My Puppy Is Disgusting

[rubysoho]

I have had great luck with routine. I have raised two puppies with each only having 1 or 2 accidents in the house, ever. Essentially I have set times for food and water and I don't vary from that. First thing in the AM - out for a walk. Eat, drink as much water as pup wants. Out for another walk before I go to work. Crate while I am at work. Come home at lunch. Immediately take outside for poop/pee. Puppy eats (I feed three times a day when they are under 6 months of age) and offer water again. Walk and back into crate before I head to work. Come home, walk pup immediately. Dinner is always offered around 6pm along with as much water as pup wants. No food or water after 8 or 9pm. Walking immediately after dinner and again thirty minutes later. I take them out every hour when I am home. If they can't make the hour I go out every half hour. Basically I want to get the pup outside before they have a chance to go in the house. If pup is super small (like my second pup) I will get up in the middle of the night to offer a quick pee/poo but I *do not* play with pup at this time.

It is all about getting the pup outdoors before the urge strikes them. Play time excites them and with that comes the urge to potty. Same with food, new people, etc...

I like crate training for multiple reasons. First, a well crate trained dog is going to be less stressed if ever there is an emergency situation that requires crating. Or if ever needed to be crated at a vet, etc... Second, the smaller space (pup/dog should be able to get up, turn around, stand without crouching - but not enough space for playin) discourages the pup/dog from pottying. However it is important to be able to get them out of the crate enough before an accident because you don't want them getting used to being in their own pee/poo. Since your pup is playing in it, you might already have this problem. But if you aren't opposed to crate training then it is worth a shot.

Anyway, good luck! It is super frustrating and very taxing on a relationship so hopefully the pup will grow out of this soon.