Potty Training...What is expected?

[hjjohnson0]

So Henry is 2 1/2 mos old and when we first brought him home he did remarkably well with doing his business on newspapers (his previous home used newspapers) We switched the newspapers out for puppy pads so it would absorb better and it seemed like he was confused. He would go on the pad one time than 4 times in random places. Next we placed the puppy pad under the newspaper and only put the "potty area" by the back door (I thought maybe we had given him too many options). Now he will go on the paper....then 5 minutes later go elsewhere......I know he is still young, but what should I be expecting out of him? When we see him go places he's not suppose to we clapped our hands and told him no. We placed on the paper, but most times since we interrupted him he just walks away. When we do see him go on the paper we praise him and give him a small food reward which he LOVES. He seems super smart and already will sit on command so I'm not sure what we are doing wrong or if its expected at his young age.

HELP!

 

[ForestDweller]

It sounds to me as if he has too much freedom. When I am potty training a pup, I use a crate part of the time or attach them to me with a leash. If they are never in a position to potty where they shouldn't, it gives them a much better success rate and they learn quicker. Basic rule of thumb... every time a puppy wakes from a nap... out to potty. Every time a puppy eats.. out to potty. If a puppy is awake, I like to take them potty every 30 minutes or so. The key is consistency and tons of praise/treats when they potty where you want them to.

If you can't watch your pup 100%, then it needs to be crated or gated off in a potty area. Every time it potties where it isn't supposed to, it voids any training you have done. I personally hate using puppy pads as I feel teaching a dog to potty on something inside sends a signal that it is OK to potty in the house... I prefer they only learn to go outside. That is just my preference though. Maybe buying one of the "potty park" set ups would give you a better success rate, or even try using some potty pheromone sprays could help. I even know someone who litterbox trains her frenchies (she uses wood pellets in the box instead of litter) It is also important to thouroughly clean any accident spots to prevent them from going where they shouldn't.

Bullies can be difficult to potty train and require a bit more structure than some other breeds... also, individual dogs will learn quicker than others. My English Bulldog and Lolly were both potty trained by the age of 10 weeks... I had an AB in the past that wasn't reliable until she was nearly 6 months old.

 

[Cbrugs]

When we got Jax at about 11 weeks, we literally picked him up and took him outside every 15-20 minutes and whenever he went potty, we told him he was a good boy and gave him a treat. We only used puppy pads at night when he was confined to a small area in the kitchen and after about 3 nights, they were always dry. If you catch him in the middle of peeing, stop him and immediately take him outside to finish. After a few weeks, Jax started going to the top of the stairs which head to the front door to let us know he had to go out. A big part of potty training is being consistent.