potty training questions...

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bdg0221

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Shep is a little over 4 months and is hasn't had an accident in 4-5 days so progress but I had to limit access in the house though because he was peeing on my rug in the living room (like all the time). Literally he will go out to pee and then come in and pee just a little on the rug. I feel bad he is confined to the kitchen/dining room for most of his day-any advice? Now that he knows his bell should I allow him in living room?

He also has learned to ring his potty bell (in the last week really has gotten it) so know he rings it A LOT. For example, this morning he went out 6 times in 2 hours. Sometimes he peed/pooped but sometimes he wanted to play. Should I take him out every time he rings it or is it ok to ignore some like if he JUST came in?

He is so smart too-I think he wants in the living room or attention from us so as soon as we sit down he will ring that bell :).
 
Oberon, now 2, rings his bell for all kinds of purposes other than potty time. At first we took him out every time he rang, but then we realized that if he had just been out, he might want something else. So we started playing with him, or making sure his water bowl was full, or putting him on the bed (this was before he learned he could jump on it himself). So if you're absolutely sure he doesn't have to go, you might try something else -- but keep a real close eye on him and if he starts sniffing around or looks like he's getting ready to pee, take him out right away.
 
I remember when Minnie was so young, some time she demanded to go out 3-5 occasions during of an hour - the first times I thought it was silly, but every time she had to do business.

We must just remember that a puppy can not completely control its affairs until about 6 months.

I think you must take your blanket away - clean it - and put it on when he gets a little bigger.

He needs to be with you / in the same room as you when you are at home - you are his pack.

He is smart as a Sheltie - but after all, only 4 months

I would not ignore when he rings.

I read the link more times when i got Minnie - so my favorite link again
http://sheltieforums.com/threads/are-shelties-for-everyone.22964/
 
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Hanne is right. Four months is very young. I had a terrible time with Phoebe. I can't say that she was completely potty trained until she was nine months old. Before then if she was busy playing, she found it easier to go on the carpet than to take time out to go outside. If it was raining outside???? Forget about it! Be patient. Although they are smart, they are also easily distracted and will have to go out more often than not.
 
Right now we have been really trying to take him out every time he rings the bell, I have ignored one or two rings just because it was literally right after we walked back in and he peed and pooped. He really doesn't have any accidents when he is restricted to kitchen/dining room. Only in the living room on the rug will he look at us and then go - almost no warning and usually has been out. We mostly hang out and do dinner, homework, clean kitchen, etc. with him during the evening time. I have been allowing him access to living room as long as he settles down on couch with us when we have tv time at night. He is a really good puppy actually aside from the peeing on the rug and the occasional nipping :). I just wish I could give him full access to the downstairs but I will remember to be patient! Its been kind of a pain having to help my small kids over/around baby gates. Thanks!
 
I have cats, so we can't use a bell. I think it would useful. And I know that Cooper and the Belles could learn to use it. But I also know that my cats can be jerks and they would ring the bell just to jerk with us.
 
As Hanne mentioned, a puppy doesn't have control over elimination muscles until 6 months of age. So a good spell before then is more a happy accident than absolute training. However, most young puppies can keep their crates dry overnight from 12 weeks on. But once awake, your puppy will need to go out frequently as you've found, but still may not be empty. As long as you monitor "free time" closely you're OK, but accidents will happen.

Most of us have also found that around that 6-month period just when you think puppy is totally trained, there's a regression that happens sometimes for a week or so. I think they just want to keep us on our toes. It doesn't mean they aren't trained, but expect a period when you'll have to reinforce positive behavior with treats again.

I love the idea of the bell. I've tried it with several puppies but generally had the same experience as Mimiretz...they found it was such fun to bring me running that they'd ring it every five minutes just because! Lots of people have great success with it though.
 
Ann said:
As Hanne mentioned, a puppy doesn't have control over elimination muscles until 6 months of age. So a good spell before then is more a happy accident than absolute training. However, most young puppies can keep their crates dry overnight from 12 weeks on. But once awake, your puppy will need to go out frequently as you've found, but still may not be empty. As long as you monitor "free time" closely you're OK, but accidents will happen.

Most of us have also found that around that 6-month period just when you think puppy is totally trained, there's a regression that happens sometimes for a week or so. I think they just want to keep us on our toes. It doesn't mean they aren't trained, but expect a period when you'll have to reinforce positive behavior with treats again.

I love the idea of the bell. I've tried it with several puppies but generally had the same experience as Mimiretz...they found it was such fun to bring me running that they'd ring it every five minutes just because! Lots of people have great success with it though.
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Ann -- don't get me wrong, Oberon is completely bell trained; it was more a matter that we had to learn what each bell ringing meant! He now rings his bells almost exclusively just to go out, although occasionally it also means "You're late in feeding me dinner" or "there's something going on outside, why aren't you letting me go see what it is?" In the early days it was kind of like learning to interpret a baby's cries; is he hungry? wet? over-tired? Now that we understand that heavy ringing is "I need to go out now", gentle bumping is, "there's something I need to investigate" and sending the bells completely around the doorknob (and possibly flying off) is, "Hey, idiots, I'm hungry - you're 2 minutes late in feeding me, I'm on the verge of starvation here, FEED ME NOW!!!!" we're okay.
 
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