8 month old puppy potty training

[nerdguy1884]

I have a 8 month old pitty that I rescued at 13 weeks. We are still struggling with potty training and I really need some help. Today he literally stood over me and peed ON ME. I had taken him out an hour before. No signaling that he had to go before he peed.

I take him out every 1.5 - 2 hours, more frequent if he’s been playing with our other dog. At most we’ve gone 5 days without an accident, and it will feel like he’s finally got it, then, like in the last few days, he’s had at least one accident every day. We’re trying to train him to use a bell to signal he needs to go which hasn’t taken yet, I’m sure needs more time since we started this week.

I don’t know what to do, I’ve potty trained two other dogs and it’s never taken this long. Sometimes he’ll just pee a little then keep on walking. I don’t get it. He’s not neutered yet so I’m not sure if that’s affecting this at all (my other male rescue was a pediatric neuter so didn’t really factor in). I love him so much but this is so frustrating and I feel at a total loss for what I’m doing wrong. Please, any advice is welcomed.

 

[aniki91344]

@nerdguy1884 Could he possibly have a UTI or some other medical problem causing this? I’d rule that out first.

Another thing to note, dogs show submission by peeing a little bit. It’s a throwback to infancy when motherdog would clean their genitals for them so they could eliminate. If this is the case, your dog shouldn’t be scolded bc in Dog logic/culture he is trying to show you submission by saying “I see you as my elder and authority please be nice to me”, and you getting mad only makes him cower and submit more. Instead, dog needs confidence work. Build up his confidence with mental games that win your praise.

 

[nerdguy1884]

@aniki91344 We’re doing a vet check just to be sure.

That’s so interesting about the submissive peeing. He’s gotten into full blown teenage mode this last month too so there’s been a lot of just trying to get him to follow commands he knows but doesn’t want to do (even “sit” sometimes gets me a blank stare!), which means training hasn’t been very fun for either of us… I’ll start incorporating more play and praise, maybe a new trick to help with his confidence and our bond. Thanks so much for the feedback!

 

[aniki91344]

@nerdguy1884 Happy to! I recommend the book “The Art of Raising a Puppy”

 

[zyzzyva]

@nerdguy1884 Does he always pee at your feet or is it wherever? If it's always at your feet or very close to you, it can be a submissive behavior that's REALLY hard to control, it's rare and I've heard it can be involuntary and I can't help you with that.

If that isn't the case and he pees wherever, you need to manage him better, because it isn't an accident, you've just allowed him to pee in the house, and behavior allowed is behavior taught, and this dog has been taught to pee inside. The only time my young or adolescent dogs are left unattended inside for that long is in the crate, and my dogs never pee in their crate because they're appropriately sized. Just big enough for the dog to stretch out in, once they get used to it, for the first couple days of crate training I put a divider in it so they can lay down but maybe have to curl up a bit. I wouldn't put a Chihuahua in the same size crate as my Rottweiler.

Take your dog out more often, like every 30 minutes, and never let him out of your sight unless he's crated, and jackpot rewards with very high value food rewards when he pees outside. I also use a low level correction (usually just a stern "no", I don't want him to try and hide and pee, I just want him to understand I'd rather he not pee inside) and rush them outside when they do pee I side. Keep that up until he's "accident" free for at least 3 months, preferably 6 months. Keep up the bell training. That is abstract behavior and is hard to learn for a dog, but he will probably get it.

 

[nerdguy1884]

@zyzzyva Thanks for your feedback! It is not at my feet, today was the first time he’s ever peed on me, luckily lol.

He’s really not unsupervised, he’s with me all the time, not tethered but within 5-10 feet of me when he’s not sleeping in his crate. He just pees within that radius, the last few days for example he’s had two accidents walking up the stairs behind me and one about three feet from me while I was at the kitchen table.

I will definitely start taking him more frequently and bring back high food rewards. It’s just so frustrating because I thought at 8 months we’d be past the 30 minute potty breaks, but we work with the dog in front of us Thanks again!

 

[kingdomwaygh]

@nerdguy1884 When you say he pees and keeps on walking, does he stop to pee a few drips then walks again, or does he just freely pee while walking?

 

[nerdguy1884]

@kingdomwaygh He’ll stop, pee like two tablespoons worth, and keep on walking. Or another example is him following me up the stairs, pause to pee a bit partway up the stairs and then keep going. It doesn’t seem like he doesn’t know that he’s peeing.

 

[kingdomwaygh]

@nerdguy1884 I mean peeing a little multiple times along a walk is normal if they’re marking but not like that.

Sounds like he may have a medical problem. Vet time!

 

[nerdguy1884]

@kingdomwaygh Yeah I thought a vet visit might be in order, if nothing else just to rule out any medical related causes. Thank you!

 

[john73]

@nerdguy1884 You can get him screened for a UTI but at his age he still doesn’t have full bladder control especially to stop the flow if they let it start. If they get excited or scared or hormones coming in or simply distracted in their own puppy thoughts, they can accidentally pee & not be able to stop. As long as it isn’t continually happening multiple times a day, I wouldn’t be too concerned. Belly band might help you stay sane through this but you have to make sure he can’t bite it off himself/eat it.

 

[christiannina2017]

@nerdguy1884 One tip I heard that really helped and made sense to me was to immediately take them out after every “activity”. Immediately after waking up from a nap, playing, eating, drinking a bunch of water etc. Regardless of how long it has been since the last potty break. I hope that helps!

 

[davecb]

@nerdguy1884

We’re trying to train him to use a bell to signal he needs to go

I'd stop that. Don't be all fancy with this dog when he still doesn't grasp the basics.

I'd put him on a very strict schedule as you would for an 8 week old puppy.

There is a chance that wrapped up in all of this, he's also marking. So it won't be the easiest housebreaking procedure but it's doable.

The dog wakes up, he goes out on a leash, pees, praise, come back in.

Feed the dog.

Dog goes back out, on a leash, pees, praise, go play.

Comes back in, he's either crated or he's tethered to you. NO FREE ROAMING.

90 minutes to two hours later, he goes out again, on a leash. Pee, praise, play.

If he's drinking, he goes back out asap.

if he's playing with you or the other dog, ditto.

Try that for two to three weeks. And stick to it, no exceptions.

But don't give him ANY down time when you are not fully in charge of him.

If he is still peeing ON you, that's marking. And that you can correct him for. That's a big NO.

Don't let him roam at all. He needs to be attached to you. Being five feet away from you at this point is giving him permission to pee in the house.

If he continues to mark and you are making no progress, I would neuter him sooner and not later.

Once he's solid on not peeing in the house, sure teach him to use a bell. I don't. My dogs are 100% housebroken and know to bark at the slider to go out. I don't see any reason to make life more complicated, and I want a behavior that a 15 year old dog can still handle one day. YMMV.

 

[nerdguy1884]

@davecb Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. I think you’re spot on that we need to go back to a regimented schedule. I’ve realized that his accident free streaks almost always happen during the workweek when my own schedule is very predictable, therefore his movements are restricted as well. I.e. potty walk, breakfast, sniffy walk, play/train, nap under my desk while I work til midday walk. I need to be extending that schedule somehow over the weekend as well to set him up for success. Back to basics.

Thanks again

 

[mnemonik]

@nerdguy1884 In the meantime, try some reusable male belly bands or disposable wraps while you’re at home. I always put a layer of plastic wrap and a folded paper towel inside the reusable belly band and changed them frequently. It was especially helpful when my pup wasn’t potty trained yet.