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My Dog Won't Pee Outside
What should I do?
You should first establish a specific potty spot outside. Then it may be helpful to place some of your dog's poop and a towel you have used to clean up pee in that designated spot for him to sniff and see where you want him to do his chores. Another option is to purchase a Potty Rock.Take him to the spot where you want him to go potty. Tell him “go potty” or whatever command you wish to use every time, and keep him there until he goes - even if it takes 30 minutes of standing there. If he does not potty outside within 30 minutes or so, do not turn him loose in the house. Put him in his crate or designated area and try taking your dog outside again in 30 minutes. When he does potty outside, give lots of praise and take him for a walk or let him run loose or play for a while as a reward. Do not punish for undesirable behavior, but do reward the desired behavior.
If your dog won't stay in the area where you want him to potty, keep him on a leash, so you can physically keep him in the designated area. Don't allow him to roam unless he goes potty first.
If you are in a cold climate, try putting a warm sweater or coat on your dog to help make him more comfortable outside. Also, take him where the terrain is dry if possible - they often don't like wet grass. If you can go for a brisk walk first, that may help him to go quicker. Just like with humans, exercise helps to 'get things moving' for dogs.
Be consistent. Establish a potty schedule and stick to it, at least until your dog is thoroughly potty trained. It may take a few days for your dog to begin to comply, it will be well worth your time spent once he learns to potty outside.
Getting Puppy Used to a Leash
Assuming he is already used to a collar, it is time to teach puppy to walk with a leash. You can start this exercise with very young puppies. This is critical for your pup's safety so that he won't run out in the street or some other potentially dangerous place while you are walking him.
Try
getting your puppy used to the leash gradually. Don't hook him up
and immediately try to walk him as he will probably need to get used
to just having the leash there first. Instead, sit on the floor and
pet your puppy. Then very casually attach the leash and just let it
lay there with your pup as you keep petting him, as if the leash
isn't even there. Puppy will probably notice the leash and perhaps
even go ballistic over it at first – the idea is to gradually get
him used to it. Allow him to run around with the leash attached for
a few minutes (supervised so that he doesn't hurt himself). When he
is calm, disconnect the leash and praise the dog. Do this for a few
minutes, several times until he readily accepts the leash as his
friend. You can do this in a day, or stretch it over several days if
you like.
Once puppy consistently accepts the leash without a problem, you can teach him to walk with it.
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The Best Puppy Crate Training Aid
I would recommend the Kong Dog Toys to anyone who has a dog. These are very durable and will keep your dog entertained for quite a while. You can buy paste or treats made specifically for the Kong, or you can just smear some peanut butter or cheese from a can inside (make sure your dog is not allergic to whatever you use) and dogs just love the challenge of getting every last bit of goodies out of the toy. These are useful for puppy crate training, too. When you are putting puppy in the crate, put his Kong filled with goodies in the crate with him. That should be enough to keep his attention so that he won't even know you've left the room. My Gizmo is a really rough and tumble Boston Terrier, and it took him about 1 ½ years to wear out his first Classic Kong. So then I purchased the black, Extreme Kong and it is showing no sign of wearing out after 2 years. Most toys don't last for more than a couple of weeks with Gizmo.
Xtreme Kong 3' small
Stop Your Dog from Peeing Inside
If your dog is peeing inside the house, let's first look at some of the possible reasons. This may help to determine the best course of action. If he is already house trained, it could be either an accident or territory marking. See Dog territory marking – How to Stop it.
It may be an accident if your dog was left too long without an opportunity to go outside, or he may have eaten something unusual that altered his usual potty regimen. Or, it is possible that your dog has a bladder infection or is even incontinent if he is up in age. Your dog may even be reacting to a recent change in his life -new home, new furniture, new people, new pets, etc. Just remember that these accidents are not your dog's fault and may be isolated incidents. If you suspect a medical problem, be sure to take your dog to the veterinarian. If your dog is incontinent, doggie diapers are one viable solution.
To stop your dog from going potty in the house, begin by allowing him into only one room of your home. You can use baby gates or somehow cordon off that chosen area. Whenever you catch him peeing inside, clap or whistle or make some sort of loud noise to distract him, and quickly take him outside to finish. You may allow him into additional rooms (add one at a time) when he does not soil the area for at least 2 weeks. Once you do allow your dog into additional rooms, if he reverts to the undesirable potty behavior you should go back to one room only for a longer period of time (maybe 3 weeks).
For peeing after coming in from a walk, try keeping your dog outside longer. He may not have had time to finish. You may need to stay out for20 minutes to be sure the job is done.
Always give lots of positive reinforcement (praise, belly rubs, treats) when your dog does go potty outside - let him know you approve! Discipline just doesn't work well with dogs - they just don't understand it. Intervention, distraction and positive reinforcement works best.
Whenever he pees in the house, be sure to properly clean the soiled area. See 5 Essential Steps To Cleaning Dog Pee .
If your dog is not already house trained, please read this blog post forone good option: House train Your Dog the Easy Way!.
Whatever you do, be consistent. Dogs by nature want to please their humans,so it is up to you to give your canine companion every opportunity todo so.
6 Dangerous People Foods For Your Dog
Here is a list of foods you may not suspect, but may be very dangerous for your dog to ingest. If your dog has swallowed any of these, please contact your local Poison Control or a veterinarian to learn if you should take any action to ensure your dog's safety. Some of these foods can make your dog's stomach upset, cause vomiting or diarrhea and other symptoms – even death in rare cases.
Chocolate
Grapes or raisins
Chewing gum
Onions (raw or cooked)
Raw bread dough
Old or moldy foods
5 Essential Steps To Cleaning Dog Pee
While cleaning up is one of the less pleasant aspects of puppy housetraining, it is certainly a critical one if you hope to succeed. Many people assume they can simply wipe the puddles up with a towel and be done with it. Unfortunately that just isn't enough in most cases.
Dog pee clean up is not rocket science, but there are a few things you should know. You should not use ammonia based cleaners, as dogs are actually attracted to those as if you never cleaned the area at all. Be sure you clean the area larger than main spot, to be sure you get any tracked pee or poop from when your dog left the area. Those little wet paw prints are often overlooked. And, of course, all dogs are different. Some are much easier to housebreak than others.
To clean a carpeted area:
Pick up poop and blot pee with paper towels or rags
Sprinkle w/baking soda and let sit just a few minutes
Vacuum
Neutralize
Repel if needed
To clean solid flooring:
Pick up poop and blot pee with paper towels or rags
Wipe clean using a clean mop, sponge or rags with a non-ammonia based cleaner
Wipe clean AGAIN with a fresh mop, sponge or rags and fresh cleaning solution (not the bucket you rinsed the first round in.
Neutralize
Repel if needed
To neutralize the area, you may use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water (spray and blot) or you may purchase a neutralizer from a pet store. You may need to repeat this step if your dog keeps going back to spots you have already neutralized. You may use a black-fluorescent light to see urine spots that you can't see with the naked eye if you think there are old spots you have missed. Be sure to clean and neutralize all previously soiled areas you may have missed, if your dog just seems to be going pee all over the house.
X-O Plus Odor Neutralizer and CleanerIf your dog still goes back to pee in that spot, you may need to add step 5 (repel) to your arsenol. You may use a pungent perfume or air freshener as a repellent. Dogs have a very keen sense of smell, and often dislike those fragrances. My Boston Terrier won't even sit in my lap if I put my favorite fragrant lotion on my hands. You may otherwise wish to purchase a dog repellent from a pet store.
If you diligently follow these instructions, your dog should have no reason to keep going back to those same spots to pee or poop.
Stop a Crying Puppy
Initially, most new puppies will cry or whine, particularly at night. When handled well, this behavior will cease after a few nights. Here is what to do:
Place an article of your clothing that you have worn (like a t-shirt) in bed with puppy and have a ticking clock or soft music nearby. Be sure he has a comfortable, cozy bed to sleep in, but not with you (at least not until he is past the puppy and house training phase).
No food, water or napping for puppy 2 hours before his bedtime.
Just before bedtime, play and wear puppy out then take puppy out to potty.
Puppy should sleep in a crate or in a safe, barricaded area so he cannot wander or get into trouble while you sleep. Your puppy will probably cry the first few nights, but as long as you know nothing is wrong, do not acknowledge puppy nor tell him to be quiet. He is looking for attention, and if you give it to him he will continue to cry thinking you do it every time. Just ignore him.
You may wish to get up and let puppy out once or twice during the night in the beginning. This may help to avoid any potty messes during the night, since most pups cannot hold it for more than a few hours. Do not go to puppy when he is crying, only when he is quiet (positive reinforcement). Then go to take him outside to potty.
Be consistent and patient! The crying is temporary if your puppy doesn't get the desired attention when he does it.
Keep Bugs Away from your Dog's Food and Water Bowls
Are those pesky insects invading your dog's feeding area? Place her food and water bowls each inside a larger bowl with some water in the larger bowl, creating a moat around the smaller bowl. This will prevent most crawling bugs from getting into the smaller bowls, containing your dog's food and water.
