Let's talk Potty Training! What's your experience with your puppy?

[MyBuddy]

A while back someone had mentioned something about how many months a puppy is, is how many hours they can 'hold it'.

Does anyone remember that? I'm curious because pretty much from about the second week we had Annie she's been sleeping through the night. We are "early to bed, early to rise" folks and she just slipped into that easily! I think she just gets so much exercise or just plain activity here that by 8:30-9:00 she's crashing. With a lot of property and barn chores there's always some kind of activity going on. In the evening, when we finish taking care of the horses, wrap up a few other things for the night and do a final walk with the dogs, we are inside wrapping up other things for the night. And then it's time to settle down.

So I tell her 'let's go to bed!' I couldn't believe it when she followed me into the bedroom and got into her crate. Now, she doesn't always do that. Sometimes she chases Kali around for a while or she's avoiding going into her crate for a minute or two. But never for long, and once she gets in there, she's done. She doesn't whine or cry out even if I leave the room. And even though she has got up in the middle of the night a few times to potty, I have to say most of the time that she's been here she has slept or been in her crate from 8:30-9:00pm to 4:30 in the morning! I think that's a really long time to go without potty. Right? I haven't had a puppy in a long while so maybe this is normal. But I think it's pretty awesome actually.

We are both up at 4:30 a.m. almost every morning. Even sometimes on the weekends. So that's not really early for us. So it works out just fine. I'm just curious of that thing about months/hours and how it fits to Annie. Cuz obviously at night she's holding it for a very long time! During the day we are in and out many times, 'just because.' So I've never tested it then.

Here's our setup in our room. Both dog crates are on my side of the bed. And I'm sure once I go to bed, usually reading my phone for a while, she's comforted knowing that I'm right there.

Last night we really weren't going to bed at 7:30 but she followed me into the bedroom and the next thing I knew she was in Kali's crate!

And Kali doesn't sleep in our bedroom much since Annie. The first night we had Annie in her crate for the night, she let out a blood curdling scream and Kali just left the room immediately! I guess she can't stand if she's going to cry or scream. I don't know if it scares her or what. Annie hasn't screamed like that since that first day but even if she starts to whine or even cry in her sleep, Kali will leave. She sleeps in her calming bed in the breakfast room all night. I feel bad that she won't stay with us but hope maybe one day she'll feel differently.

 

[Katyusharocket]

We have had exceptional night-time luck here too. Zastava rarely wakes me up to go out, and even more rarely slips away without waking me to go downstairs and relieve herself . I use that months to hours of holding it too, for daytime crate usage. I did read somewhere that night time is different because all their body processes naturally slow down for sleeping. Whether what I read or not is true? Who knows. I remember Katyusha, too, being much better about bathroom habits at night than during the day, so maybe there's something to it. It's nice though, sleeping thru the night at such a young age. Feels luxurious

 

[MyBuddy]

Zastava rarely wakes me up to go out, and even more rarely slips away without waking me to go downstairs and relieve herself

Annie is crated so she can't slip away, thank God. That won't be until she is really trustworthy and knows to bark or something for an alert!

I use that months to hours of holding it too, for daytime crate usage.

So what is it? I can't remember.

I did read somewhere that night time is different because all their body processes naturally slow down for sleeping

I figured that had to play into it. No drinking, playing and such. But I didn't think it would be as long as she's been going!

It's nice though, sleeping thru the night at such a young age. Feels luxurious

Omg, yes!!

So cute!!! Those beds look lovely and so cozy!
Costco has them and I’ve looked and almsot did it haha, but someone I know can’t be trusted… someday I hope.

A few times Annie has put her mouth on the bed. I correct her every time. If she were in her crate for a length of time and got frustrated to get out I can imagine she might take it out on her bed. That's why I bought the ballistic mat.

 

[Katyusharocket]

So what is it? I can't remember.

The rule of thumb I go by is for each month old a puppy is, that is the same number of hours max that they should be crated, or be expected to "hold it". 3 months, max 3 hours, 4 months max 4 hours, and so on. I stand to be corrected on this, if others have different advice or thoughts, I am all ears.

I should come clean here, too, for as great as Z is at night she is really putting me through the paces on housetraining during the day. I don't remember it being this way with Katyusha. She had her accidents but I didn't remember it as this many. I have resorted to limiting water, which I have never done, and didn't want to do, and I'm not proud of it. Zastava seems to treat water like food, it's like she has to drink it all because it's a resource and it's there, so that had been contributing to difficulties, I think. So I found a way to limit her without limiting the others during the day.

I'm not trying to complain, I am extremely lucky to have her and I know it. She also does so well in so many other ways, It would just be lying by omission if all people knew was what I wrote last. We will get there, though, I know it.

 

[Ravenbird]

The rule of thumb I go by is for each month old a puppy is, that is the same number of hours max that they should be crated, or be expected to "hold it". 3 months, max 3 hours, 4 months max 4 hours, and so on. I

That's what I remember reading here somewhere.

That said, my '90's Doberman was much like Annie. I got her at 12 weeks and within a couple of weeks she was sleeping through the night. She peed on the floor one time during the day and that was it for life. House breaking just wasn't an issue at all. 25 years later, here's Asha, as a puppy it was 2 - 3 x a night having to go out, then 2 x then still took a while before going all night long... and pee in the house seemed to go on for way too long no matter how often I took her out. @MyBuddy count your lucky stars!

 

[Katyusharocket]

25 years later, here's Asha, as a puppy it was 2 - 3 x a night having to go out, then 2 x then still took a while before going all night long... and pee in the house seemed to go on for way too long no matter how often I took her out. @MyBuddy count your lucky stars!

good to know we are not alone. Yes, @MyBuddy count those lucky stars!

 

[MyBuddy]

I thought I'd make a thread on this since we all had some good input and I figured as we keep it going!

 

[MyBuddy]

should come clean here, too, for as great as Z is at night she is really putting me through the paces on housetraining during the day.

But aren't you working during the day out of the house? I've been working at home since we started our business back in 1977! I imagine trying to potty train a puppy when you're gone all day is pretty difficult.

 

[MyBuddy]

@MyBuddy count your lucky stars

Yes, @MyBuddy count those lucky stars!

Believe me, I do! I don't know how everybody else's first couple of nights are with their puppy, but the moment I put her in the crate that first night, she started screaming this high pitched, ear piercing cry! I thought, holy good God, do you have a voice! And I thought, suuuure, I'm supposed to ignore that, right next to our bed? Knowing that she had just gone potty and that she shouldn't have any other issues, I just shouted, "Quiet!!" It was a couple of times... but I swear to you, she never did that again!

The first week or so is always a transition. She's trying to settle into a family that she doesn't know, and we are trying to feel her out for her needs too! Soon you fall into a little rhythm. When I adopted Kali I'll never forget taking her out to potty first thing in the morning. When I brought her in to feed her my husband says, "She's pooping!" LOL I rushed her back outside and ever since then her morning is like clockwork. Get up, go outside, pee, have breakfast, go outside, poop, and we're done!

Well, Annie ended up doing the same thing. As soon as she's up I leash her up right at the crate and rush to the door. Our bedroom is on the complete opposite side of our house and even though there are other doors to go out I like to go out the kitchen door. So I walk her quickly to the door hoping she's not going to squat along the way She never did. Kali is sleeping right by the kitchen door and we pick her up on the way. We have a lot of mulched area right outside and I'm usually hurrying out Barefoot or in slippers. So I just taught her, "Go potty", with only a short leash, and she goes right there off the sidewalk as far as the leash reaches with me on the sidewalk. Then we go in and I make breakfast for the two of them. Once finished, we all go out again and they both poop! It's a great morning schedule. Couple that with sleeping all night and I'm a happy camper!

Now during the day she goes out to potty immediately after waking up from any nap. Again "Go potty" is my go-to word and she loves treats. So it was always a party when she would pee and then it was, "Let's go get a cookie!" Well, she learned the word cookie real fast! so now when I just want to take her out for a quick pee and come back in, I'll bring a cookie with me and tell her let's go out to potty and kind of show her the cookie. She does her business, comes to me and sits and gets her a treat! And back up the stairs we go! And this time without a leash on her.

 

[JanS]

Good idea to start a new thread.

Back when we got Boris, Della and Albert we were still working and it did take a little longer with them. We had staggered hours so that helped but Boris had a sensitive stomach so he would have to go out to poop at least once or more during the night or he'd have a blowout in his crate.

By the time we got Phoebe, hubby was retired and I was still working. She did pretty well and I don't remember her having to get up during the night, unless she was sick.

Elroy was an absolute dream and I'm sure that's in part because @Rits and her hubby did a great job with him while he was there. Olive was really good too but I think Elroy was the fastest to catch on completely, even with the brutal winter we had when he came home.

 

[MichiH]

Pepper was making it through the night a little before 4 months. She caught on quickly because we went out so often to potty. I’m thankful I am able to be with her so much.

She did get up 1 x a night when she was smaller, but it didn’t last long.

We get up early and so when she would go all night and wake ip at 4:45-5, I didn’t care. I was thankful she made it all night! I didn’t think I needed to wake her either since she was good at letting me know from the start when she had to go.

She did have a UTI when she was very young which caused some peeing inside and that would upset her. I felt so bad.

Sounds like Annie is doing fantastic and sleeping well!!!

 

[Kaiser2016]

started screaming this high pitched, ear piercing cry!

OMG, the memories are flooding back!

The one thing Kaiser made easy on us was his pottying. He had once accident in the house for pee and one for poop. The pee happened when we brought him home from the airport. We sat down in the laundry room with him so he could check us out and I had a giant water bowl for him LOL. It was also a glass bowl good thing the Dober slap wasn't happening just yet . So he drank and he peed! We then decided any drinking and he must immediately go outside, so we learned quick on that one. Any eating, playing, post nap (did he ever nap??), straight outside. He had one poop inside the house and what a story that was - he got his hands on a raw yam and was gnawing away at it while I was busy. Well, the poop that followed...was...enormous! A total sloppy pile, which he deposited in the laundry room and again no one was watching him, so we only found out when we smelled it The strange part was that I had never before bought yam and I've never bought it since, so that one yam was destined for Kaiser!

 

[MyBuddy]

Sounds like Annie is doing fantastic and sleeping well!!!

So far so good. But I don't know if it's not just me being diligent. Left to her own defenses I don't know if she would let me know if she had to go out. I just kind of know the routine, when she last went and when I think she's due again. Plus I watch for signs.

In fact, it's kind of funny because one day around dinner time I told my husband she probably should go out and I was busy with dinner. So he says, okay I'll do it, just let me butter this bun. No sooner he did that and she had peed on the floor in the kitchen. I said, I told ya! Mother knows best.

At night in her crate she does whine if she has to go out. And I will always take her out if she does that. Just because she is usually so quiet for the night.

And here's the other great thing that she did. The couple of times she woke me up in the middle of the night to go outside, we went out, she quickly did her business, came back in and put her back in her crate and I never heard a peep out of her. The first time that happened I thought, oh boy now she's going to be screaming. But she didn't. It's almost like she knows it's night time and time for bed.

 

[MyBuddy]

Well, the poop that followed...was...enormous

Well it's funny because after living with just Kali for a while and sometimes thinking her poop looks big, this one seems like an elephant! First time she pooped, I thought, holy crap!!

 

[JanS]

the poop that followed...was...enormous! A total sloppy pile, which he deposited

That just happened with Elroy last week and he never goes in the house. I don't know what caused it but he did it on the carpet in the living room so the SpotBot was put to work.

 

[MyBuddy]

. He had once accident in the house for pee and one for poop

That's really good! My husband and I were trying to remember all the accidents and there wasn't that many but there was more than you. I know the first evening we were going to eat dinner and I put her in the crate behind us. She threw a fit and suddenly started pooping! I grabbed her out of the crate before she stepped at it and my husband took it out to hose it down. I wasn't sure if she was trying to tell us that she needed to poop or if she just threw such a fit that she pooped and excitement. I'll never know but it may be that she was trying to tell us something. We didn't know any signs yet from her and we had no routine even started. I think there may have been 3 pees and 2 poop if I remember correctly. I didn't think that was too bad but I like your record better! And there hasn't been any in a while.

Now watch her mess tonight.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

OMG, the memories are flooding back!

The one thing Kaiser made easy on us was his pottying. He had once accident in the house for pee and one for poop. The pee happened when we brought him home from the airport. We sat down in the laundry room with him so he could check us out and I had a giant water bowl for him LOL. It was also a glass bowl good thing the Dober slap wasn't happening just yet . So he drank and he peed! We then decided any drinking and he must immediately go outside, so we learned quick on that one. Any eating, playing, post nap (did he ever nap??), straight outside. He had one poop inside the house and what a story that was - he got his hands on a raw yam and was gnawing away at it while I was busy. Well, the poop that followed...was...enormous! A total sloppy pile, which he deposited in the laundry room and again no one was watching him, so we only found out when we smelled it The strange part was that I had never before bought yam and I've never bought it since, so that one yam was destined for Kaiser!

I clicked "funny" due to the yam story.

 

[Katyusharocket]

But aren't you working during the day out of the house? I've been working at home since we started our business back in 1977! I imagine trying to potty train a puppy when you're gone all day is pretty difficult.

indeed, I do work during the day and am out of the house. I might not have gotten Zastava, If I did not have the exceptional employer that I have, who understands that I need to follow a 3 hour rule to let the puppy out. So, now I go to work at 7:30, return home at 10:30 for a half hour at least, then return home again at 2:30 for another half hour at least, then home at 5 for the day.

I don't want to say that Zastava is completely horrible about this schedule (since I started to limit water for her). She has a big crate area for her size and hasn't wet it since water rationing, at least on our normal work day schedule.

Where we fall down is, for instance, when I get home and I need to mow the lawn. I let them all free in the house, with free water for all. 2 weeks back I went to mow for 15 minutes or less, and she had peed inside.

As I remembered Katyusha, by this age it was an accident inside fewer days than not. With Zastava, during the day, it's an accident more days than not, and sometimes multiple. She is, or perhaps, we are, seeing slow signs of improvement. I do know it can be 2 steps forward and one step back.

The first week or so is always a transition. She's trying to settle into a family that she doesn't know, and we are trying to feel her out for her needs too! Soon you fall into a little rhythm. When I adopted Kali I'll never forget taking her out to potty first thing in the morning. When I brought her in to feed her my husband says, "She's pooping!" LOL I rushed her back outside and ever since then her morning is like clockwork. Get up, go outside, pee, have breakfast, go outside, poop, and we're done!

I couldn't agree with this more or love it more. It's just taking a hot minute longer than a week for me to pick up on any routines with this one.

So I just taught her, "Go potty"

I have not tried this with verbal commands. Maybe I should try. I never had to with any other dog, but this one is not them either. I also have not used treats for going outside. Lots of praise and excited voice "good girl"s. If i bring treats outside with the other two out there, well, the situation quickly devolves.

I didn’t think I needed to wake her either since she was good at letting me know from the start when she had to go.

This is what I am looking for from Z. I haven't picked up on any signs from her that she needs to go out. Its like she's just doing normal things and then she will look straight at me and pop a squat and look me square in the eye as if to say: "this is the hill I'm choosing to die on"

we learned quick on that one.

indeed you did! There is something I'm not learning here with Z. I will be looking for it, have been, but nothing I can pick up on so far.

the brutal winter we had when he came home.

that winter straight up sucked out loud, even this far south in the northland.

I told my husband she probably should go out and I was busy with dinner. So he says, okay I'll do it, just let me butter this bun. No sooner he did that and she had peed on the floor in the kitchen. I said, I told ya! Mother knows best.

The first time that happened I thought, oh boy now she's going to be screaming. But she didn't. It's almost like she knows it's night time and time for bed.

I don't crate for night and I know many would never have it that way, I just like for Z to know that we all share this spot at night together. It's not for everyone, but she has never once messed the bed. She will wake me or slip away if need be and then come right back to bed, normally without shenanigans. I agree, they do know it's night and time to sleep.

My husband and I were trying to remember all the accidents

I used to be able to think this way. now I try to remember a day without an accident.
I was talking with a great friend and she reminded me that our brains don't typically spend energy on remembering things that didn't affect or change our lives, and this may be the case here. Maybe Katy was just as bad, but since it didn't alter my life, I just remember it better than it was.

I clicked "funny" due to the yam story.

as did I. I find it extra funny that no yams since the first!

 

[JanS]

I don't crate for night and I know many would never have it that way, I just like for Z to know that we all share this spot at night together. It's not for everyone, but she has never once messed the bed.

We haven't either with our last 3 since they sleep contentedly with us. Of course they're still crate trained but I love having the dogs in bed.

 

[Katyusharocket]

I also want to explain that I am not trying to demonize Z in any way. So she's maybe behind on potty training, but I have not once leashed her at home since April 24th, the day I brought her home (we live in the city on a 125' x 50' lot). Her recall is that awesome and it took 3 years plus to get Katyusha to that. I have the patience for this, as well as enough enzyme cleaner so it's gonna be okay. we can't all be great at everything, or all in the same way. That'd be boring.