# potty training gone bad =(



## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

This is our Ruffo by the way!


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

He is not going to associate being put back in the crate with 'breaking' house training. Sometimes puppies regress in their housetraining, truly nothing to get upset about.Try not to get upset about it, stop the 'yelling at him' it will just make him upset, and solve nothing. 'Restart' your house training, put him on leash when releasing him from the crate, quickly take him directly outside, happily encourage him to 'move along' quickly with you, (don't pull on the leash), and reward for success. At other times make sure you are going out with him, not just letting him out, so that you can be there to praise and reward for success, immediately when he gets it 'right', every time for the next while.
Hang in there - he will get it.


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I agree with charliethree sometimes you get pushed a step back. It took my boy 7 months for me to say he is finally getting the hang of it. He hasn't had an accident in a while. Are you using something like natures miracle to get rid of the scent in the kitchen. If not he may still smell that spot as being a potty place and that's why he continues to go. 

Start back at square one and if he does go potty in the house don't put him in his crate he wont understand why.


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## HolDaisy (Jan 10, 2012)

It sounds like you're doing everything right, he's just had a little set back. The only advice I would give is not to shout when he pees by the door, don't say a word just put the leash on and take him outside. Sometimes by going 'no,no' they associate it that they're getting yelled at for peeing, not for going in the wrong spot. Give it a go and just keep at it. Our boy is 13 weeks old and we're housetraining currently too so know how frustrating it can get. Ruffo is absolutely adorable by the way! He'll get the idea of it soon


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## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

Thank you for your quick responses! =)

I tried going out with him on a leash, but he doesn't seem to want to go potty that way, he will if I take it off. I don't always go with him, in fact, since he was doing so well I haven't gone with him for a while. I would open the door as soon as he was done and reward him then and let him in. So I will go back to going outside and reward him as soon as he goes. 

Will also try to take it easy and not yell, I always yell: NO NO! Thought he should associate the word with what I don't want him to do? Maybe just say it calmly?

I live in Spain, and haven't found "nature's miracle" so I have been using white vinegar after I clean the spots where he has peed.

Thanks again!! We will let you know if we have any progress.


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## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

Hi HolDaisy! Just read your response. Thank you too for the advice! I do get frustrated because I thought I was doing something wrong or wasn't understanding him. :uhoh:

Your dogs are beautiful as well! Good luck to you also with the house-training!!


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

If you catch him 'in the act', interupt with a hand clap or a firm 'ack', not loud but 'firm'.The goal is to have him stop peeing, so that you can get him outside to finish, so that you can reward him (teaching him what you want him to do). The word 'No' often automatically comes out louder and more forcefully than the situation warrants and can just serve to scare a pup- I save it for 'emergencies' only.
We sometimes we stop rewarding good behavior too soon, we think our dog has 'got it' when they are really just 'learning' it. Reinforcing good behavior with treats, praise or 'life rewards' is a good lifetime habit to get into.
When a pup is 'let out' to pee, then is rewarded when he comes back to the door - he is 'actually' being rewarded for returning to the door, not for doing his business outside - that is why we need to 'be there' to reward as soon as the 'job is done'.


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## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

Thank you Charliethree, this is great advice. =)

We do reward him and have always believed in positive reinforcement. I guess we weren't emphasising enough with the potty training anymore, we thought he had the hang of it too soon. We will keep it up.

We usually take him over my parents house, what should we do for him not to pee at other houses? Have never read about this, so we keep him in an enclosed area while we are there.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Are you using something like nature's miracle to clean up the mess? You really need to get all the smell out and an enzymatic cleaner is the way to do that.


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## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

*I live in Spain, and haven't found "nature's miracle" around here, so I have been using white vinegar after I clean the spots where he has peed.*


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

ruffo♥;2331738 said:


> Thank you Charliethree, this is great advice. =)
> 
> We do reward him and have always believed in positive reinforcement. I guess we weren't emphasising enough with the potty training anymore, we thought he had the hang of it too soon. We will keep it up.
> 
> We usually take him over my parents house, what should we do for him not to pee at other houses? Have never read about this, so we keep him in an enclosed area while we are there.


Keeping him in an enclosed space or even on leash will limit the opportunities he has to have an 'accident'. Just take him out often, and give him a chance to go, reward him when he does - just like at home.


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## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

Hi again! 

So we've been sticking to taking him outside by the leash, praising him and giving him a prize right after he goes (he won't go with the leash on, so I take it off and he will). He will try to stop walking on his way to the door so I just keep walking because if I let him stop he will pee. We have been successful in our attempts everytime except for once.

This i what happened and what we don't understand. We have a store, we take him there sometimes and keep him in an enclosed area and take him outside every other hour. When we come home he won't pee on the way, we even wait outside the house, walk him, and tell him to go but he will hold it. It's as if he's to entertained. As we go inside, on the leash, and walk past the front door he relieves himself on the spot, didn't even make it to the kitchen this time. This is what he has been doing this past week everytime we came home from the store. He usually makes it to the kitchen or to the garden door and then pees.

Why does he hold it instead of going before we go inside? We aren't able to understand it, and it makes it difficult for us to know what to do after. This time we didn't yell, right after he went we took him directly outside, but he has nothing left to do there... What's our next step?

Thank you all so much, we are a little lost.


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## princess heidi (Jan 10, 2013)

I'm glad u posted again, I look forward to what a resp would be


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## ruffo♥ (Mar 11, 2013)

me too! =)

But I know it might be too much to ask for... It seems impossible to figure out their behavior.


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