Potty training

by Trish
(Maryland)

Not sure what else to do. I have tried all these ideas and am at the end of my rope. I have a 6 month old jack russell. She is not my first puppy as i have had at least 6 during my life, all large breed. She is my first small breed. Anyway, I bring her out about 4 times an hour. She does not pee in her crate but I must keep her leash tied to me. This morning I got up, took her out side, let her do her business. Then walked her around an extra 5 or 10 minutes. When she starts to play with sticks inside we go. We aren't even inside for 10mins and she pooped on my floor. She also will run to the door and pee as I'm running to get her out when she is not tied to me. My last puppy, a great dane was house broken in 8 days. I know that I know what I'm doing but I am running out of patience.

Editor Suggestions For House Training

Hi Trish,

Sounds like you have your hands full training your Jack.

You are definitely experiencing why consistency, attention, understanding, and particularly patience are all key in housetraining.

It's important to remember that every dog is unique and may take a different amount of time to learn. Here are some suggestions to help with the house training process.

House soiling is among the top reasons why dogs lose their homes or end up in shelters. Few people are willing to put up with a dog who destroys rugs and flooring, or who leaves a stinky mess that you have to clean after a hard day at work.

I'd start with crate training, with you responding quickly when your pup is clawing to get out and pee.

I would also look at your feeding schedule and consider breaking meals into three smaller meals in recognition of pups have smaller digestive systems.

If your puppy has an accident inside, make sure to clean it up immediately using an enzyme-based cleaner. This will help remove any lingering smells that may encourage your puppy to eliminate in the same spot again.

When indoors If you catch the dog starting to squat to urinate or defecate, pick her up and immediately rush outside. If she does the job outdoors, give her praise and attention. Remember that when it comes to housetraining, prevention is the key.

Unfortunately, some dogs take weeks while others can take months. Worst case consider a consultation with a professional pet trainer.

You might find this article on housetraining from the AKC helpful.

Best and good luck,

Jeff
Editor and Publisher
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