| Don't give up yet! He's just a baby! He sounds like he's on the right track but you're missing the times when he really needs to go. You say that he has gone in the house when you get home in the morning. But he's clean when you come home for lunch - is that in the middle of the night? You said you work graveyard shift. If so then he might be waking up at 4 or 5am and need to go out but your wife is sleeping. My times may be off but can she hear him if he cries? The 2 hour schedule during the day is good. Our rule was go out 10-20 minutes after a meal and encourage "going potty" with praise (you do that) and also go out after a play session. If you notice the pup has drank a bit of water, then they have to go out 10-20 minutes afterwards. Their bladders are tiny at this point.
Also, you've had your pup for a week, has he been to the vet yet? Might he have worms? Or a digestive problem? A physical is in order. But is sounds most like a timing issue. He may be learning its o.k. to go on the paper because its what's available. But he doesn't go in his crate. That's excellent. He should cry if he's in the crate and has to go. Maybe you should crate him for a bit after you come home for lunch before you get home in the morning.
From the age of 8-16 weeks approximately, Chloe went out at 10pm, 12am, 3am, 5am and 7am. She was very needy. During the day Chloe slept in the crate but one of us would come home for lunch.
They don't understand the difference between "inside" and "outside" yet. Only the crate is "inside" and they don't like to go there. Eventually, with a lot of work, your pup will learn that the whole house is "inside the crate". Please keep trying and enlist the help of your wife. You have to be in this together. This is the first of many trials you'll have with your rott. They are a big challenge. Keep reading these posts to find out how big! :) Good luck!
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Annette |