How long to paper train?
by Sue Amodeo
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
I'm curious how long it has taken others to paper train. I have had Sophia for 3 weeks now. She is very good when confined to the kitchen and always goes on the paper. I tell her how good she is and give her a treat when I see her go on the paper. However, when she is running around the bedroom or living room, she will go where ever she happens to be. When I catch her in the act, I pick her up and put her on the paper and tell her to "go potty on the paper". She does not seem to be getting it, and I'm getting worried that she never will! She is 3 1/2 months old.
DISCUSSION:
Did you crate train them first...I would leave Maggie in her Taxi most of the time and take her out just to pottie.....she trained very very fast this way...In a couple of weeks we had it down to a science....Also wherever she goes get something that takes odors away...If she smells where she has been before she will go there again..Good Luck and keep trying.....She'll get it....
Denise
It only took a month to train Buster totally. I put newspapers down when I got him at 14 weeks. He used them all the time. Then after a month he just started holding it until I took him out...had no problems at all. The key is when you take the soiled papers up leave a piece with the scent on it with the fresh papers. They go back to the scent. Buster has done great ever since then. Good Luck
Libby & Buster
Sue--I didn't train Cubbie with paper. The funny thing is that when we leave for the day, I usually confine Cubbie to the kitchen and put down paper for him. He ALWAYS goes on the paper! I think that is so funny. How does he know he's supposed to go on the paper--I never trained him to? These dogs are so smart!
Felicia & Cubbie
I worked on paper training Chico for a month or so, and he was about 70% accurate. Then, I had to leave him with a friend for a month while I was away, and my friend didn't continue the paper training. When I came back, it took about another 2 weeks when I returned to get him paper trained again. It was so strange, because the second time, it was like magic. He was still at about 75% accuracy, and then one day...100%! I guess he knew how happy he'd make me if he peed on the paper. We haven't looked back since (except for the few accidents on MY BED!...the latest being this past weekend!). Not sure what the secret was, but eventually he got the idea. Keep trying, and don't give up!
Dean and Chico
It only took us about 4 weeks to train the Beasties, but the breeder had already partially trained them. They are like us - some of us "get" something really quickly and some of us take a bit longer. One day she will just surprise you, maybe in a week, maybe in 6 weeks......it's hard to predict. Just be patient with her and remember to praise her enthusiastically when she does go on the paper.....she'll figure it out eventually.
Deanna (Moose & Squirrel)
Sophia also went on the paper without me showing her as long as she is in the kitchen! I didn't want to do this, but save my carpet, I gave in and put a weepad in the dining room on the floor near the oriental rug that she likes to go on (!), and on my tread mill in the bedroom (she also likes to go on the bedroom carpet!). She will now go on the papers in these rooms, as well as the bathroom where I have a weewee pad next to the litter box. I am glad she will go there instead of my rugs, but I am worried that now she will think it is OK to go in every room and I will never get her to go just in the kitchen or the bathroom. Has anyone done this, leaving papers in several rooms and then paring it down when they got older? She seems to understand she should go on the paper, but doesn't want to make the trip from another part of the house back to the kitchen! Am I doing more harm than good with this approach? Help!
Sue
Sue, Unfortunately I was not as lucky as the others here. Lucy took 3 months to train. She would go on the papers when I would take her to them, but would not go on her own. She knew exactly what she was suppose to do when I put her on them. She did not start holding it until she was about six months old. I even had her checked by the Vet because I thought there might be some type of bladder problem. She doesn't miss now. I was real good about not letting her out of my sight very often, but when I did she would take that opportunity. I did crating but not as consistantly as I should have, so I'm sure that was my biggest mistake. Sometimes it does take longer so don't give up hope. Be patient and eventually (even three to four months down the road) Sophia will figure it out.
DeeDee
Sue, your pup is only 3 1/2 mos. old, I think you are expecting to much when you let her run loose, of course they are going to stop and wee wee, she is excited to be out. At this young age there thought span is very short, it's like they don't even think about wee wee, they just go. My advice, keep her confined and only let her out after she has done her potty, and then under only close supervision. Good luck
Dottie & Tasha
It can take a few weeks, even months. They have tiny little bladders and have to learn to hold it - that's where the crate training comes in handy. You might try keeping her confined until she goes potty and then allowing free time for intervals of about an hour at a time. I did have a few slips with Phoebe, but by keeping her free time space limited she learned tht she had to go to her paper for potty and it really doesn't seem like it took long - not now anyway, but I know it was a few weeks before accidents stopped. Your pup is still young, she'll get the hang of it!
Leslie R
although my diesel has had accidents - it was only after moving him to a new home. I've had Diesel since the day he was conceived (have both parents). Diesel and his brother both paper trained themselves. I didn't have to do a thing. It was the funniest thing - we had their bedding in a box in the corner of the living room where they resided temporarily with their mother. After a few weeks - they 2 pups would start venturing out of the box on their own and would always end up falling asleep in front of the heater i had set up for them (the mother didn't like them leaving the box so she'd try to roll them back in). One day when they were alert enough to start walking more than 12 inches - they started taking an interest in playing with me. Normally the mother (who is an especially clean dog - washes herself completely) takes care of cleaning her pups - but i believe the 2 of them were getting to be too big for her to handle. One day - i was sitting there playing with them and suddenly one took off and made a bee-line to the newspaper we have set up for the parents in the front lobby of the house (where it is tiled). He went there, did his business and then came scootering back to me and started playing again as if nothing had happened. What was also very funny is that their mother didn't like them doing this. She's run and try to block them from going to far away from the den and would even growl and bark at them - but somehow they always got passed her and went pee and started pooping there as well. Of course, she'd be there to clean up whatever stuck to their coats. I swear they were just sooooooo cute.
I didn't realize that dogs could train themselves til i got these.
betty & turbo & diesel
Sue, Keep on, keepin on. When you take Sophie to the other parts of the house, take her on a leash and keep her with you. She should not potty in your presence. Also, when you take her into the other part of the house, be sure that she has relieved herself and return her to the potty area frequently. Above all, relax, she's only 3 1/2 mo. I've read that they don't have total control till over 4 months. She's still so young. It sounds as though you are a very loving mommy. All will be well.
Sharon
Just an update...last night for the first time I let her sleep all night in the bed. Before that I had her in her crate next the bed on my night table and she would wake me about 4 am to go potty. After she went she slept the rest of the night with me in bed. Well, that was working well and last night when I put her in the crate she looked so pathetic with her little nose sticking between the bars, that I let her sleep all night with me. This morning I was surprised that it was 6 am and she had slept throught the night..then when she wouldn't go potty in the kitchen, I got suspicious! Sure enough she had gone potty in the bed!! To make matters worse, I can't find a gate that she doesn't climb over so it's tough to keep her in the kitchen! The gate I have has grids that she climbs like a monkey! I have tapes cardboard to it, but she chews off the tape and cardboard! If anyone has any ideas, please email me at work for now as my lap top at home with my augiesma ID is in repair, also I will be out of the office for 2 weeks on vacation and this discussion will probably be archived by then. Thanks for any help!!
Sue
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