Going Potty by the back door

[myrottie_chyna]

Chyna will sneak away from me now and then and potty by the back door. She is almost 9 weeks old. Does this mean she is getting the idea that she has to go outside? She used to have accidents just about anywhere, now just by the back door which is the door I use to take her out to go potty. I try to keep an eye on her and make sure she goes out often. But if I get distracted or lose track of the time, she will have an accident.
I dont have a crate, so I dont use that method of potty training.
My last dog would go to the door and look at me. I would say "go out?" and I could tell by the reaction I got that it was time to go out.
So is she starting to get the idea?

[Judi W]

Well, she's obviously going to the door, but you aren't there for her to "look" at you. Hang a bell on her collar so you can hear when she goes in that direction and open the door and go out with her. She's doing her part, now it's your turn to do yours, otherwise you leave her no choice but to go indoors.

[haligen]

My lil girl use to go by the back door (the door use to go to the potty area/yard) If I didn't get there in time to let her out. She usually let me know by banging on the door with a paw. You'll just have to keep a better eye on her. I also would recommend a crate, they can be had fairly cheap at a variety of stores. Makes life alot easier through the night. Don't have to watch your step when you wake up in the morning if you get my drift. -Rob

[Pappa Rott]

She's nine weeks old, she's not sneaking away, she's doing an outstanding job of alerting you of her needs. At 9 weeks, they have at best, 3 hours of bladder control. You indicate you do not use a crate, that indicates to me she is relieving herself in the house during the night. How are you addressing that problem?

[myrottie_chyna]

I am fortunate to have a very smart girl!! She has always slept in our room at night from the very beginning (almost 7 wks old). She has a blanket folded up on the floor by my side of the bed. I set my alarm clock to go off at 2 am (we go to bed about 11) then 5am, then I get up at 7am to get son off to school, or 8 am on weekends to feed her. Well after a week or so of this schedule she now wakes me up to go out if the alarm has not gone off yet. She has not had a poop accident in our room in over a week. and has only had one pee accident in well over a week. The poop one was before she went to the vet for having mucosy stools with blood. (giardia). Since she was treated for it, she has had no poo accidents at night. Last night she woke me up (she puts her paws on my side of the bed and nuzzles me.) and I took her out. She immediately went #2. then she peed. So she is letting me know at night that she has to go because she dont want to relieve herself in the bedroom. WHY wont she do the same thing during the day!!! I do watch her close, and try to keep to a schedule of taking her out every two hrs.
The times she sneaks off to go inside is when I am doing stuff, like cooking, and I lose track of time. I think Im going to start setting my kitchen timer to go off every two hrs. when Im busy doing stuff.
I also have a gated off pantry that I use as her 'room', it has her food/water bowls, blanket, toys, and newspapers in case she needs to go. This is her safe place when we have to leave and cant take her with us. I sometimes put her in there when I am doing dishes and stuff and cant watch her.

So you guys think she is doing good for her age?

[Rajah'sMom]

I think she is doing very well. A lot of my friend's and neighbor's dogs were five or six months before they were fully trained. My Rajah was fully trained at 3 months. We got her at 2 months. No one can believe how smart Rottweilers are. Rajah sleeps by our bed too, I feel safe at night.

[frau]

I always take young pups like yours out every 30 minutes. 2 hours is too long when they have free range of the house.

Remember that dogs don't generalize well. I'm sure she makes no connection between her successful night time schedule and her day time schedule. If you were upstairs lying in bed all day she might do the same thing she does at night to alert you. She doesn't yet know what you expect of her during the day.

When you change the environment or the people, you very often ato retrain the dog. After you have success both day and night at home you will have to train her at friends' houses, Petsmart etc. before she gets the total picture.

Have you considered a baby gate to confine her to a particular you when you are busy? I have used one of those, too.

I swear by my crates. You should invest in one.

Frau

[myrottie_chyna]

Thanks Frau,
I have two baby gates... she climbs over one by itself!! I have to put one on the bottom, then one above it! She does well that way. I left her for two hrs today, thats the longest so far. She only had one pee in her room and it was on the paper. Her room is about 8 square ft. and has a window for light, and she can see the whole kitchen. The room is actually the pantry, but I use it for her room for now. Its kinda a utility room off of the kitchen. Works very well for a puppy room cuz it is covered with linoleum.
I am going to get a crate as soon as I get my tax refund check.
Thanks again.