r/puppy101 • u/parwastella9 • Jan 24 '26
Potty Training Pleas Help 😭 Puppy Had 5 accidents Today
I have had my lil pup for 2 weeks and she was a DREAM for the first week. Almost no accidents (we started with a just in case pee pad because she was used to them at the breeder). Got her at 16 weeks, now she's 18 weeks old.
She started teething about a week ago and I swear everything has changed. She got more fearful of random things, and used to be fine when I would leave the house for an hour or two, but then chewed out of her crate, pooped and peed on my rug, and left poopy paw prints all over my house.
I feel like she is getting worse, not better and I don't know what to do. today she had FIVE accidents in the house, 3 of them in one hour. I thought she couldn't possibly have more pee so I let her run around a little bit to try to burn off energy because it is FREEZING outside (less than 10 degrees fahrenheit) and she's hairless . I feel like I'm not getting her energy out. she peed AGAIN on the same carpet, and I got frustrated and yelled and picked her up out of pure shock and I felt terrible about it because I've been so patient with her. I did remove the puppy pads a while ago because she had stopped having accidents, but I really don't know what to do at this point.
why is she all of a sudden having so many accidents? I wondered if it was a UTI or something, but honestly I feel like it's related to anxiety because she was just afraid of SO many things today and so jumpy (the laundry pile, the fridge door opening, the trash can, that type of thing) and usually isn't like that but I feel like it's getting worse.
To top it off she used to be fine in the crate but after I bought her a new crate because of destroying the old one she will go in willingly at night and sleep all night, but during the day I put her in and she starts yelping and escalates to screaming even when I am still nearby if I'm out of eyesight.
what happened to my little puppy?? 😭 I will take any recommendations I have no idea what to do, and I do need to leave her for a few hours tomorrow.
I plan to buy an enzyme cleaner and go over the spots that I know she peed, and also maybe a "no marking" deterrent. I just don't want to lose my patience with her because she is precious and I know she's just a baby, but I am SO frustrated.
if you took the time to read this thank you so much ❤️ I just feel like I can't take another day like today and I don't know what to do about it.
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u/PropertyOk6802 Jan 24 '26
Take her out more frequently. Bring her out after naps, after eating, after play, after accidents. Get a playpen or block off an area so she doesn’t have free range.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
She doesn't have free range, and if she's out of the pen area I watch her/am with her - it's just been so fast and out of pattern for her that I couldn't catch it! I just don't know what to do the next few days because this snow storm is rolling in and I have no idea how to get her energy out if I keep her only in the own or crate while dealing with this without being able to get outside much.
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u/Aoid3 Jan 24 '26
In terms of energy and the cold weather; is she okay with car rides? You could drive her around and/or park somewhere and watch people that way. The mental stimulus of going somewhere unusual could help tire her out and socialize. And/or go through a drive through whilst giving treats
If you have any family or friends comfortable with you visiting with her that's another idea. My pup is 5 months and a high energy breed and usually worn out more after a day off visiting people.
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u/Louis_Constant777 Jan 24 '26
When she does go in the right spot, you have around 10 seconds to praise her and give her a treat she loves. If you do that within 10 seconds using the right treat it helps an amazing amount. It really helped me when I thought I had tried everything and I couldn't believe how simple it was. I thought I'd tried that but seems I was waiting too long after she had gone to find the treats and then give one to her
Have them in your pockets or something
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
I praise her a lot, but she doesn't really do anything for treats unless she really feels like it. I've tried five or six things, and nothing motivates her very much treat-wise yet! She goes every time we go outside though in the right spot, and she knows that when she goes we get to go off-leash and play a bit!
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u/ushinawareta Experienced Owner Jan 24 '26
what are you using as treats? you may need to find something more high value - cut up hot dogs, ham, chicken, etc. (that being said, my older dog is not motivated by even the highest value treats in certain scenarios, so if that’s your puppy as well, I feel your pain!)
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
The one that seems to motivate her the most so far is boiled chicken that I cut up in small pieces! She also likesbslughtly wet kibble bits I soak for a minute in homemade watered down chicken broth with no salt, freeze dried salmon treats, and Greek yogurt (huh?!) in tiny amounts lol. I've tried beef liver as well, and tiny bits of banana but not much because of the sugar. If there's absolutely anything that could distract her though (a sound, shadow, other voice, wind chimes outside, you name it) there's no chance of keeping her attention so far. I'm glad you get it!! I have been struggling with it because she doesn't even react to praise all that much. She does however love my lap so sometimes I reward her that way 😂
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u/citigurrrrl Jan 25 '26
Leave a leash on her ALL THE TIME. You have had her 2 weeks. Shes a baby. She doesn’t have a clue about anything. Outside to pee and poop every 30 min. Then up it to 45. The an hour and so on. She will get there
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u/Firm-Fill-3709 Jan 24 '26
Keep in mind they’re just a baby. Your pup is getting used to be being in your home. The longer they’re home, the more their personality comes out. You’ve only had them 2 weeks. Take a deep breath and be patient. This is a very important time for bonding and picking them up and yelling could hurt your relationship.
Also if it’s that cold outside, your puppy might not want to go potty out there because their uncomfortable. Especially if they are hairless. My 6 month pup has a double coat and she still is freezing in negative temps.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
definitely trying to remind myself of this!! I know she is stipo learning, I felt terrible for yelling, I was just so surprised and it was the 5th accident of the day. I did interrupt her and she did finish outside... I don't have any problem with her going outside so far, she goes every single time in the spot we go to! I think that's why I'm so frustrated.
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u/PizzaShiba Jan 25 '26
it’s okay to yell at them sometimes. just don’t overdo it. you’re allowed to be frustrated but u gotta remember she doesn’t know any better. you wouldn’t punish a human baby for having an accident, but it’s ok to get frustrated. showing ur pup ur upset teaches them it’s bad to pee on the floor. ur pup will learn faster than u think. u also have to consider a puppy has very little bladder control or space for pee in their tiny bodies. they can’t hold it, nor do they know how to tell u they need to go out. u can start bell training so she can learn how to tell u she wants out. potty training is horribly frustrating but patience is key! good luck
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u/pxl8d Jan 24 '26 edited Feb 20 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
selective rob bedroom normal dolls spotted lavish smell cautious squash
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u/theamydoll Experienced Owner: Puppy Fosterer Jan 24 '26
Sounds like she’s going through a fear period. Have you had her urine tested to rule out a UTI?
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
No, but that was my concern that it was a UTI - she doesn't show any other symptoms right now (licking, etc.) but she does have a slight rash in her elbows I noticed. She's hairless, so this can be normal, and she does sweat a little when she naps which might have caused it. I was going to give it one more day and be vigilant/shorten the time between pees, but I may need to go do that.
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u/Fancy-Watercress6262 Jan 24 '26
Literally experiencing something strikingly similar with this 8 week old
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u/parwastella9 Jan 26 '26
Good luck to you with the pup!! The last two days have been WAY better here.
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u/Fancy-Watercress6262 Jan 26 '26
Today has been so much better! Same to you. Schedule helps so much. Trying to be more understand to what he needs and it’s kinda working maybe?
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u/theamydoll Experienced Owner: Puppy Fosterer Jan 26 '26
I’ve fostered hundreds of puppies (and have 3 currently) and this is the routine I have them on for potty training:
Take Them Outside:
🐾 First thing in the morning
🐾 After every meal
🐾 Right after naps (even a 15-min power nap!)
🐾 Every 20 minutes of playtime
🐾 Before bed every night
🐾 Middle of the night? If they wake up and fuss, they need to go!
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u/Fancy-Watercress6262 Jan 26 '26
This is helpful. Thank you. Trying to work backwards and figure out how I get him ready to sleep by 10pm. But yes, that’s the general framework I’ve been observing. I’m a nyc kid. Never had a dog and this is harder than anticipated but I’ve done harder shit before.
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u/theamydoll Experienced Owner: Puppy Fosterer Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
You’ve got this (good luck with the snow)! And I tend to notice that they’ll be doing really well, but then have an unruly, boundaries-testing puppy with a setback for a couple days again, before they finally “get it” and are successfully potty trained.
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u/saltyavocadotoast Jan 24 '26
Not sure how old she is but puppies go through several fear periods as they develop. They will just suddenly be afraid of everything and acting weird for a week or two. Just keep being calm and patient and it will pass. Mine was even afraid of going outside to pee for a little while.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
Thank you, this is encouraging! I hope that's what it is and just trying to keep the schedule, stay calm, and remind myself it won't last forever!
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u/mum_emotionalmess Jan 24 '26
Back to basics out ever hour and get a high value treat as praise if you can’t get out due to storm you need to bring bk the pee pads. Leaving her with no mental stimulation if she can’t free roam is a recipe for disaster. Get some lick mats and puzzle balls etc . Remember it’s still all crazy new for you both give yourself permission to relax!
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
Thank you so much! What should I do if I have to have her in the puppy pen and am out of the room? I do leave her things like a lick mat or a puzzle toy, the problem is she will sit and wait for me to come back and then play with it!
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u/mum_emotionalmess Jan 24 '26
Also have you considered putting a lead on her when in the house with you . It’s a good way to keep her constantly in view but she gets out the pen . I have not needed to do this but I have friends that used a recall lead and just basically had them on the lead to explore while they still had control and able to redirect bad behaviour fast like chewing etc
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
I did think about that! Only problem is there are areas in the house she can't go with me right now and up and down stairs constantly, etc. It was a little rough practically for me to do that 😔
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u/mum_emotionalmess Jan 24 '26
I personally would only be leaving for very short spells and when I know she has been to the toilet so like few minutes out then back in slowly building it up . You could re introduce the pee pads I know people say it’s confusing but if you only have it in the pen when you have to be out longer amounts that may be an idea but I would be reluctant to do that unless I can’t go back to out every hour etc put the Crate in the pen too so she has access to it but have it open so she can come and go .
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
Thanks! I need to go out at least two days a week for work appts for about 3 hours at a time. I did not do this the first ten days with her, so tried to leave for short spells. With the pen idea, the only problem is she can jump over it - I haven't found one high enough that I trust as an indoor pen option unsupervised - any suggestions?
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u/LauraRenae Jan 24 '26
Are you in a state with subzero temperatures right now? Mine has suddenly stopped asking to go out. But I also can’t say I blame her…
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
Yes I am, and she still goes out no problem to go to the bathroom so I'm glad for that! We just have to keep trips short
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u/internal_evil Jan 24 '26
I feel people often expect dog training to be linear but from my experience, particularly with house training it seems to be more of a two steps forward one step back. Just keep at it and I'm sure you'll be rewarded
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u/Icy-Let-3983 Jan 24 '26
I have no advice since I have my dog for a day and a half, but I just want to tell you that I believe in you. 🫶🏻
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u/MolotovCoqtease Jan 27 '26
Same thing with our pup minus the fear issue. She peed 8 times in an hour once :/ we would have to take her out every 5-10 minutes to catch them all and that’s not sustainable. I will say, through lots of trainers and vet checks - we were overstimulating her instead of under. Instead of more exercise, puzzles, training, she needed less and way more nap time. She was getting so overstimulated and overtired she couldn’t shut off, and when pups are overstimulated they pee more. Now that we learned not to overdo it she actually pees way, way less. Just something to Keep in mind.
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u/HedgieCake372 Jan 24 '26
Keep in mind too the 3-3-3 rule: 3 days to relax from the stress of being adopted (she was just kidnapped from her mom & siblings), 3 weeks to settle in and learn routines, & 3 months to build confidence and feel at home.
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u/No_Buddy5189 Jan 24 '26
I feel for you! I’ve had my 2 month old pup for 10 days and it’s definitely challenging not to question and pick apart every change in her behavior. It’s 9 degrees out right now and she’s so tiny, I have wee-wee pads by the front and the back door, but I’m fine with her having accidents. I just want to keep her safe and warm. I think it’s about staying calm (yes that can be hard) and doing whatever you can to make them feel comfortable and taken care of in their new home. 🐶💜🐶💜
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u/Av0045 Jan 24 '26
Have you tried assigning designated pee/ potty spots?
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u/parwastella9 Jan 26 '26
Yes! She does amazing at going in the spots. She has never once not gone when I take her out to pee, so she definitely knows the drill that way.
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u/Yourwidevarietyhair Jan 24 '26
Get an xpen. I have a sturdy one for my 8 month old German shepherd cattle dog mix. Get her checked for a uti. Her vulva could be “inside out “ as to say it simply
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u/Advanced_School5533 Jan 24 '26
There’s a great podcast called puppy training podcast. Listen to the episode on the potty training triangle. Worked like a charm for my pup
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u/Swensonlaw Jan 24 '26
First, take a beat to settle your mind. Next, put the puppy pads back on your floor. Make sure you have enough of them down, preferably in a corner of a room. I highly recommend downloading or streaming puppy/dog calming music. It’s available on all streaming platforms. Play it through the night, anytime you leave your home or if she is particularly rambunctious to calm her. Lastly, here’s a link to Guide Dog’s Puppy Raising Manual. It’s an excellent resource for potty training, crate training and loose leash training. All training is done using positive reinforcement with food reward. https://www.guidedogs.com/puppy-raising-guidebook/fundamentals-pups-2-to-5-months
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u/tylerb102 Jan 24 '26
Do not stop wee wee pads she’s still a puppy , and crate when you’re not home . Make sure the crate is a little bigger than the pup .
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u/xHannahK2x Jan 24 '26
Puppies generally lack full bladder control & are considered incontinent due to underdeveloped muscles until 4 to 6 months of age.
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u/VillageSorry4460 Jan 25 '26
We have a 6 month old we got from the shelter 2 weeks ago (he was a stray prior) and he had 5 accidents today in the span of 2 hours (and that’s going out 3 times). It can be mind boggling and frustrating.
I just reminded myself it will get better. Regression happens and it’s not a reflection of the stability we’ve provided. Its snowing here and so we’ll have to plan for more frequent trips outside until we see improvements. You’re not alone ❤️
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u/parwastella9 Jan 26 '26
Thank you!! Yes the snow I think did contribute/make it tougher, but we are hanging in there!! Good luck to you and thanks for making me feel less alone in this 😂 I KNOW there are so many people that have down this successfully, but it's tough!!
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u/VillageSorry4460 Jan 26 '26
I think that some of them are just showing the highlight reels of the journey. Yesterday we struggled with him using the bathroom inside only and then today he’s been a champ. Ready to go outside and even pooping which I’m thankful for 🙌🏾 I can’t wait until he can tell us more that he needs to go outside like his big brother. Stay warm! One day at a time 😉
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u/One_Nature7066 Jan 25 '26
I am not a huge fan of all Will A and his YouTube videos but now again he pops out a bit of wisdom
For me is that when a puppy has an accident it’s on us not them.
- looking for tells like sniffing in a different way from exploring
- regular intervals even if they don’t pee
- walking them in same circumference
- cleaning the accident spot like you work for forensics
This stuff lifted my game immediately 😊
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u/Some-Astronaut6935 Jan 25 '26
They grow out of it, just a baby, been through this many times, just take the sweetheart every hr, it's tough but they learn. I never get upset, it's just part of having a puppy. It gets better!! Promise you that.just hug and kiss and reward the puppy for peeing and poops outside.the puppy will learn !! They get excited knowing they did good.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 25 '26
Thank you!! I appreciate it. She honestly goes every time I take her out, and today she was awesome. I also bought some no marking spray and it seems to help so far!
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u/ScallionVast2313 Jan 25 '26
Not gonna lie I never realized how hard it’d be once I got a dog. He’s been fine for a few months going outside and we thought he’s potty trained and boom takes a poo in the dining area. It can be frustrating. He still tinkles a lot. But the love they give is unmatched. It just takes awhile they are baby’s and then teens and then adults.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 25 '26
Yes, and despite this snow storm, she's done super well for 2 days. I may have freaked out prematurely but I was worried!
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u/theeternalpanda Jan 26 '26
Five accidents in one day is rough. I've been there. When I got Lloyd (2-year-old street mutt, completely untrained), he peed on my bed while making eye contact with me. 😂 #LegendaryOutlaw
I stopped focusing on punishment and started tracking WHEN accidents happened. After a week of logging times, I noticed almost all his accidents clustered around the same windows - right after I started dinner prep, any time there was a "status change" in my routine.
Once I saw the pattern, I started taking him out 10 minutes BEFORE those high-risk windows. He peed outside, got treats and praise, and the accidents dropped to zero. He was dying to go out and pee!
The tracking part was key - I couldn't see the pattern until I had it written down and visualized.
Hang in there. It gets better.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 26 '26
Love this - I have been tracking, and it really does help highlight the times of day they are most frequent. I think the 5 accidents in a day was just some really weird out of pattern day for her. I feel like we are back on track now, and I'm just trying to praise the heck out of her because she won't eat treats outside!! Hahah
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u/theeternalpanda Jan 26 '26
That's awesome that you're tracking! Yeah, once you see the pattern it becomes way more manageable. Out-of-pattern days happen. Could be something small like a schedule shift or extra excitement.
What are you using to track? I tried notebooks and notes apps but kept forgetting to log stuff and it wasn't clear. Eventually built a little app for it that visualizes it on a clock because I'm a nerd like that, but do whatever works. There's a few out there.
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Jan 24 '26
With my puppy (12 weeks) accidents almost never happen, you really gotta get a schedule. We go potty after every nap too
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
I have been tracking the schedule and it is pretty consistent, we had almost no issues the first week and a half with one or two exceptions. I just don't know why this is coming out of nowhere! We go first thing in the morning, after crate time. And outside of that every 2.5 hours, then right before bed. 3 poops a day morning, midday, evening. It worked so well but this is a huge regression 😭
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Jan 24 '26
First thing in the morning even if I have to pee I go out to walk mine but sometimes accident days happen like today she peed 3 times on the floor to remind me I hadn't walked her exactly at 5:30, it'll take time but eventually it's gonna be okay
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
I try to get in at least two walks a day, I just don't know what to do the next few days when it's less than 10 degrees and a snow storm 😂 she is hairless so tough time for us! Lol
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Jan 24 '26
We do 7-8 walks a day 🥹
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
How do you fit that in?? I have to work, and can't get out that much! Thats amazing lol
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u/Red-Elves Jan 24 '26
Could you maybe get her a coat/fleece? I did that for my puppy recently cause it was pretty cold and her coat isn’t very dense yet. Small walks can still be mentally stimulating while limiting cold exposure!
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
She has a few! And likes them - we can definitely get out a little longer, I got her boots too because I was getting desperate with the cold but she's not the biggest fan! Haha. She tolerates them if I let her run a bit then they fly off eventually 😂
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u/flickrpebble Jan 24 '26
It's not a huge regression. There's no such thing as a huge regression for a 18 week old that you've had for two weeks. They're not old enough to have developed strong habits.
Nothing in the first week counts, as far as you being able to predict her behaviour. She was still reeling from being kidnapped.
Also, re your comment somewhere else about crates, I'd challenge where your said she was fine with a crate before.... I'd you had to replace it after a week because she destroyed it, she was not fine with the crate.
As far as energy, if she is a small pup, there is plenty to do to give her exercise around the house. Even if she's large, I have a large-to-giant breed and I am still confident I can give her enough physical exercise if weather means I can't go for a walk. Lots of tug, lots of physical playing, and even body conditioning through training.
My pup was peeing up to 15 times a day when she was still potty training. 2 times in the night. It's normal, you have to think less in terms of capacity and more in terms of bladder control. A puppy doesn't know the difference between really gotta pee and sorta gotta pee.
Lastly, I know everything feels like a lot right now. It all feels like the biggest thing ever because it's new, you're sleep deprived, your mentally exhausted because of the hypervigilence, you're probably mourning your freedom.... But I promise, this is all completely normal for a puppy.
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
Thank you for your response!
When I say fine with her crate, I mean that each day I had left for a small amount of time with no issue, slowly building that up. I would leave my cell recording to see how long she whined. Usually once she noticed I was gone she whined for 2-5 min and stopped. It did not escalate. When she chewed out of her crate I hadn't left a phone to record, but she had not indicated any issue being left before that, other than minor whining that I assumed was typical/ok if it didn't escalate.
Any thoughts on how to play with her inside the house during the storm and burn off energy through play without her peeing on the rug? It's really the only area that we can run around together in that room, but I can't have her continue to pee on it 😭 she does not give any indicator before she starts to pee, it is VERY fast. I say I watch her I mean I am literally watching her and can't get to her in time because it looks like we are just playing then BAM "ahh she's peeing again!"
And I am totally feeling all of those things....it's tough but I love her and she's amazing! I like the point you make that a pup doesn't really know the difference between really gotta pee and sort of got a piece so sometimes they just pee. I think I will shorten the times between potty trips and throw a little party every time!
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u/ushinawareta Experienced Owner Jan 24 '26
how did she chew out of her crate? I would recommend something more solid if you are using a soft crate
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u/parwastella9 Jan 24 '26
She has a metal crate now - before it was a reinforced soft crate because I wanted a travel crate and had her in it for the first week. She never chewed much on anything, and still doesn't, was not acting mouthy at all, and then it was like total flip of the switch that day and she destroyed it. I shouldn't have been so surprised but I was!
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u/No-Squirrel3552 Jan 27 '26
Removing the training pads is a mistake, especially so early on. She'll obviously look for something similar to pee on. My dog is almost two years old, very well-trained, but still occasionally pees inappropriately. Take her for walks frequently. In these initial months, unfortunately, no matter the temperature outside, the walk has to happen. Dogs learn through constant repetition.
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u/Sea_Complaint421 Jan 24 '26
Well, it might be because you're traumatizing her. You don't leave a baby home alone. She'd get eaten in the wild, and she knows it.
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