# 16 week old pup - house training difficulties



## cremeggsrock

Hi

I have a male Boxer pup who's 16 weeks old this week and we're having difficulties with getting him house trained. He is brilliant for pooing outside, that clicked really quickly with him but unfortunately we're not making headway with wees. I've tried everything that books and sites say.. We have a schedule in place, I reward correct behaviour and ignore when he wees inside. We clean accidents to remove the odour (wash carpet with vax machine then use the proper spray from pet shop). When I take him out and tell him 'wee wees' he will go and he tries even if he doesn't want to go so I know he knows that wees are done there!! But he still just pees where he wants to in the house (even after peeing outside) and unfortunately doesn't really give any signs he is about to go, he just piddles and carries on what he's doing. Does anyone have any advice? Starting to get down about this now... Of course he will have accidents and I'm not expecting perfection it would just be great if he could click with going outside for a wee and not just pee where he feels! Thanks x


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## Sled dog hotel

cremeggsrock said:


> Hi
> 
> I have a male Boxer pup who's 16 weeks old this week and we're having difficulties with getting him house trained. He is brilliant for pooing outside, that clicked really quickly with him but unfortunately we're not making headway with wees. I've tried everything that books and sites say.. We have a schedule in place, I reward correct behaviour and ignore when he wees inside. We clean accidents to remove the odour (wash carpet with vax machine then use the proper spray from pet shop). When I take him out and tell him 'wee wees' he will go and he tries even if he doesn't want to go so I know he knows that wees are done there!! But he still just pees where he wants to in the house (even after peeing outside) and unfortunately doesn't really give any signs he is about to go, he just piddles and carries on what he's doing. Does anyone have any advice? Starting to get down about this now... Of course he will have accidents and I'm not expecting perfection it would just be great if he could click with going outside for a wee and not just pee where he feels! Thanks x


At 16 weeks they still have limited capacity to how much they can hold and for how long. They also still dont realise the need to go or realise too late so still have accidents. At this age too they do still need reminding and taking out.

All the other things you are doing seem fine. I would go back to absolute basics taking him out every 30/45 minutes, if 45 minutes seem too long then make it nearer the 30mins. Ive found very frequently taking them out for shorter periods seems to work better then infrequently for longer periods.

If they start then I tend to use the cue word then, as they do make as association with going and then once learned you can get them too pee on command although he does appear from what you say to already know his cue word, in which case carry on using it when you take him out. Wait until you know he has completely finished before you do any praise and treats.

They usually need to go too after drinking, eating, play and sleeping so make sure he goes then.

Look out for any circling, sniffing or sctratching about thats usually a sign they are looking for somewhere to go, but sometimes you dont see this until later on as mentioned they dont always realise they need to or realise too late at this stage.

Have you still got any pads or paper about indoors, if you have that can often act as a cue that it is acceptable to go indoors especially if they were trained on pads or paper at the breeders, or if you initially trained him on pads or paper. A lot of people find that once they completely get rid of them and concentrate on really frequently taking them out they soon get it. Try going back to real basics and see how he goes over the next few days.

How is he in himself? Sometimes if they are excessively drinking and really urinating really frequently in large amounts more then you would expect even for a pup, then it can sometimes indicate a urinary tract infection or problem.
So if his drinking and peeing amounts really does seem extra excessive, or if after a few days or really extensive back to basics taking him out might be worth getting him checked and taking a urine sample with you to test.


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## tanglewood3

Yes, I would definately try and take a sample to the vets.

It helps if you restrict where he can go in the house. If you are in the room with him, pop him on the lead and put the handle under your chair (Use a chain lead with a leather handle if he chews it). You still need to let him out regularly when is is tied near you of course. It also helps with teaching him to settle down.


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## WhatWouldSidDo

Is he crate trained? It helps a lot as he should be in there whenever you can't watch him.

My 13 week lab never pees in his crate and he's in there for 8 hours at night and upto 2.5 hours during the day so I think they can hold it when needed

It's common for them to get the idea of pooing outside a long time before the weeing so that sounds normal to me.

All you can do is watch him the whole time so you can stop him when he pees indoors and take him out. I know it seems like they are not getting it but then it suddenly clicks with them, my westie was a nightmare and took a lot of work to get her house trained but it's worth it in the end


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## toryb

Millie at 16 weeks was still a nightmare she would pee ALL the time and short of being permemnantly in the garden I was just up to my neck in wee accidents in the house...my first puppy too (only had adults before) so I was a bit  but suddelny about 19 weeks it clicked with her and she got it 

Now we have 16/17 week old pup that we have had for a week and the previous people hadnt even attempted to toilet train her...within a week she has only had two wees in the house (both my fault...I was side tracked/busy and missed her signs!)...but generally she is spot on...just shows how different they all can be!


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## koolchick

Dont just ignore when he wees inside. Tell him no and put him out. My dog used to wee inside to avoid going out when he was playing but soon learnt weeing inside didn't save him going out.


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## Vev

I got to the stage where my pup would be really good at going outside but like yours she would also go inside quite often. At this stage I did actually start saying "NO" and putting her straight outside which I didn't do in the beginning because she didn't know what she was doing! But it came to a point where I could actually tell her off for going inside and that was the final stage of housetraining for my pup and now she is 100% accident free and she's only 11 months old!


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## Belladonna6

I am having similar experiences as Creameggsrock with my 7 month old JRT. I am pulling my hair out - I just hate the mess in the house and am fed up of cleaning up all the time 

Sled dog hotel has written quite a few things that I am already doing but it's encouraging to read that what I am doing is right. I will however, persevere!


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## Cheryl Higgins

cremeggsrock said:


> Hi
> 
> I have a male Boxer pup who's 16 weeks old this week and we're having difficulties with getting him house trained. He is brilliant for pooing outside, that clicked really quickly with him but unfortunately we're not making headway with wees. I've tried everything that books and sites say.. We have a schedule in place, I reward correct behaviour and ignore when he wees inside. We clean accidents to remove the odour (wash carpet with vax machine then use the proper spray from pet shop). When I take him out and tell him 'wee wees' he will go and he tries even if he doesn't want to go so I know he knows that wees are done there!! But he still just pees where he wants to in the house (even after peeing outside) and unfortunately doesn't really give any signs he is about to go, he just piddles and carries on what he's doing. Does anyone have any advice? Starting to get down about this now... Of course he will have accidents and I'm not expecting perfection it would just be great if he could click with going outside for a wee and not just pee where he feels! Thanks x


Hey, We have two 16 week old puppies and I'm having exactly the same problem as you. Pooping outside was picked up almost instantly, they'll both go out for wee wee time abd even go to the diies themselves, but then they'll come in and pee on the floor. It's sooooo frustrating and you just wanna scream at all the extra cleaning. I have severe OCD and this has had me crying at times, but then i look at my two babies and all is forgiven. Your boxer pup will learn in his own time as will my two. I guess every dog is different. My friend had her lab pup fully house trained at 12 weeks old, but then her second lab still wasn't fullt trained at 6 months. Just persevere and don't stress as they can pick up on the tension. I totally know how you feel on this topic right now; but goid luck xx.


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## Cheryl Higgins

Sled dog hotel said:


> At 16 weeks they still have limited capacity to how much they can hold and for how long. They also still dont realise the need to go or realise too late so still have accidents. At this age too they do still need reminding and taking out.
> 
> All the other things you are doing seem fine. I would go back to absolute basics taking him out every 30/45 minutes, if 45 minutes seem too long then make it nearer the 30mins. Ive found very frequently taking them out for shorter periods seems to work better then infrequently for longer periods.
> 
> If they start then I tend to use the cue word then, as they do make as association with going and then once learned you can get them too pee on command although he does appear from what you say to already know his cue word, in which case carry on using it when you take him out. Wait until you know he has completely finished before you do any praise and treats.
> 
> They usually need to go too after drinking, eating, play and sleeping so make sure he goes then.
> 
> Look out for any circling, sniffing or sctratching about thats usually a sign they are looking for somewhere to go, but sometimes you dont see this until later on as mentioned they dont always realise they need to or realise too late at this stage.
> 
> Have you still got any pads or paper about indoors, if you have that can often act as a cue that it is acceptable to go indoors especially if they were trained on pads or paper at the breeders, or if you initially trained him on pads or paper. A lot of people find that once they completely get rid of them and concentrate on really frequently taking them out they soon get it. Try going back to real basics and see how he goes over the next few days.
> 
> How is he in himself? Sometimes if they are excessively drinking and really urinating really frequently in large amounts more then you would expect even for a pup, then it can sometimes indicate a urinary tract infection or problem.
> So if his drinking and peeing amounts really does seem extra excessive, or if after a few days or really extensive back to basics taking him out might be worth getting him checked and taking a urine sample with you to test.


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## Cheryl Higgins

Sled dog hotel said:


> At 16 weeks they still have limited capacity to how much they can hold and for how long. They also still dont realise the need to go or realise too late so still have accidents. At this age too they do still need reminding and taking out.
> 
> All the other things you are doing seem fine. I would go back to absolute basics taking him out every 30/45 minutes, if 45 minutes seem too long then make it nearer the 30mins. Ive found very frequently taking them out for shorter periods seems to work better then infrequently for longer periods.
> 
> If they start then I tend to use the cue word then, as they do make as association with going and then once learned you can get them too pee on command although he does appear from what you say to already know his cue word, in which case carry on using it when you take him out. Wait until you know he has completely finished before you do any praise and treats.
> 
> They usually need to go too after drinking, eating, play and sleeping so make sure he goes then.
> 
> Look out for any circling, sniffing or sctratching about thats usually a sign they are looking for somewhere to go, but sometimes you dont see this until later on as mentioned they dont always realise they need to or realise too late at this stage.
> 
> Have you still got any pads or paper about indoors, if you have that can often act as a cue that it is acceptable to go indoors especially if they were trained on pads or paper at the breeders, or if you initially trained him on pads or paper. A lot of people find that once they completely get rid of them and concentrate on really frequently taking them out they soon get it. Try going back to real basics and see how he goes over the next few days.
> 
> How is he in himself? Sometimes if they are excessively drinking and really urinating really frequently in large amounts more then you would expect even for a pup, then it can sometimes indicate a urinary tract infection or problem.
> So if his drinking and peeing amounts really does seem extra excessive, or if after a few days or really extensive back to basics taking him out might be worth getting him checked and taking a urine sample with you to test.


Hey; I never knew the scratching thing was a sign for peeing accidents. We had our two 16 week old puppies on oyr bed last week and obe of tgen done tge scratching/digging thing, then pee'd on my lovely fresh clean sheets. Needless to say i was up until 3am washing the sheets, the duvet, the mattress protector. I'll know for next time if one of them start to scratch or dig.


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## JoanneF

The advice from Sled Dog Hotel is good, there is no need to repeat it; the advice from the other poster to scold them is now not thought to be good advice as it can make them pick up on your reaction, fear toileting in front of you, and therefore sneak off to do it elsewhere. Also, because of that, you need to control your reaction very firmly (you said you were almost crying) as dogs pick up on our body language.

You might also want to Google 'littermate syndrome'.


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## Guest

koolchick said:


> Dont just ignore when he wees inside. Tell him no and put him out. My dog used to wee inside to avoid going out when he was playing but soon learnt weeing inside didn't save him going out.


No don't tell him no. Let pup out with no fuss and clean up the accident.


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## Cheryl Higgins

JoanneF said:


> The advice from Sled Dog Hotel is good, there is no need to repeat it; the advice from the other poster to scold them is now not thought to be good advice as it can make them pick up on your reaction, fear toileting in front of you, and therefore sneak off to do it elsewhere. Also, because of that, you need to control your reaction very firmly (you said you were almost crying) as dogs pick up on our body language.
> 
> You might also want to Google 'littermate syndrome'.


I have never told my pups off for accidents, as for crying, it wasn't in front if them. I took myself away into another room to de-stress.


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