Agreed on the positive reinforcement. Along G's point, if you catch him peeing elsewhere, a very stern "No" and finger point or other indicative body language is usually enough to convey your point. This will only work if you catch him in the act and immediately put him back on the pad (then change your body language once he's on the pad...).
When we potty trained our dog, we took her outside every 30 minutes on a leash (or some other equally insane interval) and said "hurry up!" Once she peed, we'd give her a treat, and tons of praise. Then we'd go right back inside to make the point that this was not play time, although you can play *after* peeing if you want. You could do the same with your pup - bring him over to the pad every hour or half hour or whatever (even on a leash, to indicate that this is not play time), and don't initiate any play or even eye contact. Just say your word/phrase, stand there, and wait. If he tries to play, gently correct him. And if he doesn't pee/poop after a bit, then that's ok. Take him off. If he does, lots of praise and a treat, then take him off the pads. Go back again in 45 minutes... Dunno if any of that'll help you, but I can honestly say that using a phrase to indicate what we want our dog to do is the best thing to happen to us on cold winter nights and mornings! We've even got Banjo trained to ring a bell now when she has to go out, which has saved us a lot of hassle and miscommunication. Oh, and about the biting... sounds like what you're doing is great! I've also found that when my puppy wanted to nip, gently but firmly grabbing her muzzle, giving it a little (gentle but firm) shake and saying no bite, *then* presenting the toy adds a subtle touch of dominance that the dog might need to get the point. G Money wrote: > I saw an awful lot of positive reinforcement, and thats good. > > But i'm telling ya...from experience...sometimes you've just got to be mean. > It's harder than hell cuz they're so damn cute and ya love em to death, but > be stern, punish, reprimand, yell, smack lightly with a paper if necessary. > > You have to make it very well known in terms that the animal will > understand, that yelping and such is not acceptable. > > On 11/8/06, Greg Morphis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Those who use puppy training pads which brand do you use? We use the >> PetSmart economy puppy pads and were just curious if there are any >> better out there. How long does it usually take a puppy to learn >> that's where he does his business at? During the day when his crate is >> in the living room, he seems to be able to poo on the pad but peeing >> is hit and miss, 2 days ago, all but one hit the pad, I rewarded him >> the other 4 times and was so proud. I changed the pad and yesterday he >> went about half the time, one time really disappointed me. I new it >> was about time so I got on the ground by the puppy pad, with treat in >> hand ready. >> I called him name and showed him the pad, he seemed more interested in >> playing, so I thought he didnt need to go. I looked away for a moment >> to set the treat down and I looked back at him and he was peeing on >> the carpet, no where near the pad. Just 2-3 seconds from when I showed >> him the pad. >> I reward him with a treat every time he goes on the pad during the day >> that I'm around. At night, he sleeps in the 2nd bedroom. We have a >> confinement area set up. It's a ~36sq ft plastic fence. I've lined the >> bottom with newspaper and we have a puppy pad in there also. He peed >> on the pad 3 times and only missed once. However he didn't poo on the >> pad, he pooed on the newspaper. >> Another question is.. he whimpers and whines during the night and when >> he hears us opening the bedroom door he goes full force yelping and >> whining. It's very loud and irritating. I do my best to ignore it but >> it gets difficult. We don't want him sleeping in our room until he can >> go all night without using the restroom and yelping and whining, >> waking us up throughout the night. >> Also, we have him plenty of toys, 2 squeak toys, 2 tug and pull toys, >> 2 stuffed toys, and a rattle toy. He seems to want to play with me and >> my wife than his toys and he plays rough at times.. biting and >> nipping. We tell him "no bite" and give him a toy, but he doesn't seem >> to be interested. I just wish he'd spend more time with his toys and >> become less dependant on us. I'm on vacation this week but next week, >> we're going to have to leave him during the day, in his confinement >> area. >> Any tips, tricks, etc would be GREATLY appreciated. >> >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Introducing the Fusion Authority Quarterly Update. 80 pages of hard-hitting, up-to-date ColdFusion information by your peers, delivered to your door four times a year. http://www.fusionauthority.com/quarterly Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:220094 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
