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Question:

> We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and > we are working on housebreaking.

Smaller separate crates. Strict food/water schedules. Pick up water an hour before last potty. Get up in the night if you have too– this is an important ‘mission’. Be patient– they are babies still. — Toni www.irish-wolfhounds.com writing that asking for trouble, or what?

Response:

Reduce the size of the crate with a partition of some kind. This usually happens when the crate is too large. Are you making sure they eliminate before you go to bed? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and >we are working on housebreaking.  We’ve been told by the vet that putting them >in a crate is the best method to do this.  We crate them at night and while we >are at work during the day.  We give them an hour of playtime with us each >morning and from the time we get home until we go to bed.  The vet said that >they won’t go in their bed (crate), but each morning one of them has gone in >the crate and during the day it’s the same thing.  We are putting them in the >same crate since they seem to like the company of the other.  The crate isn’t >huge, but it is bigger than they are.  They seem to use the front as the >bathroom and sleep in the back part of it.  I’m beginning to wonder if we >should switch to the paper method and keep them penned in the bathroom with >paper on the floor and forget the crate method.  Maybe this isn’t the method >that works for them best.  We’d appreciate any help or input.  What do you >think?  Paper or crate??? And how long does housebreaking take??? >Thanks!

Response:

Be patient. They are still very young. I know I’ve read that you should only expect a puppy to hold it for about an hour for each month of their age plus one more. That would preclude them making it through the night.  They are going at the end of the cage which proves that they don’t really want to go in their sleep area. Alternatively, you could leave the door unlatched. They would probably then go on the floor. (just joking). Give them time, it sounds like you’re doing it all right. Keep up the play time and enjoy them.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and > we are working on housebreaking.  We’ve been told by the vet that putting them > in a crate is the best method to do this.  We crate them at night and while we > are at work during the day.  We give them an hour of playtime with us each > morning and from the time we get home until we go to bed.  The vet said that > they won’t go in their bed (crate), but each morning one of them has gone in > the crate and during the day it’s the same thing.  We are putting them in the > same crate since they seem to like the company of the other.  The crate isn’t > huge, but it is bigger than they are.  They seem to use the front as the > bathroom and sleep in the back part of it.  I’m beginning to wonder if we > should switch to the paper method and keep them penned in the bathroom with > paper on the floor and forget the crate method.  Maybe this isn’t the method > that works for them best.  We’d appreciate any help or input.  What do you > think?  Paper or crate??? And how long does housebreaking take??? > Thanks!

Response:

We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and we are working on housebreaking.  We’ve been told by the vet that putting them in a crate is the best method to do this.  We crate them at night and while we are at work during the day.  We give them an hour of playtime with us each morning and from the time we get home until we go to bed.  The vet said that they won’t go in their bed (crate), but each morning one of them has gone in the crate and during the day it’s the same thing.  We are putting them in the same crate since they seem to like the company of the other.  The crate isn’t huge, but it is bigger than they are.  They seem to use the front as the bathroom and sleep in the back part of it.  I’m beginning to wonder if we should switch to the paper method and keep them penned in the bathroom with paper on the floor and forget the crate method.  Maybe this isn’t the method that works for them best.  We’d appreciate any help or input.  What do you think?  Paper or crate??? And how long does housebreaking take??? Thanks!

Response:

> We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and > we are working on housebreaking.

Smaller separate crates. Strict food/water schedules. Pick up water an hour before last potty. Get up in the night if you have too– this is an important ‘mission’. Be patient– they are babies still. — Toni www.irish-wolfhounds.com writing that asking for trouble, or what?

Response:

Reduce the size of the crate with a partition of some kind. This usually happens when the crate is too large. Are you making sure they eliminate before you go to bed? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and >we are working on housebreaking.  We’ve been told by the vet that putting them >in a crate is the best method to do this.  We crate them at night and while we >are at work during the day.  We give them an hour of playtime with us each >morning and from the time we get home until we go to bed.  The vet said that >they won’t go in their bed (crate), but each morning one of them has gone in >the crate and during the day it’s the same thing.  We are putting them in the >same crate since they seem to like the company of the other.  The crate isn’t >huge, but it is bigger than they are.  They seem to use the front as the >bathroom and sleep in the back part of it.  I’m beginning to wonder if we >should switch to the paper method and keep them penned in the bathroom with >paper on the floor and forget the crate method.  Maybe this isn’t the method >that works for them best.  We’d appreciate any help or input.  What do you >think?  Paper or crate??? And how long does housebreaking take??? >Thanks!

Response:

Be patient. They are still very young. I know I’ve read that you should only expect a puppy to hold it for about an hour for each month of their age plus one more. That would preclude them making it through the night.  They are going at the end of the cage which proves that they don’t really want to go in their sleep area. Alternatively, you could leave the door unlatched. They would probably then go on the floor. (just joking). Give them time, it sounds like you’re doing it all right. Keep up the play time and enjoy them.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and > we are working on housebreaking.  We’ve been told by the vet that putting them > in a crate is the best method to do this.  We crate them at night and while we > are at work during the day.  We give them an hour of playtime with us each > morning and from the time we get home until we go to bed.  The vet said that > they won’t go in their bed (crate), but each morning one of them has gone in > the crate and during the day it’s the same thing.  We are putting them in the > same crate since they seem to like the company of the other.  The crate isn’t > huge, but it is bigger than they are.  They seem to use the front as the > bathroom and sleep in the back part of it.  I’m beginning to wonder if we > should switch to the paper method and keep them penned in the bathroom with > paper on the floor and forget the crate method.  Maybe this isn’t the method > that works for them best.  We’d appreciate any help or input.  What do you > think?  Paper or crate??? And how long does housebreaking take??? > Thanks!

Response:

We are the proud owners of two male puppies.  They are 2-3 months old now, and we are working on housebreaking.  We’ve been told by the vet that putting them in a crate is the best method to do this.  We crate them at night and while we are at work during the day.  We give them an hour of playtime with us each morning and from the time we get home until we go to bed.  The vet said that they won’t go in their bed (crate), but each morning one of them has gone in the crate and during the day it’s the same thing.  We are putting them in the same crate since they seem to like the company of the other.  The crate isn’t huge, but it is bigger than they are.  They seem to use the front as the bathroom and sleep in the back part of it.  I’m beginning to wonder if we should switch to the paper method and keep them penned in the bathroom with paper on the floor and forget the crate method.  Maybe this isn’t the method that works for them best.  We’d appreciate any help or input.  What do you think?  Paper or crate??? And how long does housebreaking take??? Thanks!

Response: