Housetraining a new puppy

What age is he now? Ours are all trained with taking them outside and watching them - as soon as they start to void we say ‘busy’ and, obviously, praise the behaviour. This goes on every time and they are taken out frequently. The pups then gets to know that ‘busy’ is the command to void - rather than just winding around sniffing. Accidents get cleaned up - the pup is shown the excreta and told ‘no’ firmly but no actual punishment- I.e. reward desired behaviour ignore undesired. Going to different homes frequently may also cause confusion as, although the same command must be used by everyone involved many different voice tones add to the difficulty for pup. Good luck - some, like kids, take a lot longer than others!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is to take the puppy outside after he's had a drink or had a meal. As regards length of time for house training the first puppy I had (Westie) was not completely house trained at 8 months and was told that this wasn't unusual in terriers. My current fox terrier also took a long time to house train and we still have the occasional accident. My other dog, (sheepdog cross) was house trained quickly. Puppies, especially terriers can be very excitable and often don't think what they're doing - their heads are elsewhere.

Do you keep the puppy to one area when you are not able to actually be with him? It's a good idea to create a space (maybe a playpen?) where you can keep his bed and put down paper. That would at least prevent the peeing and poohing on your carpet.

I have had dogs all of my life and have never had a dog house trained at 8 weeks old, I think it is impossible. I think a lot of people have different ideas of what being house trained is and what is not. To me being house trained is asking to go outside when needed and not having any 'accidents' in the house, even when left alone. In all honesty I do not think that any dog is physically capable of this until they are around 5-6 months old. You have to watch puppies like a hawk to catch them to take them outside when necessary and just because you have managed this for a week, resulting in no accidents, it does not mean they are housetrained. You need to be prepared for this, you can get a long lead and clip them to you so they are never far away which makes watching them easier, but this is life with puppies, if you are not prepared for this, don't get a puppy, harsh but true. Some dogs catch on quicker than others, I have found females harder to house train than males, but then this is my experience, I expect other people have found the reverse is true, you are in it for the long haul, loads of treats and praise when it is exhibiting acceptable behaviour, ignore bad behaviour, take it out every half hour and give it time to sniff and smell without distraction from you and you'll get there. Maturity in dogs brings many rewards.

bobbydog24 There are 'thickies' in every breed, I think. My son bought a border collie, considered to be highly intelligent. His parents were working sheepdogs on a farm in Wales. Billy is, to put it kindly, "nice, but dim!" I tell him that his parents would be ashamed, if they knew how he has turned out!
He is perfectly well-trained, but hates any change of routine. He likes to go on the same walks, and will sneak off and head back to the car if they take him anywhere new. He doesn't like going to strange houses, and will find a piece of furniture to hide under. Thunderstorms and fireworks reduce him to a quivering wreck, despite all their efforts to comfort him. He likes his 'parents', but won't go to anyone else to be petted, though I think that this breed does tend to be 'one-man' dogs.

In spite of all his foibles, he is a much-loved, rather eccentric, member of the family.

He is young yet. Keep taking him out, and more often than every hour. Half hour and wait after the first wee, as others said for more wees. Our boy can do 8 in a short walk . he trained easily but the girl we had took longer and she continued to have accidents when excited for ages. Bobby doesn't even like going in the garden. He wants 'his' realm to be clean

My daughter has a middle-aged bitch, who house-trained in no time when she was young. They bought a male pup about 8 months ago. He has been a nightmare - weeing and pooing randomly in the house, in spite of trying various training methods. He hates going out when it is raining, in particular. It was only after he had 'the snip' that he started improving. He still has the occasional accident, but is finally getting the message.

I think the problem might be the fact that you are sharing him in your different homes. Even though you live close by, until a pup is housetrained it probably needs the continuity of being trained in the same familiar place. I used to be a regular fan of Victoria Stillwell's TV programmes ....It's Me or the Dog, and how she emphasized the importance of taking it out into its garden as much as every 10 minutes if necessary, until it got the hang of realising that's the place to have a wee, and not indoors. This little pup is being housetrained in two different places and might be confusing it in some way, as to who it's actual owner/master is and getting mixed messages. Perhaps a chat with the vet could help you.

We always use a phrase when we take puppies outside - ours is ‘ be clean’ , it can be anything you want . That gives the dog a signal about what is expected .

Praise when he performs and repeat. Do bear in mind he might not be a food motivated dog, not all are. It may be a special toy is the motivating reward .

I agree clicker training can be effective but you have to be right on the moment for it to work best .

Grabbing him in the nick of time and putting him in the right place is really the only thing to do, plus lots of praise.

It's a tiring business but it has always worked for me with puppies, kittens and children.

We got him at 9 weeks and he is now 14 weeks. I appreciate swapping houses isn't ideal but necessary. He is quite used to his way around both houses. I must admit other than when I take him for a walk, I take him straight in after a wee/poo as I thought this would indicate to him outside is where he should do his business and once done goes inside.
I use puppy mats at doors to outside to indicate the area he needs to be in at least. He uses them sometimes but not always. I'm given mixed messages about them but thought if he follows odour of a previous wee he'll go in that direction, then I can pop him outside.
My brothers dogs have had 3 litters between them and he said most of puppies that were homed were well on the way to be fully housetrained, following mum outside when she went.
We chose a poodle because they are highly intelligent and don't moult but my daughter jokes, we got the Joey Essex of the litter, good looking but thick.

Eleothan is right, just watch for the signs. I too don't believe a puppy can be fully housetrained by 8 weeks. Continue with the positive reinforcement.
I also think that perhaps you are getting overly stressed about this bobbydog and this is being transmitted to the puppy. He is a baby and will have accidents, he will learn eventually as all youngsters do. Please don't restrict his water intake though.

I had great success with a clicker.
Simple and effective.
Click when they perform, give a fuss and or a treat.
My 13 year old bitch will still come and sit by me as soon as she hears the click.

Is it possible that because you take him outside every hour, it is not fully understood that when he starts to wee he needs to be outside. At the moment he might feel that going outside is a random thing and not particularly connected to weeing.

Watch out for when he starts to squat indoors (or starts sniffing around or circling), then, if he's near a door to the garden, pick him up quickly but gently and carry him into the garden. Leave outside one or two or the pads he's wee'd on, and place him on one.

The puppy owned by the lady you spoke to might have already been partially trained when she got it so don't get too downhearted.

It is a trying time but hopefully he'll soon understand what he needs to do.

You don't say how old the pup is or how long you have had him.
I am in disbelief at your friends pup being completely house trained at 8 weeks.
I have had dogs for over 50 years and have never had one so young be house trained.
You say that he has settled into both houses but although he may seem happy at both, at his age it will be very confusing for him, moving from house to house, I think that this could be part of the problem as you seem to be doing everything else fine.
Is there any way you could have him at your daughters at least until he is older?
Otherwise, just take him out more often and make sure that he stays out long enough to do what he has to do.
Young pups want to play and get over excited when first let outside.
Wait till he calms down and starts sniffing around before you take him back in.
Sometimes when they're first let out, they might do an initial small wee but if you stay out longer he will probably sniff around and do another, "proper" one.
After saying all this, don't panic, it is quite difficult housetraining a pup but be assured he will get there in the end.

Thanks for your comments, it does feel there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope it's a short one.

Oh there's always someone with the perfect pup only too willing to boast how well their pup is doing compared to yours. Your doing the right thing but it takes time, some dogs don't fully grasp until around 20 weeks, they have tiny bladders and need to go frequently. I'd only use puppy pads for when he can't go outside apart from that whenever you think he's going to squat rush him outside with a happy voice saying "Outside" even picking up and rushing him out yourself if needs be whilst mid squat. He'll soon cotton. Just stick with it.

We are full of praise when he does his toilet outside and always give him a treat. When he does do anything inside its a sharp 'no' and taken outside. Obviously he's already done the wee/poo.

It sounds like you are doing everything right. I bought tiny treats and every time my pup went outside she got a treat. She caught on pretty quickly, but the odd time she went to squat, a loud clap and 'no!" then pick he up and place her outside, then another treat when she went.

If the pup is only scolded, they could start to hide and squat. The reward and happy praise will eventually work. Good luck.

Some people use crate training, but I hate to see dogs in crates longer than is necessary, and just for quiet nap time.