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DEAR PAW’S CORNER:
We adopted a puppy last month. “Jake” is having some problems adjusting to his new home. He has soiled his own bed three times so far (we crate him at night) and doesn’t make it through the day — he starts whining by the door around lunchtime and, if we’re not home, will just go anywhere in the house. How can we fix this?
— Carl B., via email
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DEAR CARL:
How old is Jake? It sounds like, barring any unknown physical issues or illness, he is a young puppy with a small bladder. He simply can’t hold it as long as a fully grown dog.
The fact that Jake makes it a point to whine by the door means that the house training is effective, but you may be waiting much too long to take him out. When he has to go, he will go. That includes soiling his crate, which is an absolute last resort for a dog.
Follow this guideline, published by the American Kennel Club, called the “month-plus-one” rule: Take your puppy’s age in months, and add one. That gives you a rough estimate of the maximum number of hours Jake should wait before going outside to pee or poop.
For example, if Jake is four months old, add one to that number. The total, five, means he should be taken outside every five hours. Every puppy is different, so Jake may need to go out a little sooner. And yes, that means he may need to go out in the middle of the night, or on a pee pad.
He should always be taken out just before bedtime and first thing in the morning, regardless of his age.
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Image by Katrin B.
