Hi y'all and Happy Easter!!

Sooooo, I'm a new and proud Mommy! For the first time (to a puppy that is)!!!!!! I had a Westie growing up but never did any of the training or caring for, my Mom always did that!

Anyway, we just got a Mini Schnauzer, she is a precious baby girl, we are thrilled to have her but, boy oh boy, it is hard work and EXPENSIVE! My 5 year old boy is doing some chores, like keeping her water bowl half full and her kibbles, (teaching him some responsability) but the house-breaking is mostly me, since DH works all day.

She has been with us for a week now and I take her out every 3 - 4 hours, she is 3 1/2 months old, born Dec 3rd. Her name is Charlie, I know it is a boy's name but when a 5 year old wants to name her "Professor" I guess Charlie has to do. Oh yeah, and she is 9 lbs already!

So I guess my question is, can any one give me some awesome helpful tips and advice on how to potty train her? Like in no time? So far she's had about 4 accidents, on my carpet of course (why couldn't she use the ceramic tile instead?? ) I spot clean with my carpet steam cleaner, apply some puppy carpet soap (I'm a clean freak) and then spray with that stuff they sell at PetSmart that is supposed to get rid of the smell, so puppies won't find, sniff, the spot again, yeah right, she goes right back! She CAN smell it! Anyway, my carpet does not smell to me, yet, but she sure can find the spot! Sometimes she just came from outside but still, finds her spot and goes 3 - 4 more drops! It is driving me crazy, I know, she is a puppy and it's only been a week, but I'm exhausted!!!!! Oh yeah, I guess I should add, I'm crate training her.

She's been good I guess, I've read that puppies can be a lot worst than that, I'm very happy we got her, don't get me wrong... my son has been wanting a puppy for a while now and since he suffers from severe allergies, a schnauzer is perfect, they don't shed and are supposed to be VERY smart and great with kids!

So please, any advice from the pros??? Pretty Please?

Thanks!!! Oh, couldn't help but share a pic of our baby girl!

What a cute girl Charlie is!

Sounds like you are doing everything right, so it is basically repetition, persistence and patience.

Is there a way to block her from going to where the favored carpet spot is? If it gets completely dry and then you retreat it with the anti smell stuff, maybe that will help.

You might also consider taking her out ever two hours instead of 3 or 4, their bladders aren't really very big at this young age.

Good luck! She looks like a sweetie, and will be worth the effort of training her! Janice

Congratulations on your fur baby.

10 Tips for Potty Training a Puppy:

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/housetrainingpuppies

Housetraining:

http://inch.com/~dogs/housebreaking.html

Series of Housebreaking Videos:
http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/277_housebreaking-dog-video.htm

HTH

I also just got a new puppy (my second dog) and I feel your pain. We are crate training as well, but when she is out we take her out every hour (sometimes more than once in an hour). At first I had to go outside with her because if she wouldn't go I knew she would follow me around and it kind of gets things moving. We have this schedule - crate, bathroom, eat, bathroom, play, bathroom, crate. Good luck!

Thanks Jan, LOVE your links!!!! Will check them out! I've been doing a LOT of reading...

And Emily, just a question, for how long do you leave your puppy in the crate during the day, or should I ask, for how long do you let her play out of the crate? I don't want to leave my puppy in the create for too long, she might think it is punishment, if that makes sense ... she sleeps in there but other than that, breaks my heart! Oh, she also goes in the crate after she has an accident... I don't put her in, she looks for it. And stays there for about 1 hour, I swear she TOTALLY knows what she did!!!! Smart puppy I tell ya!

And Veejaytx, THANKS!

Congratulations - she's a beauty!!!

We were very lucky with our dog, Jaxson. He's going on 4 now but he caught on pretty quickly to the whole potty training thing. We took him out at least once an hour and made a big fuss when he went potty outside. We wouldn't bring him back in until he went (sometimes it took a while!) and when he did we'd all cheer for him and give him a few treats and extra belly rubs so I'm sure that was encouraging for him. Good luck - I'm sure she'll bring lots of joy to your family!

Keep alot of baking soda on hand. When there is an accident don't rub or blot..Just pour the baking soda over it and let it absorb the liquid. It actually pulls the stuff out of the carpet. When it gets saturated just vacuum and pour on more baking soda -if needed- it sanitizes and brings out the liquid so you don't get a stain. Then spray with the stuff that takes out the smell...

another possible source of help:

http://cesarmillaninc.com/index.php

Because I work full time she is in her kennel for about 4 hours in the morning and after lunch about 3-4 hours. She is out the rest of the time. Sometimes I put her in her kennel if she goes in the house, but I figure since she is so small she may not need to stay in for more than 10 or 15 minutes. I don't want her to forget why she was put in her kennel. As soon as she gets out of her kennel outside she goes. If it gets too bad (and I don't mean this to sound cruel) but I rub their nose in it - say no potty - and stick them outside and tell them this is where they potty. My first dog caught on pretty fast, but this one is so small she can't go down the stairs to scratch the door and to tell me she has to go. Talk about frustrating. Stay patient and consistent and she'll get it! good luck!

Thanks y'all for all the great advice and links!!! I'll be busy all afternoon reading and reading...

I am currently doing some family manners classes with the author of the book "Puppy Care & Training" by Teoti Anderson. It's a wonderful book and she is a great teacher.

http://www.getpawsitiveresults.com/puppy_care_and_training.htm

We've had many puppies here! Here's how we handle it per vet/breeders instructions (this may get long)
In the crate at any time your eyes are not LITERALLY on her every second. If we can't be devoted to the pup at the time, then hes in the crate. We do not use it as a place for punishment. They like their own place. Ours will go in there to sleep when the doors open. We take them out every 15-30 minutes!(and any time we see the slightest "funny walk"). Always go with them. The praise must be immediate. If you let them out then praise them when they come back, they will think they're getting praised for coming in. We feed puppies on a schedule so we know to let them out about 10 minutes after. ANY time we take them out, they need to do both. We were told if they do one, it gives them the urge to do the other. If they didn't do both, in the crate. This is the quickest most effective way we've found works great!
As far as the clean up, blot until theres no more on the rag, then spray an enzyme cleaner for pet smells. Ours says to wait about 10 min. then blot up as much as possible. I like to then lay a rag down and put heavy books on it. Change it when damp until it stays dry.
This sounds like alot, but it will be over so much quicker this way-we learned the hard way!
Congratulations on the addition!

Wow, thanks everybody for the AWESOME advice and links!!!! Really, I've learned sooooo much!

She's been doing great, and well, I'm THRILLED, no accidents today! Knock on wood, let's see how tomorrow is.

I am feeding her twice a day, at 10 am and then at 5 pm, and she is going #2 twice a day as well. She eats about 1/2 a cup each meal, do you think twice a day is enough?

I was told Schnauzers are not over eaters and that it is OK to leave a bowl of food in her crate at all times BUT I want a schedule, so I can control, or should I say, KNOW when she will go #2! Oh, and several times a day she is getting mild bones after she goes #1 and #2 outside! (She is soooo funny, after she is done, she comes running with excitement to me, she already knows Mommy has a cookie for her! So sweet!)

What do you all think?

Thanks again for everything!

It sounds like you are doing a pretty good job already if she comes to you after she goes expecting a treat. I'm glad that you could find a dog that was somewhat hypoallergenic, it really saddens me to see kids who can't have animals because they make them sick. Watch out though, it's not the hair shedding that will cause allergies, it is the dander (sloughed skin cells).

CambriasCakes has the right idea , right after she goes potty (outside that is) make a big fuss, praise and scratches and love and maybe a treat. She will get the idea that outside is the place to go potty and not inside. Schnauzers are a smart breed, she'll catch on quickly.

Zookeeper, I hope this is a rule you follow when they're young and not all the time. Keeping a dog in a crate for the majority of the day when they're an adult is generally not necessary. Once the get the hang of going potty outside and learn to scratch at the door (or get a doggie door, make it easy on yourself) they don't need to be crated as much. However you are correct in not using the crate as a punishment. You want her to WANT to go into the crate to take a nap or relax or play with toys. If you put her in there when she has been bad she will start to associate negativity with the crate and not want to go into it. You want her to see it as her "den" like she would have in the wild.

I read this website's article and it had some really good advice. I know you probably already have enough to read but it is pretty short: http://www.digitaldog.com/cratetraining.html.

I don't know what puppy carpet spray you are using but the majority of the stuff out there doesn't do a darn thing to discourage them from going in the same spot. There is a product out there, you can get it at most pet stores (don't know about wal-mart) called Nature's Miracle. We used to have a cat that would pee in my mom's shoes in the closet and until we found this product he went in the same spot every time. We were directed to it from a worker at the pet store after trying about 3 other kinds. It is a little more expensive than some of the other brands (which is why we didn't try it in the first place) but it really works where with the others they just continue to go in the same spot.

If you wonder where my knowledge comes from: I've fostered dogs, worked at vet clinics and spay/neuter clinics, volunteered for about 10 years on and off at humane societies and have had numerous animals. I was also pre-vet in college but decided to not go on to vet school after getting my bachelors. I now work as a biologist in an environmental lab. I just wanted you to know I wasn't a salesman for Nature's Miracle!

~~Jane

Edited to add: By the way, she is a beautiful dog!!

In regards to keeping an eye on the puupy all the time...you might want to look into wearing a leash. They make leashes that you can wear yourself like a belt, it has an adjustable clip and you basically wear your puppy around the house. You can have special "down" places in each room to clip him too, but if you move around a lot wearing the leash is great.

Good for you on the accident free day! Yes, we only use the strict crate use for potty training. We dont even use it once they're trained. Our puppy now is 5 months old and if he wasn't such a chewer we wouldn't have it out anymore. He only uses it when we're gone or the occasional night when he seems restless and we worry about an accident. Otherwise all three sleep with us! Someone is almost always home and they have each other, our kids and the parrots so they're not lonely, thats for sure!
Have fun with your new cutie!

If you have a friend with a dog that is already potty trained then let them play together and she will be the hang of what to do outside fairly quickly. Also first thing in the morning before you do anything else take your dog outside to the place that you want them to pee and do not let them leave that area until they go potty! After they potty then pet and love on them. Do not play with them until they do their business.

Each dog normally will tell you if they need to go potty, after they have been trained. My dog will just lay by the door and whine VERY quietly. When she was younger I could not hear her. But they will develop a routine.

On cleaning the carpet--best thing to use is vinegar. Half vinegar and half water spay until the spot is soaked then steam clean it up. If your dog insist on one spot in the house buy a cheapo plastic table cloth and tape on the spot for about a week or so. Until they forget about it.

If you live in a place that is warm enough just skip the puppy pad route and go straight to the outdoors. Training to a puppy pad is really easy, but breaking that habit is really hard, when you want them to potty outside.

Most of all you need to be consistent.

Hi!!!! Wow, thanks for all the new info!! CC stopped sending me alerts of new posts to this thread, I thought there was no activity, what a sweet surprise! I need it more than ever!!!

Sooo... she is now 4 months and 3 weeks old! And ahhhhh, I want to cry! She had 2 weeks with NO accidents until last Monday! I take her out often, she has a schedule already for #2 (no problem) and I though she did for #1 as well... but NO! I don't understand what happened! So Monday she had an accident, 45 mins after I took her out! Same thing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thrusday and yesterday! It is so frustating!!! Today, Saturday, she did great!! No accidents, but why did she have one every day for 5 days straight?

I hope she didn't "forget" all that I've worked so hard to accomplish! She is really smart, it is as if she is doing it on purpose! But why?!?!?!?

Ahhhhh... I love her to death but sometimes I just want to send her back for a refund! (nah! just kidding, but really?!?)

Thanks for listening, I appreciate any extra advice ...

Dont' forget . . . sometimes puppies get UTI's which causes them to have accidents . . . if you are consistent with your training and she continues, I would call your vets office just to check with them.

Congrats on your new puppy. Always remember that the dogs are just children with fur coats.

Puppies are adorable! We have two beagles, and they were adorable. I want a Papillion so much! Right now I have 4 birds and the 2 dogs, don't need anymore, but would have to seriously think about it if offered a Pap!

Thanks!!!! Well, its been much better now ... no accidents in the last 3 days!

Soooo, one more question ... has any body heard about "puppy amnesia" ?? I try to google it and NOTHING! BUT talking to a friend of a friend who trains dogs, he mentioned something about it and how puppies every 5 or 6 weeks forget EVERYTHING they have been learning for that last month and lasts about 4 days ... and well, at first I thought it was a whole bunch of bologna but WOW! No joke, 5 days later, like magic, she was back on track!

And for the same days she was having accidents she wasn't sitting or coming on command either, so makes sense now!

Thank God my baby is back to normal, sitting by the door when she needs to go and sitting when I mention the word "cookie"!

Thanks for listening (or should I say reading) to my happy puppy stories and frustrations ... and THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ADVICE!

Puppy amnesia?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Thats the funniest thing I have ever heard. More like, if you aren't going to make me I'm not going to do it.

Training a puppy takes consistency. I think puppy amnesia is another way of saying "you gotta keep up on this or your screwed."

Hmmm... Puppy Amnesia.

No, nothing I've ever heard of before but if it is a true phenomenon then it would explain a lot. I'd guess it's more like a terrible two's kind of thing. Rebellion?

Or maybe it's more like PMS. You don't want to do anything anyone says when you're PMSing and sometimes you just don't care. Although I will say when I'm PMSing I have a very selective memory. Hehe.

Did anything in the puppy's schedule change the few days before those few naughty days? Was she left alone more or did you have some different (more) family members over? That could have caused separation anxiety.

Separation anxiety definitely makes dogs revert back to puppy days. They tear things up, urinate/deficate inside on places they know are "illegal" and can have all kinds of behavioral issues.

I'd say it's a fluke. Just continue on with the training you've been doing and she'll be a well trained doggie in no time!

~~Jane

Thanks!!! That is what I thought! No such thing a puppy amnesia ... I guess I'll call these people to find out a little more!

I guess the good news is that still, no accidents, yeeeeey! I'm so happy!

And well, nothing changed that week so maybe it was just a fluke! But thanks again!