# At what age was your puppy housebroken?



## Everything's Golden (Nov 1, 2010)

Like most first time puppy owners, I'm freaking out about when the fear of finding pee and poo in my house will finally end.
She was doing so great the first couple weeks and now it seems like she is taking steps backwards. I do blame myself for giving her too much freedom in the house.
For the first few weeks she would go to door when she needed out. I thought we were the luckiest owners ever. She only had one poo in the house in the first 2 1/2 weeks. Now she has had two in the last two days. Today, I was in the kitchen cleaning with her playing with toys in the livingroom and go to discover a poo down the hall! I didn't even see her leave the area. 
So, now she isn't even going to the door or giving signals.
What exactly should I be doing?


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

She's really, really young...Tess only started to give signals when she was 11 weeks and was completely housebroken by 13 weeks, and even then I watched her like a hawk, because I didn't believe it. Watch her really well, I'm sure she does something that shows she needs to go, like walking around like searching, a look on her face...And praise her skyhigh when she and you find the clue!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I'm going to be bad and quote our breeder.... 

All puppies should be pottytrained before being brought home. <- I did not believe him, until I saw our 9 week old puppy going to the back door and squeaking to go out. 

That did not mean he was housebroken or reliable. 

If we did not catch his squeaks or if he was having a UTI, then accidents were likely to happen. <- When he had his UTI/Bladder infection the first time (I think he was four months), he would leave a trail of pee-drips all the way to the door, because he just couldn't hold it. 

He was officially housebroken (reliable + not going out so often) when he was 5 months old.

*** One thing I should say, our golden was given freedom throughout the house too. But he was not left to alone in any rooms other than the bedroom where he slept. Chalk that up to experience, but I've found that puppies try to hide the poop. They won't poop in the house with you right there. So with our previous guys who did have a housetraining problem, we had one golden who would run to the far back rooms to poop in the walk in closets or behind the beds. That's why my mom called him the puppy from hell.


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

Joey had a pee accident at 5months, soo its so hard to say. Now at 7 months he hasent had an accident since then and he barks every time he has to potty. 2 1/2 months is wayyyy to young to be considered potty trained. I thought Joey was potty trained at 3 months when he hadn't had an accident in weeks, but that one time were your in the washroom yourself and you hear the woof and then come back to a puddle.


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## Everything's Golden (Nov 1, 2010)

True! Thanks guys. I know I just need to relax and realize that she will be fully trained someday and it is unrealistic to believe it will be anytime soon. 

Man, that would have been great if her breeder had potty trained them.


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

ENJOY the young puppyness, they grow up way to fasttt <3 Joey only at 7months is more like an adult now. I miss him at that age!<3


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## Limerick Main (Sep 17, 2010)

I'd say limerick at 4 months has been fully house trained for about 3 weeks or so, but he has problems at other peoples houses. It might be because of excitement, confusion or because he doesn't know where the door is. He seems to love to poop on my in laws rug.


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## MittaBear (Mar 9, 2010)

She's still young and her bladder can't hold it that long. It sounds like she's doing good so far, so keep doing what you're doing.

It was difficult for us the first 2 weeks because we didn't realize how often Chester would have to go! He seemed to have at least one accident in the house a day. By the time he was 10 weeks, he had already learned to go to the door when he had to go out. But he still wasn't perfectly house trained. I would say for the next month or so, he was great at our house, but he would still have accidents at my parents house for some reason. It probably wasn't until closer to 4 months when he stopped having accidents inside.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

At that age I never gave my puppies a chance to tell me they had to go outside. 

I just kept up with the rule of whenever activity changes, take them outside. After they wake up, after they eat/drink, after they play. If they did not go to the bathroom outside, then I would leash them to me and bring them out every 5 - 10 minutes. (And yes, sometimes they will go a couple hours without going, and then have to pee 4 times in the next hour - it can get pretty exhausting. )

Brady had his last accident at about 14 weeks. MacKenzie was a little later. Then, she went backwards due to UTI, but he last accident was at about 8 - 9 months old. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.


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## Adriennelane (Feb 13, 2008)

Lucy had one or two accidents at three months and was totally by four. Dory took a little longer because we got started later on her. Also, we had to teach her that the fireplace wasn't a doggy door.


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## The Magic of Macy (Oct 7, 2010)

Macy hasn't had an accident in our house since the first week we had her! She is now 21 weeks old, and while visiting my parents house this past weekend, she peed once and pooped twice on the carpet!!!  (my house does not have any carpet so macy is not used to it) BUT STILL!! I was so shocked because she gave no signals or anything! I think we just have to wait until they are a bit older to really know if they are housebroken or not. I will just have to watch her like a hawk while Im at anyone else's house.


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## West (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm ashamed to say that Cooper was really realiable at six months. I know, that's late and I should have managed it better but Coop is my first dog and we leave in an apartment, so he has to go for a walk or to the park, not "outside".

And I'm more ashamed to say that yesterday he had an accident... on the sofa!


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Pretty much by 12 or 13 weeks Hank was letting us know he needed to go out or held it for a hour or two. He was still gated in the laundry room and crated at night until he was much older.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

I would suggest cutting down on her freedom, and increasing the potty times so she's getting out more often. If you take her out till she pees/poops (you should know when she usually goes) and only then come back in, she'll learn what she's supposed to do out there and do it or try usually. 

Either put up a baby gate so she doesn't have the option to take off and go, or watch her like a hawk and the second she heads off, take her outside. Assume taking off is her cue that she has to go...

Lana


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## RaeRae1706 (Nov 4, 2010)

West~ Don't feel bad! Luna was not reliable until 7 months, I too lived in an apartment.

Fortunately, I got very lucky with Sunny. Due to no effort of my own, he is potty trained. The first day we got him Luna growled and nibbled him when he squatted to pee. She walked out the dog door, and he followed. He has not had an accident since. 

We are going to my parents tomorrow though, but I am bringing the dog door (it is a pop-in glass door insert). Hopefully he will recognize his own door and sue it, though I know I will have to watch him. I think he will get it though, because as a puppy Luna would pee all over Petsmart even if she went right before going in. Sunny has never had an accident in a store or anything. I hope it stays that way!


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Last accident was at 12 weeks. We too live in an apartment but I just took him out a lot. He didn't start signalling though until he was about 16 weeks (he just sits and stares at us - I know, weird).


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

jackie_hubert said:


> Last accident was at 12 weeks. We too live in an apartment but I just took him out a lot. He didn't start signalling though until he was about 16 weeks (he just sits and stares at us - I know, weird).


You are supposed to know what he is thinking - didn't you know that? :doh:


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

Molson came home to us at 3½ months old and it was probably 5 months until he was potty trained, although he did still have the occasional accident when he we were visiting a new place until about 7 months.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

cubbysan said:


> At that age I never gave my puppies a chance to tell me they had to go outside.
> 
> I just kept up with the rule of whenever activity changes, take them outside. After they wake up, after they eat/drink, after they play. If they did not go to the bathroom outside, then I would leash them to me and bring them out every 5 - 10 minutes. (And yes, sometimes they will go a couple hours without going, and then have to pee 4 times in the next hour - it can get pretty exhausting. )
> 
> Brady had his last accident at about 14 weeks. MacKenzie was a little later. Then, she went backwards due to UTI, but he last accident was at about 8 - 9 months old. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.


I agree with this. Sasha seemed off to a great start, going to the door almost right away then he started having"accidents" because WE weren't paying attention. So we started over and took him out after everything: food, naps, play etc. 
He is 16 weeks today and hasn't gone in the house for a few weeks now but that doesn't mean if we ignored him going to the door , he wouldn't go in the house.
He seems to have to go alot and drinks alot of water but as long as he goes to the door, we let him out.
He has gone all night since the 2nd night we brought him home at 8 weeks.
Hang in there.. he'll get it.


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## katelyn29 (Jul 21, 2010)

Yes I wouldn't stress about it. Her time will come. Just make sure you keep a close eye on her. It's hard to tell if they are housebroken when they are that young because they can't hold their bladder that long. Dakota, our oldest dog, took a while to housebreak. We did it just by watching him like a hawk and taking him out every couple of hours. Once we installed a doggie door it was cake. Our now 6 month old Sierra only had a few accidents in the house, until she figured out how to use the doggie door after that it was cake again. Sooo easy with a doggie door! I wouldn't do it any other way.


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## lovemydoggiesx2 (Sep 5, 2010)

I just posted a thread on this today. I have 2 pups that will be 5 months old next week, and are still going in the house...I wish I could tell you when it ends....but I am trying to find that out myself.

Good luck!


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## tp1999 (Nov 9, 2010)

our 10 week old is nowhere near trained yet. Our house doesn't have the best layout for dogs and we're looking to move in the coming months. In order to get to our yard, our pups need to walk down a flight of stairs, so I've been carrying the little one several times a day. I reward him with praise and treats when he goes outside but he's not getting outside vs inside yet.


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## golden_daisy (Aug 10, 2010)

Daisy, who just a week shy of 6 months old, is finally reliable not only in our home but in other places as well. She demonstrated this last weekend (at my parents' house) and then again last night (at my in-laws). She was shown once both times where the "potty door" was and after that she went to the door and barked and/or scratched to go out. We're realizing that she is finally growing up a little, only in enough time for us to head into the teenager stage. :/ 

Hang in there and be consistent! They get it eventually!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Every dog is different--Scout had very few accidents and was pretty reliable within the first 2-3 weeks of being home, and had her last one at 12 weeks old. After the first day she always slept all night in the crate too--she has a strong bladder.


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

I think Jaro was about 4 months when he stopped having accidents in the house but I am not sure. I know he went two weeks without one, then one day had a pee accident, and that was the last one. But I was always watching him and taking him out. I suggest you tie your pup to you so he can't get too far away while you are house training.


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## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

I remember thinking, "I'll have Maggie house trained in no time." No way did that really happen. It took awhile. Some days were good, others were better. The worst were when I had to work the weekend and relied on my family to focus on her as much as I did. She always had more accidents when I wasn't around. Maybe 4 - 5 months, somewhere around there for total no-accident-in-the-house.


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## goldyjlox (Jun 27, 2010)

Samson is 11 weeks and pees in the house still, he is getting better but I have to really watch him and as soon as he starts sniffing or drinking too much, out he goes. so I know how you feel, hopefuly it gets better soon....for all of us.


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## Everything's Golden (Nov 1, 2010)

Thanks everyone! I would love to have a doggy door! Our backdoor is glass though, and not a sliding door. We live on a military post, so we rent of course, otherwise I would install a new door with a doggy door in a second.


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## RaeRae1706 (Nov 4, 2010)

I don't know what you will think of this idea, but perhaps you could buy another door, and put a dog door in it while putting the one that belongs on the house in a safe place. Then when you move, you can just replace the door again. If craigslist is popular in your area, you will probably be able to find a door with a dog door already in it  Good luck!


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## MilosMommy (May 24, 2010)

I think I got really lucky with Milo, he was fully housebroken at 4 months old and that is when he got his freedom at night to sleep in our room. We did not crate him.. just gated him in the kitchen at night/when we weren't home and he never ever ever ever had an accident in the kitchen at night or while we weren't home. AND he has never ever ever ever pooped in the house. Ever. Not even when he was 8 weeks old. We got lucky!

*knocking on wood now*


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## Lydia Tomson (Nov 28, 2010)

My puppy is almost 14 months old and she still isn't reliable,and we got her at 2 months so don't feel bad! We're first time owners too. Sometimes when your house is almost all carpet no matter how hard you scrub your pup will always smell the pee stain. That's our problem, she still smells previous pee stains. But anyway, I'm determined.


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## Abby (Aug 17, 2010)

let me think...
hmm, I'll have to get back to you when that day comes


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