natures-Miracle-Stain-and-Odor-Remover-Trigger-Spray-24oz/576075856?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3611&adid=22222222227158820046&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=269451593753&wl4=aud-566049426705:pla-448686025103&wl5=9010791&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=576075856&wl13=3611&veh=sem Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hi there! I am going to get you started with some basic potty training tips, and ideas to keep your puppy from going in the house if you aren't able to keep an eye on him. When potty training a puppy, it is important to understand both what you can do to help train them, as well as what they are able to do. Just as you cannot expect a 3-month-old baby to walk or use the toilet, you also cannot expect a young puppy to be housebroken. One thing to keep in mind is that dogs can typically hold their bladders for as many hours, as they are months old. So he should be able to hold his bladder 2-3 hours after his last drink of water. Also, dogs typically have to go #2 within about 20 minutes after eating food. This includes treats! Here are 5 tips on how to properly potty train your puppy: 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. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you for writing in!

Hello Hailey, Inconsistent use of pee pads can confuse dogs and cause some to go potty on the floor when the pad isn't available because pee pads are made of fabric like other objects in the house. 1. The pee pads need to be removed and stopped. 2. Places that you know she has an accident in before need to be cleaned with a cleaner that contains enzymes to fully remove the smell - dogs' noses are so sensitive that other cleaners don't remove smell enough - including bleach even. 3. She needs to be crated for several months while you are gone to reinforce potty training and her holding her bladder. You can give her a food stuffed chew toy in the crate to make it more interesting also. Surprise method for introducing the crate: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Chilinga, Both pups need to be crate trained to see much improvement at this point likely. Any time that their bladders are not empty they need to be crated - give a food stuffed hollow chew toy in the crate to keep them entertained in there. Whenever they are free if you are not 100% confident that they are empty enough not to pee somewhere, keep them tethered to yourself with a 6 or 8 foot leash so that they cannot sneak off to pee. If they start to squat to pee quickly clap your hands a couple of times and rush them outside without saying anything. Once outside, if they pee outside instead, reward with treats. Tell them to "Go Potty" any time you take them outside and reward with a couple of treats, one treat at a time whenever they pee outside. The accidents need to stop inside before you will see any progress with potty training. They have learned to pee outside, which is a great first step, but right now they probably think inside and outside are the same and it doesn't matter where they go. They need to be forced through careful supervision and confinement to ONLY pee outside as much as possible so that their desire to keep a space clean will be generalized to the rest of the house - a crate can help with that. Also, clean up any new or old accidents (that you know of) with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes to remove accident smells - only enzymes will remove the smell fully for a dog's nose. Even bleach won't. Crate Training method and Tethering method - since they are older they should be able to hold their bladders for 4 hours and 6 hours when you have to leave the house if in the crate. Take them out frequently to help them learn while home though. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Linda, First, clean that area thoroughly with a pet cleaner that contains enzymes. The enzymes will remove the smell better than other cleaners and if any smell remains from previous accidents, the scent will just encourage him to go potty there again. Second, if that area is the only area he has an accidents on, if he is peeing there right after peeing outside, he is probably marking that spot with his scent to 'claim' the area. Have him wear a belly band - which is a male diaper that catches urine, to stop the scent from spreading more. Only give him freedom when you can closely supervise him right now. When you are watching him, if he starts to lift a leg or squat to pee (with the belly band on so nothing will come out) then loudly clap your hands a couple of times and say "Ah Ah", then rush him outside. When you do take him potty outside, tell him to "Go Potty" and give him a treat after he goes potty outside - you want him to learn that peeing outside is still good - it's just marking that's not alright. You need to catch him right when he starts to squat or lift a leg and not later - this is why only letting him be free while you can supervise him is important. Confine him to a crate when you cannot supervise. As he improves, and is ready for more freedom, block that area off where he is peeing when you cannot supervise him as much so that he doesn't slip back into old habits - he needs to go several months without an accident there to break his current habit. If I misunderstood and the accident is happening while you are gone for 8-9 hours, then he needs to be crated while you are gone and you need to hire a dog walker to come let him outside during the middle of that time. He might work up to being able to hold it for longer in the crate and you won't need the dog walker once he is used to holding his bladder, but most dogs can't hold it past 8 hours during the day so 9 will be a stretch and you don't want to force him to have accidents in the crate. Surprise method for crate introduction: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Enzyme cleaner - you can also purchase enzymatic carpet cleaning solution to use in a professional carpet cleaner if needed - some grocery stores and hardware stores will rent professional carpet cleaners but you need to use an enzymatic solution in it if allowed. https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Miracle-Remover-Control-Formula/dp/B0717BLT6V/ref=asc_df_B0717BLT6V/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=218421090408&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7078516470826770749&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010820&hvtargid=aud-643565131866:pla-364753662627&psc=1 Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Yvonne, Most dogs need to be crated while not supervised for the first year of life. I know it's not ideal, but one year of crating prevents a dozen years of long-term bad habits like destructive chewing and potty training issues. If you don't crate, you could struggle for year s instead of months. 5 months is too early to expect her to be fine on her own. Check out the article linked below. Follow the Tethering method when you are home to help her learn to hold it then, and continue to follow the crate training method while gone. At her age she needs to go potty every 4-6 hours or more often at her age. You can also give her a frozen dog-food stuffed chew toy in the crate to help with boredom - as long as she pooped outside before going in the crate. When you are home be sure to do things that are mentally and physically stimulating (like a walk and training). While she is tethered to you, if she starts to squat and hasn't gone potty yet, then clap your hand and rush her outside to interrupt her attempt to go. Punishing after she goes potty does not work. The most effective way to potty train is to prevent all accidents though. Potty training is based on a dog's desire to keep an area clean and not on punishment. The more accidents you prevent and the more you reward pottying outside, the sooner you will get there because she will form a long-term habit of cleanliness inside. Crate Training and Tethering methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Evan, First, if this change is sudden and potty training was thorough before, I do suggest a trip to your vet to rule out a medical cause of incontinence, like a bladder infection. I am not a vet. If the behavior is just that - behavioral and not due to a medical issue, I suggest the following. I suggest going back to the basics with her for a couple of months and act as if she isn't potty trained at all to stop all accidents from happening so that she will develop a habit of holding it consistently while in the house and wanting to keep your home clean. After a couple of months if she has been completely accident free, very gradually give her more freedom. I highly recommend crate training pup and temporarily pup should always be either tethered to you with a hands free leash or in the crate while learning, unless you know she has just peed AND pooped and you have eyes on her 100%.. Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for her. Make sure the crate is only big enough for her to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that she can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the smell and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. The method I have linked below was written for younger puppies, since your dog is older you can adjust the times and take her potty less frequently. I suggest taking her potty every 3 hours when you are home. After 2 hours (or less if she has an accident sooner) of freedom out of the crate, return her to the crate while her bladder is filling back up again until it has been 3 hours since her last potty trip. When you have to go off she should be able to hold her bladder in the crate for 6-8 hours - less at first while she is getting used to it and longer once she is accustomed to the crate. Only have her wait that long when you are not home though, take her out about every 3 hours while home. If she hasn't gone poop yet during that half of the day, she needs to be tethered to you or returned to the crate, then taken back outside again in 45-60 minutes if you know she likely needs to go, less frequently if she likely doesn't need to poop. Pooping outside equals more freedom. Less freedom now means more freedom later in life. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If she is not already used to a crate, expect crying at first. When she cries and you know she doesn't need to go potty yet, ignore the crying. Most dogs will adjust if you are consistent. You can give her a food stuffed hollow chew toy to help her adjust and sprinkle treats into the crate during times of quietness to further encourage quietness. Work on teaching "Quiet" by using the Quiet method from the article linked below. Tell her "Quiet" when she barks and cries. If she gets quiet and stays quiet, you can sprinkle a few pieces of dog food into the crate through the wires calmly, then leave again. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark If the crying continues past two weeks or you cannot wait it out, you can tell pup Quiet. If she gets quiet and stays quiet for 5 minutes, or doesn't bark at all for several minutes, sprinkle treats into the crate to reward the quietness. If she continues barking or stops and starts again, spray a small puff of air from an unscented air Pet Convincer at her side through the crate. Do NOT use citronella and avoid spraying in the face. You can also hold the pet convincer further away to make it gentler. The goal is to interrupt the barking a bit, then reward the quietness to teach quietness. Pup can also be given a dog food stuffed chew toy in the crate when you first put her inside. Repeat the rewards for quietness and corrections for barking, gradually spreading out the treats so that pup has to stay quiet for longer before receiving a reward. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Isone, First, you need to break the cycle of going potty in those spots. To do this, you can either block off those areas, crate her or place her in an exercise pen when you cannot supervise her, tether her to yourself, or try putting a doggie diaper on her to discourage peeing while the diaper is on - this works great for some dogs if they are taken outside regularly and the diaper removed while out there so they do not simply get used to peeing in the diaper. Other dogs do not mind the feeling of wetness so this isn't effective. Clean those areas where you know she has had accidents with a pet safe cleaner that contains enzymes. Only enzymes remove the smell and you don't want any lingering smell that her sensitive dog nose picks up on encouraging her to potty there again. Bleach and other cleaners simply don't remove the smell well enough for many dogs. You certainly can try feeding her, playing with her, and letting her sleep in those areas. The garage will be the most challenging because it likely smells like outside - I would simply limit access to the garage if at all possible. Other areas like the guest bedroom, try spending more time with her in there with food, play, and sleep, but don't leave her unattended in there per the first paragraph I wrote above - you need to stop all accidents from happening in there first, before she can learn to associate those areas with something cleaner. The truth is, the best luck you may have is an intensive crate training protocol for six months - where she is only free while tethered to yourself or right after peeing outside, and always in the crate while her bladder is getting full until time to take her potty, or back in the crate for 1 hour if she doesn't go potty when you do take her outside, then given another chance every 1 hour until she goes potty outside. It's essentially starting from scratch with potty training, stopping all accidents from happening, while rewarding her with treats for going potty outside. Since she is older and has the basic concepts down it should be easier in a lot of ways than training a young puppy with a small bladder - while in the crate she should be able to hold it at least 5-6 hours when you are gone, with potty breaks every 3-4 hours while you are home, and 2-3 hours of freedom after pottying outside each time. This protocol is a reset and will be work on your part, so you could try the first above suggestions before doing a potty training boot-camp with her, to see if the easier route works first. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Melissa, He is likely peeing in the crate because he has accidentally been trained to go potty in a crate - the way you would train a dog to pee on pee pads. The environment he was raised in before you brought home may have led to this, or a few too many accidents in the crate caused him to associate it with that, or having something absorbent in the crate, or a crate that's too big...If there is anything absorbent in the crate with him, you can try taking that out first to see if that helps. Check out www.primopads.com for a non-absorbent bedding option if you need one. Also, clean the crate thoroughly with a cleaner that contains enzymes- only enzymes remove the smell well enough for a dog not to smell it still, and any remaining smell will encourage elimination. Make sure the crate is only big enough for him to stand up, lie down, and turn around, and not so big he can have an accident in one end and stand in the other end to avoid it If accidents still happen after cleaning and removing absorbent material, you will need to potty train a different way. I suggest setting up an exercise pen in an area that you can remove access to later once fully trained, like a laundry room, guest bedroom that can be closed off, or bathroom. Place a real grass pad on one end of the exercise pen and use the Exercise Pen method from the article linked below to teach him to pee on the pad while you are gone off and at night. Since your end goal is outside potty training you will not phase out the exercise pen like the method mentions, instead you will go straight to blocking off that area and keeping him in the rest of the house when he is reliable with potty training in other parts of the house. You can try reintroducing the crate in a year once fully potty trained. Exercise pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands: www.freshpatch.com www.doggielawn.com www.porchpotty.com When you are home, use the tethering method to train him to hold it while in the rest of the house - away from the exercise pen: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Amanda, I suggest crate training her for potty training. You can also tether pup to yourself if she only has accidents when not in your presence. Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for her. Make sure the crate is only big enough for her to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that she can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the small and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. The method I have linked below was written for younger puppies, since your dog is older you can adjust the times and take her potty less frequently. I suggest taking her potty every 3 hours when you are home. After 1.5 hours (or less if she has an accident sooner) or freedom out of the crate, return her to the crate while her bladder is filling back up again until it has been 3 hours since her last potty trip. When you have to go off she should be able to hold her bladder in the crate for 5-7 hours - less at first while she is getting used to it and longer once she is accustomed to the crate. Only have her wait that long when you are not home though, take her out about every 3 hours while home. You want her to get into the habit of holder her bladder between trips and not just eliminating whenever she feels the urge and you want to encourage that desire for cleanliness in your home - which the crate is helpful for. Less freedom now means more freedom later in life. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If she is not already used to a crate expect crying at first. When she cries and you know she doesn't need to go potty yet, ignore the crying. Most dogs will adjust if you are consistent. You can give her a food stuffed hollow chew toy to help her adjust and sprinkle treats into the crate during times of quietness to further encourage quietness. If she continues protesting for long periods of time past three days, you can use a Pet Convincer. Work on teaching "Quiet" but using the Quiet method from the article linked below. Tell her "Quiet" when she barks and cries. If she gets quiet and stays quiet, you can sprinkle a few pieces of dog food into the crate through the wires calmly, then leave again. If she disobeys your command and keep crying or stops but starts again, spray a small puff of air from the Pet convincer at her side through the crate while saying "Ah Ah" calmly, then leave again. If she stays quiet after you leave you can periodically sprinkle treats into the crate to reward her quietness. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Only use the unscented air from the Pet Convincers - don't use citronella, it's too harsh and lingers for too long so can be confusing. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Dianne, you are probably right that June was never taught to pee outside. She could have also been improperly taught to pee on puppy pee pads, but it was not done correctly so she associates peeing with the indoors. I would treat her like a puppy that has never been housebroken. First you will need to clean all of the areas that she has previously eliminated on with a pet specific enzymatic cleaner. Look on the bottle and make sure that it says that it contains enzymes, because it is the enzymes that actually break down the protein in the poop and pee that the dog can smell even when we humans cannot. Also be sure to avoid any cleaners containing ammonia because ammonia smells like urine to a dog, and can actually encourage them to eliminate in the cleansed spot again. Once things have been cleansed, create a small enclosed area for June to be in whenever she cannot be completely supervised. A crate is the best place because it will utilize a dog's instincts to hold their bladders while in their den. The crate will need to be small enough that she cannot eliminate in one end and sleep in the other. but large enough that she can stand up and turn around comfortably. If you have a large crate already, you can block off part of it the make it the correct size. An exercise pen with a crate inside or a small room like a gated off bathroom without any rugs or carpeting may work if she tends to hold it in areas that size also. While she is in this space you can provide her with puzzle toys with kibble inside or with Kong chew-toys stuffed with food to keep her entertained. She will need to be taken to go outside very often at first, as often as every two hours if someone is home with her and able to supervise her completely while she is loose in the house. While crated she may be able to hold it for as long as five or six hours, but the more times that she successfully eliminates outside, the quicker this process is likely to go. When you take her outside, take her on a leash to an area where she has eliminated in the past so that the smell will encourage her to go. Tell her "Go Potty" or a similar simple word or phrase that she will learn to associate with going. Stand still and give her time to sniff around and think about what to do. If she just sits, then you can take a couple of steps every time she does it to get her interest again, but then stand still again and let her sniff. If she goes, praise her enthusiastically as soon as the finishes and offer her four tiny but flavorful treats, one at a time. Taking her on leash will help her to not get distracted while outside. Once she has eliminated she can go play if you would like, but not before. If she does not eliminate while you are out there after seven minutes, then bring her back inside and put her in her small area for forty five minutes. After forty five minutes try taking her outside again. Repeat this until she eliminates outside. If you try to enclose her in the small room or exercise pen instead of a crate, but find that she eliminates there too, then she will have to be in a crate for this to work. You can experiment though. The idea is to teach her that eliminating outside is very fun while also teaching her to hold it while inside by utilizing her instincts to keep her den area clean. The more times that she eliminates outside and less times that she eliminates inside, the quicker the process will go. It takes several times of eliminating outside to make up for one mistake inside, so if you do not feel like you can be vigilant watching her while she is loose in the house and taking her out every two hours, then either utilize the crate or have her on a leash that is attached to you so that she cannot sneak off while she is learning. Many dogs prefer eliminating on rugs and carpeting because it is absorbent so be especially vigilant around those. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Jessy, It sounds like both dogs might be marking to compete with each other - opposed to a real potty training issue (which the new pup could also have). First, purchase a pet cleaner spray/ floor cleaner/laundry additive that contains enzymes. Only enzymes completely remove the smell of urine and poop - and since dogs' noses are so much more sensitive than ours, any remaining pee smell will encourage the dogs to keep competing and peeing in the same spots. Clean all the previous accidents and future accidents with the enzyme cleaners as best you can. Second, purchase belly bands for both dogs - belly bands are like male doggie diapers that catch pee - this stops the spread of pee around your house, which is important to keep things clean but also to reduce competition between the dogs. Continue crating the dogs when you can't supervise them. One at a time, let one dog out of the crate while wearing the belly band and attach them to yourself with a leash (or hold the leash if easier or safer - if the dog may pull you over). Any time pup goes to mark in the house (right next to you because you have them on a leash - either clap loudly three times to interrupt them or spray a small puff of air from a pet convincer at their side (A pet convincer is a small canister of unscented, pressured air). I suggest just clapping for the new pup who may also be learning to potty outside still. Try only clapping with Chauncey, and only use the Pet Convincer if the clapping doesn't seem to interrupt him. When only one person is home, this will mean only one dog is free at a time and you will have to rotate who it is. If two people are home, both dogs can be attached to one person each and be free at the same time. Also, working on building pup's respect for you can sometimes help with household competing between dogs. You be the one to make and enforce rules for the dogs so that they are not doing so for each other. For example, if one pup is pushing another out of the way, make that pushy dog leave the room. If one dog is being possessive of you and not wanting the other dog to come over, make the pushy dog leave. Don't allow the dogs to steal each others' toys, block off doorways or areas, steal food (feed in separate locked crates if this is an issue), or bully each other. Don't tolerate the dogs being pushy with you. The commands and methods I have linked videos and articles for below are also good ways to build a dog's respect for you: Working and Consistency methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo Finally, for the new pup, they need to be taken potty every 2 hours while first learning to potty train while not in the crate - in the crate they should be able to hold it for up to 8 hours if an adult, but while loose in the house, take them outside every 2 hours at first, and every 3-4 hours once they are doing well with potty training and seem to understand the concept. You can also reward both dogs with a few pieces of doggie kibble after they go potty outside each time to further motivate them to potty outside. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Nathanael, First, make sure the crate setup is encouraging her to hold it and she isn't being left in there too long, leading to accidents. At this age pup can't hold her bladder for more than 3-4 hours during the day, even in a crate. While out of the crate, she needs to be taken potty every hour. The crate should only be big enough for her to turn around, stand up, and lie down. If the crate is big enough for pup to go potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it, it won't be effective. You can usually purchase a divider for a wire crate, to make it smaller if needed, and adjust the size of the crate as pup grows. Don't put anything absorbent into the crate with pup, including a towel, pee pad, or soft bed. If you need a bed for pup, check out www.primopads.com . Absorbent material in the crate can encourage pottying in there. Crate Training method for potty training: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If you are already doing all of those things with the crate and pup is still having accidents in the crate, pup may have lost her natural desire to hold it in a confined space. If that's the case you will need to potty train a different way. Exercise Pen method - Use a real grass pad in the pen and set up the pen in an area of your home that you can close off - so that pup won't go in there to potty when you don't want her to be in there. You won't phase the exercise pen out, but just use it for her to sleep in at night and stay in when she can't be tethered to you - like when you are away. Eventually you will get rid of the exercise pen and grass pad completely when she is fully potty trained and can hold it even when you are not home, closing off the room it used to be in so that she won't go in there and go potty - but will hold it until you take her outside. Exercise Pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands - use real grass pads not astroturf: www.doggielawn.com www.freshpatch.com www.porchpotty.com Whenever someone is home, I suggest using the Tethering method for potty training her. Put her in the exercise pen with the real grass pad when someone can't have her tethered to them, but tether her to someone and take her potty outside when you are home and not sleeping. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Because you are struggling with potty training a lot I suggest following the methods very carefully so that she is always either crated (if crate training is an option with the above adjustments - that would be the best route to go), or in the exercise pen with the grass pad, or tethered to yourself. Once she is doing really well with potty training you can start to give more freedom in the house, for up to 1 hour at a time right after pottying outside - at which point she should either be taken potty, put back in the crate until time to go potty again, or put back into the exercise pen until she goes potty in there - thereby eliminating freedom during times when her bladder will be fuller to help potty training be effective. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Jenny, You are actually doing a great job! Keep the rugs picked up, continue blocking off the carpet, continue teaching her the bell and keeping her supervised to work on potty training - essentially acting like she was never trained. Just keep up the good work in those regards. As far as your other questions, how long you must keep things blocked off totally depends on her progress. I would give it a few months for her to build a long-term habit of keeping your home clean to help her make that association with the rest of the house later. Her previous habit was probably a long term habit so the new habit needs to be ingrained also. When she is fantastic in the rest of the house and it has been a few months, begin to reintroduce the rugs or carpet gradually. Have her on a leash with you anytime she is on the rug or carpet - start with whatever area is easiest to clean just in case! Whenever she starts sniffing around, squatting, circling or generally acting like she may potty on it, correct and say "Ah Ah". You can clap loudly three times (what I suggest trying first), give a quick leash tug, use a vibration collar, or spray a small puff of air from a pet convincer at her side with unscented air (NOT citronella). Practice time on the carpet with her on a leash and continue blocking it off when you aren't specifically working with her - you don't want to give her any opportunities to pee on it at other times or that can be confusing. Clean up any accidents in the house with a cleaner that contains enzymes - to fully remove the smell. Only enzymes remove the smell completely. While practicing the carpet training, give her treats whenever she goes potty outside - so that she doesn't associate peeing in front of you with corrections, just peeing on the rugs and carpet. Peeing in front of you outside is rewarded! As she improves, spend longer and longer training sessions on the rug with her - she should go longer and longer without attempting to potty until eventually she never tries to potty anymore on the carpet; at that point, take her off the leash but only let her over there when you can watch her carefully - still keep it blocked off at other times. Practice the interruptions with her off leash if needed then also - if you are struggling with correcting her from a distance and her responding to you- use a vibration collar as an interrupter and correct her with that while you watch from the corner of your eye - so she thinks you weren't paying attention and she was still corrected. Finally, she should be reliable over there even when she thinks you aren't watching. Practice all of this on various rugs and carpet areas so that she learns not to pee on those in the house in general and not just avoid certain ones. Continue rewarding for pottying outside during this process so as not to create problems pottying outside in front of you. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Jessica, I suggest following the Crate Training method from the article linked below - that article will also have tips on how to get him to go faster while out there - like walking around on leash and teaching go potty command. The most important part of the article to pay attention to is what to do when pup doesn't go potty - which is immediately return them to the crate for 30 minutes, then try again. Repeating the crating and trips outside, until you get a pee and can then reward. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Thank you for the question. I think the first thing that needs to be addressed is the dribbling and why it is happening. There is the positive result for crystals; what treatment is Jory (cute little guy, that he is!) undergoing for the problem? I think that, based on what you've told me that the problem is a medical one and not a behavioral one. I agree that pee pads and going outside can be confusing for some but many dogs are able to use both. However, because you are not home all day I would be concerned that Jory would chew and possibly consume some of the pads, and that can be dangerous. You could always try a dog litter box. The ideal one has "potty turf" that is similar to the outside environment, thus reducing the confusion of potty pads vs grass. But firstly, address the crystals problem - this may solve the issue.

Thank you for the question. Good for little Frank for doing so well with his toilet training! I think that there are two factors, Frank is excited to play and forgets about holding the pee and when he lets a little out, he is saying, "Ooops" and then stops himself. As well, his bladder is far from mature (despite the ability to hold it in the crate - it may be harder than you realize and this is why I congratulate the little guy!) and this is why he has the urge to pee often. You say you are taking him out in the evening while playing - how often? Sometimes it is beneficial to take them out every 20 or 30 minutes max between getting home from work and bedtime. Give him a small treat when he pees outside. This often does the trick and before you know it, Frank will only pee outside. As for cleaning up the area where he pees, make sure that you are using a cleaner that has enzymes, the only thing that will remove the smell entirely. If there is any smell remaining, Frank will assume that it's okay to pee there. Continue to be patient as you have been; he'll get the idea. Good luck!

Hello George, There is an ask a vet section of Wagwalking.com as well. I suggest also asking this question there or with your regular vet, to make sure there isn't something medical going on. (I am not a vet). If the behavior is not medical related but just behavioral, I do suggest trying to gradually switch foods first. The current food may not go over well with pup's stomach, some dogs have food sensitivities to certain ingredients (try switching to a formula that uses different grains and meat sources). If pup is still puppy, purchase a freeze dried meal topper. Crush several pieces into a powder and put that and pup's food into a ziploc bag. Let the food mix with it overnight to flavor and scent the kibble. Feed pup that food at meals. As pup begins to eat without hesitation, gradually decrease the amount of powder in the food until it is back to just kibble again. Don't draw a lot of attention to pup's food. Place it down, give pup 30 minutes to eat. If pup hasn't eaten in 30 minutes, remove the food and feed again in about 4-5 hours. This may mean offering pup breakfast, lunch and dinner at first, but only offer lunch if pup refused at breakfast. Finally, having pup work for his food can often help. Treat the kibble like treats and have pup do commands to earn the food. Act like you have something pup wants and don't let them have it unless they earn it - this is a common tactic to get pup's to take pills too. Several medical causes could be related too, and a sign of an issue that needs to be addressed, so do check with a vet also. A tooth issue, Gi upset, food allergy, infection, ect.. (I am not a vet). Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Kendra, You need a way to communicate with him so I suggest teaching the Quiet command from the Quiet method in the article I have linked below - don't expect this alone to work but it will be part of the puzzle for what I will suggest next. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Next, once pup understands what Quiet means you will choose an interrupter. Choose something that can get their attention but isn't too harsh, such as a pet convincer, which is a small canister of pressurized, unscented air that you can spray a quick puff of at the dog's side to surprise them enough to help them calm back down. (Don't use citronella and avoid spraying in the face!). In situations where you know pup will bark or is already barking (catch them before they bark if you can), command "Quiet". If they obey, reward with a treat and very calm praise. If they bark anyway or continue to bark, say "Ah Ah" firmly but calmly and give a brief correction. Repeat the correction each time they bark until you get a brief pause in the barking. When they pause, praise and reward then. The combination of communication, correction, and rewarding - with the "Ah Ah" and praise to mark their good and bad behavior with the right timing, is very important. Another option is to teach Quiet. When you arrive home and pup barks, command Quiet. If they obey and stay quiet for a few seconds, give a treat and let them out of the crate. If they continue barking or start barking immediately again, turn around and go back outside for 3-5 minutes. Repeat this until pup stays quiet when you enter. Whether this method is enough or not will depend a lot on how demanding and persistent pup's bark is. I would certainly try this method first, since it's the simplest and gentlest. If you don't see progress, use the combination of Quiet, rewards for being quiet, and an interrupter like Pet Convincer. Also, be very aware that at the core of the barking is probably a need for mental stimulation - be sure that pup is not only being given physical exercise but is also being challenged mentally through things like daily training sessions, puzzle toys, and adding structure and commands into other activities - like Wait and Sit while fetching, and heel, watch me, and down during walks, wait at meal times, and commands like Place and Down-Stay during calm times. Keep pup working to help pup feel calm and happy. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Stormy, Did your puppies come from somewhere where they were kept in a kennel or crate a lot? When a puppy or dog is kept in a confined space for longer than she can hold her bladder or bowel movement for, then she is forced to eliminate there and over time will loose the desire to hold it in such spaces. It's possible that was the case with your puppies before they came to you or there are also rare dogs that simply do not care. It sounds like you have tried most of the usual things, so I have a couple of more creative suggestions that you may need to try. For the first suggestion, they will need to wear what basically amounts to doggy diapers while indoors. This will hopefully take away the comfort of peeing inside and remove the continual smell they are adding to everything, and will break the habit of eliminating on items in your house. You can buy Belly Bands for boys and menstrual cycle diapers for girls, and place doggie feminine pads, which can be purchased at the pet store, inside, or you can even use human Maxie type pads for absorption. You can buy both disposable and cloth versions, your dogs will probably be less likely to eat the cloth type and it will save you money. At first you may need to have them wear Elizabethan collars to prevent them from tearing the diapers up. With your dogs outfitted, you will need to get a good pet odor eliminating spray. It needs to say that it contains enzymes. The enzymes are what break down the poop and pee enough for the dog to not be able to smell it. If your dog can smell it, the smell will encourage your dog to eliminate where the smell is over and over again. You will also need to take your dogs outside to potty as frequently as possible, ideally every hour and a half while teaching this, if you have that option. Be sure to take off the diapers and Elizabethan collars and to walk them on leash to a soft, ideally grass, spot. When one of them goes potty outside offer five treats, one at a time. The more accidents that you can prevent inside and the more that you can reward outside, the quicker your dogs will become potty trained. The second option that you can try is another type of indoor potty that resembles the outside environment more. To create this, enclosed your puppies in an exercise pen or very small room with a baby gate at the entrance, such as a half bathroom. Set up a no chew, non absorbent bed area. I recommend purchasing PrimoPads online, or something similar, for this. Then, on the opposite end of the enclosure, place a doggie toilet. You can either create a toiet out of a wooden or plastic box with a piece of sod grass wedged tightly inside, or you can try using a litter box with cat litter in it to train them. You will need to use an open top type litter box. You can also purchase spray that smells like pee to a dog. If you spray this spray onto the toilet area it will encourage your dog to go there. If you catch your dogs using the toilet area offer them a treat and gently praise them. Be careful not to startle them though. Once they are toilet trained in that area, if you do not want a doggie toilet to remain in your home you can gradually move their enclosed area closer to the door to outside, and then move the actual toilet gradually outside, and then deconstruct the toilet until your dogs are doing their business on the ground outside. If you have ever watched one of those movies where a dog owner, with a notoriously hard to housebreak dog, ends up getting their dog to pee outside by gradually transferring the dog's favorite peeing chair or pillow to a grassy spot outside, it's a bit of the same idea, as goofy as it may seem. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Gera, Unfortunately, its possible a pee pad was placed into a crate and she was "potty trained" to go in there. If that's the case, you will need to use a different method, other than crate training entirely. I would make sure it's not something else first though. Make sure that her crate is only big enough for her to stand up, turn around, and lie down- and not so big that she can go potty on one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Second, make sure that there is nothing absorbent in the crate - including a towel, shirt or soft dog bed. Check out something like www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed. Third, make sure she is healthy. If she hasn't been to the vet already if may be worth taking her and ensuring she doesn't have something like worms or a urinary tract infection (which could cause accidents despite truly being potty trained). A sudden switch to a new food or a lot of stress might also throw off her digestive system for a week. I am not a vet though so consult with your veterinarian. If it appears this is behavioral and she has lost her natural desire to hold it in a confined space at the breeders, I suggest setting up an exercise pen in an area of your home without carpeting, that you can close off from the rest of the house when needed - such as the laundry room when appliances are off, a spare bedroom, or bathroom. Place a disposable real grass pad (not pee pad) on one end of the exercise pen and reward pup with a treat whenever they go potty on the grass pad while in the exercise pen. Place a non-absorbent bed like primopads or a cote type bed on the opposite end of the exercise pen for rest. Tether pup to yourself with a hands free leash when you are home and take pup potty outside as usual - Telling pup to "Go Potty" and walking them around on the leash until they go. When they go, praise enthusiastically and reward with three treats - one at a time to make them delicious. When pup can't be tethered to you, like at night and when you are gone off, have pup stay in the exercise pen where the grass pad is. Pup will learn to go potty in the room where the grass pad is most likely (associating pottying with that room and not just the pad - so that accidents while in that room are possible still if the grass pad isn't there), but using a grass pad and keeping pottying to only that one small room and not the rest of the house, should help pup learn to hold it inside in the rest of the house. When pup is 100% trustworthy in the rest of the house when not tethered (and past any destructive chewing), at that point you can get rid of the grass pad and exercise pen and close the door to that room so that pup doesn't continue to go in there looking to pee - but holds it until taken outside. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Anagha, First, if this is very unusual for him, I suggest a trip to your vet to rule out possible medical causes. If it is behavioral, I suggest crating pup when you can't supervise and attaching pup to yourself with a hands free leash in the home, for a few weeks to stop the accidents and get back on track. During this time, also give pup a treat for going potty right after he goes each time. Keep a bowl or baggie of kibble or small treats by the door so you can easily grab a couple on your way outside with him to take him potty. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, I suggest following the Tethering method from the article linked below whenever you are home, and the crate training method at night, when pup can't be tethered to yourself, and when you leave. Instead of giving pup freedom for an hour between potty trips, keep pup tethered to yourself between trips. Since pup is older, potty trips can be spaced further apart, to every 3-4 hours. During the time between potty trips, keep pup tethered to yourself to prevent him from sneaking off to have accidents right now. When you can't have pup tethered to yourself, pup should be crated. You can give a dog food stuffed chew toy in the crate to help entertain pup. You can even freeze a Kong that has been stuffed with dog food soaked in water. Place a straw through a Kong's holes, loosely stuff the mushy dog food around the straw, freeze, then remove the straw and give to pup after it's frozen, while pup is in the crate for a time-released treat that's more interesting. Tethering and Crate Training methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean up any new or previous accidents that you know of. Only enzymes will fully remove the smell and the smell needs to go for pup not to be re-attracted to that same spot to go potty there again. Look on the pet cleaner bottle for the word enzyme or enzymatic somewhere - not all normal or pet cleaners contain it so you have to read for it - Nature's Miracle makes some sprays with it (but not all of theirs). Also, avoid ammonia containing cleaners on the floor in general - because ammonia smells like urine to a dog. If pup tries to go potty within 2 hours after going potty outside, while tethered to, clap loudly three times then rush pup outside. If that is happening, pup is probably either marking territory or there is a medical issue. Rule out incontinence with your vet (I am not a vet), and if it's marking, purchase a belly band for pup which is like a male dog diaper, and continue following the tethering method and clapping to interrupt (the belly band will catch any marking attempts to keep pup from successfully spreading his scent even further). When you take him potty, you need to go out with him and actually watch him to make sure he is going potty right now - and if he doesn't go within 15 minutes, bring him inside, crate him for an hour, then take him back out the try again, instead of leaving him outside for super long. He can certainly spend time outside, but he needs to learn to go potty when he first gets outside, then staying outside (if he likes being outside) is a reward that comes after - so that he learns to go quickly when you do take him out. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Brandy, Check out the article linked below and follow the Crate Training method, or a combination or the Crate Training method and the Tethering method to help with potty training. Since pup is older, you can add thirty-forty minutes onto the suggest potty break, free time, and repeated trips outside. Crate Training and Tethering methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If pup hasn't been crate trained yet, expect some crying for two weeks - ignore the crying unless pup has to go potty. If the crying persists past two weeks, or isn't beginning to get shorter and gradually better after four days, you can do the following. During the day, give him a food stuffed hollow chew toy to help him adjust and sprinkle treats into the crate during times of quietness to further encourage quietness. If he continues protesting for long periods of time past the four days, use a Pet Convincer. Work on teaching "Quiet" by using the Quiet method from the article linked below. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Tell him "Quiet" when he barks and cries. If he gets quiet and stays quiet, you can sprinkle a few pieces of dog food into the crate through the wires calmly, then leave again. If he disobeys your command and keeps crying or stops but starts again, spray a small puff of air from the Pet convincer at his side through the crate while saying "Ah Ah" calmly, then leave again. If he stays quiet after you leave, you can periodically sprinkle treats into the crate to reward his quietness. Only use the unscented air from the Pet Convincers - don't use citronella, it's too harsh and lingers for too long so can be confusing. For the biting, check out the article linked below and follow the Leave It method. Once pup knows the Leave It command really well, use Leave It to tell pup to stop biting when they attempt to bite or look like they are about too. If pup obeys by not biting in the first place, reward with a treat, then give a chew toy to put into their mouth instead. Giving pup a chew toy during times of play and excitement can also help since pup will naturally want something in their mouth when in their play mode quite often. If pup disobeys, once pup knows Leave It well, you can have pup leave the room using the Out command from the article linked below - which means leave the area. Out: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Pay attention to how tired pup is and whether pup has received any mental stimulation like training that day. Sometimes pups will get really wound up when they need to be worn out mentally with a bit of training practice or something that engages them both physically and mentally, or they are overtired - a bit like a toddler acting hyper active when they actually need a nap. When pup may be overtired, place pup in a crate or exercise pen with a dog food stuffed chew toy to rest for a bit and calm down. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Jocelyn, When a dog is pee pad trained they not only learn to go on a pee pad, but they also learn to go potty in the location(s) where the pee pads are normally kept - so it's location also. In a new environment, pup doesn't have a location where he knows to go to use the pee pad. I suggest doing one of two things (or you can intermingle both). First, set up an exercise pen at your family's house and follow the Exercise Pen method from the article linked below. The method mentions a litter box but the steps are the same for a pee pad. Pick where you want a pee pad to go long-term during future visits and stay consistent with setting the exercise pen and pee pad up in that spot - since eventually there will just be a pee pad there and pup will memorize that location. Exercise Pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Second, when you go to your family's home, pick a location for the pee pad - again, keeping the location the same each visit. Attach pup to yourself with a 6 to 8 foot leash, and periodically take pup over to the pee pad to go. Tell pup to "Go Potty" and give a treat if pup goes on the pad. Be vigilant to watch pup for any signs that they need to go - like circling, sniffing, whining, trying to get away from you, ect...Take pup to the pee pad every hour and also when they act like they need to go. Clap to interrupt pup if they start to squat to go when not on the pad, then rush pup to the pad and encourage them to go there. Tethering method - this method is for outside potty training, but you can simply adjust the method and take pup to the pad instead of outside during potty times: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Chantel, I suggest crate training him for a while. A dog has a natural desire to keep a confined space clean, so most dogs will naturally hold it while in a crate as long as you don't exceed what they are physically capable of. A healthy 3 year-old dog can generally hold it for a maximum of 7-8 hours, so 6 isn't unreasonable if pup was accustomed to that. If pup doesn't seem to be able to hold it for long physically, you may want to check with your vet to see if there is anything medical preventing pup from being capable of that. If there isn't anything medical, then the issue is likely just training. (I am not a vet) I suggest beginning by crating him while you are home. Work on the Surprise method from the article linked below and start with one hour at a time in the crate. Gradually work up to stretching pup's potty breaks out longer as pup improves in the crate overall. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Once pup can handle being in the crate for over an hour, get pup used to less frequent potty trips while you are home as well. Give pup 1 hour of freedom in the house, but at the 1 hour mark instead of taking pup potty, crate them for one hour, then take them potty at the 2 hour mark. If they don't go potty when you take them outside, return them to the crate for an additional hour then try again. Repeat the trips outside and crating in between every hour until they go potty when you take them. When they go potty when you take them, restart the process again - giving 1 hour of freedom, then crating for one hour, then taking potty at the 2 hour mark. Gradually progress to taking pup outside every 3 hours while you are home, slowly adding time onto the amount of freedom they are given out of the crate if they don't have an accident during that time - like 2 hours of freedom and one hour of crating before taking potty, as they improve. Pup should eventually get to the point after a couple of months of consistency where they will hold their bladder for the full 3 hours while outside of the crate that whole time. When pup can do that, pup should easily be able to hold it for 6 hours when you are away if they are in the crate; until then, you can either go straight to crating pup during the 6 hours and see how they do if crated - but quickly make changes if pup is having accidents in the crate, because you don't want that to become a habit. Or during the period where pup is learning to hold it for longer, have a dog walker let pup out of the crate 3 hours in, then return to crate, until pup is ready for the longer potty stretch, from having practiced holding it while you are home. Pup will continue to need to be crated during the 6 hour stretch (but not while you are home for the 3 hour stretch), for several months to break the old habit of going potty wherever when you aren't there to supervise - since that's not just an issue of pup not being able to hold it but a bad habit of going potty inside that has to be broken also - which takes longer. Expect pup to protest in the crate for a couple of weeks while crate training if you have never crate trained before - don't let pup out in response to the protests unless it's time for a potty break or the end of the practice time - ideally, when it is time to let pup out, also wait until pup gets quiet for a couple of seconds, so that pup is learning that being quiet is what gets them out of the crate - not barking or scratching at it. Also, don't put anything absorbent in the crate with pup or they may go potty on it - check out www.primopads.com if you want to give a bit of non-absorbent padding. Soft beds can be added to the crates of non-chewers, but only after that dog is no longer having any potty training issues for a significant amount of time. Make sure the crate is only big enough for pup to turn around, lie down, and stand up, and not so big that pup can go potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it - or pup may also still have accidents in the crate because it won't be small enough to encourage the desire to hold it in a confined space. Dogs who are already potty trained generally do well with larger crates, but just not while working on potty training issues. If you want to purchase a larger crate to use later, many wire crates come with metal dividers that can be inserted to temporarily make the crate small enough for potty training, then later expanded for a bit more relaxation once pup is 100% on the potty training. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Talika, At this age I actually don't recommend giving an absorbent dog bed yet. You may need to just throw that one away because it will be hard to fully remove the pee smell to the extent that pup needs, to not be encouraged to keep pottying on it. You want to avoid giving pup anything that will absorb the pee if they have an accident, at this age. Look for a cot type bed or something like www.primopads.com until she is older and fully potty trained. Check out the article linked below and follow the Crate Training method. Be sure to follow the tips for walking her around slowly on the leash and rewarding with a treat after she goes potty in response to your German potty command. Because the accidents are happening so soon between potty trips, instead of giving pup 1 hour of supervised free time after pottying outside, using the crate training method, I suggest tethering pup to yourself during that time for the next month, using the Tethering method found in the same article. Crate Training and Tethering methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If pup really seems to be having a hard time physically being able to hold it, I would check with your vet to rule out something medical that could be causing incontinence too, like an infection for example. (I am not a vet though, so consult your vet for any medical advice). Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, Rigby (love the name!) may be experiencing separation anxiety. However, if this is a new behavior, it is a good idea to take her to the vet to rule out a medical issue. If the separation anxiety is the reasom, then that is the problem that has to be dealt with. Otherwise, the house soiling will continue. You should attempt to retrain her not to eliminate in the house: https://wagwalking.com/training/pee-outside. This is a good article on separation anxiety: https://wagwalking.com/training/stop-separation-anxiety.The Comfort Crate Method may be an idea. Dogs love a space where they feel safe; it's like a den they can call their own. Make it inviting and safe. Don't force her in - there are tips to making it a slow transition so that she understands the crate can be a good thing. Take a look here: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate. All of the methods are good for introducing a crate. As well, speak to the vet for tips. Mention dog appeasing pheromones. They may make her feel calmer - it's a diffuser that emits a natural calming scent. Good luck!

Hello, because Bodhi has started this behavior all of a sudden, a vet visit is necessary to rule out a medical problem. This is very important. He could have a bladder infection or something similar. So, rule out the medical issue first. When you are cleaning up the accidents, be sure to use an enzymatic cleaner. This is the only thing that will remove the odor. You may not smell it but the dogs do. Buy the cleaner at the pet supply store. Because Bodhi has the knowledge, you should be able to retrain pretty quickly. Buy him some doggy diapers and have him wear those until he is retrained to save your mom the upset. Take Bodhi out often, tell him "go potty" and give him praise and a high value treat when he goes. Remember to always take him immediately upon waking and also within 10 - 2 0 minutes after meals, as well as plenty of other times throughout the day to retrain. Take him on long walks to give him time to pee and poop. Walk him often to break the habit of peeing inside. You can do the same with your other dog if you think you need to. Take a look here: https://wagwalking.com/training/not-poop-in-the-house. Keep at it and he'll relearn - but remember, vet visit first! All the best!

Hello Sheri, First, know that at this age pup's maximum bladder capacity under ideal circumstances is 3-4 hours. Most puppies will need to go potty at least twice that often though. I suggest, checking out the Crate Training method from the article linked below - that method if followed carefully only gives pup freedom when their bladder is empty to create a habit of keeping the home clean and rewarding pottying outside. Potty training is based on creating a cleanliness habit, so preventing accidents to begin with is important. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, you are right - Cooper may not get why he is out as getting him there is not as simple as a quick walk out the door. I suggest that you try the Crate Train Method here: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside. It is very effective. If you are not using a crate and do not want to, consider the Timing Method described in the same guide. Take Cooper out especially after a nap, and within 10-30 minutes of eating. Clean up accidents with an enzymatic cleaner (the pet supply store should have it). This is the only product that will completely remove the odor. You may not notice the scent of urine, but Cooper will and will likely continue to pee inside. Good luck!

Hello Juhi, I recommend hiring a professional trainer who specializes in aggression and fear to work with you in person, and to evaluate pup. This may be fear related - which would involve desensitizing pup to their fears through counter conditioning. This might be related to a lack of respect for you, and more structure and boundaries and less confrontational ways to increase trust and respect, like obedience and having pup work for everything they get in life and new rules around the home, being started to build respect. This could also be a genetic or neurological issue. Or likely a combination of a couple of things. If pup is also marking a lot in the house, there may be a lack of respect going on. The best way to figure out what's going on and address it correctly is for someone highly experienced with aggression to be able to observe pup and ask you a lot of questions about their history, then make a training plan and adjust it as you go based on how pup responds. You can also check out a couple of trainers who specialize in aggression online, such as Thomas from the canine Educator and Jeff Gellman from Solidk9training. Both have youtube channels with dozens of videos on aggression to learn more about aggression, but I would recommend an in person evaluation also. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! I am going to send you information on nipping, as well as potty training. Nipping: Puppies may nip for a number of reasons. Nipping can be a means of energy release, getting attention, interacting and exploring their environment or it could be a habit that helps with teething. Whatever the cause, nipping can still be painful for the receiver, and it’s an action that pet parents want to curb. Some ways to stop biting before it becomes a real problem include: Using teething toys. Distracting with and redirecting your dog’s biting to safe and durable chew toys is one way to keep them from focusing their mouthy energies to an approved location and teach them what biting habits are acceptable. Making sure your dog is getting the proper amount of exercise. Exercise is huge. Different dogs have different exercise needs based on their breed and size, so check with your veterinarian to make sure that yours is getting the exercise they need. Dogs—and especially puppies—use their playtime to get out extra energy. With too much pent-up energy, your pup may resort to play biting. Having them expel their energy in positive ways - including both physical and mental exercise - will help mitigate extra nips. Being consistent. Training your dog takes patience, practice and consistency. With the right training techniques and commitment, your dog will learn what is preferred behavior. While sometimes it may be easier to let a little nipping activity go, be sure to remain consistent in your cues and redirection. That way, boundaries are clear to your dog. Using positive reinforcement. To establish preferred behaviors, use positive reinforcement when your dog exhibits the correct behavior. For instance, praise and treat your puppy when they listen to your cue to stop unwanted biting as well as when they choose an appropriate teething toy on their own. Saying “Ouch!” The next time your puppy becomes too exuberant and nips you, say “OUCH!” in a very shocked tone and immediately stop playing with them. Your puppy should learn - just as they did with their littermates - that their form of play has become unwanted. When they stop, ensure that you follow up with positive reinforcement by offering praise, treat and/or resuming play. Letting every interaction with your puppy be a learning opportunity. While there are moments of dedicated training time, every interaction with your dog can be used as a potential teaching moment. 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. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thank you for writing in!

Hello! I am going to send you quite a bit of information on potty training and using the crate to aid in that process. Some of it you may know already, but somewhere in the info, you may see something that you missed. Hi! I am going to send you information on both potty training and crate training should you decide to utilize a crate to aid in 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 Barbora, Check out the crate training method from the article linked below. Crate training utilizes a dog's natural desire to keep a confined space clean. The goal with the below method is to prevent as many accidents as possible, teach pup how to hold it while inside, and motivate going outside with rewards, to help pup develop a long-term habit of keeping the home clean, to generalize that desire to keep the crate clean to the rest of your home. For this to happen, accidents inside need to be stopped as much as possible due to careful management by following the method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Also know that it takes puppies an average of 3 months to be potty trained even when done correctly, so pup is also probably still learning. Pup's freedom should be managed enough that accidents are no longer a daily occurrence after a couple of months though because of your vigilance (even if pup isn't actually trained yet). If they are still happening often, pup is probably being given too much unsupervised freedom or not enough potty breaks. Try to stay encouraged. Potty training is a lot of work, but done well with enough consistent work put in up front, it can lead to years of trustworthiness in this area, and will go faster. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Robert, First, if pup is not sleeping in a crate at night, I recommend starting with that. Since you cannot supervise while you are asleep, the crate helps to motivate pup to hold it and cry when they need to go outside while in the crate, rather than simply waking up and having an accident. Check out the Surprise method from the article linked below for introducing a crate. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate/ If the accidents are happening during the day, the issue is likely needing more confinement when you can't supervise. Until pup is fully potty trained the goal is to prevent as many accidents as possible inside and reward as many pees and poops outside as you can, over a 2-3 month period to help pup develop a long term habit of holding it inside. Expecting pup to alert when they need to go out too soon can cause potty training to go backwards or slow down progress. Don't expect pup to tell you when they need to go until they have been successfully holding it between your scheduled potty trips for 2-3 months - which usually means a pup can be accident free if you stick to a go schedule within a couple of months, but won't reliably tell you they have to go when you don't initiate taking them until about 5+ months into potty training. Check out the Crate Training and Tethering methods from the article linked below. A good rule of thumb is that a pup can hold it for the number of months they are in age plus one during the day, maximum - which means that at 3 months, your pup can't go past 3-4 hours, and while still potty training pup should ideally be taken out twice that often - meaning every 1.5 hours. Crate Training and Tethering methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If pup is being pee pad trained, I recommend following the Exercise Pen method and removing anything absorbent from the pen area. You can give a non-absorbent bed in there, and use either pee pads, a doggie litter box, or disposable real grass pads (the best option usually if you plan you teach pup to potty outside too). Exercise pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Grass pad brands - amazon also: www.freshpatch.com www.doggielawn.com Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! I am going to give you information on both potty training and nipping. House-training your dog or puppy requires patience, commitment and lots of consistency. Accidents are part of the process, but if you follow these basic house-training guidelines, you can get the newest member of your family on the right track in a few weeks’ time. Establish a routine Like babies, puppies do best on a regular schedule. The schedule teaches them that there are times to eat, times to play and times to do their business. Generally speaking, a puppy can control their bladder one hour for every month of age. So if your puppy is two months old, they can hold it for about two hours. Don't go longer than this between bathroom breaks or they’re guaranteed to have an accident. Take your puppy outside frequently—at least every two hours—and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking. Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot. While your puppy is relieving themselves, use a specific word or phrase that you can eventually use before they go to remind them what to do. Take them out for a longer walk or some playtime only after they have eliminated. As your puppy gets better at going outside, the same method can be applied to the potty pads. Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors. Praise or give treats—but remember to do so immediately after they’ve finished, not after they come back inside. This step is vital, because rewarding your dog for going outdoors is the only way to teach what's expected of them. Before rewarding, be sure they’re finished. Puppies are easily distracted and if you praise too soon, they may forget to finish until they’re back in the house. Put your puppy on a regular feeding schedule. What goes into a puppy on a schedule comes out of a puppy on a schedule. Depending on their age, puppies usually need to be fed three or four times a day. Feeding your puppy at the same times each day will make it more likely that they'll eliminate at consistent times as well, making housetraining easier for both of you. Pick up your puppy's water dish about two and a half hours before bedtime to reduce the likelihood that they'll need to relieve themselves during the night. Most puppies can sleep for approximately seven hours without needing a bathroom break. If your puppy does wake you up in the night, don't make a big deal of it; otherwise they will think it is time to play and won't want to go back to sleep. Turn on as few lights as possible, don't talk to or play with your puppy, take them out and then return them to bed. Supervise your puppy Don't give your puppy an opportunity to soil in the house; keep an eye on them whenever they’re indoors. Tether your puppy to you or a nearby piece of furniture with a six-foot leash if you are not actively training or playing. Watch for signs that your puppy needs to go out. Some signs are obvious, such as barking or scratching at the door, squatting, restlessness, sniffing around or circling. When you see these signs, immediately grab the leash and take them outside to their bathroom spot. If they eliminate, praise them and reward with a treat. Keep your puppy on leash in the yard. During the housetraining process, your yard should be treated like any other room in your house. Give your puppy some freedom in the house and yard only after they become reliably housetrained. When you can't supervise, confine When you're unable to watch your puppy at all times, restrict them to an area small enough that they won't want to eliminate there. The space should be just big enough to comfortably stand, lie down and turn around. You can use a portion of a bathroom or laundry room blocked off with baby gates. Or you may want to crate train your puppy. (Be sure to learn how to use a crate humanely as a method of confinement.) If your puppy has spent several hours in confinement, you'll need to take them directly to their bathroom spot as soon as you return. Mistakes happen Expect your puppy to have a few accidents in the house—it's a normal part of housetraining. Here's what to do when that happens: Interrupt your puppy when you catch them in the act. Make a startling noise (be careful not to scare them) or say "OUTSIDE!" and immediately take them to their bathroom spot. Praise your pup and give a treat if they finish there. Don't punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, it's too late to administer a correction. Just clean it up. Rubbing your puppy's nose in it, taking them to the spot and scolding them or any other punishment will only make them afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence. Punishment will often do more harm than good. Clean the soiled area thoroughly. Puppies are highly motivated to continue soiling in areas that smell like urine or feces. It's extremely important that you use these supervision and confinement procedures to minimize the number of accidents. If you allow your puppy to eliminate frequently in the house, they'll get confused about where they’re supposed to go, which will prolong the housetraining process. Nipping: Puppies may nip for a number of reasons. Nipping can be a means of energy release, getting attention, interacting and exploring their environment or it could be a habit that helps with teething. Whatever the cause, nipping can still be painful for the receiver, and it’s an action that pet parents want to curb. Some ways to stop biting before it becomes a real problem include: Using teething toys. Distracting with and redirecting your dog’s biting to safe and durable chew toys is one way to keep them from focusing their mouthy energies to an approved location and teach them what biting habits are acceptable. Making sure your dog is getting the proper amount of exercise. Exercise is huge. Different dogs have different exercise needs based on their breed and size, so check with your veterinarian to make sure that yours is getting the exercise they need. Dogs—and especially puppies—use their playtime to get out extra energy. With too much pent-up energy, your pup may resort to play biting. Having them expel their energy in positive ways - including both physical and mental exercise - will help mitigate extra nips. Being consistent. Training your dog takes patience, practice and consistency. With the right training techniques and commitment, your dog will learn what is preferred behavior. While sometimes it may be easier to let a little nipping activity go, be sure to remain consistent in your cues and redirection. That way, boundaries are clear to your dog. Using positive reinforcement. To establish preferred behaviors, use positive reinforcement when your dog exhibits the correct behavior. For instance, praise and treat your puppy when they listen to your cue to stop unwanted biting as well as when they choose an appropriate teething toy on their own. Saying “Ouch!” The next time your puppy becomes too exuberant and nips you, say “OUCH!” in a very shocked tone and immediately stop playing with them. Your puppy should learn - just as they did with their littermates - that their form of play has become unwanted. When they stop, ensure that you follow up with positive reinforcement by offering praise, treat and/or resuming play. Letting every interaction with your puppy be a learning opportunity. While there are moments of dedicated training time, every interaction with your dog can be used as a potential teaching moment. As far as his nails, groomers often do free puppy trims to show you how to maintain them. Check with a local groomer. They can file or simply clip. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you for writing in!

Hello! Below is a ton of information on potty training. I included information on crate training just in case you decide to use a crate to help you 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! This is a fairly common issue with puppies. Although very frustrating, it is something that can be corrected easily. I am going to send you information on both potty training and crate training. If you don't see progress within about a week with the potty training, it might be wise to implement the use of a crate to aid in this process so she doesn't keep going inside your home. 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! It does sound like he has some anxiety issues going on. I am going to give you some tips below about marking in general. But keep in mind when working with him, that he potentially has some anxiety. Individually and in combination, the following strategies can help stop the marking: 1. Employ management. The first step in correcting a marking issue involves diligent management in an effort to stop the rehearsal of unwanted behavior. Keep a close eye on your dog – no unsupervised time! – so you’re able to immediately interrupt all attempts to mark and redirect his efforts to “go” outside. When you can’t supervise, consider confining your dog to an x-pen or crate, or use baby gates to create an area small enough to deter soiling. If marking is limited to a specific room, restrict access to the area for at least a month (the same benchmark as housetraining). Some clients report success moving their dogs’ food and water to the problem area, as most dogs won’t mess where they eat. Often, employing diligent management to prevent the behavior is enough to offer long-term improvement. 2. Reduce stress. Identify events in your dog’s life that might create stress. Some stressors can be tricky. For example, many owners think showering their dogs with endless treats while requiring little in terms of basic obedience is a wonderful way to convey love. Unfortunately, a lack of basic structure often contributes to anxiety, especially in multiple-dog households. While I’m not a fan of rigid “leadership” protocols, I believe dogs do best when taught a basic skillset designed to create a working partnership with their humans, whose job it is to ensure the well being of everyone in the household. If marking mostly happens when you aren’t home, your dog might be anxious being alone. Be sure to keep departures and arrivals low-key to reduce the tension of an already emotional event for your dog. Teaching your dog to accept time away from you – even when you’re home – can also help reduce anxiety when you leave. Also, be mindful of potentially scary noises that might be causing anxiety – for example, the ear-piercing back-up beep of the garbage truck on trash day. Often, once you’ve identified the trigger, you can successfully counter-condition your dog’s emotional response. Anxiety can be a tricky issue to overcome. Some dogs respond well to homeopathic remedies or flower essence blends designed to reduce anxiety. Another option is Adaptil, a pheromone-based product available as a plug-in diffuser or a collar. Adaptil products release pheromones involved in the attachment process between a nursing dog and her offspring, offering an olfactory message of comfort and security. In some cases, pharmaceutical intervention might be necessary. 3. Clean soiled areas. Use an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature’s Miracle to thoroughly clean urine spots in the home. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners. Urine contains ammonia, and such products can encourage further marking. If moving into a new home formerly occupied by dogs, consider professionally cleaning or replacing the carpet to reduce your dog’s desire to mark over existing animal scent. If this isn’t possible, use a black light to search for potential problem areas. 4. Consider neutering. While not a guaranteed fix, neutering your dog, especially before he reaches full sexual maturity (12 to 15 months), is likely to reduce or eliminate his tendency to mark by stopping the influence of hormones. 5. Discourage all marking, even outdoors. In some cases, the act of marking becomes a well-practiced habit that remains even after removing environmental stressors or choosing to neuter (especially among dogs neutered later in life). In such cases, I recommend drawing a hard line when it comes to marking, even outdoors. When on a walk, give your dog an opportunity to fully void his bladder, then quickly but casually interrupt all subsequent attempts to leave his calling card throughout the neighborhood. It need not be a dramatic interruption; simply keep walking as your dog attempts to mark, almost like you hadn’t noticed. 6. Most importantly, don’t punish! Remember that inappropriate marking is a stress response. Calmly interrupting a dog as he’s marking is one thing. Reprimanding him after the fact will make things worse. Unless you intervene as it’s happening, your dog won’t connect your displeasure with his marking. He might look guilty as you reprimand him, but that look is an attempt to appease you in that moment – not because he realizes his marking, which took place however long ago, is unwanted.

Hello. I am going to send you some advice on potty training. It is a little remedial because it is geared towards puppies, but when problems arise, it is best to simply start fresh with potty training. To answer your question, you can give him as much access to water as needed during the day. You can cut off the water after his last meal of the day, unless it is super hot out. Ideally, 2 hours before bed time is when you want to cut off water. 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.

Hi! I am going to send you information on both potty training and crate training should you decide to utilize a crate to aid in 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.

Hi! I am going to send you information on both potty training and crate training should you decide to utilize a crate to aid in 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, here are great instructions on teaching Benson to "sit": https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-sit-and-stay. The "stay" command is also taught here, both in combination are excellent skills to know. Using a treat as a way to have Benson sit naturally is ideal. It's described as putting the treat in an arc movement over the head, which automatically encourages the hind end down. Read through the entire guide for tips. Be sure to give the command "sit" as you have Benson do the movement. The Do's and Don'ts are helpful, too. Have fun!

Hello! I am going to send you quite a bit of information on potty training as well as crate training. It is geared towards puppies but the process is the same. When adult dogs have potty issues, it is best to wipe the slate clean and start completely over. For now, I would start putting her in the kennel in short blocks of time with no blanket until you feel confident she is going to be going potty outside only. 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! How great of you to take him in. I usually tell folks when adult potty issues arise, it is best to wipe the slate clean with whatever you are doing and start fresh as if he were a puppy. Potty training a puppy is full of positive reinforcement anyway, so it should be not only gentle on him, but could provide him a bit of a confidence boost. The information I am sending you is geared towards puppies, but the process is the same. 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.

Hello, First, know that the breed combination you have is usually a highly intelligent, sensitive dog, who often needs a pet parent who is calm, consistent and they respect in order for them to work for you. I suggest temporarily using the crate more during the day. When you take pup potty, tell them to "Go Potty" and give a treat after each pee and each poop. If pup goes potty, give 1.5-2 hours of supervised freedom in the house. After 1.5-2 hours (or less if accidents still happen sooner than 1.5-2 hours), crate pup until it's time for the next potty trip, which as this age should be at least every 2.5-3 hours. If you take pup outside and they don't go potty, return to the crate for an hour, then try again in an hour or sooner if pup acts like they need to go. You want to manage the behavior enough that pup's schedule is preventing them from having accidents at this age, so that they will develop a long-term habit of keeping the home clean and actually want to keep it clean themselves too. This takes time to develop and requires a lot of consistency and preventing accidents due to management. If the accidents are happening sooner than 1.5 hours after the potty trip and are not related to times when pup is getting in trouble or is really excited (if so pup is probably submissive peeing or excited peeing, which is deal with differently), then follow the tethering method from the article linked below. If pup indicates they need to go sooner than the scheduled time, rush them outside to go. If you are too late and catch pup mid-pee, clap your hands three times to interrupt, then quietly rush pup outside. Once pup is outside, praise and act like nothing happened. Rewards and corrections have to happen right when the behavior happens - so only interrupt pup for accidents while pup is mid-pee, and once pup is going potty outside - you have to put aside your anger and act happy about them going potty outside, so pup associates outside with good things. Potty training is and punishing is tricky because done wrong, you can teach a dog to simply be more sneaky about pottying inside, or to avoid pottying in front of you completely - which back fires when pup also won't go in front of you outside. Timing has to be just right and rewards for doing the correct behavior have to also be given so pup knows that the correct action is good and not punishable. Disregard for person space is completely normal. Work on teaching pup a Place and Out command. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite For the chewing, check out the article linked below. That behavior is also completely normal. Pups have to be taught to leave human objects alone and actually taught to like their own toys. One way to teach a dog to teach on their own toys is to teach commands like leave it, confine pup when you can't supervise, and use deterrents like bitter apple to make furniture and your things less appealing, then make pup's own things more appealing but choosing toys that are durable and hollow and can be stuffed with kibble. You can even feed pup their entire daily kibble as treats and in toys to stimulate pup mentally and help with the chewing and behaviors. Toys like Kongs, durable puzzle toys with treats inside, kong wobbles, ect...You can even give pup a frozen kong that will take him longer to get the food out of. Place pup's food in a bowl with water the night before. Let the food turn to mush, poke a straw through the Kong's holes, loosely stuff the mush around the straw, freeze the entire thing, then remove the straw and give it to him in the early evening. Add a bit of peanut butter or liver paste to the mush if he needs help being interested in it - don't pack it tightly or he won't be able to get it out. You can make several of these ahead of time to have on hand. Just subtract the food in the kong from her dinner kibble amount, to avoid overfeeding. Highly intelligent and more dominant personality dogs tend to do well with more mental stimulation and structure. Work on earning his respect through obedience and mentally challenging him to wear him out, like with training and toys. Watch out for methods that use a lot of physical force to gain respect, because Malinois and German Shepherd tend to have strong defense drives and those methods may backfire. Have pup work for what they get in life instead, by performing commands to earn things like meals, petting and play. Finally, avoid using cleaners with ammonia on your floor - ammonia smells like urine to a dog and can encourage pottying inside. Make sure deodorizing cleaners contain enzymes - only enzymes will break down the pee and poop at a molecular level to remove the smell well enough for a dog's sensitive nose. Other types of cleaners don't work well enough or just mask the scent. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

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. This information is written for puppies, but the procedure is exactly the same for training an adult dog who doesn't quite know where to go potty. 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! Yes the use of a bell would be beneficial in your situation. I have a few steps that I am going to send you that will assist in this process. Step 1 Buy a set of bells that you will be able to easily hear when your dog rings them. Hang the bells at your dog’s level on the wall next to the main “potty door.” Before going outside, ring the bells yourself and say “Go Potty.” Take your puppy out on a leash to the same location every time. When your puppy does their business, repeat “Go Potty” and give them a treat. Repeat this process every time your puppy goes out for about one week. Step 2 You will now begin luring your puppy to ring the bell themselves. Before taking your puppy out, show them a treat and slowly bring it next to the set of bells. When your puppy’s nose or paw touches the bells, say “Let's Go Potty Outside” and take them outside to their potty spot. Wait for your puppy to go and then repeat “Go Potty” and give them the treat. It is important to be rewarding your puppy for going to the bathroom outside. This is why the treat is only given after they have done their business! This process may last a week, give or take a few days depending on the puppy. Step 3 Now that your puppy is physically ringing the bells, it is time to phase out the food lure. Just before taking your puppy outside, gesture to the bells with your empty hand instead of using a treat to draw their nose over. When your puppy rings the bells, say “Go Potty” and take them to their spot. After your puppy goes, repeat “Go Potty” and reward them with a treat. Taking your puppy out on leash while working on potty training. This ensures that they will understand the bells mean “Go Potty” and not “go out and play.” If you take your puppy out on a leash and they do not go, confine them inside either on a leash or in their crate for 5 to 10 minutes and then repeat the bell training process. Remember to have patience with your puppy and yourself. As long as you stay consistent and fair, you and your puppy will get the hang of this in no time!

Hello Ayusx, The easiest way to train pup to not listen to other's commands is generally to teach your dog commands that only you know they will respond to - this is why protection dogs are often taught German commands instead of English. To teach pup to bark, first teach pup the Speak command. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-to-speak Once pup knows the speak command, recruit friends pup doesn't know to step onto the property or come to the door while pup watches from a window or inside somewhere. Command speak and reward with a treat when they do. Practice with telling pup to speak each time the person is there, until pup barks on their own when the person tries to enter without saying speak. At that point, have the person come onto the property, wait seven seconds to see if pup will bark on their own, reward if they do, and command speak if they don't - then reward but give a smaller reward when you tell pup opposed to when pup does it on their own. Practice until pup will bark each time someone enters the property. Practice with different people you can recruit, that pup doesn't know so that pup will learn to do this with anyone who enters the property and not just that one person. Draw pup's attention to people outside or people on your property, and reward pup when you see them watching someone in general - so that pup will begin watching people and staying more alert as a habit. Pup doesn't have to bark to reward this one - just reward when pup is watching someone and you notice that. I also recommend teaching the Quiet command, so that you can tell pup when to stop barking after they alert. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark For the protection training with bite work you need to hire a professional protection dog trainer. Done wrong, you can create a dog who is fear aggressive and will not be under voice control and will be more of a liability to you than protection. True protection training requires a high level of off-leash obedience around high distractions, working with a dog's natural defense drive using positive reinforcement - via bite bags and the tug response, and building a dog's confidence rather than instilling fear. This requires a lot of knowledge about dogs and this type of training, staff to practice bites and holds with, and equipment like body suites and arm pads. This should only be done by a professional who knows how to accomplish those things without creating unwanted issues. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! What a sweet face he has! I am sending you information on potty training and crate training if you decide to use a crate to help with potty training. You will want to spend a few weeks practicing the advice, and you should see a quick turnaround. Here is information on potty training, as well as crate training if you decide to use a crate to aid in the potty training process. 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.

I am sending you information on potty training as well as crate training (though I know you have tried that. But I may have fresh information). There is a lot of information to read below, but it should help you with this process. This information is geared towards puppies, but when adult dogs are having potty training issues, it is best to just wipe the slate clean and start over as if your dog were a puppy. Spending a few weeks practicing these steps will make a huge difference. 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.

I am sending you information on potty training as well as crate training if you decide to utilize 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 Mina, I recommend following a combination of the Tethering and Crate Training method linked below. Crate pup when you can't supervise or are gone, and use the Tethering method between potty trips right now to establish a cleanliness habit in your home. I would also remove any rugs that pup is repeatedly going potty on right now, and clean up any accidents with a cleaner that contains enzymes - only enzymes will fully remove the smell to the level a dog needs- and remaining smell will encourage pup to go potty in that spot again. Since pup is older, you can take pup out about every 2-3 hour like you are doing now, instead of every hour, but when you take them out, take them out for 10-15 minutes, walking them around slowly to encourage them to sniff and find a spot. Command "Go Potty" calmly and give a treat and praise if they go - to teach them to go on command more quickly in the future. If they don't go, crate for an hour, then try again. Repeat the trips outside and then crating if they don't go, until they finally go potty, then give a couple hours of supervised freedom (on the tethered leash if they tend to go potty even during those couple of hours after going outside due to marking), then repeat the process of taking them potty 2-3 hours later and crating when they don't go each hour. The idea is to only give pup freedom while their bladder is empty. Crate Training method and Tethering method below: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside

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! Here is information on 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.

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 Rachel, It is definitely not too late. Many rescues are crate trained as adult dogs even. The older pup is the more consistent and persistent you just might have to be to help pup learn - expecting a bit more crying having waiting an extra month. I do highly recommend crate training though, and allowing pup to learn how to self-sooth in the crate can actually prevent separation anxiety later as an adult, and during this age prevents dangerous destructive chewing, which can harm pup when you aren't there to prevent it or lead to long-term unwanted chewing habits. Crate training also can help with potty training. Generally dogs who are properly crate trained as puppies can actually be given more freedom after 1-1.5 years because they have learned things like potty training and only chewing their own toys better, and have not been left unattended loose in the home to get into trouble as pups. I recommend starting with the Surprise method linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate/ At night you will need to ignore pup crying in the crate if it's been less than three hours since they last went potty. When they wake after at least 3 hours crying, take them potty outside, but keep the trip as boring as possible - no treats, no play, and little talking at night. After they go potty, return them to the crate and ignore any crying that happens at that point, with an empty bladder - know it's attention seeking and not a potty need. The more consistent you are, generally the sooner pup learns how to settle down again. Practice with treats during the day to help pup learn that quietness is the goal - like the Surprise method from the article I have linked above. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden