Lesson 11: Assessing Your Puppy's Progress

It’s hard to believe that you are almost in the last module of the house-training class. After many weeks of effort, we trust that you and your puppy are making some real progress. Here is a checklist to help you figure out how you’re doing and the first steps in expanding the space you give your pup. More on that next module.

Assess Your Puppy’s Progress

It's hard to believe that you are almost in the last module of the Avidog Puppy Potty Training Solution course. After many weeks of effort, we trust that you and your puppy are making some real progress. Here is a checklist to help you figure out how you're doing:

You should still be:

• Constantly watching your puppy whenever it is loose in a room.
• Controlling which rooms your puppy has access to in the house.
• Able to see your pup at all times! So either close doors to rooms or put up gates to keep it in sight. Someone should ALWAYS be watching the pup when it's loose!
• Watching for signals from your puppy that it needs to go out.
• Asking, "Do you want to go outside?" when you see one of your puppy's signals.
• Taking your pup out on leash every time.
• Putting your puppy back in the crate if it does not potty within 10-15 minutes of being taken out to potty.

Your puppy should be:

• Sleeping through the night in the crate.
• Confined in either an ex-pen for extended periods of time or a crate for shorter periods of time and nighttime.
• Giving a signal, even if subtle, that it has to potty.
• Asking you to take it outside
• Beginning to go ahead of you on leash to the potty area when you go out.
• Always pottying first, then going for walks, playing with you, etc.

If your puppy has been having accidents in the house over the last few weeks take a look at what is actually happening.

• Is someone watching the puppy carefully at all times when it is loose in the house? If you, or someone else cannot watch the pup it needs to be confined!
• Is your puppy being put back into the crate every time it doesn't potty within 10-15 minutes of being taken outside? This is a very common error that will set your puppy up to continue to have accidents - perhaps for life!
• Have you thoroughly cleaned up any accidents your puppy may have had? Using an enzymatic cleaner is essential in the clean-up process!

If you have been diligent about the training process and your puppy is still having accidents in the house, email us: puppycollege@gooddog.com. We are here to help! We want to answer your questions and help you solve any problems you may be having. Perhaps your puppy's training needs to be tweaked a bit or you may need to take a step back for your pup to gain a better understanding of what you expect.

Also, keep in mind that potty accidents are a symptom of urinary tract infections. If you thought your puppy was doing well with its house training but now it seems to be regressing, or if your puppy is not progressing at all despite doing everything we have advised, get your pup in to see the veterinarian to rule out a UTI.

If you have not been able to be consistent with your pup's house training, it is not too late! We understand how hard it is when you are trying to keep up with your busy life and your puppy. You can still teach your puppy using the Five Steps! What your puppy learns first it learns best. You are teaching your pup an important life skill--its toilet is outdoors and not some out-of-the-way place in your house. Making house training a priority now will pay off hugely later for you and your puppy!

If your puppy is still having accidents in the house or you find the only way it does not have accidents is when you take your puppy out every hour, re-read the ebook, watch the videos again, or both!

If your puppy's house training has been successful - GREAT JOB! Your efforts are paying off and you are on the road to having a fully house-trained dog!!! If you feel you need to give your pup more space and it has earned it by not having an accident in the last seven days, you are ready for the next step in house training: