Still Struggling with Housebreaking

[denisegross]

We have had our black Pug, Georgia (3 1/2 months old) for about a month now and we are still having trouble with the housebreaking. I am doing everything that the Housebreaking article says to do. I am taking her outside every hour, and sometimes more often if it is around feeding time. I feel like my life revolves around when she is going to go potty. I am rewarding her like crazy when she goes outside, and giving her cheese and chicken breast for treats. She just doesn't let me know when she needs to go. I have her in a crate or on a leash when I cannot watch her closely. SHe just doesn't let me know when she needs to go. We have gone in and out the same door since we've had her. She will even poop or pee in her crate and not let me know when she's only been in there for a few minutes. I know it says not to scold them when they do it inside, but I feel like she thinks its OK to go inside. I just got a bell for the door a few days ago and no luck with that either. YEsterday, I had her on the couch with me and she jumped out of my lap and just went over and peed on the couch in a matter of seconds. No warning or anything. PLEASE HELP ANYONE!

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Ahhhh.... I see you have a pug. Maddening isn't it?

She is still quite young. Give her time.

I have three who are quite fastidious and do not potty in the house normally (all bets are off when it's raining) and three who seem to enjoy keeping the house constantly perfumed with the scent of pug urine.

I've got no earth-shattering advice, just know that you are not alone. I can't undrstand how a dog that understands that when I switch off the light above my computer it's time to go to bed can't grasp the concept of peeing outdoors.

Take care,
Lisa

[Pugofthelake]

I can only give you encouragement. Wally is 3 months and he starts to sniff in circles by the door (mostly)when he need to go. I ask if he needs to Potty and he sits and waits for his harness. Most of the time it works but today after being out several times, he just pooped in the floor. No warning. I guess it is just part of the 6 month training? We did not train him to do what he does, it is just his way. Good luck Catherine

[Lu Ci and Ri Ki]

I've got no earth-shattering advice, just know that you are not alone. I can't undrstand how a dog that understands that when I switch off the light above my computer it's time to go to bed can't grasp the concept of peeing outdoors.

Amen to this. Pugs are notoriously stubborn and some more difficult to housetrain than others. I have 3 Pugs all over the age of 3 and they NEVER go to the door to let me know they need to go out. Don't lose hope, though, you are doing all the right things and your girl should begin to get it. She is still very young.

[CountryPug]

I agree...give it time. Pugs are harder to potty train than some breeds. If you take them out religiously for the first year, then you will most likely have a well trained pug, but at 3 1/2 months they really don't have the ability to hold it for very long. Consistency is key and taking them outside for a potty break once every hour is not too much. Remember to have a party and give a reward when your pup has gone potty in the appropriate place.

[PhoebesMommy]

I just went through all of this. Phoebe is just about 8 months old. I was struggling with her. I never once got mad or yelled at her for going on the floor. I just cleaned it up and went about my day. However right around the time she turned 6 months she was potty trained. It seemed to have happened over night. One day I was cleaning poop off the floor or stepping in wet spots, then the next day she was barking and scratching at the door. She did have an accident last week but in her defense it was raining out and she thinks she will melt if she gets wet.
I got her when she was 6 weeks old and from that day on I took her out every few hours. One of these days im sure you will wake up and your little one will be scratching at the door or barking. good luck!

[BeachyKeen]

This thread has helped a lot of people:

http://www.pugvillage.com/forum/t83285/

Good luck--you CAN DO IT!

[groverthepug]

A dog trainer once told me that a puppy needs to go to the toilet roughly every two hours during the day and twice during the night...I know how frustrating it can be. Hope this helps!

[Snifter]

She's very young, still.

You need to work on a schedule for her. Some pugs NEVER say when they need to go out, and whilst others do the signals can be EXTREMELY subtle. Snifter just looks at me in a certain way and I eventually twigged that was his way of indicating he wants out. But even so it is not consistent.

If you keep feeding, walking, play and naptimes to roughly the same time and duration every day and keep a diary of those, and of when she potties you should start to see a pattern emerging. That will enable you to take her out when you think she is likely to want to go. Bear in mind that the schedule will change and evolve as she grows, but the routine is great once you have achieved it.

Apart from anything it reduces the risk of her learning to tell you that she wants to go out and then telling you she wants to go out not because she wants to potty but because she wants to play. I personally would not want to be a slave to a pug's demands to go outside, although I admit it would be helpful if they were able to tell us reliably if they were busting to go.

[shaynapug]

I think I'd have her urine checked just to make sure there's no infection. Better safe than sorry!

I did that with Ben cuz he seemed to be peeing a lot...and his littermate did have an infection. He was clear!

Some pups just take longer than others. Do you pick her up either while she's having the accident or right after telling her no......then take her outside...and I say "You make outside". IF they do anything, I give a cookie and praise.

I am harsher than most people here......I then take them back to the spot and tell them bad dog...and then crate for 10 minutes. (I don't do that til the baby is 4 months or older)

Patience and consistency are the keys!