Need help with housetraining hassles

[Weimar-owner]

I have a two and a half month old weimaraner named Bella. She is very quick and eager to learn, however, I am having trouble with her house training. I am crate training her. I wake up two or three times each night to take her out (whenever she yelps). Apparently, she yelps AFTER she pees (only a little bit). She is not very vocal except when she is in her crate. The crate is small, only large enough to turn around in. It seems she should cry before she goes, not only afterwards. She does great during the day. She holds it for over five hours. I don't feed or water her for at least three hours before bed time. Please give some advice as to what I might try. I have tried using a towel, giving her toys and also having nothing else in the crate with . Thanks in advance for your help.

[krazy4birds]

I don't know that much about Weimers except I really love their looks. I think they are beautifull. Sounds to me the reason she crys after you put her in the crate is....she wants to obey you but is very sad to do it. Awwww.....how do you stand it???? lol....I would be in tears too. Good luck to you and I hope someone smarter than me can help you!
And WELCOME to the forum!!!

[Top Dog]

First of all you should not be taking her out 2-3 times a night now. You need to build her holding power and this is not doing it. Always as I am sure you know take her out before you crate her and limit her water supply at night. If she makes a mess, and I know that this seems cruel and is going to be difficult for you to do, but you probably will only have to do it once and then life will be a breeze, but let her make her mistake and lie in it all night, she probably will never repeat this mistake and learn to hold it all night, there is no reason a 10 week old puppy can not hold it for at least 8 hours at night.

[krazy4birds]

:eek: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.......RIGHT?????????

I never heard of that before....it does not sound right to me......
PLEASE tell me this is not right!!!!!!!:(

[Weimar-owner]

For Top Dog: I actually have let her stay in it for a while. I wanted to wait until she was done crying before going to her (to keep her from learning what would make me come get her). This still does not help. Now I only get up once, usually around 5am., when she starts. I get to her no more than 45 sec. after she starts crying. Too late, she's already gone. It's not much, but I can definately smell it. I don't understand why she does not cry BEFORE she has to go.

ForCasegura: I'm pretty sure she does not have a UTI, as she is fine during the day -- never even a whimper after going. I feel she is simply uncomfortable after she goes in her crate. Again, why does she not let me know BEFORE she has to go. I want to pull my hair out. I'm bathing her nearly every day.

What's worse, she used to not go in her crate at night. Now, she does so nearly every night. No idea what to do...

[Top Dog]

First of all it is definatly maybe the worse thing you have heard of but it is not cruel and it brings results and please do not compare children to dogs. I have had many clients with this problem and it has not failed if they follow through with it, hell i have done this with my own dogs and have not felt any remorse. The whole idea behind it is and most people know dogs cannot stand to sleep in the own mess, so let them make the mistake and learn from it.

[dlaura]

I have to say that I was going to post the exact same thing as Top Dog. That is how we trained both our Goldens and as Top Dog said ----- the mistake was only made once. Like you at first I was running as soon as the animal cried and she was getting worse instead of better. I realized that the dog was training ME instead of the other way around. Animals are smart --- sounds to me that your dog has learned that you will respond immediately and get her out of the mess. There is no reason to hold it ............ when she knows she can get away from it almost immediately because you rescue her. It took only one night of my not going to her and cleaning out the crate, taking her out and putting her back into a clean crate. The main thing I did was as soon as any one got up I went immediately to the crate, took the dog out immediately. Don't say hello or pet the dog as it may get excited and have an accident - just take the puppy straight outdoors and give a small reward (dog biscuit) and lavish praise when the dog goes. You will be surprised and can stop pulling your hair out.

[krazy4birds]

I told my husband about this over lunch and he agreed with top dog with that being an effective way to handle this ALTHOUGH I still disagree.....I guess it is the way most owners deal with that.
OOOOOOOOOOOK........now......about comparing children with dogs. My rule here is if you aquire a pet no matter what kind....dog...cat...bird....whatever....it deserves love and attention as much as your children if you are not willing to do this......don't get one. Leave the pets for people who have a heart.
That is my opinion not mean't to offend anyone.......just how I feel.

[Weimar-owner]

Thanks, everyone, for the response. I'll wade through this a bit more to see what happens. I've had several dogs in the past and never had a problem crate training. I appreciate all the ideas.

[Squawksx3]

Hi Weimar-owner and welcome :)

Have you ever owned this breed before?. They are very energetic, happy go lucky dogs with a stubborn mind of their own.. but wonderful, faithful companions. IMO, it depends on the dog... they are all different, no matter the breed. I have learned with each individual dog by trial and error what works best. I do have to disagree with a 10 week old puppy holding it for 8 hrs, I believe that it may cause health problems if a bladder so little is forced to hold in a large amount of fluid.... Roger(DVM)?. And lets face it.. they are just babies and when ya gotta go... ya gotta go!. We have a 14 week old pit puppy and we have learned to read his body language.. when its time... we run him to the doggy door.. he leaps through it and does his duty. He is sleeping through the night now, but first thing in the morning.. we beat a path to the doggie door :D. He's doing great!.
As for making a mess in the crate, this could also backfire and the dog may not mind sleeping in its own mess and think its ok to keep messing. Normally, dogs do not want to sleep in it, but we have a dog in rescue that we think actually enjoys it... he waits to go to his crate, after being outside for a few hours, then potty's in his crate. He's 6 months old and we're positive he will never be able to be potty trained. Good luck.

[dlaura]

Hi Jan,
What breed of dog do you have at the rescue that waits to go in his crate? This is very unusual ....... but I guess just like children - each child is different and will respond differenly to things ...... and I guess each animal is different. I have trained without the crate method and with the crate method and followed the instructions of our current vet at the time. I will never train via no crate again ......... the crate method is wonderful and makes things much easier on the puppy and the owner. It may be that the puppy is too young to hold it for the whole night. What I did was take the puppy out as late as possible say about 11:00 at night and about 6 ish in the morning.
A puppy trained this way seemed to train overnight. I hope things work out for weimar-owner.

[Squawksx3]

Hi Diane,

We're not quite sure what Charlie is... we think terrier mix. He's such a sweetheart, but is the dirtiest little guy you could meet LOL, we do love him and if he never finds a loving, forever home of his own.. he'll always have one with the rescue ;)

This is Charlie...

[eth_ng]

Well I don't know much about crate training but have you ever considered paper training, Weimar-owner?

[DiegoDog]

I don't know what the fuss is in making the puppy sleep in its mess. Its not like its blood or battery acid. A night wont kill them but it will teach them a lesson. And I understood what Top Dog meant by not compairing children with dogs. They are raised different and OBVIOUSLY you would not raise your child as you do your dog. They are different species. You can love them both (hopefully the child more). So yeah. Guess I've said all I needed to say. And good luck with the puppy, hope it all works out for you!

[BigDogMom]

Dogs are naturally clean animals they do not like to live in filth. I can see Top Dog's reasoning.

As long as the dog isn't living in it. I don't see a problem. A dog raised in clean conditions will lean toward staying clean. Where as a dog left in dirt kennels, etc, is more inclined to be okay with filth.

I would recommend not going to get the pup under any circumstances when she is crying. For no reason. You may not be going because she is crying, but she probably thinks you are.

[dlaura]

Jan,
Charlie is a cutie. I am glad to hear that he will always have a home at the rescue.


Weimer-owner - it's important for your dog to understand that you will let her out of the crate about the same time each morning and she will begin to hold it. Try not to talk alot or get her excited when you open the crate and take her outside. If she has held it and you get her excited by saying Good Morning and petting her etc. she may then accidentally go right there on the spot.

[dutches]

well i would have to agree with top dog that the dog should be holding it through the nihgt .i have a 9week old sharpei and the lst time she gets let out is 10pm and she holds it all night untill about 8am when i get up with the kids.but you can also try taking her water away at like sevenish and when you go to bed take her out and then instead of putting her in the crate try tying her up to the side of your bed but only give her enough chain to lay down and stand up .thats what we did with our three dogs and it worked ,the crate did not work for my jackrussel he would pee or poop and lay in it he did not care,but the tying him up to our bed worked. so try it it just might work.

[krazy4birds]

I guess I over reacted abit over topdogs advice to weimer-owner...:( ...sorry...it was the mommy in me coming out. It appears to be the way it is done effectively. I guess I should stick to topics that I know enough to talk about.....sorry topdog:)

[Redstorm1721]

Hello and welcome, Weimar, My question is why is the crate that small? I mean she only has room to turn around? Is this a huge type of dog? I have never seen one before I don't think? Anyway usually dogs at 8 weeks are not too big. But maybe she is. Anyway a bigger crate is always nice. 1 hour before bed time for drinking water should be plenty of time. Just like anyone would do. She is still a puppy so it may take her alot longer. All baby' pups are different just like children. I love all my animals like I do my children. They are my kids as well. Of course I don't put them on a rope to go out and things like that. So please folks don't get me wrong. I think crating is a good thing as I have trained many of my dogs that way. Later on when strangers came, they were good about going to bed. I would say "go to bed" and they would go to their crate and pull the door shut with the rope, I had tied on the handle, I would always put them in bed when some people would come over they did not know too well. This way where I lived they would protect me if something were to happen. Yes I had shepards. In training for protection. They were being also trained for others that needed that type of police dog.they were always spoken to in germany, this way no one just walking by could say anything mean! you know what I mean? Anyway not to ramble on, but Anyway this was a great question. Welcome again Gail;)

[dlaura]

How are things going Wiemar-owner? Any improvement yet and if so -- what method did you opt for?

[CLOUDY]

Hello.. I just got my puppy last week its also a weimaraner and I tried the paper training.. but he doesnt seem to understand that he has to go on the we-we pads .. he does it in the kitchen its driving my wife nutz.. Im going down to the pet shop and Im buying a crate to see if that works..:eek: