Housetraining regression!

[lunadoo]

Well, having been quietly confident that we had cracked Luna's housetraining after 2 weeks with no accidents, for the last 2 days she has had nothing BUT accidents of both kinds! In the 8 weeks we have had her she had never messed indoors - we did have plenty of wees but that's all Suddenly she has been doing both absolutely anywhere and everywhere she chooses. It's very disheartening. We are going right back to basics and taking her out every hour or so. It's very puzzling as she was SO quick to learn the basics of training. She is now 4 1/2 months old and all the puppies at our training sessions are completely housetrained ( or so it's said!). I feel quite inadequate - I have had dogs all my life and she is definitely the most resistant. We have tried taking her into the garden on her lead, but she just thinks she is going for a walk and just sits down - we have been out in the rain for up to 20 minutes at a time with the lead. We really praise her when she does perform in the garden and treat her, and we ignore the accidents - just cleaning them up and treating with Pets At Hone Stain and scent remover. She is very fit and well and bouncing with energy so I don't think anything physical is amiss. She also goes through the night from 11pm to 6am with no accidents, so it's puzzling. Has anybody had a similar problem?

[We5Kings]

Just a thought, could it be due to new food? I wonder if it could be that because Dude used to "react" when we tried new foods. Perhaps Luna doesn't have a sensitive tum? As I say, may not be helpful but I know how helpless these things make us feel! Anny

[Pollydoodle]

What’s changed in her world? You mentioned last two days which was over the weekend.
Where we are had tremendous downpours and steady rain. If you had the rains too, would it be first real rain she has perhaps experienced I know my adult dogs stand at the door and go “Nah can hold it in bit longer” also translates as get me up at 4 am to let them out and I do mug that I am.
Also I guess the doors were shut if raining , given heat in recent months we’ve had doors open most day and night.

[lunadoo]

Hi. Yes I think the weather had something to do with it - she hasnt cottoned on to asking to go out and as doors were closed we obviously were not vigilant enough. Last 2 days have been ok with back to basics. Went for a groom yesterday - looks very fluffy indeed! ]

[kathiedoodle]

How are things today with Luna, have you come up with any idea for the change. Pups do often have slip ups but It sounded as if she was having urgent needs to go outside. We often miss the signs, being slightly agitated, restless, other than changes in weather so the door was closed has there been change in food or has she eaten something she should not?
It can be disheartening but most of the time as you say backtrack to basics and soon they are back to square one again. She looks gorgeous.

[linny]

Don't beat yourself up and think you are a failure!...pups are no different to human babies....some train early some train late ...whatever you do don't get cross with her.
Wet weather does affect them and they sometimes need to go more often .
You mention letting her out every hour, that's quite a long time for her to hold herself ...I would suggest every twenty minutes / half hour and reward her with voice and a treat when she performs.
Our dogs all took varying times before the penny dropped.

[lunadoo]

Hi and thank you for your responses! The past couple of days have been better - only 2 wets inside. We have been keeping her under close supervision at all times and going out into the garden very regularly ( I do hope this is sorted by the time the Winter comes). We have a box of treats on the garden table, so that she is treated immediately and hopefully will associate the box of treats with outside! I don't think any food upset was responsible as she shows no signs of digestive upset. I just think we had lulled ourselves into a false sense of security too soon. Previously we have always had two dogs at a time, so that the younger one just copied the elder, and was trained very quickly. We have also stopped leaving the outside doors open for her, so that she hopefully will know the difference between garden and carpet. I think also that she just sometimes forgets if she is busy having fun. Other than this, she is SO quick to pick things up and has moved up a class already at puppy training ( leaving the other puppies who are totally housetrained in the baby class!) tonight we were practising recall on a very long lead in the park, and she came back every time. She is so gorgeous anyway that she gets away with anything really.


It is so helpful to have this forum and to hear from others with suggestions - thank you!

[Doodle Dee]

Not sure if this helps but both my dogs weren’t clean and dry until past 5 months old. With Lulu she went to stay with a friend when she was 6 months old still having accidents, in other words not clean and dry. I took all the puppy pads etc with me. When I picked her up my friend hadn’t done anything with her, she was just clean and dry. Not sure if my worries about it was the problem.

With Arnie, I did t worry about it, no puppy pads at al. He loved the garden so just kept jumping at the door to go out. Like you we took him out, praised him but he didn’t seem to get it. Then I didn’t notice but he was clean and dry. Goes through to he hears us get up

No two dogs are the same, as long as there isn’t a medical problem don’t worry too much. He will get there