Potty training - 7 months pup pees repeatedly indoors!

by John Sedlik
(Saginaw Michigan)

We have a 7 month old Bichon male. He urinates in the house even if we have just let him out and we see him urinate. This can happen 6 to 7 times a day, in any area of the house and any time of the day. He is getting neutered next week.

We are desperate. He even has urinated on the couch and a chair. He eats our Bichon's stools. She does not pee in the house or have any other problems.

HELP We are desperate.





Hi John
I know how difficult, frustrating and distressing this type of problem can be, so I feel for you!

It sounds to me as though your pup simply doesn't fully understand what you want from him and although your obviously your older dog didn't have this problem, ALL puppies are different and you will need to be clearer and more 'hands on' with this little guy.

The first, and most important, thing to do is to prevent him from having the opportunity to make these 'mistakes' indoors. It has now become a habit for him to pee in your home and in order for him to 'forget' this behavior and replace it with a new, more appropriate one, you need to have much better control over his movements and actions.

Crate training is essential in this type of situation, and it doesn't sound to me as though you're taking advantage of this simple and very effective house training method. Visit my Crate Training A Puppy page to learn all about why this works, and how to do it properly.

I'd also recommend investing in either a puppy exercise/play pen or some stair gates (to use in doorways and the top/bottom of stairs) to give you even greater control and supervision of your pup when he's not crated.

Thoroughly read my Potty Training A Puppy page and go back to basics with this pup, just as if he was 8 weeks old. You need to completely retrain him and containment, supervision and repetition of eliminating in the correct spot (ie your yard) is the only way to do this! It may seem like a lot of time and effort, but believe me it will be very worth it.

Your pup wants to please you and he's not doing this to spite you or to be deliberately disobedient, he simply hasn't been given clear enough guidelines and enough hands-on control to learn what you want him to do. You're by no means the first dog owners to be in this position, and the situation can be turned around so don't despair.

I hope this helps and wish you lots of luck with your potty training 'bootcamp'.