Puppy Potty Training Blues…?
I have an 8 week old male daschund puppy. We have been working to house break him but we have had issues come up. He does not have access to his food or water 24/7. 1… We take him out every 30 mins, but he will pee outside, come in and go again 5 mins later. 2.. He pees where he is laying at on the couch, even if he just went. 3.. We put him in his kennel at night. We first put him in the bathroom but he tore the door up & chewed through the baby gate. Now he hollers all night. I feel like I am mistreating him. What do I do? Any tips would greatly help.
It sounds like you’re on the right track.
Crate training helps by creating a den area that he will naturally avoid soiling.
Putting him on a food/water and potty schedule helps get his body in rhythm.
Taking him outside frequently gives him lots of opportunities to relieve his young immature bladder.
Some additional suggestions:
1. Make sure you praise heavily each time he produces something outside. Make a big deal of it and let him know just how super he is. If he is food motivated, give him a treat for pottying outside.
2. Put his crate in another room and cover it with a towel so you can sleep at night. Just as it is with a bird, the towel may quiet him and help him sleep by making the crate more den-like.
3. Feed him in his crate, put in bedding if he won’t eat it, and put in a toy such as a stuffed kong, so his crate will be a pleasant place for him.
4. During the day, toss a treat in the crate periodically and praise him for going in after the treat.
Now the urinating on the couch issue….
If he pees WHILE lying down, something other than potty training is going on. If he pees while getting attention, and particularly if he rolls all or part of the way on his back to expose his tummy for rubbing, then it is probably submissive urination. That you deal with by teaching him to sit on the floor to receive attention, and by petting and greeting him very calmly so he doesn’t get excited.
If it isn’t submissive urination, you should consult your vet to rule out any medical cause.
How to Train Puppies : Baby Gates for Puppies