# Need Help with Peeing Pup



## ChanelsDaddy (Feb 24, 2009)

(I posted this on the puppy page, but as a sign of my desperation I am copying it under training too!)

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. We got our little female Chanel on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb 1). She was born Nov 11, so she is now 15 1/2 weeks old. Two days later, the vet told us she had a UTI and bladder infection - we've been on antibiotics ever since (today is the last day!). Her pee checked out normal yesterday.

At the start, the puppy peed every 15-20 minutes. Never asked to go out. We chalked this up to the infection, and grinned and cleaned the floor. Constantly. She is crated or confined to a small area in our family room near an outside glass door. For the last week Chanel has slept through the night from 10:00 to 6:30 and wakes up with a dry crate. When awake, however, she still pees every 1/2 hour or so. Sometimes she will sit near the door, other times sniff around till I get the message, other times (twice last night) just pee on the floor when the urge strikes. Today, we got up and peed and pooped at 6:30, ate, peed at 7:30, then peed and pooped at 8:00, and now at 8:15 we're taking a nap.

The vet feels that it is either a weak sphincter muscle or a training problem, and has given us cystolamine pills to give her. Any other ideas / suggestions? We're rapidly approaching the end of the rope - it's still winter in PA and going out with a puppy every 1/2 hour is killing us. Figuring we stay out for 10-15 minutes or so in the 10 degree weather, we are hurting. Especially when I am led to believe that she should be able to hold it for a couple of hours at least.

This is our second golden (first died from bone cancer last year), and our third dog. None of the others has been like this. Yes, I praise to high heaven every time she pees or poops outside. Yes, I scream NO when I catch her in the act inside and immediately carry her out. Any ideas?

P.S. We also started her on cranberry pills, which we understand will help prevent another infection.

P.P.S. We have been limiting the water a bit during the days and after 7:30 at night. Otherwise she drinks bowls of it and pees in her sleep.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I think the advice you got on the puppy section was spot on - keep doing what you're doing.

When I potty trained Flora (who is now 14 weeks) I actually set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes. Every time it went off, I took her out, gave her 3 minutes, and if she didn't pee, I brought her back in and set the timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes passed, I took her out to pee. If she peed... great! I praised her, came inside, and set the time for 30 minutes and started the whole charade over.

Flora has been potty trained for about a month now - I think she's had maybe 3 accidents in the last 4 weeks, and all of them were my fault. She now will ALWAYS whine when she has to go potty - even when we're on walks, which is sort of silly.

Anyways, just keep being consistent, praise her, throw parties when she pees outside, and eventually she'll get it.

Also, another tip - my breeder suggested putting my pup's nose near the door I take her through to go outside and say, "Go outside!" several times. Now when I say "go outside?" Flora usually makes a beeline for our sunroom door to go outside.

Good luck!  Puppies can be very trying, but they're worth it.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

You need to allow her enough water to keep her bladder cleaned out so bacteria can't set in again. 
If she pees in her sleep, maybe it is physical....

Please be patient with her. She has been through so much. I think you have received good advice.


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## ChanelsDaddy (Feb 24, 2009)

*kdmarsh*

Thanks for the support. I tried to PM back, but I guess I am too "new" and the system won't let me!


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

In the beginning potty training isn't about training the puppy it is about training us.
Every time the puppy has the opportunity to potty in an inappropriate area it is reinforcements for bad habits. Unfortunately, you have had a pup with a physical problem that has caused her to have many accidents in inappropriate areas. It will take time and consistency of not letting her have an accident to over come this. From your post she needs to go out about every thirty minutes during the day time as this has become a habit for her to go. You and your family must be very consistent and take her out every thirty minutes during the day to make sure that she doesn't have the opportunity to have an accident and be reinforced in her problem habit. After you and your family are consistent for an amount of time... possibly a few days to a week then move on to add more minutes between potty breaks possibly 10 to 15 minutes then again be consistent for a few days to a week and as long as she doesn't have the chance to have an accident keep upping the time. On top of every thirty minutes we have to also take into an account of the puppys activities. Excitement/play can cause a puppy to need to eliminate, eating can cause a puppy to eliminate, before and after nap a puppy may need to eliminate so if during a thirty minute time frame your puppy gets to play you need to readjust your time and take her out then and then restart the 30 minutes along with eating and sleeping readjusting the time. Getting a small puppy changes our life styles to some degree. 
Also with small pups it really is important to go out with them every time and praise immediately after they go. Possibly even use small treats after as an additional reinforcer. 
I wish you lots of luck with your new puppy. They are time consuming and lots of work but so worth it.


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