# Puppy Still Having Accidents



## Golden Neely (Sep 23, 2010)

We have a 14 week old golden retriever puppy and we have come to a cross roads in his training. When we take him outside, he does very well peeing and pooping and we keep him on a consistent schedule to ensure his potty breaks are regular. But from time to time he is still peeing in the house. He knows enough to relieve himself when we go outside for walks, but still does not 'tell' us that he needs to go pee. Instead, he just goes where he is. He never has an accident in his crate and he never has one in the kitchen, it's just when he runs around the living room. Any suggestions on how to bridge the gap to solidify his house training? Is it a question of the availability of water? Too much? Too often?
Thanks for your help!


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Take him out more often, don't expect him to tell you he has to go. That's a bit much for a baby. Set a timer and keep it in your pocket, set it for every 20 minutes, take him out to pee. If he goes before that time, make it every 15. If he's having good sucess with it, make it 25 and so on. 

Personally I don't worry about my dogs telling me they need to go out, I just boot them all out for a while several times a day. I find a lot of dogs trained to ask will ask, not get heard or noticed and then pee by the door or something anyway. Or they get into the 'lets go out every five minutes and back in again' routine, or claw up the doors inside and out. I'd rather they learn they'll get out fairly often and come in when I'm ready for them, my house, my rules. If you want to teach them to ask go ahead, but don't put that on a young puppy to remember all of that just yet. Set a timer and take out more often, clean the living room with vinegar and if he goes from the kitchen to living room suddenly, call him and go outside. 

Lana


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## GoldieGirl28 (May 26, 2010)

One technique that I heard about (although I do not use it) is to hang a bell at the door (down near his eye level). Every time you take him out, take his paw and make him ring the bell, then take him out and have him go potty. That way, he knows that ringing the bell signals going out... just some food for thought.

Another option would be taking him out after x amount of minutes running around the living room? 

Hope it gets better!!!


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

Clean the floor or carpet where he is going with an enzyme cleaner like Natures Miracle or water and white vinegar--saturate deeply if you have carpet. The order tells him to go there.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

If most of his accidents are coming after running, playing, being excited this is totally normal. You will need to step in BEFORE he is done with his excitement and take him out. When they are young and not yet "telling" us when they need to go out, I stop them every 10 minutes of playing time to go out. Rarely will they not go.

Good luck!! :wavey:


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Cosmo didn't learn to tell us until he was about 4.5 months and then it was really subtle (sitting in front of you starring). Running around induces peeing and that is usually what got us. 

Also you mention peeing on his walks. Try taking him outside to potty simply to do just that, go potty. Give the potty command, praise, go inside immediately. For us it's like a 30 second deal and he knows he has to go immediately because i just stand still and don't let him explore. Helped us a lot to teach him which particular activity is the potty activity.


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## MittaBear (Mar 9, 2010)

He's still very young and prone to accidents. They definitely have to pee more when they're playing. When Chester would run around and play with my parents dogs, he would literally stop and pee every 10 minutes. So especially if he's playing, stop and take him outside often.

Also, make sure to clean up the areas where he's peed in the house with vinegar. Otherwise, he'll continue to sniff out those spots and think that those spots are ok.


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## Alfie's Girl (May 6, 2010)

My boy is 5 months and had an accident in the night last week!!!! Your pup is still very young - keep taking him out regularly and he'll get the idea in the end!


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

14weeks is way to young to be considered potty trained. Joey had his (i think) one last accident at 4.5 months aswell. at 14 weeks their still so young!


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## Maya's_Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Maya is 5 months and had an accident a couple weeks ago! it was an 'emergency pee'. We had been playing and running around inside, and then we stopped and then that's when she did it. It's almost like they get so wrapped up in playing they forget to listen to their bladders.... until it's too late 

As *soon* as you finish playing, take the wee one outside for a potty break. I used to take Maya out every half hour or so. I used to think to myself "she is never going to get this!!" Give it time (and LOTS of patience!) He'll get it eventually.


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