Housebreaking Ernie!

[Amped]

Well, Ernie has been paper-trained, and goes on paper that we lay down in his pen. We have him enrolled in obedience class though, and at the first class they said that if anyone has their puppy paper trained, to housebreak him immediately. So we followed the trainer's instructions. We bring him out for 5-10 minutes when he wakes up/after he eats. If he doesn't go, then we crate him, and try again in a little bit. The problem is, he will not go potty outside!

We're trying everything. Moved his pen outside, his paper, used some spray that's supposed to make him want to pee there. He has had two accidents in his bed today because he simply refuses to go potty outside.

Does anyone have any suggestions? This is becoming rather troublesome.

[Doberman's]

You have to be consistent with everything you so with him. If he pee's or poops on the floor you should shame him by saying to him in a firm voice he is bad and put him outside, you should do this if you are able to catch him within a 10 minute time frame.Show him the mess and then go outside with him and watch to see if he pee's or poops and them praise him like crazy. Stop using the paper.

I have to do this with my male Dobe. He hates the cold so much he would rather get in trouble and poop on the floor then go out in the cold to do his thing. It has worked, he asks , he goes out and then he gets lots of praise and a cookie for his efforts. :) He asks now.

The thing with training is consistency, if you are not the dog gets confused.

[Amped]

You have to be consistent with everything you so with him. If he pee's or poops on the floor you should shame him by saying to him in a firm voice he is bad and put him outside, you should do this if you are able to catch him within a 10 minute time frame.Show him the mess and then go outside with him and watch to see if he pee's or poops and them praise him like crazy. Stop using the paper.

I have to do this with my male Dobe. He hates the cold so much he would rather get in trouble and poop on the floor then go out in the cold to do his thing. It has worked, he asks , he goes out and then he gets lots of praise and a cookie for his efforts. :) He asks now.

The thing with training is consistency, if you are not the dog gets confused.


Well, he's enrolled in obedience class, and the instructor, as well as every book I've read on Italian Greyhounds, pretty much say no scolding if he has an accident. Also, he wouldn't remember 10 minutes later. He barely remembered 10 seconds later.

Here's what we have done. Just to stop him from making in the house, we've moved half of his pen, his paper, and his bed that he peed on into the garage. He now pees and poops out there regularly. Eventually, when it gets a little warmer, we'll start moving all of that outside into the backyard, and when he becomes accustomed to it, we'll take it away. I think the problem was that he wouldn't pee when he was on the leash, and we've pretty much gotten past that now.

[Doberman's]

Good, glad to hear what you are doing is working for you :)

What I explained works for my Dobes, shaming, is not mean and works very well for Doberman's. Dobes are very intelligent and know when they have been bad ten minutes later. One thing with Dobermans is that they tend to be very stubborn and don't always care if they get into trouble for things they know they should not do, but that is why I love the breed so much. ;)


I do not like using paper, it make them want to do their business when ever they see paper on the floor.

A friend of mine has taught her puppy to ring a bell she has placed close to the door when he wants out. It works very well for her and her pup. I can't use that as we have cats that would play with the bell at all hours of the night.