# Taking him out to potty TOO much??



## kdaly (Jan 31, 2013)

I feel like I am taking our almost 12 week old V out to potty all day long. I'm ok with that if he needs it, but it's mainly because I just do not want him to have an accident so I feel I am constantly taking him out to poo after he eats. Sometimes he just doesn't need to go after he eats it seems and he will wait until after his next meal, however I never know when this is the case so I'm taking him out at 15 min, 30 min, etc etc if I think he even is considering pooping inside. Many times I will take him out and he will plop down on the ground and look at me like, "Lady, you're crazy!"

Do I need to relax a little and give him the opportunity to "show" me he needs to go? We have only had him for 1 week. He sleeps like an angel for 7-8 hours without needing to go potty at night. yay!

Here is a pic I took yesterday while he was still for a moment


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

Kdaly - your boy is so cute!!!

I don't think there is such a thing as "taking out to potty too much". 

The best thing in my opinion, is to prepare your puppy for success - this is exactly what you are doing


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Hi kdaly, welcome to the forum. I think you are doing very well. I would have thought every 30 minutes was fine but the important thing is to learn your pup's body language -for example sniffing the ground, going around in circles. Once you know the his signs of needing to go pee/poo then you can reduce the number of times you need to take him out. He will soon get the idea of asking to go out. For my pup this was standing in front of a door, and if we didn't see him he would come over to us and then go back to a door as if to say come on I need to go out. That isn't to say we didn't have the odd accident when the stupid hoomans weren't paying attention.

He certainly is a very handsome dog.


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## Nelly (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi Kdaly! I also have a 12 week old (girl) and I also think you're doing the right thing as you have only had him for a week. 

As hotmischief said you will learn to read his body language. We have had Nelly since she was ready to come away from the breeder so we know what it looks like (she stares at corners, ha!) Regardless, we still take her out straight away after every nap and play but like your pup she is not a clockwork pooper so we just have to look out for the signs. 

You're setting him up in a great routine! And he is beauuutiful!


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## bjm442 (Feb 6, 2013)

We lucky out with Charlie, 4 days after we got him he has been trained to let us know to go outside. It was the first weekend we had him, took him out on the hour every hour. Be cold in chicagoland area and the V's not like the cold much. He did not like going out. So now he runs over to the oven looks at it then runs to the front door to go out. In fast has I'm writing this he is trying to tell me he has to go out.


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## Ollywebb1 (Feb 6, 2013)

Hi kdaly, we have a 12 week old boy Radley that we picked up only a week ago so we are in the same boat! 

I have been doing exactly the same because we've had a few little accidents. I'm struggling to know if he whimpers for attention or if he wants to go out so I've just been taking him out after every meal, nap and whimper. I think after a week he has improved so much its amazing. I know if I'm playing with him and all of a sudden I lose his attention and he starts sniffing around that it must be nearly time. I then watch him like a hawk and if he starts to go in circles like hotmischief says or squats I quickly take him outside. However, twice today he has walked over to the door and gone out as soon as I opened the door. Fingers crossed he's learning and giving me a more obvious clue!

I wish Radley slept through though like yours. He woke me on 5 occasions last night........ He went to toilet every time though and that's better than cleaning the crate 

It would be rude not to add a photo! ;D


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

Ollyweb1 I very much doubt he needs to go 5 times in the night! A12 week old puppy should only need to go once and some will go through the night. He's whimpering because he wants your attention and it is working because you are giving it to him! If you ever want to get a nights sleep then you are going to have to start ignoring him or you will be getting up 5 times a night when he is 2!


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## Ollywebb1 (Feb 6, 2013)

Thanks Lyra, I think that's the reassurance I needed. I wasn't sure and I thought better safe than sorry. But if that's the case then tough love starts tonight. Cheers


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## kdaly (Jan 31, 2013)

Thanks everyone! Yesterday he did have one accident in the house :'( Right after I took him out too! However, one time during the day he went over and scratched at the back door and I took him out and he pottied. Yay! Wondering if I should do the crate more during the day? Does anyone do the 1 hour in the crate and then out to potty routine? He does fine in the crate at night, but does not like it at all during the day!

Ollywebb1 your little guy is super cute! How much does he weigh now? Duke seemed small, but I know he has gained a pound since we got him. He's up to 10.4.


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## Ollywebb1 (Feb 6, 2013)

Kdaly, he's due a visit to the vets a week today for his second vaccination so hopefully i'll find out how much he weighs then. But visually he has filled out a lot since we got him. 

Radley says thank you for the compliment  and the same goes for little duke.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

One of my favorite potty training expectations I read was that for the first couple of weeks, your puppy is training you to know when to go outside. Any accident is because you need to be trained to be more observant. After you are trained, then you can work on training the puppy. 

That being said...for the first several weeks, at least in my house, there was no such thing as too many potty trips.


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## Rufus Tiberius (Dec 18, 2012)

...for the first several weeks, at least in my house, there was no such thing as too many potty trips.

Amen to that jdl640


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