Need advice for our new pupppy

cmeyer9424 · Aug 27, 2018

Hey!

New to the form and new parent to our 3-month-old Frenchie, Milo. We've had him for a little over a week and so far its been great. Very laid back but playful when he wants and very well tempered. However, I need some advice on potty training and crate training. He is using a puppy pad we have set out for him in our kitchen until he receives his final round of shoots this Saturday. He does great using the pads when we are up and about. We notice now that we had about a week of steady praising him for going on the pad he will get up and go over and use it without us saying anything! Once he has his final shots we would like for him to start going outside to potty. I bought him a 30" wire crate that we have put in our bedroom so he can be near us when we sleep. I also bought a crate divider to limit the space to hopefully prevent accidents. This is where I am needing some advice.

So over the past week when we put him in his crate at night, I will set an alarm for about every 2.5-3hrs to let him out because I know being this young he does not have great control over his bladder. Unfortunately, half of the time he has already gone potty and is sadly sitting in it. I thought by limiting his space he wouldn't want to do this at least after a few times he would begin to understand. The first few nights we had a blanket in there but he went on it so we were told to remove it. I just need advice on what I am possibly doing wrong or something to try.

Last night was the worst so far. I let him go potty before bed, limited his water to 1.5hrs before it was time to go to bed, set an alarm and when I woke up he has already gone. I washed off his feet and then let him go to his potty pad, he went on the pad, and then put him back in the crate for the night. A bit later I woke up, before my second alarm, to him crying and in a puddle of pee... so I took him out a repeated this process. I've read multiple forms and watched a bunch of videos and am not having great luck.

But then some night he will sleep the whole night without any accidents, so I'm not sure if it's just due to his young age or something I'm doing wrong. I also started today feeding him his meals in his crate to get him more comfortable with it because he does not like it very much.

Any advice will help!!

Frenchie Grrrl · Aug 27, 2018

How small did you make his sleeping area? Does he only have enough room to lay down and turn around?

mattcantwin · Aug 27, 2018

We put a pad in front of Loki's open crate at night.

He got in the habit of coming out to use the pad and then went back into the crate and back to sleep.

davidh · Aug 27, 2018

He is still young yet and it will take time and patients. He will get there, just keep doing what you are doing. We never restrict water from our pups, so I would not advice it. Our pups we put bedding in one end and a pee pad in the other and let them stay there all night. eventually they will stop peeing in their crate.

daniellepaul · Aug 28, 2018

I went through this exact same scenario with our 3 month old puppy, Leo (he is now almost 6 months). I personally am not a fan of using pee pads so we never did. The first few weeks were identical to what you were experiencing night-time wise. We also had to take away a blanket in his crate because he would pee on them. Keep on doing what you're doing and they will get it. Leo learned within 3-4 weeks to not pee where he sleeps as it was probably not that comfortable and meant a bath! Those few weeks seemed like MONTHS. We kept his cage right on our side table beside our bed and made sure it was small enough for him to only lay down and turn around in. I am a light sleeper, so because his cage was right beside my face basically, I would hear when he would get restless (he never barked or whined to be let out of his cage to let us know he had to go) and then I would take him to go outside to potty. Just keep on doing what you're doing and eventually he will get it. I also set an alarm for times to let Leo out to pee - at bedtime 11PM, then 2AM, then 6AM, but would let him out too when he was rustling around in there. Trust me he will get it soon! I think you're doing everything right.

Leo is almost 6 months old now, and has been sleeping in our bed with us for the last month because he has been holding it all night. So this phase won't last too long!!

cmeyer9424 · Aug 29, 2018

Thanks for all the input and reassurance!! I actually decided to try a different approach since he seemed to absolutely hate the crate divider. We have a small bed we keep in the kitchen during the day for him to use and he seems to love it so I thought to put it in the back of the crate and a small pee pad infront of it hopeing he would go on the pad and not in the bed. I did this because they say the dont like to go where they sleep and he loves to take naps in the little bed so I thought it would be worth a shot. Come to find out he loves it like that!! Still doesnt like the crate too much but barley even wimpers now and goes right to bed. He slept all night and didnt get up and whine to be let out till 6 in the morning!!:w00t: Today my fiance said he held it all this morning till lunch and used his noraml pee pad in the kitchen. I think he's starting to get it!! The next thing to tackle will be the transition from the pee pad in the kitchen to going outside in the grass. Wish us luck!

Thanks again!

Frenchie Grrrl · Aug 29, 2018

That's great! I feel like it's two steps forward, one step back until around 16 weeks. My second Frenchie (female) has been much more challenging than my older one was, but she's finally to a point where she's asking to go out (although not ringing the bells much, so you have to be right there) and holding it a good 45-hour while up and playing. She just turned 4 months yesterday. Feels like forever, but I kept trying to remind myself that it's just temporary. As long as you are patient, consistent, and calm, they will get there. Glad there has been some progress.

mattcantwin · Aug 29, 2018

cmeyer9424 said:
The next thing to tackle will be the transition from the pee pad in the kitchen to going outside in the grass.

Loki didn't train all that easy, but we used a pad outside to help things along.

Whenever we brought him out, we took him right to the pad; it worked out well.

2bullymama · Sep 3, 2018

cmeyer9424 said:
Thanks for all the input and reassurance!! I actually decided to try a different approach since he seemed to absolutely hate the crate divider. We have a small bed we keep in the kitchen during the day for him to use and he seems to love it so I thought to put it in the back of the crate and a small pee pad infront of it hopeing he would go on the pad and not in the bed. I did this because they say the dont like to go where they sleep and he loves to take naps in the little bed so I thought it would be worth a shot. Come to find out he loves it like that!! Still doesnt like the crate too much but barley even wimpers now and goes right to bed. He slept all night and didnt get up and whine to be let out till 6 in the morning!!:w00t: Today my fiance said he held it all this morning till lunch and used his noraml pee pad in the kitchen. I think he's starting to get it!! The next thing to tackle will be the transition from the pee pad in the kitchen to going outside in the grass. Wish us luck!

Thanks again!

Keep in mind.... a good guideline for their limit is 1 hour more than they are mounts old --- 3months months equals 4 hours