Training a 7 Week Old Puppy

This may sound weird but has you puppy seen another doggie go pee pee outside? When my puppy was little she would go pee pee in the bathroom because that is where she saw me and the cats (in the litler box) go pee pee. My friend brought over her dog and we took them both for a walk. My puppy saw her dog pee pee out side and then my dog went pee outside for the first time. I praised her and she started going pee pee outside everytime I took her for a walk. Maybe she just needs to be shown how to pee pee outside.

We got a new puppy last summer and it was recommended to us by my sister who had her hunting dog, then puppy, the yr earlier professionally trained. She said the trainer recommended to us to tie a larger jingle bell ( got some at Walmart in crafts) on a long ribbon on the interior of the the primary exterior door handle or knob.You tie it to the knob of the door you use most often to take the puppy out to go. The bell needs to be hung securely on the ribbon at the dogs eye level. Each time you take the dog out that door to you ring the bell on your own with the puppy at your feet. After about a week or so of continually ringing the bell each time our pup was walking over to the same door and poking the bell with his nose to tell us he needed to go out to go. We have used the bell method for over a yr and have kept it on, the dog continues to ring it when he wants out. It is helpful too because our house is 2 story so if we are upstairs we hear the bell ring and quickly go down to let the dog out. Be sure you are taking the dog our hourly to go especially after the puppy eats, drinks alot and plays actively. I would also get a dog crate to put the puppy in when you are not at home but for no longer than 4 hrs to start.Puppies and dogs like them since they give them a sense of security, we cover the top and sides of ours with a ligh sheet or blanket so it is den-like. Puppies and dogs will not "go" in their crate generally since it is like a den for them. Be sure you buy the right size though, it should be somewhat bigger than the size of the dog so they can move around easily but not have tons of room in it. Crate training is pretty easy. Put some chew toys and a small balnket in the crate for while you are gone. Take the dog out asap when you open the crate. Also be sure you are really praising the puppy when he/she goes outdoors and do this praising for a while. I would set the puppy down more at home and not hold it constantly or you will have separation issues when you have to leave the puppy later dog at home alone, he/she will get all upset and fearful. Hope these tips help, we've been there. Good luck

Are you crate training this puppy? that is the easiest way to potty train. If you take her out and she goes, you use your "potty" word when she is going and then give her a treat. She will quickly pair the two. If she does NOT go, then she goes back in the crate for 20 minutes and then try again. She will quickly get that when she is outside she is to go potty to "earn" her free time.

7 weeks is quite young for her to have control. She may not be comfortable going outside yet - it's only been 4 days. Or she just doesn't get it yet that's that where she's supposed to go. That will take time. Learning to sit and shake is so easy for them because of the instant reward. Going outside on command means she has to be aware she has to go as well as where. It's easier to watch her cues when she has to go and then (try to) scoop her up and take her out. As far as the running, she thinks you're chasing her and playing. Maybe have her follow you out.

My suggestion is to keep her in an area you don't mind cleaning (tile floor) until she gets the potty training down.

Congrats on the new pup. Many blessed years to her and your family.

I think you are supposed to crate them at that age and only let them out to go potty and to play with you.

Word of advice: you should take her to the same spot every time to go. This will make cleanup much easier. We did'nt do that with our puppy and now our yard is full of land mines!

I got a couple of really great books on raising a puppy: The Art of Raising a Puppy (New Skete Monks) and Cesar Milan's book How to Raise the Perfect Dog (where he actually quotes from the New Skete Monks book!). My dogs are now 7 months old and great companions. The books helped a lot. It sounds like your pup needs to be on a leash in the house so she can't run from you. Also, she should probably be crated when you are not watching her so she won't go until you have her outside (I still put pee pads in the crates for a while). When she goes outside, praise her like crazy. Give her a favorite treat, anything to let her know that OUTSIDE is where you want her to go. She seems a little confused about it right now, but keep working with her and BE PATIENT, so easy to say and so hard to do. She sounds really smart, so she'll get it. Remember she is a baby and can't hold it very long. Have specific times you let her out, in the morning, after eating, after naps, before bed. Something like that. Good luck!

Another tip when you take the puppy outside, use a command so she understands it's not play time. I take my dogs outside by saying "let's go potty" and then outside I keep telling them, "potty". When the puppy goes after saying the command, praise her profusely. Also if it helps, with mine I was able to feel their tummies by gently wrapping my hands around them and squeezing SLIGHTLY and when their tummies felt hard/firm, it was usually a sign they needed to go. She will need to go outside frequently at that age so make sure you start learning her signs for needing to go - searching for a spot, etc.

The best advice I have is to take her to a training class where you can both learn how best to do what you need for her to become a great dog.

Dogs will have accidents for a long time. 7 weeks is a little young to be weaned from her mother, so don't expect too much of her. The amount of urine is small, and she has probably had no other training.

You can crate her (but she'll have to sit in her mess) or begin the teaching process. Dogs love to be rewarded. So, when she goes out and pees, give her a treat. She'll start associating the two and want more of the rewards.

But, the best thing you can do for everyone is get some basic training.

How about trying good ol' fashion newspapers for training?

talk to any vet, or any puppy owner and you are likely to get the advice of using a crate to get her trained. It has the added advantage of becoming a place of safety for her that you can use when you are out of the house. Keep pup in crate, take her out, directly outside, encourage her to pee/poop; tell her good dog when she does - then take her back in, put her in crate. Until she is potty trained, you really need to be pretty consistent about using the crate. Make sure it is not too big - you want her not to be able to pee/poop where she is lying.

Try taking Bella outside on a leash to a specific area to potty. Stay outside for 2-5 minutes and lots and lots of praise and treats or toys after she goes potty outside. If she doesn't go take her back inside for about a minute and then right back outside to the same spot. That way you can keep the leash on her in between potty attempts at least. It may take going in and out several times and you can always stay outside a little longer, she probably has better things to do outside then go potty, but once she is back inside she remembers she has to go. Depending on where she came from it may have been normal for her to go in the house or where she was sleeping too, but she will learn and it sounds like she is going to be a smart one. Take her out about 10-15 minutes after eating, playing, drinking, or sleeping will help too. Sooner if she can't wait that long :)

Try not to play with her outside until she goes potty if you think she should have to go. Once she goes it can be play time. She is going to have plenty of accidents at her age because she can't hold it well and if you are playing outside or she has lots of times there are tons of distractions and things to sniff.

With ours if she went inside, I didn't say anything to her, just cleaned it up. If I caught her in the act I might pick her up and take her outside and then tons and tons of praise for going outside. We also used a special cookie, that she got as soon as she went outside and once she went it was playtime!

Good luck to you and Bella. It sounds like she is a smart girl and will probably learn quickly. Keep up the training and if you have the chance, I'm sure you already know, take a puppy class with her. They are great for socialization and training in a new location.

pick her up while peeing and run to the door. shes still soooooo little that she just doesnt have control yet (just like our human babies) With our furry babies you just jave to keep working with her she will get it by4-6 months if you work with her alot on it!
p.s. how in the world did you get a 7 week old puppy? they arnt supposed to leave mom until at least 8 weeks??? also some breeds are harder to train than others what kind is she?