How to know if your puppy is crate trained, even if he resists?

No, it's not too late to start kennel training Keela. You will have to slowly train him to get used to a crate. Start putting him in it when you are home and sitting nearby so he doesn't think you are abandoning him, and slowly increase the time he is in it. He can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that he has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him in the crate. That will keep him occupied for a while.

Great question! I will give you the method I typically recommend for house training a dog. Crating training is a great way to do it, but it's also important to put Bambi on a schedule. Start by keeping him on a regular feeding schedule, and taking away his food between meals. Take him out to potty first thing every morning, and once every two to three hours at first. Once he gets better at holding his bladder, you can stretch it out but he can never go longer than eight hours without a bathroom break.. Always make sure he goes out after meals, first thing when he wakes up from a nap, last thing before bedtime at night, and right before you leave the house. Take him to the same spot each time to go potty. His scent there will encourage him to go. Stay with him outside each time he goes to potty, at least until he is fully house trained. When he goes outside, praise him and give him a treat. In terms of the crate, it needs to be big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down, but it should not be big enough for him to go potty in. You will have to slowly train him to get used to a crate. Start putting him in it when you are home and sitting nearby so he doesn't think you are abandoning him, and slowly increase the time he is in it. He can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that he has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him in the crate. That will keep him occupied for a while. I hope this helps!

Crate training is great and definitely the way I have always house trained my dogs. Basically any time you cannot be at home to watch him he needs to be in the crate. When you get up in the morning or get home, you take him outside to a specific spot and tell him to "potty". When he does, you praise him. If he doesn't, then you put him back In his crate. The crate needs to be large enough for him to stand up and turn around but not so big that he can pee/poop on one side and sleep on the other. Also I do not recommend putting him in his crate with water as that is just setting him up for failure. If you are home on the weekend, make sure you watch when he eats and drinks and take him outside about 30-45 minutes after that. If you catch him IN THE ACTION of peeing or pooping, you can tell him "no" then take him outside to his spot and tell him to go "potty". If you don't see the pee or poop until after he has done it, it doesn't not benefit him to run his nose in it. Crate training is the best way to house train in my opinion. Just remember that he is young and it will take some time. You can also go to veterinarypartner.com and look up crate training to find some more reliable information. I hope this helps!

It is really a family decision on when to actually test the waters with this one. I always say if they can hold it for 8 hours (about 7 months of age) then give it a try. I would leave the cage as an option for Korbyn though. The cage is supposed to feel like a safe place so still giving them access to it is a good idea. Some people have tried this earlier in age and were successful, while others were not. It does not hurt to give it a try. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Four months is a very young age still and one where I wouldn't expect Fendi to be completely potty trained. That said, she should still be able to hold it about an hour or two, and if she can't, then scheduling a vet visit to make sure there isn't a health issue related first is a good idea. If she checks out healthy, sticking to a strict potty training routine is best. This means going out every 1-2 hours, after waking, eating, drinking, playing, etc to give her opportunities to go outside. If she is pottying in her kennel, it may be too big for her (it should be just big enough to comfortably lay down and turn around in, but not so big she can potty on one side and lay on the other.) Blocking off the house so she has limited access and limited chance to have an accident can also help. Here are a few additional articles that may help as well: https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-tips-to-potty-train-your-dog-young-and-old/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-housetraining-mistakes/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-housetrain-your-dog-or-puppy-using-a-potty-cue/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/housetraining-tips-and-tricks/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-reasons-for-potty-accidents-in-dogs/

When potty training a puppy, there will be steps forward and step backwards. It can be expected the puppy will have accidents while they are being potty trained. I wouldn't let Charlie have any water before going into the crate, and you are doing the right thing by putting her outside before going in the crate and only leaving her for a maximum of 3.5 hours. Keep up the good work!

It is very common for them to have a small relapse in their training around 6-8 months old. It could also be due to an urinary tract infection. I would first have her urine checked to ensure everything is normal. If so, I would take out all blankets. Sometimes they will relearn how to hold it if there isn't anything in there to soak up their urine. I had to do this with one of my own dogs and it worked after a few days. Just be sure to keep a strict routine and also don't let her drink a lot of water right before she gets in the crate in the morning. Also, do not leave water in the crate with her. I hope this helps!