HELP!! Housetraining/seperation anxiety

Hi Den.

Sometimes pups take up to and more than a year to be fully housebroken. I personally am a fan of crate training..especially a place for them to sleep at night. Too much freedom before being fully housebroken is like telling them anywhere is fine. Since dogs generally will not void where fed and where they sleep, if they are left to their own devices they will simply go anywhere else. If they have not clearly been taught the difference between inside and outside they will often choose to go inside.

I would recommend you take a step or two back in your housetraining regimen. Take away the freedom to the back yard and make a point of taking them out before bedtime on leash and simply wait there (in a chosen spot) until business is taken care of and then reward them handsomely for going where you have chosen. Then take them inside put them in an enclosed area (if you don’t like crates, try blocking off a small area in a room with an childgate or use an xpen). Do not give them free access to the backyard or the rest of the house until you are sure they fully understand that business happens outside.

I would also highly recommend that when you go on their walks that you don’t go anywhere until the poo and pee has happened, then reward them for doing so with a treat, a puppy party and then walk.

Good luck.

Yes, you should crate them when you are away. This is not torture as some see it, it is their quiet time. Start with having the crate in an area by the back door , if possible, at first to get them to be able to run outside when you let them out. First, no water or food while in the crate. So they need a morning potty run, with you outside to tell them what you expect of them, then praise them with a treat when they go. Then a walk to wear them out. then can go potty before coming into the house and then with you getting dressed for work they can wander, then when you are ready for work, tell them, Go to your crate, you may have to get them for a while and put them in them, then praise them and I give one treat. Then leave on quiet music and do not tell them bye. After work, quietly get them out and say Outside, then potty. this works for mine.

Hi,

Check out this article for some tips on making Crate training and housebreaking easy:

http://dogtime.com/crate-training-housebreaking…

Good Luck!