Potty training in house for a 3 months old puppy

[Mika]

Hi Everybody

I'm new to this forum and to the French Bulldog world. Two weeks ago I got a lovely 10 weeks old girl. Unfortunately, she has kennel cough and I must push her 3rd vaccine to next week, so the indoor period will increase.

She is just the sweetest thing, a loving and sweet baby, not too agitated (I picked a calmer puppy, to match my personality ) who is starting to get along with the cat, the house etc.

We are having an issue with potty training. She is 3 months old now and I keep her in a fenced area of the room. She still doesn't know to go to the training pad to do her business, basically she would just pee/poop everywhere if I let her run free around the house. Even when she is in the inclosed area she sometimes (20% of the time) relives herself in other places than the training pad (which is clean and pretty big).

Not sure how I should handle this. I try to minimize accidents, so I always keep an eye on her and and I put her on her pad after meal, naps, play sessions etc. If I put her there and close the door she would do her business. But she will not go willingly to the pad if outside the fence area, she would just go wherever she is.

Any advice is welcome.Thank you!

PS. The puppy has pedigree and I got her from a reputable breeder.

 

[davidh]

Frenchies can be hard to potty train, so be patient. We have two 18 week old pups and they are still potty training and still making mistakes in the house. They are getting better, and not soiling their crate pads as much. The little male hates to soil his crate pad and will bark when he needs out to potty, but when they are out in the house and playing they still potty were ever, but are getting better at going on the potty pads we have scattered around the living room. For yours, I would put potty pads all over the pin and not in the crate. If you need to make the play pin smaller then do it for a little while. Your baby will get it one day, it just takes time. Usually around 6 months of age, they finally get it.

 

[MamaAndi]

Maybe she is having a hard time because of being sick (kennel cough). Just a thought. I do know there are a handful of frenchies that really take a long time to potty train. Stella was one of them, we finally got it figured out by about 1 year old! It was frustrating though, I understand

I don't know if you can easily take her outside to potty but I know that the potty pads do cause confusion for some puppies. They don't understand the difference between the pad and say...the carpet. When she does get it right though....praise her and act like she's the first dog who ever went potty in the right place! It sounds silly but if you can get her to associate pottying on the pad with a positive reaction, she's more likely to try to repeat the behavior.

Good luck...you can do this!

 

[Mika]

Oh, thank you for your encouragements and suggestions! I thought it's just my dog who is a bit slow
[MENTION=4]davidh[/MENTION] - it's a great idea to put pads in the living room when she's out of the fenced area. Here is what I got her - Ruby Run for Small Pets - 8 sided: great deals at zooplus (the medium size) and she has there her training pads, bed, toys, food bowls etc. I keep her there when I leave the house or when I can't be with her.
[MENTION=24]MamaAndi[/MENTION] - I use positive reinforcement when she uses the pad, not sure if it works, as I praise her one time and then she would search for a place to poop 10 minutes later - right in the middle of the room. However, I watch her like a hawk and I guide her to her space to do her business and I let her out again afterwords.

I'm hoping that when I will be able to take her outside it will make more sense to her to go outside than inside the house

Thank you very much, so glad I found this forum!:luv:

 

[Tgirl]

Everyone has covered everything well, I just wanted to say good luck with her, and welcome to the forum. She will catch on eventually.

 

[Jakeyjake]

Welcome to you and your baby. Just going to add that it was the same with my two. The accidents started to gradually slow down and then around 6 mos. they were fully trained.

 

[Mika]

Thank you. I sure hope so
One question - she now has kennel cough and my vet says it's not ok to give her antibiotics for this, and that he wants to give her the 3rd shot towards the end of the week, even if the is still coughing.

What do you think? I know that sick animals shouldn't be vaccinated.

 

[MaplesMommy]

Noo!! Dont get it done.
Every vaccine supresses the immune system. If the immune system is already weak another vaccine will likely cause harm.

 

[2bullymama]

Thank you. I sure hope so
One question - she now has kennel cough and my vet says it's not ok to give her antibiotics for this, and that he wants to give her the 3rd shot towards the end of the week, even if the is still coughing.

What do you think? I know that sick animals shouldn't be vaccinated.

I would hesitate to get a vaccination while the pup is sick.... Ask the vet opinion, but I would want to wait till they are better

 

[Mika]

A few updates: I had to put her on antibiotics. She is better now, still coughing but at least she is eating and biting again
I think I will have to keep her indoors for at least 3 more weeks. Concerning potty training, she usually pees on the pad, but sometimes (even when she is locked in her fenced area) she will go elsewhere. This weekend we had accidents in new places, such as the bathroom or on my freshly washed (dried) clothes.

Hope it will get better...I am afraid to leave her wonder the house but she is getting pretty agitated when I put her in her area, she would jump and cry and also she got very destructive (food bowls - chewed, the floor, her bed, the pads everything), although she had her toys. Also, the biting started. My hands, feet, slippers. I tell her "NO" in a firm voice, she looks at me and does it again. This can last about 20 times.

I remember my sister's dwarf poodle when she got her (7 years ago), at the age of 4 months, her only problem was potty training, she didn't chew on anything other than her toys. I guess she was an exception..Or I am just not used to puppies.

Have a great week everybody!

 

[Mika]

Also, I have an 8yrs old cat, and the puppy just loooves to chase her. My cat is pretty shy and scared of dogs, and she would run away, and if the puppy gets too close she would strike back, by kicking the dog on its head. She is not aggressive in any way. Should I stop the dog from going after the cat? Although I am not sure I can do this, as I tell her NO, she would just do it again. Maybe it's because of the too many "NOs"? Whenever she is out I must always watch her as she chews, steals, pees, destroys etc, therefore it is one "NO" after the other...

 

[MaplesMommy]

Your puppy has a lot of energy build up inside from not going out. There is not physical and mental stimulation. I can even noticed that with Maple up to now that when I cant take her for a walk every day she gets 'bad' ,wont listen ,is extremely stubborn and plays rough with the cat. Most negative behaviour is a result of build up energy/excitement.

If I was you Id take her outside. You can carry her or put her in a stroller. This way she explores and sees new things. If no other dog plays in your yard you can also take her there and play,run or build an 'obstacle /desensitizing course'. Show her umbrellas,ballons,people wearing hoodies or mask everything that may be new to her and that she eventually would have to get used to anyway.

 

[eeturk]

Your puppy has a lot of energy build up inside from not going out. There is not physical and mental stimulation. I can even noticed that with Maple up to now that when I cant take her for a walk every day she gets 'bad' ,wont listen ,is extremely stubborn and plays rough with the cat. Most negative behaviour is a result of build up energy/excitement.

If I was you Id take her outside. You can carry her or put her in a stroller. This way she explores and sees new things. If no other dog plays in your yard you can also take her there and play,run or build an 'obstacle /desensitizing course'. Show her umbrellas,ballons,people wearing hoodies or mask everything that may be new to her and that she eventually would have to get used to anyway.

I agree, sounds like way too much built up energy. A tired puppy is a good puppy. Hudson was a total nightmare as a puppy if he didn't get to play or go on walks.

No help here on potty training since it didn't click for Hudson until 8 months.


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[anns4boys]

I agree, sounds like way too much built up energy. A tired puppy is a good puppy. Hudson was a total nightmare as a puppy if he didn't get to play or go on walks.

No help here on potty training since it didn't click for Hudson until 8 months.

I'm so glad to hear that! Tallulah is 7 months and although we have made great progress and she let's us know "some" of the time when she has to go out - she is still a work in progress. I'm beginning to think the day will never happen.

 

[eeturk]

I'm so glad to hear that! Tallulah is 7 months and although we have made great progress and she let's us know "some" of the time when she has to go out - she is still a work in progress. I'm beginning to think the day will never happen.

He had his first birthday yesterday and still has accidents. He never lets us know if he has to go, he just stays on a strict schedule! If we go a little too long without a walk (we don't have a yard) he'll pee on the floor without a second though. However if we aren't here (he gets free run of the apartment) he never pees. Only when we're around, go figure. I know Cheli on here is the same way, doesn't let them know, just on a schedule. I think he's around 3? Some of them are just tougher than others!



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[nikki86]

We kenneled zeta starting the day we got her at 8 was old and the first month when we couldn't be with her she was in a kennel and at 12 weeks old she was house broke with minimal accidents... You must be persistent and pick your puppy up and take her strait to potty when waking up don't let her walk to door to potty as this is prime accident time, after each meal, and before bed. Take water away one hour prior to bed to help her puppy bladder make it through the night and be prepared to take her potty at least once in the jight every night until her bladder is larger with age

 

[Mika]

Hi Everybody

Just wanted to give you a quick update on the progress we made. Sera is now 6 months old and we take her out 4 times a day, and we try to do so at the same hours. She has days when she doesn't pee at all in the house, and days like this weekend when she felt the need to pee indoors 3 times in 2 days.

Overall, I think we are on the right track. For 2 weeks now she can run freely in the living room (so no more enclosed area in the fence), and I think it's better like this. She does however get more agitated and pees when our other dog comes in her room, as she plays with him quite roughly.

Other than that, she is a typical frenchie. Affectionate, playful, snoring little dog, with a tenancy to pass gases quite frequently (although she is on the same type of food Royal Canin Mini for Puppy).

 

[Tgirl]

Sounds like she is doing great Mike. I agree that you are on the right track. If I had a 6 month old that would go all day without an accident in the house. Good job Sera!