house breaking a 6 month old puppy

~I disagree with the Don’t crate~

Sorry, I should have specified - don’t crate when you’re there to watch her…I agree with the crating at night and when she’s alone.

Since you got her at 4 months, it’s going to be difficult to train her - she’s already developed bad habits at that age.

The first thing you need to do is stop changing your methods - all you’re doing is confusing her.

Don’t crate her - she won’t be able to go to the door to signal she has to go if she’s in a crate. Instead, let her roam free around the house. If she has an accident, show it to her (you don’t need to rub her nose in it), give her a firm ‘no’ (show disapproval), and take her outside. When she goes outside, show her praise.

It will take a little time for her to finally get it because she’s a little older and because you kept changing methods, but she will get it if you’re persistent.

Here is what I do and I disagree with the Don’t crate. If a crate is the right size and used properly it is a great training and safety tool.

American Eskimo/Chi?? how did that happen? Oh well just curious .

Here is how I would work with your pup and I have had success with house breaking dogs of all ages from puppies to 9 years old.

Schedule is everything. Your dog has to know when they are going out. They are walking alarm clocks. Once you establish a time schedule you have to stick to it. If you are taking her out every two hours it has to stay every two hours, except at night. After she matures and you can trust her this can change.

You do use a crate when you are not home, and at night when you are asleep. The dog does not go into the crate until you are ready to turn out the light and go to sleep. She comes out first thing in the morning and you take her right outside. You do not mess around eating and shower etc and than take her out, you do it ASAP.

The crate is only big enough to turn around, lie down and sleep in. It is not big enough for her to poop in and move to the back and sleep. A dog will not sleep in their poo. This is not cruel this is a house breaking, training tool. DO not overuse the crate.

While in training your dog is always with you. She is in the same room and you keep her on a leash, attached to you or something near you so that you can always see what she is doing. Dogs like to be near their owners so if she leaves the room she is up to something. So while in training keep her with you.

When you take her out, ON schedule, you say, GO Potty, Maggie (or whatever her name is) use what ever words work for you but say them with urgency. What I say to my 9 year old Chi is “Go Potty Reba” Go Potty!” This is important. Here is why you want to teach her to potty on command. Bad weather or if you are ever at the Vet’s and they want a stool sample while everyone else is walking around for an hour your dog will potty on command. And she will learn to.

It is like anything else it takes work, more than a day and practice.

DO not free feed, give her the amount recommended on the package of food for her size and weight and only feed her the number of times the package says. Leave fresh water down at all time Until about 7:00 at night and than pick all water up until the next morning.

There are variations of house training a dog but this is a simple, easy, fast way to accomplish it in a short period of time. DO not forget the schedule it is the most important. Feed on schedule, walk on schedule, potty on schedule, dogs love a schedule.

You local library is full of dog training books, check it out

In all cases if the dog is pooing in the crate, the crate is too large.

Dogs of any age are trainable, no age is too late.