Kennel Behavior - Page 1

Upon purchasing most German Imports as well as some US breeder's pups, I have noticed a trend: The pup/dog seems to have no idea that being INside is any different than being OUTside. They tend to just pee wherever they are at the time. I guess you'd call this kennel behavior. Does anyone know of a GOOD German breeder (or American, for that matter!) who raise the pup at least AWARE of the fact that IN is NOT out? :) I only ask, because I crate train all pups after 8 weeks of age so they are used to them in case they need to be shipped.

Ehm.. Dont you think thats a bit to much to ask from a 8 week old puppy? Being able to know the difference from inside and outside? When a pups gotta go, it gotta go. Then its your responsibility to get the pup outside, and by that learning it, that this goes on in the garden etc. IF though, you bought a 3-4 month old pup, I might think this was something you could expect, but its very different from pup to pup, how long it take them to understand. Just my opinion..

KreighauserGSD I can remember the first night picking up our first dog, as we entered the back door, he lifted his leg on everything in his path. I thought OMG what did I get into. After cleaning it up, I figured he was just letting us know this was now HIS home...LOL We've house raise all of our pups and have great success with starting crate and potty training as the Dam begins weaning her pups between 4 1/2-6 weeks. . Believe me there are many all nighters here when we begin the process. And it's a trip when you have a litter of nine. Nine small crates are placed in the foyer and it's like a Chinese fire drill. *grin* But it pays off for the new owners. The pups are usually 85-90% trained at delivery between 8-10 weeks old and very comfortable in their crates. Makes travel a breeze and the transition in their new home comfortable. We have found pups to be eager to learn at an early age, with lots of positive reinforcement. We're are new to this and welcome other insights. Happy New Year to all of you!!! M~

Regardless of what kind of imprinting you do with young pups, if opportunity presents itself they are gonna do their thing. I don't consider a dog fully housebroken until it's a year, sometimes older.... Young puppies just can't hold it much more than a couple hours... they need to be put on a schedule and taken out every 2 hours, or after they play or eat or drink or sleep!! They physically can only hold their bladder the number of hours equal to their age in months, sometimes plus an hour... the crate training and getting them in and out on a schedule is what teaches them to start controlling the muscles. so your 8 week old pup has 2 hours, maybe 3!! Of course, when you make their crate a happy place with treats and a chew toy (and no blankets... they WILL pee on them, I guarantee it!) and they are prevented from having accidents, most pups get the idea but physically they just can't hold it too long and it's not good for them either.... A puppy's motto - when you gotta go, you gotta go!!

Have to agree with the 2-3 hours and bladders maturing. Thus, the all-nighters. =) We use white towels in the crates and they get changed OFTEN as there are many accidents in the process. I wholeheartly agree with A puppy's motto - when you gotta go, you gotta go!!

I understand that pups are pups, however, I received a pup that was almost 13 weeks old and she pees as she runs. Once she gets outside, she no longer needs to go. LOL THIS is the kennel behavior I am speaking of. All of my puppies can make it through the night at 10 weeks, of course there are accidents, one expects that. But this dog is something else! I have a line of pee from her crate to wherever she has RUN through the house, then to the door. Not sure what to do except put her crate RIGHT next to the door and then get her to go out immediately. Any suggestions? She just doesn't seem to get it.

I think what you have there is excitable urination.... you need her crate right near the door and you need to probably not try to touch her until you get her outside.... unless you can slip a noose over her as you are going out....(but definitely not runnin ghtru the house to get outside) I am fortunate in that my pups crate(s) will be right by the back door and then we run out onto the enclosed porch... I often open both doors and open the crate and run like crazy to the back yard where I want the pup to go, close the gate on the potty yard and then leash the pup!! This pup may also need to go out more frequently or could maybe have a UTI starting..... It is not that unusual for that to happen when housebreaking, since we are forcing them to hold it longer and if there is a bacteria that hangs around.... it may start something as well. However, I don't think that this pup is not getting it, she is simply too excited... of course making a big deal of it will only make it worse!! A good portion of the board train dogs I get with "housebreaking issues" are submissive or excitable tinklers as I call them and not a housetraining issue at all... again, it is all about learning muscle control.....

My 3 year old male took several weeks to housebreak but once he got the idea he absolutely will not go in the house. Be patient, it will come.

Young puppies of 8 weeks do not know "in" and "out" as you call it. House breaking GSDs is easy. Just take your dog out every hour or so in the beginning and repeat some expression such as "do it" or "right now" etc and then praise when dog does it. If your dog is not house broken in less than 1 week, something is wrong. Best book I have saw on the subject was by Job Evans. I have house broken dogs which have lived the first 15 months to 2 years in kennels on average in less than 3 days using this method.

I know at a certain point this will get impractical, but what has worked for me is to carry the pup straight from the crate to outside - I had one pup that would pee as soon as his back feet left the crate, but if I picked him up as he was exiting he would hold it - he never once peed on me. As he got a bit older and got more time outside of his crate I never left him alone and would always wake him up from his naps and take him outside (ie. before his bladder would wake him up and he'd be tempted to relieve himself right away)...keeping one step ahead, so to speak. As for nite time, I'd take away his water after 8:00. He learned to drink well when it was there, but it helped keep the nite outings to a minimum.