Potty training puppy, what am I missing?

Question

Our mixed breed puppy is 8 1/2 months old, we got her at 10 weeks old.
From when we got her the end of February, thru May, she went to work with me every day, stayed in a crate and was walked every 2 hours.
The weather warmed up, so I had to leave her home. Stays in a bedroom, with a doggie door to our fenced back yard. 
She gets plenty of exercise, attends obedience & pre-agility classes.  She's been to the vet and is cleared of any health issues. On non-class days, she gets walked and/or we do some other type of training, or head to the beach, etc.  We also have 2 other dogs that she plays with.
All summer the back door was open and the front door was open MOST of the time, so she always has access to outside.  
Even with the doors open, I'd make sure to go out with the dogs every couple hours and I'd wait for her to potty and praise her BIG time.
She STILL messes (poop & pee) on the floor.  
I clean the floor with Natures Miracle and every other weekend, shampoo the carpets.  She seems to know she has done wrong, when I'm cleaning the mess, she slinks out the doggie door. But she isn't making the connection that she shouldn't be going in the house.

What am I missing?   Or is she just being a stubborn Terrier?  (We *THINK* she could be Bull Terrier x Jack Russell Terrier, so double trouble terrier???)

Our last puppy (now 4 years old) was fully trained by 4 months of age.

GllntKnight · Answer

Then either she isn't properly trained or has a medical problem that needs to be diagnosed.  First rule out anything medical, then re-train:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e224/GLLNTKNIGHT/pottyjpg1_zps0bd4f0ba.jpg

Training can take a minimum of 6-18 months, if done properly, to start.  Refresher course maybe needed.  Rarely are dogs trained by four months, you may have been very lucky.

Proper feeding may help determine elimination times:  http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e224/GLLNTKNIGHT/feeding_zps90a9666f.jpg

Once trained, you must still enforce what was taught on the daily basis for the rest of the dogs life, 12-17 years.

Constant supervision, separate/contain when you can't, immediate correction when caught in the act, plus a lot of patience, consistency, diligence and time, 6-18 months as mentioned.

Good luck.

NikS · Answer

well, the trouble might be that the dog hasn't been scolded properly or shown the correct spot to go to the bathroom at. I have two dogs and both were potty trained within a few days - you don't spank or yell, you simply clean up some of the mess and then carry some of it outside, tp the potty area and take the dog with you - tell her "potty" over again and a Q word should be taught - like when I  take my dogs out I say :go potty" and they immediately begin sniffing and looking for a spot to squat - patience and praise for good behavior

shiariryu · Answer

You may need to umbilical her for several weeks. Keep her on leash at all times that she's not in her crate, and keep the leash attached physically to you. That way if she starts showing signs of needing to eliminate, you can catch them early and take her when she should be going. Or if you miss the initial signs, you can catch her right in the act and that will let her know that the behaviour is inappropriate.

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Potty training puppy, what am I missing?

3 Answers