Are you still struggling with house training, even though your puppy has been home for several months? Does it seem like they were understanding the routine at first but now are having accidents in the house? Here are some tips that might help!
Unfortunately, some puppies are slower to get with the housebreaking program than others. When cleaning up accidents in the house, make sure to use an enzyme type cleaner that will get rid of any lingering scent that could be attracting her to the area. If possible limit her access to room she has been using as her bathroom.
Before you blame her problem on behavior, have your veterinarian make sure she doesn’t have a urinary tract infection that is causing her to urinate more frequently. If this test comes back fine, you’ll need to back up and restart your training.
The Basics:
Restrict her to a small area (crate or small pen) when you can’t supervise her. Carry her outside to the designated potty area immediately after you let her out of the crate and after she eats or drinks. Also do this after she wakes up from a nap and after she has been playing, as she’ll likely need to go. Tethering is another method that allows you to always keep an eye on her and catch any signal she gives before she is about to urinate. This involves attaching her to your belt loop with a 6-foot lead, thus keeping her at your side as you move around the house. With her tethered to you, as soon as you notice her starting to sniff or circle or squat, quickly lift her up to take her outside. After she urinates outside, praise her and give her a treat for being a good girl. A designated outdoor potty area with a soiled rag or paper can also help, as she will be attracted to her own scent. This has to be a team effort, with everyone in the house being consistent with the housetraining.
With repetition on your part and positive reinforcement for her actions, she should start to learn. At her age, she should be able to hold her urine for at least 6 hours. As you know, reprimanding her after you find an accident doesn’t do any good, just clean it up. Have patience and she should eventually catch on.
