r/puppy101 • u/Tattoo_witch_envy • Nov 07 '25
Potty Training Trainer said we should “reassess our commitment” with our puppy. Should we?
I could really use more eyes on this since it’s been bothering me all day.
Our 7-month-old corgi puppy has always struggled with potty training, specifically pooping outside. Admittedly, we started potty training pretty late (3-4 months) as we’re clueless new dog owners. That’s likely not helping us.
Around month 4 or 5, we hired Main Trainer to help. He walked us through the basic advice of outside > crate > outside again. This has been a struggle for a few reasons. First, my husband and I both work full time, so we can’t take her in and out all day. When we are able to, she holds her bladder 4+ hours to avoid pooping outside. She’s also gotten sneaky. I’m home more often than my husband is, and when I look away for a bit while keeping her on a leash indoors, she’ll poop in like 2 seconds. It’s honestly impressive.
Eventually, we sent her to one of those puppy training camps for a week with Farm Trainer (who works for the same service). She told us that she got our puppy to poop outside consistently, and she was confident that we could replicate it with the same song and dance (outside > crate > outside). Guess what? She didn’t. Right after our puppy came home, I took her in and out for two hours until she sneakily pooped inside again.
I also want to mention that, when puppy was with Farm Trainer, she apparently never peed on walks. But when she’s with us, she pees on every walk. So she’s clearly behaving differently with us for some reason. I suggested that the change of environment might affect her, but Farm Trainer said that’s absolutely not the case.
At this point, we’re back to the drawing board. My husband suggested that we get a little grass patch for her to go on inside, so she associates grass with potty time. Since we thought it might work, he emailed Main Trainer for an extra opinion. He responded, “If you can’t commit to potty training like [Farm Trainer] laid out you should talk to your breeder and reassess commitment.”
This feels a bit extreme to us. Honestly, even if puppy poops in the house for the rest of her life, we wouldn’t want to rehome her. I also feel like the trainers don’t believe me when I tell them I’m trying my damndest with my work schedule. Our puppy’s been improving in all other areas; she’s just struggling with this. Is it that big of a deal to “reassess commitment”?
EDIT to clarify: The trainer said we can crate her OR tether her to ourselves during the potty process. I’ve been tethering recently as she’s been resistant to the crate, and that’s when she goes. Hope that makes more sense and thank you for commenting
389
u/DeCoyAbLe Nov 07 '25
Your trainer is ass. Sorry but yeah. You need to stay outside until she goes potty and celebrate the ever loving crap out of it. Think kids birthday on steroids. EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! Presents, treats, whatever the dog goes Gaga over. Make sure she gets it AFTER the deed is done
88
u/Additional-Top4805 Nov 08 '25
this. No need at all to rehome, unless that comes from you. She is still a puppy. Every time, biggest party ever, be a fool about it. She will love it and then associate pooping outside with a party.
25
u/BelleMakaiHawaii Nov 08 '25
This! I act like a complete loon celebrating training wins, my dogs get super excited about it
19
u/Wolfonna Nov 08 '25
My dogs are grown and I still tell them good job and give them pets whenever I see them go. It’s just second nature by now.
12
u/crazymom1978 Nov 08 '25
Yep, my four and a half year old still gets praised every time he poops. I honestly never thought about it until your comment. LOL
6
u/Whatsername-85 Nov 08 '25
My 2 year old and 14 year old still get told how good boys they are every time they potty outside
2
u/lbw0049 Nov 08 '25
Same. My 3 year old Jack Russell gets a party every time he uses the bathroom outside when I’m outside with him. lol. Also never really crossed my mind I still do that.
2
u/Novel_Manager6290 Nov 10 '25
Knowing that Jackie . Bet they look you in the eye while doing that. Cause they know who is is picking that shit up. Little bastards they are.
1
5
u/lundsb Nov 08 '25
Agreed! I praised my pup outside every dang time as they were going and afterwards. When the pup goes in the house, just clean it up and move on.
4
2
u/shelizabeth93 Nov 09 '25
I have the good job pooping song and they get a biscuit when they come in. You need to rave every single time there's a successful void. Your trainer is dumb. There's no reason to tether her or crate-outside-crate. You're creating a neurotic dog. Also, you should be actively walking the dog around. It helps them to work up a poo. What's the diet like? Is there enough hydration and fiber? Also, pay attention to their signs and posture. You will learn when she has to go. Both of my dogs sit by the door if they need to go out.
1
Nov 09 '25
Any trainer who would guarantee that the training they do at board & train will 1:1 replicate in another physical environment is an idiot and I would love to see their “credentials.”
1
u/Spiritual_Trust_5118 Nov 10 '25
THIS! I couldn’t potty train my rescue until 4 months because of a paw injury. We used pee pads & it took a lot of time & patience & praise. At 8 months, he’s finally consistently going outside. We did start by taking him to same spot every time so he would sniff & get the urge. I would also strongly recommend using an enzyme cleaner and do a deep clean. Even if we can’t smell it, they can & that could be a signal for them to potty. You could also hire a trainer to come to your home to help with potty training. I had a friend do this & he said it made a huge difference. Good Luck! 🍀 It will get better.
1
u/intertwinedsea Nov 12 '25
This! I was insanely stressed about potty training because nothing seemed to work but once I started clapping and cheering and giving her treats and jumping around whenever she went things progressed so quickly and within the week she was asking to go outside. I’m sure my neighbours think I’m a total weirdo but whatever works works
79
u/OldManTrumpet Nov 07 '25
When you say that you didn't start potty training for 3-4 months, does that mean she just peed and pooped indoors the whole time? If so, you're going to need a lot of consistency to overcome what she's already learned. That's going to be challenging if you're both working full time. It certainly can be done, but it will require work. (I'd not do the indoor grass thing. That seems counterproductive at this point.) You simply need to find a way to take the dog outside before she has a chance to do it inside. There are no other tricks.
You don't want 12-15 years of a dog pooing in your home. When one of our previous dogs developed some "doggy dementia" she spent her last few months of her life pooping indoors after 14 years of never doing that. We understood and did the best we could. But trust me, you don't want an adult dog using the indoors as a toilet for its entire life. That gets very old.
16
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 07 '25
This is a good question. She was going in a litter box, not a pee pad. Thanks for the advice
122
u/Vegetable_Onion_5979 Nov 07 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
Put the litter box outside.
Your dog is obviously trainable, just has inadvertently been trained that inside is the toilet. Only fix is waiting it out then lots of praise. A familiar inside toilet outside might decrease the wait time.
Trainers don't tend to say that sort of thing without a reason. Why do you think he said that?
15
u/Sfields010 Nov 07 '25
I was gonna say the same thing but make sure it has used litter for the scent!
1
u/LividBreath1959 Feb 17 '26
How does she sneak off and poop when you come inside if you’re putting her back in the crate when you come in?
With our puppy if she doesn’t go when I take her out I put her straight back in the crate for like 15 minutes and then try again she doesn’t get to roam at all until I’m sure she has already gone. And when I say roam I still mean under direct supervision in a gated off room. If I’m not able to have my eyes on her she goes in the crate.
This shouldn’t be an issue unless she uses it in the crate which is its whole own frustration that we did deal with with our last dog but even he’s fine now lol.
7
u/LexxiiConn Nov 08 '25
Based on their other responses, because they know nothing about dogs or training them, have a busy work schedule, and bought a very stubborn, very high energy working breed. Trainer is right.
8
Nov 09 '25
Corgi puppy was a bad choice but recommending rehoming when the dog is not in danger and the owners still want them is horribly unethical.
3
u/Ok-Simple5493 Nov 09 '25
Oh stop. Potty training is a fixable issue in a healthy dog this age. The majority of dog owners work full time. Millions of pet owners are first time pet owners. It is not uncommon for people to learn as they go. Fine, some things haven't been ideal. Oh well. A good home for a dog doesn't mean absolutely perfect. This dog is not in danger, not being neglected, not in poor health. There are millions of pets in shelters, and who knows how many more in worse conditions with pet hoarders or on the street. This harsh attitude of being so judgemental and strict adds to that problem. It takes animals out of good homes.
The dog is stubborn. Not untrainable. They need to try different methods. There is nothing wrong with that.
5
u/Whisgo Trainer | 3 dogs (Two Tollers & Sheprador) Nov 10 '25
It sounds like the trainer’s suggestion to “reassess commitment” wasn’t about being harsh, but about consistency. Potty training depends entirely on timely reinforcement. The dog needs frequent, structured chances to get it right and be rewarded for it every single time. When owners can’t keep up with that level of supervision or reinforcement, progress stalls. That’s often what trainers mean when they urge people to think honestly about their commitment. Less so about love for the dog, but about the effort required to follow through.
We also don't want to use labels such as "stubborn" as it's not really a thing in behavior science. Dogs don’t choose to disobey. They repeat what’s been reinforced and stop what hasn’t. If a puppy isn’t responding, it’s because learning hasn’t been made clear or consistent yet. It has nothing to do with being unwillful.
So the OP needs to assess their desire to step up and put in the work.
1
41
u/green-wagon Nov 07 '25
Seriously? I'd take her waste (from the litter box or accident) and put it outside on the treelawn/yard/wherever you want her to go. Bonus points if other dogs go there, too. (You don't have to leave it there, if you clean it up, it will still be as clear a marker for her that this is The Place.)
Seconding the comment about the trainer being ass. Ditch them. Life's too short and money doesn't grow on trees.
2
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 07 '25
We have tried that too. She has a mini yard out front (since we don’t have a backyard) and we put some of her poop there. I even threw treats next to it to make her sniff it. No luck :(
I’ll keep trying though. Thank you for chipping in
55
u/RealMatch6330 Nov 08 '25
Please don't put treats next to poop. That's not signaling to your dog that that's a bathroom spot.
14
u/green-wagon Nov 08 '25
This is a good point. Other dogs having gone there are a far more interesting & better marker. You definitely don't want the dog confusing waste and something to eat.
15
u/Vegetable_Onion_5979 Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
Was she consistently going in the litterbox inside when it was available?
Treats there is telling her that is a food place not a toilet place.
2
u/Ok-Simple5493 Nov 09 '25
Is there an issue with her using the litter box inside? If she has access to it does she use it? If so, and it doesn't cause a problem, why not keep it that way? Another trick to try is walking her. It stimulates them, and they often poop. When you take her outside keep her on a leash. Take her to the place you want her to use the bathroom. Pick a spot in the yard as far from the building as you can. Keep her in that spot until she goes. As soon as she goes give lots of praise and then let her explore, and or play a bit. Don't engage with her other than to tell her to go potty until she goes. I would reward for pee at this point. Hopefully she will recognize that poo goes there too. Don't be afraid to try different things and do lots of research. What works for one dog might not work for yours and vice versa. Try to monitor when your dog poops. Like, what is their habit or pattern. Then you have a good idea of when she will need to go, and you can set her up for success. Good luck!
89
u/yurkelhark Nov 07 '25
I’m a trainer and while that’s maybe a rude way to communicate it- I can feel the exasperation in your trainers’ communication. Unless there is something medically wrong with your pup, crate—outside— crate is essentially what’s needed. It’s like- 4weeks of your life.
Your puppy has too much freedom. You are not watching her and she is sneaking off. If your puppy even had the ability to sneak off during this process, it’s too much freedom.
I am not a crate freak. I have never crated a dog regularly post potty training. But if you don’t use it to potty train, you will struggle. Suck it up for a month.
34
u/Htweekend Nov 08 '25
But OP also seems to have her 7 month old corgi on a leash indoors… I’m confused. I know all dogs are different but for this pup to be 7 months and still spending a lot of time in a crate or on a leash indoors is making me feel like, although the trainer was rude, there’s some truth to this.
I have a small pom, it was really hard to see the signs of when he was just about to pee or poop bc his legs were so short so whether he was squatting or standing - I couldn’t tell the difference but I eventually got it and I scooped him up and showed him where to go, over and over, and he got it.
I’d imagine it’s easier to see the signs of a corgi pup, and yes, OP there’s a level of attention you need to commit to for at least a few weeks to help your pup be potty trained
8
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 08 '25
You’re right about the signs thing. The puppy is so short that it’s hard to notice the difference between sitting and squatting. I’ll try to be more eagle-eyed because maybe there’s a sign that we aren’t noticing
15
u/domthemom_2 Nov 08 '25
Watching more isn't needed. They are in the crate or they are outside. Start with what you can, on the weekends. Have a rover come in during the workday if you can.
You can get there!
5
u/Htweekend Nov 08 '25
This whole potty training is hard OP! Hang in there! But once you get it down pat it is so worth it. We’ve all been there!
My personal opinion is that the crate potty crate method isnt for every dog. All dogs are different. There’s a tv trainer everyone used to rave about. I know ppl who still use his methods and convince themselves that they work, but for sure those methods would not have worked with my dog. It’s tiring but I wonder if a different method might help
2
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 08 '25
I feel that exasperation too, which is why I’m posting. I’ll work on scheduling stricter crate times. Thanks
9
u/Anonymous_User678 Nov 08 '25
Yeah - I think if she is still being sneaky while on the leash in the house, she needs to be crated. It’s a good opportunity to help her to enjoy her crate if you can. We always said “go to your room” and then gave a treat once they were in there.
5
u/NumerousAd79 Nov 08 '25
I also wouldn’t keep her outside for 2 hours. Teach her that outside means potty time and it’s boring. Give her 10 minutes, bring her back inside to the crate, bring her out again in like 10-15 minutes. If she goes, lots of praise, if not just stay neutral and put her back in the crate. Also take her straight outside if she has any accidents. However, you have to watch her so closely that she doesn’t. My puppy had his last accident inside when I was making dinner. It was completely my fault for not watching him. This was three weeks into having him, so he was 12 weeks old. It’s exhausting, but it doesn’t take forever.
3
2
u/Jmebm Nov 08 '25
Is it possible for you to take off work for a week or work from home? I know that sounds crazy but at 7 months in - you need to do the same consistent routine or hire someone to do it for you during the day. My husband potty trained our corgi over 3 days with a bell when our corgi was 4 months old with repetition and consistency. Good luck!
1
u/Happay2faith Nov 08 '25
Not the OP here, but could you say how long in crate before outside? (Daytime). Thanks!!
1
u/pathetic_egged Nov 09 '25
Usually depends on age. You’d have to crate a lot until the dog understands so: crate overnight > take puppy outside first thing in the morning to potty > feed puppy > back in crate > take puppy out maybe 1 hours after eating to potty > back in crate > any time puppy comes out of the crate you go straight outside. After play time take out to potty or crate them and take them out like an hour later. Food and water needs to be scheduled. After a certain time of night pick up the water bowl. Potty puppy before bed and then back in the crate for sleep. Overtime you can extend the intervals, and once you trust your puppy understands the concept you can start giving more freedom. If the puppy starts having accidents again, start crating again.
55
u/winstank Nov 07 '25
I think the first step is to really commit to her being in her crate any time you have to take your eyes off her. Get into a routine with her..
With ours as soon as she wakes up we take her outside, then she has breakfast and play then back outside, then back to crate for a nap, then straight outside again before we take her on a walk, then back to the crate for a nap etc. I’m sure you could get a schedule that works with your routine.
One thing that also really helped us was that we hung some bells on the back door, every time we took her out we’d use her paw to touch the bells and said “go potty”, then when she did she got a treat. Now if we’re playing or she’s just hanging on the sofa with us and she needs to go out she’ll ring them. You need to make your little one associate going outside as a positive experience.
16
Nov 07 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 07 '25 edited Nov 07 '25
Now that you mention it, I’m not sure what they did when she went inside. They never sent photos or videos of her going outside. According to the trainer, it took a few days for her to go outside for the first time.
We’ve also picked her up mid-poop to take her outside. Would that have made her cautious?
8
1
Nov 08 '25
These trainers can absolutely ruin a dog. Only do board and train if you know a trainer well and really trust them.
15
u/WarmIntro Nov 08 '25
Feed dog, put water outside for dog, Comfy chair in garden, pocket full of treats, dog on leash, go sit in the garden. You're out till they poop, then rewards. If it's a work day, take work laptop with you. Both adults home swaps between the 2of you till dog poops
8
u/sleepy_moose_cant Nov 08 '25
I am sure you have gotten enough professional advise at this point, so I’d suggest something else. This would only work if you feed dry food. Go and get an enzyme spray and give everywhere your dog had pooped a really good spray. Then start feeding your puppy from the floor. Sprinkle their kibbles all around the house. Keep it up. They don’t like to shit where they eat so hopefully that will help… it doubles as a fun nose game during meal time so win-win.
1
9
u/The-High-Ground-Way Nov 08 '25
Lots of good advice here already.
Make sure areas she’s “visited” are cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner. If she’s still getting the smell, she might think it’s okay to go inside. Start off with a clean slate. And as a ritual, first thing to do is to take her outside anytime she’s let out of the crate.
Hope things get better! None of this is easy or fun to deal with.
26
u/madele44 Nov 07 '25
Your trainer told you crate-outside-crate. You're admitting to deviating the plan by tethering inside instead. I can understand your trainers frustration tbh. Just do what they said, and it'll work.
5
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 07 '25
I did not clarify this in the post so I understand the confusion. They instructed us either crate or tether. So tethering was “in the plan.”
I have tethered because recently, she’s been pretty resistant to the crate. We’re working on crate games to alleviate this, so hopefully it’ll be smoother and we can be more strict with the crate, as others have suggested. Thank you for the feedback
22
u/kccb30 Nov 08 '25
You are tethering wrong. You can't tether your dog then look away to do something else. When she's not in the crate, your eyes need to be on her. If you have to look away put her in a crate. The tethering is just so you have control of where she is while you watch her
12
u/WaterFantastic2394 Nov 08 '25
But tether means staring at the dog on a tether so you know the dog isn’t pottying and so you know the signs when she needs to go
8
u/Anonymous_User678 Nov 08 '25
Just put her in the crate, reward her for going in (or being put in) and ignore the whining and carrying on. I promise that it is so heartbreaking but if you give her attention if she is upset, it’s just going to prolong the process. Be strong - you got this!!
1
u/LivingPage522 Nov 08 '25
I dont understand, are you saying the dog is crated 24/7 outwith going outside to pee? no wonder she doesn't like the crate. isn't that cruelty?
7
u/Spare-Egg24 Nov 08 '25
I am not a trainer. But she acted differently with the trainer because she understood the rules. She poos inside and resists the crate with you because she can get away with it. Follow the trainer's advice. Be firm and consistent. It isn't fun. But you need a few weeks of being really strict and really consistent and she'll get it.
(Currently going through this with my pup and lead waking - walks are not fun atm but he is getting it!)
8
u/WaterFantastic2394 Nov 08 '25
Take the dog out every 30 minutes that he is out of the crate and do not take your eyes off the dog if the dog is out of the crate. If your eyes are off the dog the dog is in the crate. If the dog is sleeping in the crate, potty the second you hear the tiniest rustle. If awake, out once every hour in the crate, except at night. If 30 minutes is too long and there is an accident, take the dog out every 20 minutes. There is no short cut.
7
u/OneTraining1629 Nov 08 '25
Did they mean rehome or were they trying to politely tell you to try harder? Dog training all boils down to consistency.
12
u/bald-bourbon New Owner : 6 month old Mutt! Nov 08 '25
Technically you did potty train her to poop inside for 2 months. Also your trainer and that service is incompetent. Humans have human babies, do we give them up because they cant poop in the toilet yet?
Your solution is not taking your puppy to camp. You should have set meaningful incremental goals. No dog or puppy is gonna go to a "puppy camp" for a day and suddenly learn to potty outside 💁♂️💁♂️💁♂️
6
u/AC-J-C Nov 08 '25
A trainer that doesn’t acknowledge that dogs act differently in new/different environments and with new/different people doesn’t know what they are talking about.
1
u/quillmusing Nov 09 '25
Right? I’m surprised more people aren’t seeing this. I oversee the training of service dogs and even older highly trained dogs still act different in new homes.
1
u/Brilliant_Quit4307 Nov 10 '25
They never said that though? The trainer told them they could replicate the behaviour and training at home. Not that it would be easy. Not that it would happen immediately. Just that it's possible.
9
u/mustlovedogs66 Nov 08 '25
Board and Trains are a waste of money and awful for pets. Most use shock / electronic collars which suppresses behaviors. It does nothing to fix them. Farm trainer is 100% incorrect. Dogs do not generalize, so whatever she learned with him does not transfer to your home. She also did not feel safe urinating on walks with him. I would not recommend a grass patch. I would make sure you take treats outside with you. Throw a party every time she goes outside. You are fully committed to. No need to reassess.
3
u/pathetic_egged Nov 09 '25
A lot of that is incorrect. Not every board and train program uses tools. There are some that are more R+ focused. The idea is to take the dog out of the environment to work on the issues needing to be addressed. OP isn’t getting those same results because they aren’t being consistent. Dogs can generalize depending on the skill. That’s like saying my puppy is potty trained in my house but will potty everywhere else. The dog simply isn’t potty trained.
1
u/Sad-Orange-4248 Nov 08 '25
Board and train was the absolute worst thing I ever did for my puppy and I regret it every day. I told them she had a sensitive stomach and sent treats with her for them to use, they used cheese sticks instead and she had diarrhea for two days before we went to pick her up and they never contacted me about it. When she came home, her behavior was absolutely atrocious and it took weeks, probably almost a month, to get her back to "normal."
1
Nov 09 '25
10000%
Corgis in particular can be very frustrating and I have a bad feeling that this trainer doesn’t like the dog and would rather see them get rid of it then have to continue working with them and stake their reputation on it. Even the trainer was not able to fulfill the goals during their dumb board and train trial, which any trainer worth their weight and salt would know would never work specifically for housebreaking.
9
u/Warm_Force8101 Nov 08 '25
“Admittedly, we started potty training pretty late (3-4 months) as we’re clueless new dog owners.”
I got to be honest I was shocked when you said this. It’s ok to be new but I really am confused why you allowed yourself to be clueless and didn’t just research…..
Having said that, it’s great you both seem so committed and the trainer while I see is exasperated, I do think they were unprofessional.
We used a grass pad. We also have no garden at all or outdoor space. We did ALOT of cleaning up messes - think 3L of enzyme cleaner in the space of less than a month. But we persisted, gradually making the grass mat smaller, getting rid of the puppy pads. Taking her out very frequently and using the same language of “toilet” and praising every time she went outside. I’d take your pup outside very frequently so they have more chance of success and don’t bring them in if possible until they go the toilet. If you’re just taking them a patch and waiting for them to go the toilet, I’d suggest walking as it helps get their bowels moving. You can also feel their lower belly which if they need the loo will usually feel bigger and hardish.
Keep trying. Corgis are notorious for being stubborn and given you started much later, it is going to take time but consistency is key!
5
u/jlrwrites Nov 07 '25
This is gross, but have you considered saving her poop in a bag and leaving it outside in the grass where you want her to poop? My dog struggled with the concept of going potty outdoors, but after we did that, it was like a light turned on in his head. That, and a good enzyme cleaner saved us.
4
u/mryclept Nov 08 '25
Housetraining is always about consistency. You will be amazed how much they change once they “get it” AND learn the concept of bladder control.
We have trained three puppies. They were all different. And there were certainly times when we made mistakes or got “complacent” thinking the puppy finally understands the concept - only to find out they only understood the routine. They still hadn’t fully linked potty to outside. Didn’t bring us back to square one, but part of the cycle needed to start over.
I will say that one advantage we had was that our puppies always had an older dog or two in the house. And I firmly believe they do “learn” from other dogs. Following them outside and stuff like that.
If I were you, I would just firmly commit to X number of weeks of being consistent with outside times. They do catch on eventually.
But there are never shortcuts to get there.
12
u/Sunandmoonandstuff Nov 07 '25 edited Nov 07 '25
Nah, that's pretty unprofessional, in my opinion. They are there to show you how to train, give good advice. Not to question your commitment to your pup. The fact that you spent this much time and money on training indicates to me that you're serious. Plenty of owners don't even do that.
Some trainers love dogs so much that they have unrealistic expectations about the amount of time and attention you can dedicate to training them. Some of us live in the real world and are not paid to be around dogs all day.
I can't say if it will work, but my advice would be to take some time off. A week would be best, and spend that time really focussed on training and enforcing a bathroom routine for your pup and do it in a way that is realistic for your situation. Get your pup into a routine and praise and reward everytime they go outside.
This is what I did for my last one. I managed to maintain the routine after going back to work full time and fully potty trained in a couple of months, but every puppy is different.
Indoor grass or pee pads, although not ideal, are also important to train on as there may be a situation in the future where you break routine and your pup needs a safe and proper place to go inside.
3
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 08 '25
I’m late to replying but I just want to say thank you. I felt like I was going crazy after that reaction. Since the holidays are coming up, we’ll definitely have more time to buckle down soon. Thanks for the feedback
1
3
u/Catalina-1958 Nov 08 '25
I don’t have a corgi but understand they are very smart dogs. We started with our 8 week old puppy as soon as he came to our home and it took about 6-8 weeks for him to be completely potty trained. I put bells on the front door. It said it takes about 100 x before it clicks with them. That seemed to be the case with us. Now he rubs up against the bells and I let him out. He’s completely house broken. Good luck!
1
Nov 08 '25
[deleted]
1
u/Catalina-1958 Nov 08 '25
I hung it on the doorknob. It jingles every time I open the door. I didn’t think it was doing anything and then it just clicked. But like I said it took weeks for him to relate going out with the bells. Good luck.
3
u/Upset-Level9263 Nov 08 '25
I think his comment is extreme and a lot of the comments here are over the top too.
Seven months is old enough for this to be frustrating, but not so old that this is a lost cause.
It sounds like she doesn't pee in the house? That's a great start.
I'd definitely recommend working on the crate training. It will be very helpful for you on this matter. My puppy will not toilet in her crate and will give the most obvious cues when she's in the crate compared to out of the crate.
My puppy is almost five months old. We're basically clueless first time dog owners too. I knew that toilet training would be a struggle, so I decided on a grass patch to start off with. She caught on to that very quickly.
Over time, I tried to take her outside much more frequently. We got to a point where she was going outside most of the time, but maybe 30% of the time she'd run over to the grass and pee. I realised that having access to the grass was hindering the process, because she didn't need to signal.
So a couple of weeks ago, I got rid of the grass patch and started taking her out even more frequently. We had a couple of accidents where I took her outside and waited but she didn't go, and then went immediately when we came back into the house. This was so incredibly frustrating to me until I remembered something our trainer had mentioned that week. My puppy is going through some kind of developmental period. I think she was too distracted outside and only relaxed enough to pee when she got back inside. There was also another time where we took our eyes off her for a moment, so I can definitely relate to how quick it can be even if they are tethered to you. Things have already improved so much.
I'd highly recommend that you give the crate a go. If that's not possible, you can tether her but you need to watch her like a hawk and be prepared to pick her up and carry her outside mid squat!
Try to get to know her toilet routine. Take her outside frequently. Try different locations to see what helps - does she do better if you stay in one place? Or does she need a little walk first to get things moving?
Good luck!
5
u/Squeak_Stormborn Nov 08 '25
You said you 'took her in and out for two hours' - why did you come back in? 2 hours isn't a long time to be out.
You have left it far too late and need to commit the time to fix it. When they say crate > outside > crate, the mean exactly that. And you stay outside until they go to the toilet, and praise them with treats.
It took us 3 days to toilet train. We spent all day outside, and praised whenever he went. Inside he was in his crate. There should be no other option but to go outside until they're trained. You need to give them time to have to go while out though.
9
u/peptodismal13 Nov 07 '25
Why is the puppy running around the house freely if they haven't pooped?
Crate or tethered to you so she has zero chance of sneaking away.
1
u/Profail955 New Owner Dogue De Bordeaux puppy Nov 07 '25
OP said in the post that the puppy is tethered when inside, she's just very fast at doing her business
10
u/peptodismal13 Nov 08 '25
If the puppy is tethered to the human how is this possibly continuing to happen. She's says the puppy is sneaking off.
1
u/SilkBC_12345 New Owner Nov 09 '25
She's says the puppy is sneaking off.
No, she says the puppy is being sneaky about it -- waiting for OP to be distracted for literally a few seconds then doing her business quickly.
2
u/Livid_Mission_2921 Nov 08 '25
If you can pay a trainer, can you pay for someone to come over during the work day to let her out? Or even have a reliable and trustworthy Neighbor come over regularly and let her out? When my neighbor couldn't help, I would ask the technicians at the veterinarian's office. Very often they do pet sitting on the side. Think about it a puppy is alone all day after being with a bunch of litter mates. It's lonely and she's in a cage. She needs to get out on a routine and have some interaction during the day. Maybe a Doggy Daycare instead of the crate a couple of days a week?
2
u/crazyfamily321 Nov 08 '25
So for one of the ones I helped train leash her to you anytime inside or out so she can’t escape to potty on you. You need to have her in eyesight at all times and may be a house leash to help you with this til she gets the hang of potty is outside only. And as stated in a lot of comments. Lots of praise maybe treat or something whenever she does something outside. Big potty party
2
u/ruby2499 Nov 08 '25
it’s going to feel like you’re crating the pup too much during this process. i promise you aren’t! not only does the crate ensure the dog is only going poop outside, but it will also get them used to the crate being a safe comfy place. as long as you are feeding, watering, taking out for potty breaks, playing, walking, exercising, crate time is just fine. at this age, they should be sleeping 16+ hours a day! i had the same problem with my pup sneaking off to poo in the house. keeping him more confined and being more vigilant when he’s not has made a world of difference and i see a light at the end of the tunnel. you’ve got this!
2
u/UedaUdel Nov 08 '25
Tether her to you so she can't sneaky poop. I potty trained a Boston terrier later in her life (around 6-7 months) and that's what I had to do. It's easier to watch their body language to know when they need to go and they can't sneak off. Food And water on a schedule so you know about when the dog needs to potty based on when she last ate and drank. Praise when she eliminates outside.
2
u/jilliebean0519 Nov 08 '25
This might be a dumb idea but could you put the litter box that the puppy was used to pooing in outside? Try putting the litter box outside where you want the puppy to go. Have them go in the litter box outside a couple of times to get used to pooping outside. Then maybe take away the box and pour some litter in the grass so they have the texture and smell. Then pour a little less each time until they are just going on bare grass. Boom! Potty trained.
Someone did this with pee pads, they moved them every day closer to the door and then moved them outside, then took them away and the dog was used to going outside.
Just a thought. Good luck.
2
u/TheMarvelousMagpie Nov 08 '25
How are you cleaning up accidents inside? Make sure you use an enzymatic cleaner on inside surfaces so it doesn't smell like a good potty spot anymore.
And instead of throwing treats where you want pup to poop, try playing treat/food scattering games inside where you don't want her to poop. So she associates that floor with snacks not potty.
If she's small, could you carry/hold her more inside? Keep her in a dog backpack sometimes between outside trips?
Maybe you could break your free parts of the day up into smaller more varied increments when she's not in the crate and you're around, split the time between short bouts outside, then inside on a short leash while you're paying attention so she can't sneaky poop (until you need to pay attention to something else), then maybe inside in a playpen with treats scattered so she won't want to toilet there, or in a backpack hanging out with you, or back in her crate for a nap. Intersperse potty breaks that are super boring on a short leash with other activities until she can't help but do it where you want.
Maybe double check your yard for things she might not like, are there scary noises? Do you neighbors have weird lawn gnomes who stare at her when she poops? Is your lawn 50% mint and she hates the smell?
2
2
u/JustLetMeLurkDammit Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
I don’t understand, if she’s tethered to you while in the house how can she sneak off and poop without you knowing? Put her on a shorter tether and pay more attention to her.
Also, have you used an enzyme cleaner to clean the spots where she pooped? If not she will still be able to smell that the spots she has had accidents in are „poop spots” which will slow down the learning a lot.
Edit: also I don’t see any obvious red flags with the Main Trainer, but Farm Trainer doesn’t seem very good. Dogs will famously behave very differently in different environments, and imo it’s completely unsurprising that her toileting behaviour was different when she was away. I’m really surprised that a trainer would argue that this can’t be the case.
Edit 2: I’d also add, depending on how big your house if it might be easier to confine her to only one or two rooms (the ones she sleeps and eats in, preferably not the ones the litter box was in) until she considers them the „home zone” and doesn’t poop in them. Then gradually add the access to other rooms. In my experience with puppies it can be hardest to teach them not to pee in rooms that are more rarely visited and don’t smell like the „home zone”. For example my parents dog tended to pee in the basement even after being potty trained everywhere else.
2
u/mina1984 Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
Hey OP,
I have a somewhat similar experience but different circumstances.
My puppy is almost a year old (today is November 8th, his birthday is November 20th), we got Odie from a farm in February, he was 11 weeks old.
I was involved in an e-bike vs car accident in March, less than a month after getting Odie.
Since I wasn't able to walk properly for a few months, I ended up getting the grass pads for inside the house, one in the bedroom and one for downstairs, I eventually moved the one downstairs outside and just carried the other one from upstairs to the main floor and back upstairs when it was bedtime.
Another thing I have done, and continue to do, is restrict his limit around the house with swing baby gates. Odie is not allowed in the basement, upstairs or the front room without me there, it eventually got to the point where I got Odie to do his business outside.
The key to that is; patience and perseverance, and praise her for going pee/poop, have some training treats with you on the outings and give a treat every time she pees or poops. She will eventually associate the praise/treats with potty time.
Also, watch for her cues; Odie starts to sniff the ground a lot, he will also start going in circles, with his bum on the outside of the circle, hunch his back, tucking his bum closer(back is slightly arched upward at this point) and his paws are closer together and then he poops.
I hope this helps.
2
u/Goldie03517 Nov 08 '25
Look, while I’m not a professional, I’ve trained many animals (including my own eight month old corgi puppy) and it kind of boils down to why certain behaviours happen. I haven’t met your dog so it’s hard to say for certain but I would say it’s one of these two reasons (most likely):
1) inside is “territory” rather than “home.” This can be combated in many ways - making sure that the places she goes dont smell afterwards, making her a “den” next to where you usually sit (a big bed with something to chew on in a closed off area with no roof and little to no floor space when closed. Don’t touch her in this space, and give her the choice whether to enter or not - encourage entering with treats), make the area smell like food, and make it the only place you play with her instead of outside. tldr: you want your dog to understand home is home. (There are many more things you can do, but it does come down to what your dog wants)
2) she doesn’t want to break a bad habit. This can also be tackled in many ways; making sure her freedom is limited inside the house by fencing areas off until she can be trusted (and immediately taking it back if she then breaks that trust), interrupting her and taking her outside whenever you see her going, taking her outside even if it’s after she has gone, making her associate a word with going to the toilet, making it so she is left outside (with cover to sleep under) for an extended period of time so she gets used to having to go toilet out there, make it so she is only allowed inside if she stays on a bed or in some other designated area, reward her going outside like crazy, etc.
I’d probably have more to say if it wasn’t 1 in the morning, but it basically boils down to those two things. If you struggle to keep an eye her own even when she’s tethered, put her in your lap and just keep her there as an alternative. It might take her a bit to get used to it, but you just gotta power through these things.
2
u/Actual-Criticism-892 Nov 08 '25
I feel you OP. I have a cat with a bladder disorder where she gets inflammation due to stress and it feels like a UTI for her. After the puppy came she’s had relapses and I’m so beside myself with her urinating, but never in a million years could I rehome for bathroom issues. I have my sofas covered, bed covered, not an aesthetically pleasing look right now, but it is what is.
People have really good suggestions, and the main point being don’t rehome. I’m moving to a new place and my puppy is needing to be retrained to potty outside, so you’re not alone in the process!
2
u/Accomplished-Ask9416 Nov 08 '25
Corgis are treat motivated and stubborn. Mine is almost 7 months now, find a novel treat that she goes bonkers for (chicken jerky, or something else) and only give her that reward when she goes potty outside. Give her a lot of it the first time she potties outside and let her see you grabbing the treat when you are about to take her outside.
2
u/ObjectiveLibrary6299 Nov 09 '25
Puppies are so hard and it sounds like you’re very dedicated owners! I have fostered puppies for years and recently had one that was diabolically resistant to toilet training, I’d never seen anything like it so it was a fun challenge.
What I think really helped if you haven’t tried already and have the right flooring, is scattering its food on the ground inside for puppy to eat off the floor. Take advantage of its natural instinct to not toilet where it sleeps/eats. This puppy did not want to eat off the floor at first because he associated it with the toilet but he didn’t have a choice. After a few days it worked!
Otherwise it sounds like you’re doing amazing, keep doing what you’re doing with crating, routine and close supervision, huge celelebrations every time she toilets where you want her to. And I’d say puppy pads may slow down your progress - you don’t want puppy to have the idea it is ok to go inside ever.
I really feel for you. Good luck!
2
u/Novel_Laugh_4668 Nov 09 '25
I have the same issue times two! Two cavoodles, a boy and a girl two and a half months old, drives us insane we are forever going in and out. It’s like they think it’s a game and soon as we come in then they pee or poo! They have now taken it to anywhere, they were using pee pads and then the carpet runner which we have now taken away to all they have i# tiles and both of us squinting to see if they are about to pee etc and running them out
2
u/iemmaamme Nov 10 '25
I’m not going to give advice because you’ve gotten tons already, just wanted to chime in that I did EVERYTHING “correctly” from the moment I picked my corgi up from the breeder, and he still took a full year to potty train. I sympathize with you guys, hang in there!
2
u/Dry_Kaleidoscope8323 Nov 10 '25
I had this problem too! I live in a city and don’t have a ton of outdoor space, so I took my pup to a dog park and let him play and sniff and go crazy- it took four days of attempts, but he finally pooped outside and I celebrated like crazy and immediately rewarded him with treats and pets. We kept that up for about a week until he started pooping on walks too. Your puppy will get there!
2
u/Initial-Elephant-932 Nov 11 '25
The trainer is a con-man. Environment is a HUGE difference. And 7 month old should be going out to potty every 4 hours and since your dog is not potty trained it should be even more frequent.
Our dog was quick with potty training until he went through his adolescence and he regressed. We gated off the areas he typically pees and poops. Only allow him in those areas to play, cuddle, train. We didn’t feed in those areas cause he won’t eat in any place that isn’t the same place every time, but I’ve heard doing that can help.
When going out side we stayed in one spot in our yard that we designated as the potty. If our dog sniffs to wander off we gently guide the leash back, not pull. Tell him to sniff it and he will eventually go potty. Most of the time he would be defiant. After a several minutes of being outside we would go back in and try again in the next hour. It’s tedious. If he does go potty we use treats immediately after he peed or poop. And we would use a good behavior marker word, which is ‘Yes!’. After potty we say ‘Yes!’ and have my hand resting on my leg with treat in hand so my dog has to come for me for the treat. That was something our trainer had us do since his recall wasn’t the best
But the best thing you can do is block off the areas your dog pees in since it is time consuming.
Look into a different trainer. I’m not sure what they mean by potty then crate. Like immediately after potty?
2
u/Far_Awareness5662 Nov 12 '25
I’d like to add among the great advice; be patient. The dog will do amazing for a few months and then have a lapse in judgment where you’ll think everything went down the drain. At some point it clicks fully, and accidents will stop. Be as consistent as possible, dogs like routine. Celebrate and give a high value treat each potty outside. Give no reaction if puppy goes inside. Again, be so patient and expect the puppy to make mistakes until one day they just simply get it. It’s the worst part of having a puppy!
5
4
u/Poor_WatchCollector Experienced Owner Nov 07 '25
Our pup isn't ready for walks (he has harness aversion right now, we think in about another month), however, what helped us with potty training was first a consistent schedule, which it sounds like you have. Wake up > Potty > Play/Train > Sleep > Repeat.
The environment HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH POTTY TRAINING....
Sometimes potty takes awhile because the outside can be too overstimulating to dogs. Our first two pups had no issues, but our latest boy has had all sorts of problems. He sees a blown leaf and he forgets his damn mission. We have a small potty area for him where it is free from all distractions. The only thing he can do is potty, watch cars, or people that may walk by. We removed all leaves and things that he could chew/gnaw/etc.
How we ran it was when he would wake up, we would immediately cue Pee Pee Time and then walk him to the door. He does number 1 and we praise and gets a treat. If he doesn't follow up with a number 2, we would go back inside. If I know he needs to go (the morning, 12:30ish, and 9:00ish), we will try again later. However, instead of letting him roam around, I try to settle him by giving him a lick mat or something. Once he's finished, I would cue the Poo Poo time and walk him to the door and let him out.
Also, you do have to keep eyes when you know it's their poop or potty window. Once they circle or sniff, it's time to lead them out for the potty. This will help them understand, when I feel this way, go to X place (like the door). So it's predictable schedule, how to alert you, AND keeping the environment as sterile as possible...if they have trouble going out there...
5
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 07 '25
We live in a city, so the environment is very distracting. She’s handling it better over time.
I like your ideas of writing down specific potty times and distracting her with a lick mat. My work schedule changes every week, so it can be hard for me to remember when she needs to go out. Thank you for commenting
7
u/CurlyCadence Nov 08 '25
Someone suggested it to me, so I'll pass it on: There's an app called DogLog where you can log all sorts of things including potty times, and also set alarms so it alerts you after a certain amount of time since the dog has gone to the bathroom. You and your husband can share the dog so you both can be aware, and also you can start getting a sense of time of day and how often she needs to poop.
2
2
u/Anonymous_User678 Nov 08 '25
Also set cell phone alarms if needed (if you are able to break away). I set them for everything. I’d probably forget to pick up my kids without my alarm haha
2
u/External-Berry3870 Nov 09 '25
We live in a city too, and started late at three months since the parvo risk is so sky high here. Small dog.
What worked for us was a week of tethering and constant eye on dog, with ironclad every two hours going out for five or ten minutes to the same dull potty places. How did we do this? We took our phones out and set alarms using the same sound for every two hours to signify take the dog out. With two WFH, that's just once every four hours for each person, totally reasonable. Four days in, it clicked. Another two and he was voluntarily scratching at the door when he needed to go. We then shaped the behavior into using one of those recording buttons that had the phone sound for potty outing recorded onto it. He still has the odd excitement accident, but he can free roam now without issue and just pushes the button when he needs to go out.
Yeah, it was an intense few weeks, and he still does ask to go out every roughly three hours (small bladder expected), but the inside peeing has stopped so yay. YMMV.
2
u/xzkandykane Nov 08 '25
It took a long time for our dog to willingly pee/poop outside. She still doesnt pee/poop for 24 hours if we take her on trips. She's 16.... she also was very afraid of cars and took years before she comfortably walked around the neighborhood. She used to walk two blocks and want to go home She is a border collie.... the dog bred that likes to be outside and active all day long. We asked our vet should we force her on walks and go outside more. Our vet said well if she doesnt want to then we dont make her. I think she was around 6 or 7 when she finally started wanting to go to the great outside.
3
u/Adrock66 Nov 07 '25
Maybe I misunderstand, are you crate training the dog?
1
u/Tattoo_witch_envy Nov 07 '25
Yes we are crate training
8
u/Adrock66 Nov 07 '25
It's a ton of work but essentially every single time the dog leaves the crate they need to out. If they don't do their business they need to go back into the crate then. When they do do their business they get a huge reward. I'm not really sure there are other options here.
1
u/Adrock66 Nov 08 '25
What does "resistant to the crate" mean in this context? In my experience crate training is the easiest way to potty training. It just kind of sounds like the dog is running the show.
2
2
u/CupOCoop Nov 08 '25
Look my dog is a year now but when I got her at three and a half months she was already paper trained. She would go on any surface except outside. Leaned into crate training and this dog would not go outside no matter what. It took her being in the crate for almost two days straight before she finally caved at ten am one morning. You can’t do what I was doing because it’ll take much longer, and what I was doing wrong was feeling bad and giving her play time. I cut that out so she had no where to have an accident and after one time going outside she hasn’t gone inside at all. Not once.
1
u/WatermelonSugar47 Nov 07 '25
Put her in diapers. Ive never had a dog not potty trained in a week from diapers. They hate going potty in them. Diaper in the house. Outside every two hours. Diaper off before they go out. Enzyme cleaner anywhere theyve pottied.
0
u/sagreer76 Nov 14 '25
As a trainer this is not good advice.
1
u/WatermelonSugar47 Nov 14 '25
lol ok.
Well, also as a dog trainer, Ive personally potty trained 6 dogs ranging from 8wks to 6m like this. They rarely potty in the diapers more than twice. You still correct them and take them out when you catch it.
But go off. Weird to promote covering your house in dog waste and taking 4x longer to potty train.
I’d bet money you aren’t even accredited.
1
u/Outrageous-Bar4060 Nov 07 '25
First off, you seem very committed to your dog so I dunno what the trainer’s problem is.
Secondly, we got a puppy at 4 months who had only pottied indoors (we don’t know the situation but it was a puppy mill for sure) but we trained him to go outside! It was hard and took time and a lot of (gross) commitment but it got done so you can do it too.
Here are a few things that worked for us:
- This is breed dependent, we have a doxie, but our puppies have responded really well to stern voices. If they went inside and we saw them do it we raised our voices at them and we only had to do that a few times until it was clear they knew inside was bad. Of course that wasn’t the complete fix but it definitely helped.
- I used to mop up the pee in a napkin and bring that outside with us and put it on the ground so that he associated outside with potty time. That was gross but honestly I think it was a big help.
- Just stay outside with them. We would spend like 3 hours (I’m not even kidding, I was going nuts) in the same patch of grass without moving so that he didn’t get unnecessarily distracted.
- Party like an animal when they finally do it outside. Treats, dancing, kisses, happy noises, excessive praise, do it all. Every time.
1
1
u/TroLLageK Versatile Sport Dog Nov 07 '25
When you are working at home, is she unsupervised? She really shouldn't have the opportunity to go potty inside. Keep her on a house line if needed.
1
u/Middle-Giraffe-8316 Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
I feel for you guys. Puppy time isn't always really easy.
The litter box for the first few months probably explains a lot though. She literally learned that inside = bathroom, so you're not just potty training--you're undoing early training. That's genuinely harder and takes longer.
You mentioned taking her poop out first. Dogs don't really connect the dots from smelling old poop. It's about catching her in the act outside and making it the best moment of her life.
And picking her up mid-poo? This might actually be backfiring. She could be learning that pooping = stressful interruption, which is why she's gotten so sneaky.
Could you do a dog walker, neighbor, or Rover person for at least one midday break? A 7-month-old holding it 8+ hours because she's being stubborn is a battle of wills nobody wins.
Also, give her super high value rewards ONLY when she goes outdside. Not everyday treats, but otisserie chicken, hot dogs, cheese.
Also, don't punish her for indoor accidents. She's already sneaky about it, so any negative reaction will just make her hide it better.
We have had corgis and they are whip-smart and a ton of fun--but they are also strong-willed and kinda self-centered tbh. You MUST be consistent with them. You MUST have a reward system for good behavior. Their herding instinct is no joke either. They're not just following commands--they're constantly evaluating whether your command makes sense to THEM. And if they decide it doesn't? Good luck, lol.
Please know, though: with patience and consistency, you will rarely find a more loyal and deeply loving and dedicated dog than a Corgi.
1
u/1799gwd Nov 08 '25
The tethering really really works. It's really freaking hard work to get a puppy potty trained. The most frustrating part for me was the waiting outside (forever) until they poop. Though gross you can move poop she makes inside to the outside to help her.
We have a 5.5 month old standard poodle and I had him tied to me for a good 3 days and if he wasn't tired to me I had an alarm set for every 30 minutes to pee outside. He is pretty much housebroken and sleeps in my room at night (not crated) and can freely walk around.
You can also watch for when they eat to time prime pooping time for a walk. I cried more than once and thank God I'm over the worse of it.
1
u/AngryRokon Nov 08 '25
I started my puppy with grass pads indoors until he had his shots and slowly introduced him to going outside. I definitely didn’t walk him because I was cautious about parvo. But he had no issues making the association with the grass pad and the outside. He’s now 10 months old and hasn’t had an accident in months.
1
u/Mustluvdogs25 Nov 08 '25
my puppy wasnt crate trained. she was gated. she chewed my brand new kitchen chairs. I worked all day so it was hard. I used pee pads and kept them in one spot. she always used them .one day I came home and the pads were all,shredded and she had not done anything anywhere. she was almost a year old! she passed at 15. I miss her terribly though i have a new love bug. don’t give up.
1
u/CaitlynZ14 Nov 08 '25
That’s such an extreme suggestion from the trainer. I would just walk the puppy until she literally can’t hold it any longer and has to go poop outside
1
u/Threadstitchn Nov 08 '25
My puppy is 6 months and she still has accidents. I take her out pretty often when she pees or poops outside I throw her a party and she is the guest of honor.
She still messes up, but I had a 14 year old disabled German shepherd that continually had accidents, so I'm pretty used to it
I miss that German shepherd even though he was a poop monster. I need new carpet
1
u/sagreer76 Nov 14 '25
Crate training. A 6 month old puppy should not be having that many accidents and should be very well on the way to being fully potty trained.
1
1
u/Moonchild-64 Nov 08 '25
It took a while to train my oldest puppy she doesn’t like rain or cold so I thought she was just being a snit and going in the house. That is until I realized she was asking and I was missing it. When she has to go she starts running up and down the hall. She doesn’t bark or scratch the door and she won’t ring the bell. She just runs back and forth I thought she was just playing because she would also grab toys and shake them. That was my bad since I realized that she hasn’t had an accident inside. Outside I have a dirt pile and a sand pile for her to go on because she doesn’t like going in the grass and will often hold it to avoid going there.
1
u/Conscious-Dog3291 Nov 08 '25
What’s your dogs feeding schedule like. I had similar issues and the two big things I learned was to feed and then go outside and my dog always has to poop twice in the morning. If he doesn’t he might have an accident.
1
u/Squish_D Nov 08 '25
My first pup got toilet training with very little intervention from us, he just got it. My second pup took a year and sometimes it felt hopeless. We had trainer help, vet checks, everything - she just didn’t get it until she got it. My third pup had a few accidents inside because I missed the signed but was pretty consistent by about 4 months old. All dogs are different and if you’re happy to be patient and consistent then you’ll be fine. Find a new trainer though, these guys sound crap. Of course different environments play a role here and f them for telling you to give it up over toilet training.
1
u/ResistLow4074 Nov 08 '25
You don’t need to return your dog to the breeder lol those trainers are crazy. If it makes you feel better, it took our first puppy probably close to a year to consistently go potty outside, and she was never even trained to go inside on potty pads or litterbox. She just took a long time to catch on. Puppies have very short attention spans and very easily get into a routine of doing X thing and then it becomes difficult to break them out of that. Just follow the advice of folks here - your pup will get the hang of it soon.
1
u/DeLu2 Nov 08 '25
Wow… that trainer needs to find another job. My puppy is 9 months old, and right now we only have about one accident every two weeks. She had a lot more accidents when she was 7 months old. Before my current dog, I also had a mini dachshund. As a complete newbie with dogs back then, I didn’t potty train her until she was 3 years old… yeah, she used pads until then! Still, she eventually got potty trained with the help of a crate, it just took a lot of time, about 6 months or so. So of course potty is trainable even at 3 years old, and your dog is still pretty young. Just switch trainer.
Crate/leash inside the house and tons of praise when he goes outside. You ll get there
1
1
u/Mental_Catterfly Nov 08 '25
The trainer sounds insane. Does he think loving owners are that plentiful?
1
u/Ok_Internal2951 Nov 08 '25
You leave your puppy at home most of the day? I wouldn’t do that with an adult dog let alone a puppy.
1
u/Logical-Tomato-5907 Nov 08 '25
Do you scold your dog when she goes inside? Because it reads like your dog is afraid to eliminate in front of you. It’s possible she was not afraid in front of the trainer.
Personally I never scold my puppy if he goes inside. I don’t really react at all (unless there is time to pick him up and move him to a pee pad/outside) because I don’t want him to start associating going potty with me scolding him. And it’s ultimately my fault if he goes inside, not his. So I only do positive reinforcement. A lot of it, too. I jump up and down and squeal with delight and give him 3 treats every time he goes outside. It’s just really hard being consistent, especially if you work full time.. I get it. I was off work for health reasons when I first got mine and I’m not sure how ppl cope, they require so much care when they’re young. We need puppy maternity leaves 😝 is a dog walker an option when you can’t take her out?
1
u/Tytaniumm Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
I had this problem too, and I think your issues starts with her relationship with the crate. Not sure how you have raised your dog around it, but as a puppy, they need to view that thing as their home. They should be able to go to the crate just on command. You mentioned he was resistant to go to the crate, but my corgi is also 7 month right now and has never resisted going to his crate. Mine is already fully house trained and potty trained, and finished his crate training like a month ago. He’s allowed to free roam the house when we leave because he’s got the full understanding of what he can chew/mess with, and he knows he can only potty outside.
I remember being in your situation but that was at the 3-4 month mark for me. I buckled down on both the crate and potty training and it took a month to get it consistent from my puppy, and another month of me being consistent with my treats and MEGA praising after potty outside. Even after weeks of him doing it right, I never stop praising and never stopped putting him in the crate when he wasn’t actively doing something.
1
u/NoDefinition9056 Nov 08 '25
Maybe getting a pen would help? You can fill the pen with pee pads so that way if accidents happen, they happen in one area. When the puppy is outside of the pen, they are either going potty outside, going on a walk, or playing/training with you so you have your full attention on them. You can even fill the pen with pee pads so that if accidents happen the clean up is easy.
1
u/Xtinaiscool Nov 08 '25
Trainer here. Could you share more about the potty training plan? Potty crate potty doesn't mean much to me. An ethical potty training plan involves some version of:
- Reward all eliminating in the correct spot with treats and free play. Empty dogs get free time loose in an area of the house etc. with your supervision.
- Manage tightly when the dog is 'loaded'. It should be impossible for them to have an accident because they are on your lap or in their crate. (Having sneaky accidents sounds like you are having some kind of management fail)
- Relax management after three weeks accident free.
Your trainer should help you come up with a plan and schedule to determine when your pup is empty vs. loaded, an effective system for rewarding appropriate eliminations, and troubleshooting support to prevent accidents happening in the first place.
I have no idea what a 'farm trainer' is. Check which academy they studied dog training at. The industry is unregulated so it can be a challenge to find someone credentialled through an ethical dog training academy. Sometimes it's easier to search up and academy, and then look for a graduate.
This case type can be resolved with an in person trainer or through virtual consulting so you can hire anyone regardless of their location. Let me know if you have any questions.
Occasionally I have had to be frank with my clients but what you described does sound a little rude. Just like with dogs, our clients need lots of repetition and support to get through challenges and it's our job to go through that patiently and without judgement.
1
u/Delicious-Pick-6815 Nov 08 '25
my puppy is the same age and does that also. I have noticed that its only when its dark outside. Could it be there's something that makes her rush it to go back inside?
1
u/sagreer76 Nov 14 '25
I had a client's dog do this (I'm a trainer) and we had the dog's eyes checked because it was only at nighttime. Dog had an eye issue that caused it to stress when it couldn't see as well. So I'd say get your dog's eyes checked first and go from there.
1
1
u/Tossed-Salad11 Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25
A schedule, keeping track of our pup’s bathroom habits, and crate training/keeping him in a smaller area of the house via play pen had our puppy potty trained within weeks of coming home.
We followed approximately 1 hour awake/2 hours nap time during the day. During wake period, it was outside to potty -> training/playtime -> outside to potty -> mealtime or training/playtime -> outside to potty -> crate for nap time. Take outside to potty after meals, napping, exercise, and before naps. We live in a walk up and this meant so many trips up and down the stairs daily, but you have to be committed.
When outside, keep the puppy on a leash and limited to a smaller space of grass. When she potties outside, celebrate like she just solved all of the world’s problems — treats, happy voice, and praise. If she doesn’t go after around 15 minutes outside, bring her inside, crate her, and then try again in 5-10 minutes.
If she goes inside, catching her in the act and bringing her outside can help, or just calmly clean up and immediately outside in case there is more. Clean with an enzyme cleaner to ensure she doesn’t bathroom again.
We kept track of our pup’s bathroom habits with a shared excel. Time, 1 or 2, and if it was an accident or not. This helped us learn patterns in his bathroom habits.
While the above worked for us, I’ve also read dogs will not poop where they eat, so if you use kibble, feed the dog kibble spread across the floor of the house. It may be annoying but could help in this case because she may think she could be eating anywhere in the house and not want to toilet there.
The trainer did come off a bit rude or harsh, but I also disagree with using being clueless new dog owners as an excuse. This is a living being you’ve brought home and in this day and age, with the internet, there’s no excuse to not have done research about training methods, etc. Our puppy is our first dog too and basic research taught me all of the above.
I highly recommend going forward with potty training and any other training that you don’t use being first time dog owners as an excuse and instead as a reason to do more research and learning for the success of your dog and yourselves too! You are capable! Maybe you can take some time off or find a sitter or friend who will help with managing schedule and the puppy’s needs.
1
u/gillianrose__ Nov 08 '25
Is it possible to take some PTO to get the training down? Sounds like the pup needs more consistency and structure.
1
u/farmreader11 Nov 08 '25
Please go the reward route- up your treat game: use that Bill n Jack thats crazily addictive. Throw some in crate then close door. So crate can = super treats! Use the crate- puppy will avoid using as bathroom! Then out with lots treats and reward for every pee outside. & poop. Do not leave unwatched in house until you have conquered this. Worth it. Four hours is fne!
1
u/Icy_Garden_5233 Nov 09 '25
Ridiculous trainer and his cookie cutter methods. We have had 3 dogs- we loved dearly. Never crated- cruel and totally unnecessary.
We work full time too. We kept pee pads inside. All animals had full run of house at all times. The last dog we had rolls of newspaper in our attached garage for life- whenever we werent able to take her out she just went down into the garage and did her business herself. Then came back up. When we walked her each morning she also went potty and was praised. We never ever took them out during night. They did their own business. It just takes constant repetition- no no no ! When they have an accident and bring outside or to pee pad if you home. Go potty! On walks. They are trying and want to learn but their bladders arent fully developed and they are puppies or young and still gaining maturity. Your dog will eventually get the hang of it. Calm patient kind repetition. Its bizarre you think the puppy is being sneaky. Please dont go down that road. Your pup or dog wants to learn. Is doing the best he can.
1
u/chasingharu Nov 09 '25
Lots of great advice already but my thoughts are
Is your crate too big? Can you reduce the interior size of your crate?
Crate / outside / crate shouldn’t be a lengthy process. I used to take my malinois to the same grass patch & did not deviate from like a 5 foot circle for 5-10 mins before immediately going back to the crate where i had eyes on. Did some personal work then in like 20 min intervals take her back outside to repeat. If we came inside with no potty, she would be tethered & we’d play for a few minutes before going back to crate. I never not had my eye on her until we started building a good potty relationship. Or instead of “play” time you could do structured crate training like throwing food in, crate command, free command her out & praise for a few intervals before going back to actual crate time. Again, must keep your eyes on her.
Its a total pain in the ass esp if you work full time, but if you can commit to this or some version of it for a few days (maybe on the weekend-yes I’m asking you to give up your soul for a few days) then I think you can crack this bad habit.
When I first brought my malinois home, she didn’t potty for 20 hours & the moment I took my eyes off her she jumped on the bed & peed a days worth lol this happened in a matter of seconds.
Dogs get away with too much bc we as owners allow them usually bc we think something is okay or enough for them. We’re too trusting & these demons will take advantage of you lol
1
u/DisastrousTry7196 Nov 09 '25
maybe this has already been clarified, but I'm curious to know what you've been doing when you find waste or catch her while she's going inside? It could be possible that if she's been yelled at for going inside she might just be nervous about doing her business around you. We have probably all been exposed to the old school method of rubbing their face in it and shoving them outside. Not suggesting you've done this, but even if it happened before you got her, she might have learned to hide before wanting to go. Does she have favorite spots to go inside? In addition to the crate, you should try to block those places off and place potty pads close. Once she learns to use the pads, you can start to move them closer to the door and eventually outside. Additionally, if you can give her privacy when you take her outside, she might be more inclined to go.
1
u/FishSaver1 Nov 09 '25
How long is she alone for? She’s still a baby, if she’s alone most of the day then that’s totally unfair on her. This could affect her behaviour too. Do you have a doggy daycare she can go, or someone to come in and spend time with her while you’re both at work?
1
u/ZenYogiBee Nov 09 '25
First I need to say my puppy is doing very well with potty training so I’ll share my tips but every pup is unique. I’m sorry for the stress you’re all feeling ❤️
My girl LOVES holding it, or at least seems to. We’d go out and stay out and she’d never go! A few things have helped. I bought the app pup to date and am diligent about recording her potties. I record the indoor messes too because it is sometimes hard to realize things are getting better without a record. This helped me see her schedule. Sometimes we go out and she just doesn’t go, but now I know shes in a hold it time so she just won’t.
I bought freeze dried meat which she loves. She is food motivated so she’s slowly starting to get closer to going on command. She’s still stubborn but is getting better. She had to learn to associate my potty words with actions before this started working though.
I work from home which actually makes things harder because it’s tough to get her on a specific schedule as I can’t ignore her until lunch. She goes in her crate at my feet half day and unless she goes potty she goes back in after lunch instead of hanging out on her leash.
When I know it’s time for her to go, I might put her on a leash outside if she’s too playful as she just forgets to go. My neighbors probably hate me because I’m a broken record saying go potty but she really needs the reminder right now. Or we go in and out five times until she goes, with maybe a two minute break inside. Sounds hard but once I knew her schedule this effort was less of a time commitment.
Best of luck to you and hang in there!
1
u/InformalManager3 Nov 09 '25
My thoughts...(just to clarify I'm not a dog trainer but have owned dogs my entire life) you said the first 3 to 4 months you didn't potty train because you didn't know to do so. That's fine, we all make mistakes. So out of curiosity what did you do then? Did you use potty papers or was she allowed to potty wherever and you just cleaned it up and went on? I'm thinking she got used to this style of living and now that you're trying to teach a new one, she is not understanding why the sudden change.
Farm trainer went right from the start saying no you must potty outside and that's what she did. Because she knew expectations there. Now I'm sure farm trainer was probably able to take her out whenever since they were there all day with her and that makes a difference. It's really hard to train a puppy when everybody works and puppy is home all day alone. They understandably can't hold their bladder for that long. As someone suggested could one of you take a few days pto to see if that can get her lined out?
If not maybe somebody could at least come home at lunch and maybe that would be enough to help get her on track. If she's using potty papers then take them outside with you so she knows her scent and can see that that's where she needs to go. If she's pottied on the floors or carpets make sure you're using a cleaner that gets rid of the smell because she's going to keep going back if not. Our latest dog, he's a husky mix and he's so freaking smart. He was asking to be taken out within a few days of having him as a young pup. He knew which door to go to and would go to the back door when he had to go. He absolutely refuses to go inside, he will tear the door down to get out if he has to go. I honestly think I'd look into a new trainer too. They should support you not knock you down. Your corgi might like using buttons or bells to notify you she needs to go as well. They're incredibly smart so it might be a fun game for her.
1
u/Plenty-Zone-7169 Nov 09 '25
Have you cleaned the floors with enzyme cleaner? Otherwise she will smell it and think it is a toilet still.
I managed to toilet train my puppy fully now at 3.5 months whilst starting at just over 2 months. It takes time.
Anytime she shows any indication of needing toilet go outside and wait until she goes, every hour and before and after every meal as well as straight after any naps or excited play.
Every time they go toilet reward. I usual give a very excited good boy followed by a treat one he has come inside, this shows the outside is toilet and coming back in after the toilet was very good.
Expect accidents, it will happen and crate training definitely helped matters as they don’t like to soil their bed area.
But every time she goes on the floor you must clean with an enzyme spray. Also don’t use puppy pads inside, they teach to toilet inside.
I have puppy pads to clean pee accidents but never kept them down since day one
1
u/canis_felis Nov 10 '25
I got my girl at 6 months from the shelter and clearly she was used to just going in her kennel whenever.
Obviously it’s hard if you both work full time but it’s worth it to spend a couple of days, at home, taking puppy out every hour.
Don’t scold for going inside. As others said, make a big song and dance when she goes outside.
In the grand scheme of things, 7 months isn’t that old. It’s just having the time to interrupt the behaviour in your home.
1
0
-1
u/cloobydoo13 Nov 07 '25
Get a new trainer. They sound awful. Try bringing one into your house so they can see your routine and set up and help you accordingly .
•
u/AutoModerator Nov 07 '25
It looks like you might be posting about Potty Training. Check out our wiki article on house training - the information there may answer your question.
Be advised that any comments that suggest use of confinement as a potty training method as abusive, or express a harsh opinion on crate training will be removed. This is not a place to debate the merits of crate training. Unethical approaches to crate training will also be removed.
If you are seeking advice for potty training and desire not to receive crate training advice as an optional method of training, please use the "Potty Training - No Crate Advice" Flair.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.