Potty Training in Crate?

**luvhavinbgtwins** · 30th April 2009, 10:03 PM

Ok I hope this is the thread I need to post this in....

has anyone done the Crate training where you leave them in there crate for XXX amount of days and just out to go potty, eat, out for walk...

If you how long did you do it..did it work??

I am trying to get Rex off the every hour to go out...He can hold it 7 hours at night but need to go out every hour during the day and even if its just for a tiny bit...and twice this week when my hubby was home he would just look up and go near him.....dont know why he doesnt have any accidents when I am just home w/him...but I also take him out alot also...He goes out and does his business fast and he knows exactly what he needs to do and do it....and when I get all excited and ask if he needs to go outside he walks w/me all excited to the door and we walk out together and he goes.

I know he can hold it but I dont know what to do from there..besides and asking and taking out every hour...I limit water etc. He sure know what he needs to do.....any advise...I know he is young still but I need advise on what to do...how to start to get him to hold it during the day and to get to the door sit at the door or something.....it just seems like when he does have an accident....he doesnt want to go outside to go the next time so I have to take him out then the next time after that he is fine again..so it seems he knows he did a NO NO.....any advise????

Thanks so much..

**Karlin** · 30th April 2009, 10:43 PM

where you leave them in there crate for XXX amount of days and just out to go potty, eat, out for walk...

This isn't how you crate train -- you don;t want to leave a dog in a crate all day, every day and only take them out for walks and potty. Did you download Dr Ian Dunbar's book? It has great advice on create training or using an exercise pen.

One very important note: you should NEVER limit water during the day, ever. The only OK thing to do is to stop access to water for an hour or two before bedtime for young dogs UNLESS they play vigorously and need water.

He is only a baby and needs people to take him out -- he cannot be left to decide at this young age whether he needs to go out, Once an hour is too frequent -- basically you are training him to have to go every hour whether outside or in.

I think you are maybe also expecting too much from a small pup. Mistakes are normal. And one of the reasons you are having them is contained right here:

and twice this week when my hubby was home he would just look up and go near him.

The problem is that he is being giving freedom to roam around. He shouldn;t be far enough away to go, and the correct response is simply to have him within arm's reach, pick him up and take him outside to finish then praise. Don;t yell at him or scold him. . Your puppy is only looking at him because he is there -- it doesn't 'mean' anything.

I strongly suggest using Dr Dunbar's advice.

**Karlin** · 30th April 2009, 10:47 PM

More on housetraining/crate training:

http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?t=11857

**luvhavinbgtwins** · 30th April 2009, 11:06 PM

Thanks I have tried to read alot of it..still reading....as far as watching him he is always right near me or my husband at all times..he is never out of site...but I dont know why he has done that w/my hubby...

That said what do I do about not train him to go out every hour..that is my main ?...I have never put him in his crate to do that yet..I have just read in many things that is what others do ...trainers are saying 3 days...some saying 2 weeks and I dont beleive that at all that is why I am asking...I am trying right now to read more...I think I am going to read over that part again...I think I was missing something...I just dont want him to train to go out that much and I dont know how to go from there..I know every dog/puppy is differ. but I just seen to be at a lost...its just hard at this moment taking him everywhere all day and chase my 5 yr old twins....I know that is not an excuse but its just been crazy chasing 3 little ones around allday and talking him out so often....I need to get him to atleast every 2 hours...and then what do I do...he doesnt really follow me so I call him all day long when I have to get things done...O dont know its just been a LONG DAY today....

**luvhavinbgtwins** · 30th April 2009, 11:08 PM

Should I make a chart or something also????

**FlaresofChardonnay** · 1st May 2009, 05:29 AM

Chardonnay was horrible to train. She understood the idea of not going in the crate but not going outside the crate seemed to be way beyond her grasp. It took about an extra year to get her to understand "house" training. Granted, I did get her from a shelter when she was six months old and I didn't get to start from scratch.

However, on my other dog (A black lab/german shepherd mix), crate training was near perfect. I can't even remember if he had an accident in the house. Of course, I never left him in the crate for all day, usually we'd leave him in the backyard during the day or when he was really small, in the bathroom or so and then practice crate training at night. Like, literally getting up to let him out every two-three hours at night. It was easier just because no one was home during the day but he HAD to be trained.

I agree with not letting them have free roam of the house. I feel like, if you can't see them then it's too far because Chardonnay used to pee in shadowed/dark places (I think she used to be punished because she also has an extreme fear of my roommate who punishes her dog by putting its nose in it). Also, I used to reward her for peeing and pooing outside with, of course, special treats that she only gets when she goes outside. I basically ignore inside mistakes unless I see them happening. As for extending the time that he holds it, I would stop taking him outside every hour and start with every two hours and possibly let him play outside the crate for an hour and then put him up for the second, that way he has no chance to accident before his two hours are up and then he also isn't living in his crate.

I think the most important thing for my dog was rewarding when she went in the right place. I lavished her with lovings every time she went outside and even though she stopped taking the treats a long time ago, I still say "Good Girl" everytime she goes outside and she is still absolutely pleased with herself.

**FlaresofChardonnay** · 1st May 2009, 05:32 AM

Oh yeah.

Yes! Make a chart and if possible a schedule. I used to mark on the calendar every time she'd make a mistake; I would write down the time, area, and type of accident just to make sure there wasn't a pattern. And if there is one it could obviously mean that you should take your dog out at x time or maybe there's leftover pee smell that needs to be better cleaned.

Lucky for me that even though my roommate doesn't clean her dog's pee stains well, my dog very rarely has a mistake.

**Masterofsparks** · 1st May 2009, 05:58 AM

I make sure to use a product called Natures Miracle to cover potty mistakes in the house. I don't want the scent to attract other mistakes.
When accidents do happen we take Yoko straight outside to where we want her to go. We only have a issue maybe once a week but it is ususally our communication isn't that good as she does try to tell us!!