Bladder Control and Housebreaking

Dear Jubilee:

Our Airedale puppy is 18 weeks old and still not well house trained. As long as we take her out, she goes potty, but she is giving us no indications when she needs to go out. We have used the small crate approach but she still will go in her crate. We have disciplined her when we catch her in the act so she know it is not acceptable behavior. She is extremely smart - has learned sit, stay, come (when she wants to), and is doing a pretty good job at heeling when we take a walk. BUT she can't tell us when she needs to go outside even though she does know what to do when she goes out.

Help!


Dear HELP!!

Puppies do not develop reliable bladder control until they are five or six months old. Until then, you need to focus on catching them being good, and then you praise them for being good.

Take her out whenever she has been excited, has been playing, has just woken up, after she finishes eating, before she goes to bed, and when she wakes up. And when I have a young puppy, I get up once in the middle of the night and take the puppy out to potty.

While you are at it, tie a small bell on a sturdy string to the door you want her to go to when she needs to go out. Jingle it just before you take her out. As she gains more control over her bladder, she will start nosing the bell to make it jingle when she needs to go out. Always take her out when she asks.

Don't shame her for a puddle. Don't punish her. Dogs live in the moment, and what is past is past. They don't think about it, and you might end up punishing her right after she has been good for a puddle or pile she made 10 minutes or even just a minute ago. That is very confusing for the dog. Praise good behavior; forget naughty behavior. And don't punish something they don't have control over and/or haven't learned to control.

Jubilee