potty training problems!!

I have 2 pugs that are 10 months old. At this age, most dogs are potty trained, and I feel really frustrated! We think we have done everything that you are supposed to for training....We take them outside, they go on their "grass" ,and we praise them and give them treats. When we are gone at work, they have their own fenced off area indoors, that give them access to their doggy door and grass. They use that without any problems.
At night, we try to give them some space, and let them sit around with us...This is when they like to go on the carpets, couch, you name it...What can we do to help them use their doggy door when we are home with them?

Here's a couple of things that strike me:
1.) They are at absolutely the right age for back sliding. LOTS of owners give up on their dogs at the 10 month to 2 year mark due to the fact that the training hasn't "taken" and the dog is not where the owner expected them to be or has started to do behaviours the owner thought were over.

2.) Are these two litter mates? Personally, I advise people against adopting litter mates as they have a tendency to focus more on each other and less on you and training often takes twice as long.

3.) I would bet that they are way more interested in staying with you than with going outside--unless you are going to go outside with them and make it part and parcel of being with you. Pugs really would rather be with their humans than almost anything else and going outside to pee, especially alone, is not likely on the agenda.

4.) My experience is that most pugs take forever to fully house train and many will continue to excrete in the house if there is something better to do inside than outside.

And here is just a totally unsolicited piece of advice that you can ignore if you wish. I personally feel that a doggie dog unlocked while you are out of the house (I'm assuming the doggie door leads to the yard, but may be wrong)is potentially very dangerous. Again, it may not be leading out to your yard or someplace where the dog could get hurt, not be able to get back in or other animals could get into the house.

There are others who will have much better advise that I do, but I can't say enough about staying on a schedule. I get home between 5:15-5:30 and if I can't make it home, my husband does. They go outside and potty before they eat. We go back outside at 9:00pm and one last time at 11:0pm. If I can't see my pugs, then I know they are getting in trouble.

I agree with Jana and Blanche-both about a schedule and about going out with them. My pugs are almost 9, 6, and 2, and we always go out with them. A lot of times they act like they have to go potty and when we go out, they just sit in the sun! So going out helps me see that they actually go, which prevents accidents inside. Getting them on a schedule helps a ton too. Plus when you are out there with them, you reinforce that good behavior (when they go, you give them a treat and praise, praise, praise).

I also agree about the backsliding around the age that your pugs are, that seems to be the "teenage" years and we had bit of regression at that age as well.

Every one of our pugs backslid on potty training around that age. You just have to start all over again. And, yes, litter mates, or multiple pugs take ages longer to train than a single pug because of the pack mentality. Blanche has pretty much covered most of the major points. Don't get discouraged. It has happened to most of us and pugs really are hell to potty train in general.

The thread posted at the top of this forum, called "Puppies can be discouraging" has some great information.

I think everyone on here is right - it takes time, and with pugs, that could mean a lot longer than what may be perceived as the "normal" amount of time for other breeds.

Good luck, don't give up on training.

Just wanted to add that if you can associate a word with the act, it'll eventually be easier to get your dogs to eliminate. I've always used the phrase "find your spot", because I don't feel like an idiot repeating it over and over and if anyone overhears me, I won't be "that crazy lady with the little dog" to them!

I always take Otto out on a leash, because otherwise he's too interested in sniffing around and looking for some bread that one of the backyard birds might have dropped in the grass to actually do anything while he's outside. Also, I don't want him running into a twig or branch at night and getting another eye ulcer. I'm paranoid after the last one (his pain, my vet bills).

Pugs do seem to take longer to house train that some other breeds.

If your guys have peed inside, you might have that scent embedded in your carpet or floors, calling to them like a runway beacon to keep adding to it. Have you used Nature's Miracle or one of the other enzyme-based products to try to get the scent out? You might not be aware of it, but the pups are.

You might want to leash them up and take them outside for a walk before settling in on the couch to unwind with them. Once you have a routine in place, it should get easier.

Good luck.

Thank you for all your wonderful advice...I guess I just need to be more diligent about a routine with them...I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with these issues! :)

kristin12 wrote:Thank you for all your wonderful advice...I guess I just need to be more diligent about a routine with them...I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with these issues! :)

God, no. All of us have wanted to bang our heads against the wall in frustration with pug peeing/pooping in the house issues. It's one of the bigger reasons they get surrendered to rescues.

northernwitch wrote:

kristin12 wrote:Thank you for all your wonderful advice...I guess I just need to be more diligent about a routine with them...I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with these issues! :)

God, no. All of us have wanted to bang our heads against the wall in frustration with pug peeing/pooping in the house issues. It's one of the bigger reasons they get surrendered to rescues.

Which is really so sad. I mean, a pug is a pug. My DH used to get upset with our pugs peeing in the house...which they still do little stinkers!...but, he went to a few pug parties, and he saw all the other pugs just peeing away, as much as ours do. He said that after he saw that, he just figured it was a breed thing, we aren't the only ones with this problem and he let it go. That isn't to say we enjoy having pee all over the house, but we clean it up, and move on. The pack mentality has definately taken a hold of my gang too, the more pugs we have in the house, the more peeing goes on.

But, I love my babies.

Our boys still want to mark in the house, and they are over 5 years' old. Three years ago, I had to invest in belly-bands, and they wear them all the time. Of course, to sustain their dignity, we call them "sassy slacks." LOL I did all the right things, too, when they were little, but I do believe it is indicative of the breed. I guess.

Kelli

I recommend going back to the basics. No more doggy door for now, no more freedom for now. If you cannot watch them, then put them in a crate or a pen or a fenced off room. If you're doing things around the house tie their leash to you so you can watch them for signs they need to go. I find potty training goes alot faster and alot more successfully when they have to learn to hold it. Hence why potty pads tend to hinder training alot.

Make sure they have a relatively solid schedule, if you free feed then start feeding in meals. This helps to get the body on a schedule which you can also predict. Take them out on leash every hour on the hour and let them have a chance to go. No playing, no coaxing... When they go, throw a potty party or have a really yummy treat handy that's ONLY for pottying! Also clean all the areas they've gone with lots of enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle.

Bottom line. Set them up to succeed, praise when things go right, hit yourself with a newspaper when things go wrong because you made the mistake and didn't catch the signs.

I have three pugs, 8, 7, and 3. We still use the crate for when we are gone, and at nighttime. Otherwise there are piles and spots around the house! At one point I thought that we could do without it, nope! Its just part of life with the puggers, they are so worth it though

I have Phoebe on a potty schedule. My alarm goes off at 5:00am. She moans and grunts and sneezes in my face...I leave her in bed because she doesnt want to get up that early, so she stays in bed while im getting ready for work. about 5:45 she goes out for potty time, then into her crate so I can go to work. She goes back outside once im home from work at 5:30pm. Then she will go out again about 9:00pm before bed time. During weekends she will go out more than that during the day. She does bark and scratch at the door when she has to go. Now starting next week we will be moving and the new house has a doggy door, so she will have access to that when she has to go...well she will still be crated while were all at work. I think I struggled with her potty training til she was about 7mths old. she will still poop on everyone elses floors that we go to. Not sure why but she enjoys leaving them a present.